arts

Students from Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School who are participating in Sandy Auer's pottery classes traveled to Rochester today for the class's annual visit to the Flower City Arts Center, where they could experience throwing pottery for a first time on a pottery wheel. The students then work with Mrs. Auer one-on-one in class throwing their own pottery pieces. 

"It's a great experience for the students," Mrs. Auer said.

Photos and info provided by Byron-Bergen High School.

Genesee Community College drama students participated in a workshop today with members of Polite Ink, a sketch and improv troupe from Rochester that will perform this Saturday at the Stuart Steiner Theater.

Polite Ink is a co-ed comedy team that writes and performs its own original sketches and improv games live on stage with the help of the audience.

Saturday's performance is at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (55+) and GCC faculty/staff. Students and children are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket.

To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu(link sends e-mail) or (585) 345-6814.

The Asteria String Quartet's "First Viennese Valentine's" performance scheduled for this Saturday at the Dibble Family Center in Batavia has been canceled.

One of the quartet's members had an unforeseen circumstance arise and will not be able to perform. It was not possible for the quartet to find a replacement musician on such short notice.

The performance was sponsored by the Genesee Symphony Orchester and Musical Director Shade Zajac, and quartet member, shares his deepest regrets for the canceling.

The GSO will refund all ticket purchases. For a refund, call Roxie Choate at (585) 356-9635 and she will mail a refund to you if you purchased tickets.

Tomorrow the Batavia Players will screen a premier showing of "Macbeth," filmed and produced in Batavia, at the Harvester 56 Theater.

"Though the language is true to the original Shakespeare, the period is modern with a 'West Side Story' flare," said Emily Crawford, publicist for Harvester 56.

"The roles of nobility and the murderous rivalry between them has been adapted to a gang environment. This is the first time many of our actors are appearing on screen, though we do have a few veterans in the mix."

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a reception. The screening starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 at the door.

At GO ART! on Thursday night, there was both a cooking class and an art show opening.

Joseph Rojo, above, provided a demonstration of Asian fusion cooking. Below, Kimberly Perl and Marie Scofield get to participate in creating a chicken adobo.

For the art show below, Judy Wenrich poses with her painting, "My 3 Pets." Look closely and you'll find three ferrets. The show features work by GO ART! members on the theme of "Juxtaposition."

GO ART! also has an art sale in the main gallery featuring both current member works and works from the archives.

Mike Randall, WKBW's chief meteorologist and an actor, performed a reading of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens last night at the Richmond Memorial Library. In Randall's live solo performance he takes on the role of 25 characters from the story.

Press release:

Following on the heels of a successful art show at GO ART! last month, a few employees/moms at Batavia High School (who will be remaining anonymous) decided that they wanted to make sure that the rest of Eian Windham's artwork sold out.  

Eian has had a challenging couple of years and these moms felt that this show/sale, located in the BHS library, would bring exposure to his outstanding photography and would give him the happiness that he deserves.  

These BHS employees who refer to themselves as  Moms4Good only needed to ask the BHS administration once and they were supportive and completely on board!

The public is invited to stop into BHS  anytime during the next two weeks to purchase some really spectacular photography. All of it is mounted and some are framed but all is reasonably priced and would be a perfect holiday gift!  

This Thursday, Dec. 14th, the public is also invited to a double treat. The BHS Winter concert, starting at 7 p.m. will be followed by a reception and art sale.

"Most of the prints are under $20 and they are really gorgeous," says one of the organizers. 

The event will be held in the library all day on the 14th, but the reception will be after the concert at 8:30 p.m..  The concert begins at 7 p.m., but arrive early for the best parking and seating.

Tom Redband, an entrepreneurship teacher at the high school, has opened this opportunity up to his students and they have agreed to offer their services to set up, collect money and even order prints after they are sold out. 

"What a great way to start off this magical holiday season with some beautiful music and artwork to benefit a great young man," says an organizer.

Opening night of "Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone" SOLD OUT its first performance at Batavia High School last evening. Students from the Drama Club performed their 16th annual show and had the crowd laughing and on their toes throughout the performance.

