12 CULTURE AFTER OPENING FOR CHAPPELL ROAN IN MAY, LITTLE MX. BUNNY CONTINUES TO BUILD A DRAGLESQUE CAREER. BY BRIANNA MILON
42 ARTS SIX ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL PREVIEWS. BY GOLDRING ARTS JOURNALISM STUDENTS
8
ARTS AFTER THE DEATH OF FOUNDER LOUIS PERTICONE, ARTISANWORKS FORGES AHEAD WITH HIS VISION FRONT AND CENTER. BY PATRICK HOSKEN MORE ARTS, MUSIC, AND CULTURE INSIDE!
Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, Norm Silverstein, chairman
50 MUSIC
JOYWAVE’S ALBUM “PERMANENT PLEASURE” CELEBRATES THE TRIO’S HOMETOWN HISTORY WITH VINTAGE RECORDINGS. BY PATRICK HOSKEN
54 FOOD & BEV A BELOVED DOWNTOWN LUNCH AND CATERING SPOT APPROACHES 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS BY LEAH STACY
FOUNDERS
Bill and Mary Anna Towler
EDITORIAL
Editor: Leah Stacy
Arts writers: Patrick Hosken, Daniel J. Kushner
Contributors: Sara Atencio-Gonzales, Sydney Burrows, Alex Crichton, Colette Goldstein, Johanna Lester, Mike Martinez, Brianna Milon, Henry O'Brien, Abby Quatro, Rebecca Rafferty, Narada J. Riley, Rafael Rodriguez, Katherine Varga, Ally Watkinson, Victoria Wyffels, Ryan Yarmel
CREATIVE
Director, Strategy: Ryan Williamson
Art director: Jacob Walsh
ADVERTISING ads@rochester-citynews.com
Sales director: Alison Zero Jones
Advertising consultant/
Project manager: David White
OPERATIONS/CIRCULATION
Operations manager: Ryan Williamson
Circulation: ryan@rochester-citynews.com
CITY is available free of charge. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased by calling 585-784-3503. CITY may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of CITY, take more than one copy of each monthly issue.
CITY (ISSN 1551-3262) is published monthly 12 times per year by Rochester Area Media Partners, a subsidiary of WXXI Public Broadcasting. Periodical postage paid at Rochester, NY (USPS 022-138). Address changes: CITY, 280 State Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and the New York Press Association. Copyright by Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, 2024 - all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system without permission of the copyright owner.
On the cover:
Sabrina Bui (left), Amya Brice (right)
Photo by: Mike Martinez
Styled by: Cat D. Olson
The he(art) of it all
EDITOR'S LETTER
BY LEAH STACY LEAH@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
At the top of Jeff Buckley’s rendition of “Hallelujah,” there’s a moment of silence, then a sigh.
His cover of the Leonard Cohen song begins with this expression of heaviness, heartbreak, acceptance, letting go — continuing through lyrics like, Maybe there's a God above / But all I've ever learned from love / Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya / And it's not a cry that you hear at night / It's not somebody who's seen the light / It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
As we put together this annual Fall Arts Preview issue, it struck me (not for the first time) how much of the art people make and consume comes from a difficult journey. As I browsed the Rochester Fringe Festival guide, there were many recurring show themes of grief, loss and trial.
The old cliches abound: Phoenix rising. Beauty from ashes. Forged in the fire.
But there’s something to all of it, something in the way humans are built, that resonates. And when an artist is honest during the creative process, other people connect. And beauty results.
While we here at CITY are not artists, per se, we still have the privilege of creating something that inspires and brings a community together. Last month, we received an email from reader Sarah Williams,
who’d just returned from eight days backpacking along the Appalachian Trail. She’d spontaneously stuffed a copy of CITY and a pencil into her pack, and through inclement weather, downtime and sheltering with other hikers on the trail, the CITY crossword united them:
“Without the crossword we still would have met these people, but (it) gave us all something to work on together, a way to talk to each other, a surprising connection for all of us unique souls who happened to be traveling the Appalachian Trail at the
same time. When you measure what you carry on your backpack in ounces, the CITY paper and its crossword are worth its weight in spades.”
In the following pages, CITY once again provides a preview of myriad artistic pursuits happening around town this fall. Patrick Hosken and I team-taught a summer arts journalism graduate class for the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, and six of the previews you’ll read here were penned by those students (the future of the media industry). Our staff and freelance writers have rounded up best
picks in visual art, dance, music and theater. The cover was photographed in one of the many rooms within ArtisanWorks (read the full story on page eight), a 40,000-square foot art space in the North Winton Village founded by Louis Perticone, who died in July. Perticone’s legacy lives on through the more than 500,000 works of art he curated — and the joy it brings to those who visit.
Here’s to art, with heart.
The main hall at ArtisanWorks. PHOTO BY MIKE MARTINEZ
Age: Timeless. Associate Artistic Director and Director of Connectivity at Geva Theatre.
SOCIAL: @artandjusticeroc on Instagram
HOMETOWN: Born in Ann Arbor, MI; raised in Detroit; lives in Pittsford
READING: “The Guardian;” “YES!” magazine; “The Atlantic;” “New York Times” Cooking; “Cane River Cuisine” (a cookbook from my late mother); blogs on Medium; “American Theatre” Magazine; Theatre Folx of Color thread on Facebook; “The Matter of Black Lives: Writings from ‘The New Yorker’” edited by Jelani Cobb and David Remnick; “A Good Cry” by Nikki Giovanni; and “Erasure” by Percival Everett. As a member of the curation team, I’m reading many plays in consideration for Geva’s 2025–26 season. And research articles, papers and books in preparation for the book I am currently writing on my family and the 1917 East St. Louis Pogrom.
