A teenage girl lounges in bed, writing a letter to Make a Wish Foundation punctuated with smiley and frowny faces. She refers to documentation of her short life expectancy, then trails off into a musical “do do do do.” It’s a little moment that catches you off guard – this girl knows she’s going to […]
Arts & Entertainment
Posted inArt
An unlikely friendship between a local artist and a family in Gaza
Heather Layton sat cross-legged in a big armchair off her living room. This is where she calls her friend, Baher. “We talk until our batteries run out on our phones,” she said, laughing. Sometimes the call goes unanswered, and Layton worries Baher and his family are dead. On this particular day, he answered. “I didn’t have wi-fi at my place,” he explained. It was […]
Posted inArt
Peer Bode’s video art exhibition at VSW recalls the 1970s and ‘80s
Abstract shapes of shifting colors dance over an otherwise mundane video of a cup of coffee, recorded with a handheld Portapak analog camera and displayed on three projectors. Actually it’s two videos; a lagging copy hovers over itself like a ghost, a polychromatic distortion, following the actions of its original, trailing behind the pouring, the […]
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Children’s lit magazine ‘Magic Dragon’ looks to its future in an uncertain financial landscape
There’s a dragon in Joanne Andrews’ basement. He’s a few feet tall, brilliant green and clad in a wizard’s hat and a wand. He’s also made onto a foam board. Andrews created him as the mascot for Magic Dragon, the children’s literary magazine she assembles in her Pittsford home with editor Patricia Roesch. Andrews is […]
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PUSH Physical Theatre’s Heather and Darren Stevenson have built a life — and a company — together, on stage and off
When Heather and Darren Stevenson tell a love story on stage, it’s not an act. They have been married for 32 years and served as co-artistic directors of PUSH Physical Theatre for 25 years — by now, performing side-by-side is second nature. As part of the company’s 25th anniversary celebration, PUSH will host a homecoming […]
Posted inTheater
REVIEW | ‘Barefoot in the Park’ at Geva Theatre
Nostalgia has a strong pull in times of uncertainty. Perhaps that’s why Neil Simon has been especially popular this theatrical season. His comedies seem familiar and fun, especially for theatergoers who witnessed his prolific stage and screenwriting career, which started in the 1960s. A longtime favorite of regional theater, Simon’s works have also recently been […]
Posted inTheater
In his second act, Mark Cuddy bets on Chekhov — and Rochester
Mark Cuddy was known as a hands-on artistic director during his nearly three decades at the helm of Geva Theatre. But he’s been giving new meaning to that reputation as the founder of his latest venture, The Classics Company, which arrived on the local theater scene with authority in January with a striking production of […]
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City to offer up $170,000 in grants for the arts
Now in its fourth year, ArtsBloom aims to fund small art projects that benefit the community as a whole.
Posted inTheater
REVIEW | “WICKED”
The now-Broadway classic, onstage at the West Herr Auditorium Theatre through March 1 as part of RBTL’s 2025-26 season, still soars and delights.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Vision of Sound returns for four days of eclectic local music and dance
The Rochester City Ballet, a krumping university professor and ensemble musicians will gather this weekend for a unique festival. Vision of Sound, which pairs local composers and choreographers to perform new work together, returns for four shows of eclectic music and dance February 19-22. The shows will be staged at four local schools, including SUNY Brockport, Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, […]
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Rochester’s drag community is more than double entendres and dollar bills
The perception that drag equals sex sparked controversy this past summer when a drag bingo fundraiser planned to benefit The Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester was canceled due to widespread online backlash. Many commenters objected to a drag-themed fundraiser being tied to a child-welfare charity, arguing it made the event inappropriate or was misaligned […]