Director Caryn Leigh Wood has worked with many students but this was challenging, especially toward the finale. Sorrow was still resonating for the cast, who lost a former BHS student, Tori Nigro, in a sudden accident last week. 

The Drama Club ended the performance with a tribute honoring the memory of Tori.

There are two remaining shows, tonight at 7:30 and a matinee tomorrow at 2 o'clock. Tickets are $8, and $6 for students and seniors.

For more photos go to: http://steveognibenephotography.zenfolio.com/p419033762

When was the last time you were at GO ART!? Well the Genesee Orleans Regional Art Council has been very busy over the last year. You may have noticed the Picnic In the Park on July 4^th was a little larger and had more activities. 

GO ART! has been busy behind the scenes, too. At Seymour Place, where GO ART! is located in Batavia (201 E. Main St.), they have increased the galleries from one to four, tripling the amount of art on display at any given time. Currently all four galleries are filled. 

For Christmas in the City, and throughout the month of December, GO ART! has assembled more than 150 pieces of classic and contemporary art, including sculpture and jewelry that are offered for sale.

“GO ART! has been very lucky to have had many great works donated to us through the years," Director Gregory Hallock said. “So much so that we don't have room to store it all and for the first time we are offering those without stipulations and owned by GO ART! up for sale to the public."

They have not just been busy with art. GO ART! has reworked the kitchen, complete with four new Viking ranges, for culinary classes. The ovens received a bit of a workout yesterday as they made cookies for Christmas in the City.

Starting at 5 p.m. on Friday GO ART! will be hosting a Slavic Christmas complete with Santa Claus and an accordion band; sandwiches from Red Osier Landmark Restaurant will also be sold at Seymour Place for the event.  

The Genesee Chorale performs "Christmas Memories" this Saturday and Monday in Batavia and Medina.

The program includes some new, some old and some old favorites with a new twist, sung by approximately 70 singers under the direction of Ric Jones and with accompaniment by Doug Hanson.

Concerts are at 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at St. James Episcopal Church, 405 E. Main St., Batavia, and at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at First Presbyterian Church, 522 S. Main St., Medina.

Tickets are $8 presale, available from Chorale members or online at www.GeneseeChorale.com.

Photos by Howard Owens from Monday's rehearsal at St. James.

Batavia High School's Drama Club performs "Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone," a parody by Dean O'Carroll, next weekend.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m., Dec. 1 and 2, and 2 p.m. on Dec. 3.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the door.

The cast:

• Sally Cotter, Eryn Dunn
• Sally's Mother, Tanner Kolb
• Reubenon Ryebread, Cameron Bontrager
• 1st Censor, Madeline Keenan
• 2nd Censor, Alicia Scroger
• Dave, Pierce Corbelli
• Harmonica, Elise Hoerbelt
• Ursa Malaise, Parise Ricks
• Ed Molar, James Weatherbee
• Professor Athena McDonaldsa, Tanner Kolb
• Professor Shiftia Shape, Aubrey Towner
• Professor Albatross Underdrawers, Evan Bellavia
• Aaron A. Ardvarkovich, Gavin Tucker
• Shea'mon Canavan, AT Thatcher
• Navel Longfellow, Samuel Rigerman
• Polly Pixie, Emily Kilner
• Poppy Pixie, Riley MacDonough
• London Liverwurst, Lillian Whiting
• Val Crabby, Courtney Lougheed
• Gerry Boyle, Oliver Havens
• Freesia Chestnut, Jordyn Mott
• Kitty Ball, Macayla Burke
• Chloe Crane, Claire Griffith-Sarkis
• Patty Petronia, Laura Lepkowski
• Hedgerow the Owl, Phoebe Fryer

Batavia Players presents "Frankenstein: A New Musical" this weekend and next weekend at the Harverster 56 Theater in Batavia.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and Nov. 10 and Nov. 11, and at 2 p.m. this Sunday only. Tickets are $15 per adult or $12 for students and seniors. 