EATING: I love escargot and Max of Eastman Place prepares it so well. Tasty soups at Native Eatery. Fuego Coffee Roasters has really good teas. My husband makes the best pancit, which we had with pork satays that I cooked. I love ganbari and malfouf appetizers as a meal at Sinbad’s and the chicklaki plate at Aladdin’s Natural Eatery. I am looking for a place that makes fantastic paella!
PLAYING: Some of the best things I have seen or listened to (in no particular order of preference) are “American Fiction,” “The Serpent Queen,” “Queenie,” “Pachinko,” “The Bear,” “Sunny,” “Shōgun,” “The Humanity Archive” and “Code Switches.”
OBSESSING OVER: I am obsessing over our long weekend vacation at the Treetop VRBO in Keuka Lake. It was magical. Also, my ancestors and the 1917 East St. Louis Pogrom because I am writing a book about it and them.
RECOMMENDING: I am a grandmother to a 1- and 3-year-old. Parkleigh has the best plushies. I bought them a giant stuffed bullfrog and a stuffed chicken there. At work, I am learning about the depth of art and culture beyond the cultural cornerstone institutions. Go see or experience the vast arts landscape in every neighborhood in greater Rochester.
TREATING MYSELF TO: A writing retreat at the Writers & Books Gell Center next month. I had the pleasure of a two-week retreat last summer and it was transformational.
SHOUTING OUT: Ganondagan State Historic Site; Borinquen Dance Theatre; RANGE from FUA KREW; IBERO; Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez; Jayme Bermudez; Jason Barber and others with whom I worked closely on the Latinx Art & Culture Celebration; Dr. Tokeya Graham of Soulstainable Living; Reuben Tapp; Gary Dewitt Marshall and Alison Meyers—the StageCraft group; and so many others that I have not named but collaborate with frequently. Thomas Warfield is a long-term partner on projects. There are so many wonderful people in Rochester contributing to our community’s vitality.
Interested in being a CITY R.E.P.O.R.T.S. interviewee? Send an email to leah@rochester-citynews.com.
Wayne Martin Belger turned a 500-year-old Tibetan skull into a bejeweled, working pinhole camera. He named the mechanism “Yama” after the Tibetan god of death. In most art galleries, this would be the most interesting piece, an evergreen conversation starter.
But “Yama” lives at ArtisanWorks — and there, “Yama” is just another wonder in a collection of 500,000 pieces.
The whimsical arts space on Blossom Road has long blended fine art with kitsch and collectibles; a giant wooden toothbrush sculpture sits next to a Salvador Dalí painting, yards from a restored Lincoln Continental and vintage Kodak signage. These items (and thousands more) came to ArtisanWorks over the last quarter century via the dogged work of its founder, Louis Perticone.
“He believed enough in himself that he could take a beaten-down, dirty old warehouse and lots of neglected areas and turn them into this psychedelic paradise,” said artist April Laragy Stein, facilities manager at ArtisanWorks.
ArtisanWorks CEO Kimberly Trenholm helped build the unclassifiable art space with late founder Louis Perticone. PHOTOS BY MIKE MARTINEZ
“My only mission is to make sure that this place outlives all of us.”
Perticone died July 1 after a battle with metastatic pancreatic cancer. In the years before his 2022 diagnosis, Perticone built ArtisanWorks into a “Disneyland for art,” as he described it to CITY in 2012. The organization makes most of its money from renting out space for events and through a lease-to-own art program.
But Perticone had a knack for finding the art in the first place, and for displaying it. Stein first met Perticone in 2004 when she pulled up outside the space with a trunk full of 20 unframed paintings she’d made.
“Louis saw just the one on the top, and he goes, ‘Yep, I want all of it,’” she recalled. That began a decades-long partnership in which Stein created dozens of pieces for ArtisanWorks. “I used to do a painting for everyone who got married there, and we sometimes would have 100 weddings in a year,” she said.
Stein called Perticone a “Montessori curator,” stressing his specialized approach to each artist. Some needed studio space, of which he had plenty to give. Some needed a job, so he put them to work building walls for new rooms inside the warehouse. As such, everything inside reflects his own creative vision, even through the various unique works of the artists he championed.
“He never liked to call it a museum, but it was a museum of Louis’s life out loud,” Stein said.
In light of Perticone’s illness and death, ArtisanWorks’s CEO and co-founder Kimberly Trenholm has stepped into a more central role. She spoke about her longtime collaborator in the present tense, and throughout the many themed spaces inside the 46,000-square foot hall — the “Casablanca” room, the 1960s firehouse, the Victorian
dining room — he remains.
“The trajectory of my entire life was changed when I met him,” Trenholm said. “I didn’t know anything about art, really. I was going to become a social worker.”
Instead, Trenholm became Perticone’s trusted partner in making sure ArtisanWorks thrives.
“He used to say, ‘All I did was build it. Now you have to turn it into cash.’”
“My only mission,” she continued, “is to make sure that this place outlives all of us.”
The burly voice of Luciano Pavarotti, Perticone’s favorite, belts from a room dedicated to Rochester pioneers like Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony and George Eastman. In the corner, a wooden display houses another local titan: Louis Perticone himself.
Trenholm spent the last two years of Perticone’s life readying his final resting place inside ArtisanWorks. Stein painted angel wings on the wall in front of an easy chair outfitted with his personal effects: a black fanny pack, a small transistor radio, a pair of New Balance sneakers, bourbon and cigars.
Perticone’s ashes reside in a beautiful floral vase that sat in their shared office for 30 years.
“When I put him up there and closed the doors, I just felt like he was home immediately,” Trenholm said.
Since his death, a central question in the arts community has been: What is ArtisanWorks without Louis Perticone? Trenholm and Stein both highlighted how collaborative the organization has always been, which helps now. Though everyone has a “different recipe” in their head for how to make decisions, Stein said, all the ingredients came from Perticone.
ArtisanWorks founder Louis Perticone’s ashes are on display in a room with his personal affects (whiskey, cigars, a smartphone) at the Blossom Road space.
