“There’s nothing to do in this city.”
Whenever I hear someone say something like that, I want to beat them about
the head and shoulders. Rochester is not New York City. Rochester is not
Washington, D.C. Rochester is not Los Angeles, or any other booming metropolis.
But for a city its size, Rochester is practically bursting with arts and
entertainment. There is almost always something to do in Rochester.
These activities might not be available 24/7, right when you’re drumming
your fingers or scratching your head. But opportunities abound for anyone
willing to do even a little bit of research. Below you’ll find a collection of
reliable sources for local entertainment. This is by no means comprehensive; to
get a better sense of what’s happening on a given day, consult City Newspaper’s
weekly calendar. For a list of our plentiful cultural
festivals, turn to page XX.
Art
Rochester is home to two art museums. The MemorialArtGallery(500
University Ave, 276-8900, mag.rochester.edu) is part of the University of
Rochester, but has its own campus in the Neighborhood of the Arts. In addition
to its permanent collection, which includes a number of important works and
prints, the museum’s galleries are usually filled with a variety of rotating
exhibits. Shows in the past year have focused on Latin-American art, art
quilts, and the best work from the Rochester-Finger Lakes region. The museum is
open Wednesday through Sundays, with extended hours until 9 p.m. on Thursdays,
so you have no excuse not to go.
The George Eastman House (900 East Ave, 271-3361,
eastmanhouse.org) is devoted to the history and preservation of film. Named
after the Kodak founder and based in what was his gorgeous East Avenue mansion,
the museum houses numerous film artifacts – one of the cameras used to shoot
the 1939 “Wizard of Oz” musical, for instance – as well as rotating
exhibitions, including recent shows on Mexican wrestlers, the genocide in the
Sudan, and the work of Ansel Adams. Its Dryden
Theatre screens a mixture of contemporary, classic, and obscure films most
nights of the week, often with introductions by visiting filmmakers. Check out
dryden.eastmanhouse.org for a full schedule.
The Genesee Center for the Arts (713 Monroe Ave, 244-1730,
geneseearts.org) isn’t a museum, but with all of its various galleries and
workspaces it might as well be. These include the Community Darkroom and its
photography gallery; Genesee Pottery, a ceramic studio with its own gallery for
artisan stoneware; and the Printing & Book Arts Center, filled with antique
presses and paper-making machinery. In addition to its many exhibitions, the
Center offers a variety of classes that are open to the community.
For a crash course in the Rochester art scene, head to a First
Friday (firsfridayrochester.org). Recently launched by the Rochester
Contemporary Art Center (137 East Ave, 461-2222,
rochestercontemporary.org) – a modern art destination in its own right – First
Friday is a monthly citywide gallery night when a dozen or so local art spaces
stay open late, many of them hosting receptions for their shows. On certain
months the Art Bus even runs between galleries.
Theater
Geva Theatre (75
Woodbury Blvd, 232-GEVA, gevatheatrecenter.com) is the big theater dog in town.
During its regular season (September-June) it produces roughly seven mainstage shows a year. The 2007-08 season
ranged from intimate fare like “The Piano Teacher” to bombastic
musicals like “Cabaret.” Its smaller Nextstage
is home to edgier works and Geva Comedy Improv, so the theater typically has a show running most
nights of the week (except Mondays).
For a reliably good time, check out Downstairs Cabaret Theater (325-4370,
downstairscabaret.com), which usually runs three to five shows in repertory in
its three different downtown locations. DCT’s productions usually feature lots
of comedy and song; examples include the long-running relationship comedy
“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” and the office-mocking
“The Watercoolers.”
Rochester Broadway Theatre League (885 E Main St, 222-5000,
rbtl.org) brings touring productions of big-time musicals like
“Wicked” and “Avenue Q” to the Auditorium Theatre. The
shows typically last about a week, and the group also brings in a variety of
comedy and music shows throughout the year.
The Nazareth Arts Center (4245 East Ave, 389-2170, naz.edu/dept/artscenter) is a major arts
hub, bringing in a wide range of touring acts including internationally
recognized musicians, theater productions, and dance copmanies
— the 07-08 season included visits from Ballet Hispanico,
Parsons Dance Company, and local luminary Garth Fagan’s troupe. It is also
home to the Rochester City Ballet and Rochester Children’s Theatre’s several
annual productions. The Arts Center is currently undergoing major
renovations, which are slated to be completed in spring of 2009.