The cast is Pat Burk, Richard Ferris, Cale Dehlinger, Erin Stamp, Liam Crawford, James Barcomb, Heather Ferris, Petyon Woeller, Derrick Crawford, Emily Crawford, Jocelyn Coburn, Norah Crawford, Steve Coburn, Kathryn Fitzpatrick, Kaylee Dehlinger, Jessie Pierce, Lucine Kauffman, Rose Bower, Isaiah Merrill, Samantha Rychlicki, A.T., and Gabriel Flanagan.

The 21st annual John Gardner Society gathering at the Pok-A-Dot to remember Batavia's most famous novelist at his favorite local restaurant brought people in from some distance this year. There were two people who drove in from Pennsylvania, two from Indiana, and one of Gardner's best friends, who drove up from Binghamton (playwright Jan Quackenbush). Among the travelers, a former student and a former dorm mate of Gardner's. First-timers to the reading also included a couple from Buffalo.

Reading in the top photo, Beth Buechler, who was one of Gardner's students in Binghamton and traveled to Batavia from Indiana.

Tracy Ford

Bill Kauffman

Terry Abrams, of Basom, reading, as he does every year, from "On Becoming a Novelist."

Norm Morford, a dormmate's of Gardner's while in college.

Helen Maier

Other readers included Byron Hoot, from Pennsylvania, Lucine Kauffman, Steve Lewandowski, JoNelle Toriseva, and John Maier.

Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., the Batavia Players will present "Broads, Boys & Broadway Backwards" at the Harvester 56 Theater on Harvester Avenue, Batavia. 

Tickets are $15 and include a champagne reception after the show.

The players will perform songs from Broadway musicals, but with gender roles reversed. The men will sing the women's parts and the women will sing the men's parts.

Performers are Pat Burk, Amanda Taylor, Anthony Baldwin-Giambrone, Cameron Bontrager, Colin Fleming-Stumpf, Jerrod Baldwin-Giambrone, Joe Kusmierczak, Erin Stamp, Kathryn Fitzpatrick and Wendy Williams.

The show is directed by Pat Burk. Musical direction and accompaniment, Kathy White.

Wyoming County writer and photographer Barbara Knight was on hand Thursday night at GO ART! for an artist's reception featuring her photos of Ireland. Knight has worked for 25 years as a writer and photographer and she traveled to Ireland in April. The photos on display at GO ART! capture the beauty and grandeur of what she saw during her visit.

GO ART! also opened its latest member show, "Guilty Pleasure."

Alex Segouia, of Avon, with his painting, "Lust." 

Lydia Zwierzynski with "Dreams of Fortune." 

Top picture, "West of the Fields" by Kevin Hammon, and "The Fishing Shack" by Julie Lambert.

The monthly meeting of the Batavia Society of Artists last night featured a demonstration by Patricia Tribastone in a style of painting known as Alla Prima.

The Alla Prima style of painting is a technique in which the artist completes a painting in one sitting. The painting is done “wet into wet” and the main characteristics are fresh color, minimized detail, and brush work. 

Tribastone, who is involved in numerous national art organizations and has won several awards for her pastel and oil paintings, set up a still life scene for the demonstration and explained how she arranged her subject and the materials she used to complete the painting.

Tribastone has a gallery and studio in Canandaigua at 32 S. Main St.

This weekend the Batavia Players present at Harvester 56 a three-act play, "The Laramie Project," which is based on the murder of Matthew Shepard.

Shepard was a 22-year-old student at the University of Wyoming when he was beaten and robbed and left tied to a fence post in the fall of 1998. Two friends of Shepard's soon after claimed he was killed because he was gay and Shepard's death gained national attention and led to the creation of hate crime laws in most states. Whether Shepard was killed because he was gay has been called into question during the intervening years.

The play is written by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project in New York City.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $13 for adults, $10 for seniors and students.

The show contains content that may not be suitable for young children.

The cast: Dorothy Gerhart, Michele Stamp, Joe Kasmierczak, Anthony Giambrone, Micheal Flanagan, Wendy Williams, Kathy Johns, Lucine Kauffman, Peggy Marone, and Norm Argulsky. All cast members play multiple roles.