Perticone idolized George Eastman. The dozens of pieces of Kodak ephemera at ArtisanWorks reflect that.
Left: From the floor to the 36-foot high ceilings, nearly all the space at ArtisanWorks is spoken for. Right: CEO Kimberly Trenholm said Perticone changed her life.
For Trenholm, the future holds the chance to continue building upon the foundation Perticone laid.
“I don’t think it really changes the fabric of the vision,” she said. “It opens up a lot more possibilities because we can stay aligned with all the visions that were in place — experience, creativity and all of those things.”
Trenholm gestured up to the 36foot high ceilings.
“But we can also take the platform that he’s built, because he’s really a builder. You can see it,” she said. “We can take that platform and turn it into a lasting place in Rochester for people to be able to come and experience it and keep creating.”
ArtisanWorks hosts Thursday activity nights — soap-making classes, yoga, mobster-themed bingo, tie-dye workshops, printmaking — as well as Sunday thrift sales of its own pieces from 12-4 p.m. In a warehouse where “there’s no space anywhere and every drawer is filled,” Trenholm said, thrifting is both necessary and a great
bit of community outreach.
She picked up a set of sterling silver Japanese earrings for sale and briefly marveled at them.
“Where did these come from?” she said. “How do we have these?”
It’s a fitting scene. If the cofounder, who helped create countless artistic arrangements and who is currently ArtisanWorks’s de facto vault of knowledge, can still be gleefully surprised at the collection, imagine what could happen to someone stepping inside the space for the first time.
Stein knows the feeling well.
“Everybody wishes they could live their first kiss again,” she said. “I think a first kiss with ArtisanWorks is the first time you walk through and say, ‘Oh my god.’ What Louis did is he kept creating those ‘oh my gods.’ He let everybody have their first kiss over and over again.”
The 40,000 square feet of ArtisanWorks holds cars, kitsch, furniture and fine art.
A portrait of late ArtisanWorks founder Louis Perticone.
In addition to painted and sculpted works, ArtisanWorks boasts a formidable vintage sign collection.
“There’s no space anywhere, and every drawer is filled,” CEO Kimberly Trenholm said.
Pink pony up
BY BRIANNA MILON
The term ‘burlesque’ brings a few images to mind. The American-born French dancer Josephine Baker, or perhaps the 2010 film starring Christina Aguilera and Cher. But here in Rochester, there’s an emerging presence: think bright green corsets, blond hair and the sultryness that is Little Mx. Bunny.
LMB is the alter ego of Isa Reeses (they/she/he). Over the last three years, they have performed on stages all across New York State. When Bunny’s on stage, all eyes are on them. No matter the song or routine, a crowded bar will go quiet once they’re moving.
In May, LMB performed in front of their biggest audience yet: 6,000 people, opening for Chappell Roan at her concert at Buffalo's Outer Harbor.
“It did not feel real in any capacity,” Reese said. “To go from having never been to a concert to pulling up behind the tour buses, meeting the crew and Chappell was so mind-boggling.”
Not to mention rising pop star Roan is quickly making a name for herself; in August, the midwest native performed at Lollapalooza to a record-breaking crowd of 80,000 people. Roan highlights local talent at every tour stop by having drag artists open for her concerts. Little Mx. Bunny was one of three performers to grace the stage that night.
After opening for Chappell Roan in May,
Little Mx. Bunny continues to build a draglesque career.
CULTURE
PORTRAITS BY RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ
“How powerful and truly earthshaking it feels to have so many people respond to what you’re doing on stage.”
“How powerful and truly earthshaking it feels to have so many people respond to what you’re doing on stage,” Reese said. “I get so used to [small venues], but to be on a concert stage and person 5,999 is screaming just as hard as the people right in front of me. It was amazing.”
The Little Mx. Bunny persona was born during the COVID pandemic, but Reese has been performing since they were 11 years old. That’s why it wasn’t a shock to their partner, Kasey Christiansen, when they moved in this direction.
“I was not surprised when they were like, ‘I want to do this,’” Christiansen said. “Not a lot of people will say, ‘I want to do this, and so I’m going to do it.’”
While LMB is beautiful, they do not fit the ‘mold’ of what society deems desirable and sexy. As a plus-sized dancer, they push those boundaries every time they take the stage, enchanting the audience with songs like “Roxanne” and “Holding Out for a Hero.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
“When I’m making my act, I fully acknowledge that I am not what people are expecting when this song comes on,” Reese said. “But I’ve never felt like I couldn’t do it. Burlesque, in its essence, has always been an art form where all bodies are welcome.”
Throughout LMB’s evolution, they have moved away from describing their act as burlesque — they now use the word ‘draglesque.’
Draglesque is still a new term to the performance world; it mixes the sensuality of burlesque with the gender bending of drag. Reese said the two have always overlapped, so once they discovered the term, it felt like a perfect fit.
“Being able to look at it through a drag lens and play with my masculinity or femininity when I want to just make it so much more freeing,” Reese said. “I love burlesque because of what I can do with it, not because I’m a lady taking her clothes off.”
Since they made the move to draglesque, Reese says they have faced
pushback from both the drag and burlesque communities, but fellow drag performer Vivian Darling, believes there’s room for all forms of expression. Both LMB and Vivian Darling perform weekly at ROAR Nightclub on Culver Road.
“While drag and burlesque are two different performance styles, one doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t be the other,” Darling said. “I think something that we, as traditional drag performers, need to realize is that there’s no right or wrong way to do drag.”
Reese has come a long way from performing as a hobby in 2020 — now, performing, along with photography, is their full-time career, and they refuse to let the naysayers count them out.
“I love it far too much to let people whose idea of drag and gender ruin what I’ve made,” said Reese. “Either they can grow with me or stay where they are.”