Other notable local theater groups include Blackfriars Theatre (28 Lawn St, 454-1260, blackfriars.org), with shows that range
from the dramatic (Stephen King’s “Misery”) to the whimsical (“A
Year with Frog and Toad”); Shipping Dock Theatre (31
Prince St, 232-2250, shippingdocktheatre.org), which stages edgier, more
experimental plays; JCC CenterStage(1200
Edgewood Ave, 461-2000, jccrochester.org), which stages general interest
productions; and Everyone’s Theater Company (everyonestheatre.com), which puts on plays, musicals, and murder mysteries.
Families
Rochester has not one, but two major museums with major family appeal. The Strong
– National Museum of Play (1 Manhattan Square, 263-2700,
nationalmuseumofplay.org) is the second-biggest kid’s museum in the nation. If
the kids are bored, there’s undoubtedly something to catch their attention
here, between the massive Reading Adventureland, featuring
3-D exhibits inspired by various kiddie-lit genres; Field of Play, stuffed with
interactive games; the National Toy Hall of Fame; and the Dancing Wings
Butterfly Garden.
The Rochester Museum & Science Center (657 East Ave,
271-4320, rmsc.org) is packed with hands-on science- and history-based
activities that are as fun as they are educational. The recently expanded
“Expedition Earth” exhibit includes a full-size wooly-mammoth replica
and hands-on fossil excavation pit, a mock volcano and earthquake, and an
undersea diorama showing what Rochester looked like 350 million years ago, when
it sat at the bottom of a tropical sea. Also make a trip to the adjacent Strasenburgh Planetarium for giant-screen nature films and
star shows.
The Seneca Park Zoo (2222 St. Paul St, 336-7200,
senecaparkzoo.org) is open 364 days a year (it closes just once, for its Zoobilation celebration in June). Tigers, polar bears,
elephants, otters, and orangutan all call the zoo home, so there’s never a dull
moment.
Other family-friendly options include Rochester Children’s Theatre (rochesterchildrenstheatre.org,
385-0510), TYKEs – Theatre Young Kids Enjoy (tykestheatre.org,
723-6080), and A Magical Journey Thru Stages (mjtstages.com),
which put on a variety of kid-centric plays and musicals throughout the year.
Area libraries (www2.libraryweb.org) are a good bet, too, as many branches
offer story times for little kids, craft or book groups for pre-teens, and teen
centers with games and activities for the older crowd.
Literature
Bookish types have no excuse for boredom in Rochester. Writers &
Books (740 University Ave, 473-2590, wab.org) regularly brings in
nationally recognized authors for readings and signings; hosts book groups,
open mics, and poetry readings; offers writing classes
for youth and adults with multiple sessions a year, and organizes the If All of
Rochester Read the Same Book program (this year’s selection: “Hope and
Other Dangerous Pursuits” by LailaLalami).
Local libraries and book stores also host reading groups and signings. LiftBridge Book Shop (45
Main St, Brockport, 637-2260, liftbridge.booksense.com) regularly holds author
events and book groups, including specific programming for kids. Central
Library (115 South Ave, 428-8350) holds the popular Books Sandwiched
In series, which features community leaders reviewing topical books during
lunchtime on the first Tuesday of the month, October-May. Rochester
Arts & Lectures (Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 Fitzhugh
St, artsandlectures.org) brings in big-name authors like Daniel Handler (a.k.a.
Lemony Snicket), Michael Chabon,
Amy Tan, and Elmore Leonard to speak to its typically sold-out crowds.
Sports
Rochester is a sports town; no matter what kind of ball playing is your
pleasure, you can find it here. In the winter the Rochester Americans –
Amerks, to the faithful – hockey team (amerks.com,
232-1900) and the Rochester RazorSharksbasketball
players (razorsharks.com, 232-1900) take over Blue Cross Arena. Come spring the
Rochester Raiders (rochesterraiders.com, 232-1900) play
football while the Rochester Knighthawks(knighthawks.net,
232-1900) play indoor lacrosse in Blue Cross Arena. In summer the Rochester
Red Wings (redwingsbaseball.com, 423-9464) baseball fans flock to
Frontier Field in High Falls, while the Raging Rhinos (rhinossoccer.com,
232-1900) soccer team and Rochester Rattlers (rochesterrattlers.com,
232-1900) lacrosse team set up camp in Paetec Park.
This article appears in Mar 12-18, 2008.