The Harvester 56 Theater, home of the Batavia Players, is opening a new dance school this fall. Classes will be held at the Robert Morris School in Batavia. 

The Theater has sponsored summer dance camps in the past, but the new academy will offer semesters of professional dance instruction to students of all ages. Patrick Burk, president of the Board of Directors of the Batavia Players, is enthusiastic about this new venture.

He said, “A dance academy seemed like the next step. Many of our productions need dancers of all ages and yet, there was no performance-based dance company in the area -- all dance studios were designed to provide a recital piece or pieces for their students at the end of the year. We want our dance students to obtain dance skills so they can learn a dance and perform it at any time. It allows us to be skills based and not recital based.”

Classes are not just for current theater participants, but are open all members of the community. Weekly lessons will be offered in Ballet, Tap, Jazz/Contemporary, and Theater Dance, as well as the opportunity for private lessons and one-time master classes on specific dance styles or techniques.  

The Harvester 56 Theater Dance Academy is directed by Rochester native Brianna Blair Kelly. Kelly began her training in Irish Dance and attended the School of the Arts in Rochester. Kelly holds a BFA in Musical Theater from SUNY Fredonia and an MFA in Choreography and Performance from The College at Brockport. Kelly’s connections at the School of the Arts and the College at Brockport have helped her to recruit an array of diverse teachers for the 2017-2018 season.

Instructor Alyssa Bourgeois was born and raised in Houston and will be getting her master’s in Choreography and Performance from the College at Brockport in the Fall of 2017. Instructor Kaitlyn Owens is also a Rochester School of the Arts graduate and is currently a sophomore BFA dance major at SUNY Brockport. Instructor Tatiana Amaye-Obu hails from Brooklyn and brings with her extensive training in Classical Ballet but is also well versed in Hip-Hop and African Dance. 

Kelly said, “I’m very excited and proud to be starting the Harvester 56 Dance Academy. It’s thrilling to know that we are establishing a creative environment that offers a new kind of dance education -- hopefully it will become the go-to place for comprehensive, supportive and affordable dance education for Batavia and the surrounding areas.”

More information about the academy can be found online at bataviaplayers.org.

(Submitted photo)

Alexander Davis found a place for himself when he started playing the bassoon at Batavia High School.

Now, at 27 years old, he is completing his fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Center in Boston.

Davis went to SUNY Fredonia for music education and completed his master’s degree at Stony Brook University. He started playing bassoon because he said it was a weird instrument.

“At first, I was playing saxophone,” Davis said. “When I started going to All County Festivals, I saw a bassoon for the first time, and said I had to play it.”

Davis said he was drawn to the instrument, but that his mom really pushed him to play music.

“She taught me that music was something that connected to me easily,” Davis said. “When she had me start band in eighth grade, I was hesitant. Now that I’m here, I couldn’t be more thankful for how much she loved me.”

Throughout his career, Davis said he has looked up to multiple professionals, including Laura Koedke, Frank Morelli and Monica Ellis, all bassoon players. Each bassoonist, influenced him in a way no other person did.

“Each one taught me something about myself that I didn’t know,” Davis said.

Davis is part of Xelana Duo, which has brought him to play in venues such as The National Opera Center, and played with ensembles such as the New Juilliard Ensemble, and the CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra.

Davis said he pursues every opportunity he can. He would like to see himself in a chamber orchestra, teaching at a college, playing a lot of chamber music, or having his own studio in the future.

Batavia gave Davis the opportunity to have many experiences, he said.

“Kids that grew up in New York City and Rochester, there are more kids auditioning to be in groups, trying to be in ensembles,” Davis said.

During a musical at Batavia, Davis was able to be a character on stage during the first half, and a member of the orchestra pit during the second.

“Because it was a very intimate setting, I was able to do everything I wanted to do,” Davis said.

Growing up in Batavia helped shape Davis into the musician and person he is today.

“Batavia was the perfect place,” Davis said. “You could be a big fish in a small pond.”