FALL PREVIEW visual arts
Visual learning
Five must-see art exhibits this fall
ARTS
BY REBECCA RAFFERTY
When the first autumnal chills slice through the summer heat, the body wants layered clothing and heartier meals, but the senses and the mind sharpen with winter’s looming scythe. Maybe it’s the ingrained back-toschool association, or something older: it’s time for coming together, sharing knowledge across fires. In any case, it just feels right that the start of the fresh arts season comes during the fall, when our attentions turn inward and a bit more serious.
This year, our picks for not-tobe-missed visual art shows include sobering accounts of institutional and interpersonal abuse and its long-lasting impact; Rochester’s major institutions reflecting with deep dives into their collections; and individual artists digging into various fraught fragments of this American life.
Decades ago, it was common to teach American youth that North America is a “melting pot” of cultures, before someone cringed at that visual and changed it to “stew,” in which its contributing cultures remain distinct and compliment the whole. But that doesn’t mean the earlier description wasn’t true—this country has been guilty of the horrors of forced assimilation, not least of which when it came to Indigenous people. The same is true of Canada, with its colonial ties to England, which carved up Indigenous lands when forming its borders with America.
Canada is where artist R. G. Miller—whose work is on view this
month at Rochester Contemporary Art Center—spent 11 years of his childhood at the Mohawk Institute Residential School, similar to ones found in the United States. Forcibly removed from his family at age three, Miller was further severed from his roots through language and cultural deprivation at an institution that aimed to “kill the Indian in the child.” The exhibit of his oil paintings, mixed media works on paper, and collages explores the “chronic terrors and abuse” he was subject to not that long ago in history.
Miller’s art is an ongoing journey toward healing, and his educational exhibit is supplemented by a talk with Lauren Jimerson during the opening on Sept. 6 and a film screening by Cher Obediah on Sept. 12. rochestercontemporary.org
“Drawing as Discovery: 500 Years of Drawings and Watercolors from the Permanent Collection”
Memorial Art Gallery
September 28, 2024January 12, 2025
The MAG regularly presents exhibitions of work by master artists of old and avant-garde contemporary creators alike, but it also has a fascinating, wide-ranging collection of works that aren’t always exhibited. Drawing from its holdings of more than 2,000 works on paper, the museum will exhibit an array of 100 artworks from a breadth of cultures and eras, including household names—Francisco Goya, Rembrandt van Rijn, Edgar Degas, Georgia O’Keeffe, Kara Walker—as well as more obscure and unknown artists gifted to the gallery or collected by past leadership at the MAG.
And knowing the gallery’s curatorial team, reading the accompanying context, histories and their interpretations of the works will be just as enthralling as studying the nuances of the works themselves. mag.rochester.edu
“Sarah C. Rutherford: What We Hold”
RIT City Art Space
October 4 - 26
Artist Sarah Rutherford’s meteoric rise from studio artist to nationallyrenowned muralist has been impressive, to say the least—more than a decade ago she began translating her supreme portraiture skills from canvas to wall, creating arresting, icon-like tributes to historical figures and community leaders in the “Her Voice Carries” series that celebrates women who amplify the voices around them, many of which grace buildings around Rochester. She has also spent much time helping young artists rise through her various endeavors as a mentor.
Rutherford’s upcoming show, “What We Hold: A Practice of Remembrance and Release” is a culmination of a two-year partnership with Willow Domestic Violence Center, and an expansion of her “Stories of Strength” project of art and storytelling as a mode of healing. This multi-sensory exhibition incorporates audio recordings of survivor testimony, layered drawings of their hands, and an immersive installation that bears witness to grief, recovery, and storytelling as empowerment. rit.edu/cityartspace
“Life with Photographs: 75 Years of the Eastman Museum” George Eastman Museum
October 5, 2024 - Aug. 31 2025
Since opening to the public in 1949, George Eastman’s former residence has become the foremost museum of photographic history, art and preservation studies. Now in its 75th year, Eastman Museum is launching a major retrospective drawn from its collection of photos and other materials that tell the story of the medium—and Rochester’s place in its history.
The exhibition presents a wide range of cultural histories and photographic practices, from early experimentation to radical takes on the medium, and includes major names and lesser-known artists alike. It will certainly appeal to photography buffs, but its attention to the general impact photography has had on human life will make it a fascinating visit for anyone. eastman.org
Melissa Ferrari Visual Studies Workshop December 2 - 30, 2024
While most venues present finished work by artists with a focus on the process of creation, there’s something truly amazing about witnessing that process as it is unfolding. Viewers can access that through studio visits or by checking out venues that dedicate a healthy chunk of their focus to the artistic process.
Visual Studies Workshop’s roster of Project Space resident artists hail from all over the world and represent an unlimited range of artistic practices and concerns. In this year’s cohort is Melissa Ferrari, an L.A.-based experimental animator who incorporates the magic lantern—a 17th-century projector—to present hand-drawn animated artworks. Ferrari will come to Rochester in November to source material from VSW’s collection of tens of thousands of lantern slides and work on her current magic lantern project, a film about the history of medication abortion. vsw.org
The year ahead will be filled with more opportunities to discover emerging artists and keep up with established ones. Follow along in CITY’s print edition, at roccitymag.com and in the weekly e-newsletters.
Plotting the boards
From new plays to political commentary, local theaters have lined up a fresh fall season.
ARTS
BY KATHERINE VARGA
Whether you attend theater to help process society’s woes or escape them entirely, this fall’s scene has an eclectic variety of options to consider. From mediums and maternity to presidents and princes, here are some trends of the upcoming season.
Playwrights to the front
Known for giving new life to the words of long-dead playwrights such as Sophocles and Chekhov, The Company Theatre is expanding its horizons with a world premiere of “The Summer Land” by (the very much alive) Chicago-based playwright Kate Royal, a graduate of SUNY Geneseo. Set in Rochester 1848, the play is about how the famed Fox sisters helped launch the modern Spiritualist movement by trying to communicate with the afterlife. The dead (including Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass) will come to life onstage November 8-17. thecompanytheatreroc.org
There’s another chance to see work by an upstate New York writer with “The Brownstone” by Laura Thomas, one of Rochester’s most prolific local playwrights. This family drama, set during a weekend birthday celebration in 1970s Harlem, explores mental illness and gentrification. The show was first staged nine years ago and returns to MuCCC from October 17-20. muccc.org
Geva Theatre Center puts one of America’s most influential playwrights of the 20th century front and center with “How I Learned What I Learned,” a one-man biographical show about August Wilson, the mind behind classic plays portraying Black life such as “Fences” and “The Piano Lesson.”
Hear his story, in his own words, from October 15-December 1. gevatheatre.org
Can’t escape politics
Given (yet another) unprecedented election season, it’s probably not a coincidence that two major theaters are doing American political systemthemed plays, both of which premiered on Broadway within the past five years.
Blackfriars Theatre takes the strictly comedic route with “POTUS: Or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” by Selina Fillinger, a nonpartisan feminist farce about seven women keeping a male president out of a PR disaster. Directed by Kerry Young — part of the Bushwhacked comedy duo that has become a sold-out staple of the Rochester Fringe Festival — this play runs October 24-November 3. blackfriars.org
JCC CenterStage offers the more pensive “What the Constitution Means To Me,” Heidi Schreck’s 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist play, from October 9-20. One woman plays both herself in the present and her 15-year-old self who participated in a debate on the Constitution, reflecting on women’s rights, immigration and American history. She then debates a contemporary teenager on what the Constitution means today, with each show’s audience acting as the jury. jccrochester.org/arts-culture/centerstage
…But you can escape the present Theater often offers romanticized versions of bygone eras, and this season is particularly nostalgic for the 1980s. For those who love a romantic comedy, Out of Pocket, Inc is staging “Nice Girl” by Melissa Ross, an empowering story about a suburban woman taking a hold of her life, set in 1984 amidst leg warmers and Jane Fonda tapes. It plays December 13-21 at MuCCC. outofpocketinc.com
The Rochester Community Players are staging the 1983 musical “Baby” by Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire, a relatively obscure songwriter duo that serves as a good benchmark for gauging just how obsessed someone is with musical theater. This show, about three couples navigating
becoming parents, includes the banger of a pregnancy anthem “The Story Goes On” and plays November 8-10. rochestercommunityplayers.org
For more mainstream 80s-ish hits, RBTL hosts the latest tour of the always popular “Mamma Mia!” from November 19-24. The flimsy plot centers on a girl inviting three potential dads to her Greek island wedding, but the outlandish storyline is just an excuse to deliver stage renditions of ABBA’s catchiest bops, including “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” and the title song. rbtl.org
If you want to go further back in time — like 3,000 years or so — check out “The Prince of Egypt,” a stage adaptation of the 1998 Dreamworks movie featuring a score by Stephen Schwartz (known for writing “Wicked” and many classics). The OFC Creations “Broadway in Brighton” series stages this biblically inspired show about Moses and Pharoah starring a mix of Broadway veterans and local performers, running December 5-29. ofccreations.com
Best foot forward
The fall dance season spotlights local and global artists.
BY SYDNEY BURROWS
The local dance scene continues to grow, with emerging artists consistently presenting work and established companies pushing boundaries with new choreography. This fall, performances from both local and visiting artists promise to engage audiences of all demographics: modern and ballet performances dot the calendar for those who want to be wowed by athleticism and grace; Ganandagan’s Native American Concert of Music and Dance weaves art with culture; while Rochester Fringe Festival and RocHaha Festivals offer neverbeen-done before acts.
From breakdance battles to belly dance, the Rochester Fringe Festival gives audiences a glimpse at the diverse talents of dancers in the Rochester community and beyond. Traditional proscenium stage shows at School of the Arts will feature Rochester City Ballet, SOTA alumni, Tetra Dance Company, A Touch of Dance and Kalyna Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. Dance crews Velocity and The Urban ARTS
Boys perform, and the annual Fringe Street Beat brings a breakdance battle to The Bowl at MLK Jr. Park. Swing dance, Middle Eastern and North African dances and Celtic dance will all be represented as well, fully rounding out the offerings at Fringe. September 10-21, shows range from free to ticketed. rochesterfringe.com
The inaugural RocHaha Clown Festival kicks off September 24 at the Multi-Use Community Cultural Center (MuCCC) with a showcase of local artists, “Itchy Clowns Night (A Rochester Community Cabaret).” The festival, co-produced by performing artist Katherine Marino and PUSH Physical Theatre Creative Director Ashley Jones, includes performances, workshops and community engagement opportunities. Each event features elements of clowning, including circus and physical theater, puppetry and animation, mime and wordless theater and object theater. With its combination of local participation and worldrenowned guest artists, RocHaha
FALL PREVIEW dance
hopes to bring clowning to the forefront of the Rochester arts scene. September 24-28 at MuCCC. Tickets are $15-35. rochaha.com
Ganondagan presents E-YAH-PAHHAH: Native American Concert of Music and Dance at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 27. E-Yah-Pah-Hah, a Quapaw word meaning “town crier,” will include music by Native American classical composers performed live by ECMS Woodwind Quintet, led by Kae Wilbert (Cherokee). Daystar Dance Company, the first dance company in the United States to be created with all-native performers, will perform Indigenous contemporary dance under the direction of Rosalie Jones (Pembina Chippewa-Cree). The artists specialize in cultural storytelling of the Northwest Coast and the Great Lakes Region, the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee. October 27 at Seneca Art & Culture Center at Ganondagan. Free. ganondagan.org
Rochester City Ballet will perform the familiar classic “The Nutcracker” alongside the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the end of November, marking 25 years of the iconic collaboration that brings a sprinkling of magic to each
holiday season. Though the score by Tchaikovsky is traditional, the dancers of Rochester City Ballet bring a fresh, contemporary feeling to the choreography. The company will also offer a sensory-friendly performance at the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center to allow all families to experience the enchanting world of the Nutcracker. November 27, 29, 30, and December 1 at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. $21-114. rpo.org
Garth Fagan Dance will host its annual home showcase at Monroe Community College, performing works by Fagan and new Artistic Director Norwood Pennewell. The impressive dancers are known for their athleticism and mastery of the famous Fagan technique, a combination of modern and Afro-Caribbean styles. Since their leadership transition in early 2024, the company has continued to excel in the balancing act of creating new works while keeping the feel of Fagan’s choreography alive. Their showcase is certain to offer audiences a glimpse of the past, present and future of Garth Fagan Dance. December 5-8 at Monroe Community College. garthfagan-dance.org
FALL PREVIEW FRINGE
CITY STAFF FRINGE PICKS
Some stuff we’re excited about, in case you wanna check it out.
ARTS
BY CITY STAFF
Barkha Dance Company: A Live Music & Kathak Dance Performance
Wednesday. Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.; Thursday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
Sloan Performing Arts Center, University of Rochester: Smith Theater, $15
Kathak, one of India’s oldest forms of dance, has long been associated with oral tradition and storytelling. In the capable hands of Barkha Patel — a New York City-based dancer, choreographer, educator and artistic director — Kathak’s history comes alive in a modern context. This performance of Patel’s new work called “Aham | Maha” features Patel’s movements accompanied by traditional musicians playing the tabla and sarangi. Patel will also bring the show to Jamestown and Corning during her time north of the Hudson River. Between those two stops lies her promising Fringe debut.
— PATRICK HOSKEN
“Latin Tones” With Duo Capriccioso Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. CenterStage Theatre at the JCC: JCC Ballroom Stage, $15
“Capriccioso” means “capricious” in Spanish, though the synonym “whimsical” better describes the pairing of flutist Denissa Rivas and violin player Raúl Munguía. Duo Capriccioso’s Fringe showcase is a musical journey around Latin America; the two combine the poise of classical performers with the exploratory freedom their name suggests, allowing for plenty of crossover appeal.
“Latin Tones” offers glimpses into the music of Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay and beyond; when’s the last time you heard Peruvian and Venezuelan melodies led by a flute? Ever? Rivas and Munguía make recontextualization their mission.
— PATRICK HOSKEN
“String Quartet Theatre”
Friday, Sept. 13 at 8:15 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Temple Theater, $25
A string quartet itself can tell a compelling, self-contained story without words. So it makes sense that the interpersonal dynamics required to play the music would lend itself to a more explicit, engaging narrative. Cordancia Chamber Orchestra Artistic Director Evan Meccarello and Breadcrumbs
Productions Artistic Director Tanner Efinger have teamed up to create “String Quartet Theatre,” a theater piece featuring professional string players, in which the audience is given an immersive experience that transcends the traditional seated concert hall. Meccarello described the performance as a “60-minute show about cycles of love and loss,” with music by prominent contemporary composers Missy Mazzoli, Angélica Negrón and Charlton Singleton of the band Ranky Tanky.
— DANIEL J. KUSHNER
Drunk Opera Friday, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m.
MuCCC, $10
Along the lines of “Shotspeare” — a recurring favorite at Rochester Fringe Festival — Drunk Opera acts on the idea that what the arguably antiquated art form needs is a good, stiff drink. For this show, audience members get treated to a 19th-century Bel Canto classic, Gaetano Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love,” now with less temperance and more profanity. Whether this truncated production can retain the opera’s charming qualities (as one of the cast members is randomly selected for inebriation) is an open question, but it’s sure to be entertaining.
— DANIEL J. KUSHNER
Thank You Kiss Presents: “Strangelove Letters”
Saturday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
The Focus Theater, $15 Comedy shows are always a gamble, and comedy shows at a Fringe Festival? Yuge gamble. Fortunately, the sketchcomedy of Thank You Kiss — Marc D’Amico, John Forrest Thompson, Beth Winslow and WXXI’s own producer Megan Mack — finds something to tickle nearly every funny bone through witty writing, improvisation and strategic use of technology. The group’s members have studied and worked at renowned comedy theaters like iO, The Second City, and the Annoyance, not to mention TYK is a winner of The Missouri Review’s prestigious Miller Audio Prize for Humor. A solid bet for either Fringe weekend.
— LEAH STACY
“Cross That River”
Saturday, Sept. 14 at 5:30 p.m.
JCC Hart Theater, $15-$25
The indelible icon of the American West — the cowboy — has been whitewashed in the cultural consciousness. But the legacy of Black cowboys is not lost, as the offBroadway musical “Cross That River” proves. With heartfelt songs that tell lesser-known stories of a forgotten America, this show is a one-off at Fringe; all the more reason to see it.
— DANIEL J. KUSHNER
“How to Look at Art When You Don’t Get It (It’s OK to Laugh)”
Saturday, Sept. 14 at 5 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 15 at 1:30 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
School of the Arts: Club SOTA, $10
A few years ago, storyteller Amy Boyle Johnston — also known as “Bonk” — uncovered a previously unknown short story penned by “Twilight Zone” creator Rod Serling, a Binghamton native. Johnston’s own adventure through art school and beyond doesn’t necessarily mirror Serling’s, though her
probing performance uses humor and connection to walk a similarly noble path. Johnston, a graduate of Visual Studies Workshop, tackles modern art (and ways of thinking about it) with nuance — a tool preferred by Serling himself. Not a bad storyteller to look up to.
— PATRICK HOSKEN
“Play in a Day”
Sunday, September 15 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Writers & Books, $20
The once-monikered “24-Hour Plays” return for another year to test the mettle of local thespians. Writers, actors and directors will gather at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 14 to split into groups and begin working on a short play to present just 24 hours later to a live audience. One of the most unpredictable performances each year, but also one of the most enjoyable — there’s always a familiar face (or three) onstage, and some of the work is overtly impressive given the timeframe. Mostly, though, it’s just fun to see a gaggle of deliriously tired folks have fun and present something they’re proud of.
— LEAH STACY
“Shotspeare”
Thursday, Sept. 19 at 9 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 20 at 9:15 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 21 at 9:15 p.m.
Spiegeltent, $30-$160
The only thing better than The Scottish Play itself is an adaptation that’s soaked in scotch and performed by five actors with spot-on comedic timing in a glittering Spiegeltent during Rochester Fringe Festival. With a reputation for being One of the Few Shows I’ve Returned to Multiple Times™, this year’s Shotspeare production from the minds of Matt and Heidi Morgan (it’s “Macbeth,” in case you didn’t catch that theater-coded reference above) will undoubtedly feature some whisky, err, risky business — and a whole lot of laughs.
— LEAH STACY
todo DAILY
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
ART
“Rebecca Aloisio + Mitch Goldstein: RABBET”
RIT City Art Space, rit.edu/cityartspace
In woodworking, a rabbet is a stepped recess that allows a piece to slot into another — two disparate elements become one. The term gives its name to a joint exhibition from a pair of professors at RIT’s College of Art and Design, Rebecca Aloisio and Mitch Goldstein, whose work employs hybrid-collage elements. Surprising textural patterns emerge in Aloisio’s pieces; Goldstein focuses on interesting arrangements of linear shapes. “RABBET” runs through Sept. 22, with an artist talk on Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. RIT City Arts Space is open Thursday through Sunday, 1-5 p.m. and Fridays from 1-9 p.m. Free.
PATRICK HOSKEN
CULTURE
Mt. Hope Cemetery Public Tour: North Section
Mt. Hope Cemetery, fomh.org/tours-events
Cemeteries sometimes get a bad rap as sources of macabre dread. But walking through a beautiful cemetery can feel like a peaceful stroll through a quaint neighborhood, and Mt. Hope fits that description. Presented by The Friends of Mt. Hope Cemetery, this tour stops by the gravesites of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, and covers a range of subjects including geology, architecture, horticulture and local history. 1-2:30 p.m. $15 for non-members, free for FOMH members. Kids under 18 with adult accompaniment are free.
DANIEL J. KUSHNER
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
SPORTS
Labor Day Red Wings Game
Innovative Field, milb.com/rochester Labor Day typically means an afternoon off from work in late summer. What better time to catch a ball game? The Red Wings take on the Worcester Red Sox, visiting from Massachusetts, in this game with a special promotion: Every seat in the 100 and 200 levels is only $5. A member of the hometown team will sign autographs ahead of the action, and the game itself is “Less Likes, More Love Night,” via a sponsorship with Snapchat. Gates open at 3 p.m. First pitch is thrown at 4:05 p.m. Special Labor Day tickets start at $5.
PH
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
FILM
“Cops” and “Seven Chances”
Dryden Theatre, eastman.org
In 1925, silent-film hero Buster Keaton directed and starred in “Seven Chances,” a comedy that follows a banker set to inherit $7 million ($126 million, adjusted for a century’s worth of inflation) if he can find and marry a bride that very day. The race is on — and it features gags both zany (a crowd of eligible women bulldozing football players) and understated (Keaton switching off suitors as he climbs up and down a staircase). A 35-millimeter print screens at the Dryden Theatre at 7:30 p.m., with Keaton’s 1922 short “Cops” playing ahead of the feature. Students pay $5, with tickets $9 for members and $12 for everyone else. PH
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
CULTURE
Downtown
Rochester Farmers Market
Parcel 5, rochesterdowntown.com
A visit to the outdoor market isn’t just for the weekend. For when Saturdays at the Rochester Public Market aren’t enough, Parcel 5 hosts the Downtown Rochester Farms Market every Wednesday now through Oct. 23. In addition to various farmers and vendors, food trucks will be on hand. Music and games only sweeten the deal. 4-7 p.m. Free admission. DK
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
MUSIC
Jaguar Sun
Bug Jar, bugjar.com
The Bug Jar has long been a place to hear hidden gems from the indie music scene. Jaguar Sun, the solo project of Canadian singersongwriter and multi-instrumentalist Chris Minielly — with its moody, atmospheric pop-rock tunes — fits that reputation. Minielly’s aesthetic leans toward lo-fi authenticity, but with layers of reverberating guitars that provide just the right amount of gloss. Jaguar Sun’s latest EP, “For You,” manages to be both highly contemplative and extroverted. Jimso Slim plays in support. Doors for the 18-and-over show open at 8 p.m. and the music starts at 9 p.m. $12.30$17.70. DK
MUSIC
The Aoife Scott Trio
Lovin’ Cup, lovincup.com
Dublin folk singer-songwriter Aoife Scott’s music finds its roots in the native music of her homeland. But her bright voice adds a sun-dappled dimensionality. “All Along the Wild Atlantic Way,” perhaps her signature song, ripples with joy and exploration; the heart-swelling Gaelic-language ode “Do Mhuirnín Ó” is equally moving even as she sings in another tongue. Scott returns to Lovin’ Cup with guitarist Andy Meaney and fiddler Joanna Hyde before they hit the Syracuse Irish Festival the following night. Doors open at 7 p.m.; music runs 8-10 p.m. Tickets are $29.13 with fees. PH
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
THEATER
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Blackfriars Theatre, blackfriars.org
Blackfriars’ production of “Sweeney Todd,” directed by the company’s Artistic Director Brynn Tyszka, comes on the heels of Theatre444’s rendition of the Stephen Sondheim classic that won eight Tony Awards in its original 1979 production. The Blackfriars stage seems an ideal setting for this intense yet deliciously dark tale of revenge. The opening night performance on Friday starts at 7:30 p.m. and the production runs through Sept. 22. $33.50-$38.50. DK
CULTURE
“Resilience / Survivance / Care” with Lauren Jimerson
Rochester Contemporary Art Center, rochestercontemporary.org
A central fact of RoCo’s “RG Miller: Tsi Non:we Entewaha’hara’ne / Our Path Forward” exhibition is that the artist created the work nearly 20 years ago, inspired by his time spent in the abusive Mohawk Institute in Ontario. Miller’s work has been shown before, including at the former school itself (now the Woodland Cultural Centre).
But this new exhibition focuses on, as its name suggests, healing and the path forward. To complement the work, local artist Lauren Jimerson will present “Resilience / Survivance / Care,” a discussion to help folks hold space for the trauma. The talk coincides with a First Friday reception at RoCo from 6-9 p.m. Free. PH
FILM/HISTORY
“Courthouse Girls of Farmland” and Inside Downtown Tour
The Little Theatre and downtown, landmarksociety.org
In 2005, a group of senior women aged 77 to 94 — all pals from an Indiana bridge club — decided to take a stand against the imminent destruction of one of their county’s historic courthouses. They did so by posing for a suggestive calendar spread, getting the word out far and wide. A few years later, director Norman Klein made a documentary of their story. The film screens at The Little at 6 p.m. in an event presented by the Landmark Society of Western New York; it precedes an Inside Downtown Tour on Sept. 7 from noon to 4 p.m. through Gibbs Street, Selden Street and Grove Place. Tickets are $36, which includes both events. Children under 12 are not permitted on the tour. PH
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
FESTIVAL
Barry’s Irish Festival
Webster Fireman’s Field, thebarrybrand.com
Hosted by Barry’s Old School Irish Pub, this celebration of Irish music and culture features a plethora of local bands such as 1916 and Gavin Barry’s Rebel Banjo Circus; performances from Jamieson Irish Dance, Gates Keystone Club Police Pipes & Drums and Young School of Irish Dance; food from Schutt’s, Webster Hots, Rustic Taco and others; plenty of Irish beer and spirits for sampling; a bartender battle hosted by Rochester Cocktail Revival; and kids’ activities to make it a day for the whole family. This rain-or-shine event runs from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Overnight camping is permitted. Tickets are $19.98 through Eventbrite. DK
FESTIVAL
Webster Garlic Festival
Webster Rec Center, webstergarlicfest.com
This niche event features numerous garlic farmers, including Harmony Acres, Hello Gourdgeous, Screaming Fox and Wunderful Life. While garlic takes center stage, this festival is a celebration of food culture in general: Cosimano & Ferrari Olive Oil Company, Karma Sauce Company, Thousand Island Winery, and food trucks from Macarollin, Rob’s Kabobs and Rollin Smoke BBQ to name only a handful of the vendors on hand. There are also several demonstrations including garlic braiding and sauerkraut and pickle-making. 9 a.m.5 p.m. The festival continues Sunday, Sept. 8, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Kids 12 and under get in for free. Tickets for ages 13 and over are $5 (available online plus fees or at the gate), with proceeds benefiting Blue Star Mothers ORC NY8, Gold Star Mothers Rochester, and Wreaths Across America Webster. Parking is free. DK
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
REACH OUT
MUSIC
Valley Rising Festival of Music and Art
The Wadsworth Homestead, Geneseo, valleyrisingfestival.com
The idea of a September festival is appealing: As summer wanes, there’s still time for good times and great music. Enter Valley Rising, in its inaugural year. Perhaps the Finger Lakes’ answer to the Buffalo area’s Borderland Festival, this Geneseo festival at Wadsworth Homestead boasts a strong lineup of regional talent: the energetic bluegrass band Dirty Blanket, talented Americana songwriter Ric Robertson and his band, the Rochester up-and-comers in Public Water Supply, former PWS member Adrianna Noone and Matt O’Brian’s latest project Flying Object, plus Dori Freeman and Buzzo All Stars. And this loaded lineup doesn’t even include the concerts scheduled in the days leading up to the festival: Sim Redmond Band on Thursday, Sept. 5 at Wadsworth Homestead and Robertson playing with Aaron Lipp on Friday, Sept. 6 at Geneseo Riviera. The Sept. 7 festival goes from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Kids 12 and under are free. Festival tickets range from $20-$40; two-day passes including the Robertson/Lipp show and the festival are $50-$55. DK
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
CRUISE
Sunday Brunch Cruise on the Colonial Belle
Erie Canal Boat Tour in Fairport, colonialbelle.com
How’s a two-hour cruise and food aboard an Erie Canal tour boat sound? That’s what you can get when you book a Sunday brunch trip on the Colonial Belle. It leaves the village of Fairport at 11:30 a.m. and heads to Pittsford. Then it’s back to Fairport by 1:30 p.m. The menu includes chicken bruschetta, scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese on the side, French toast served with pure maple syrup and, of course, coffee and hot tea. $64 for adults, $54 for children 10 and under. Kids 3 and under are free.
ALEX CRICHTON
Joe Blackburn’s Aeolian Organ Concert
Eastman Museum Conservatory, eastman.org
If you’ve never experienced the thunderous majesty of hearing a pipe organ while standing under a mounted, stuffed elephant head, you’re in luck. The Eastman Museum’s resident organist, Joe Blackburn, puts on an hourlong concert at 3 p.m. on the grand instrument that George Eastman had built into his very home. The Aeolian pipe organ in the home’s conservatory has two chambers, as Eastman himself intended, creating an aural affair the museum likens to surround sound. Free with purchase of a ticket to the museum; admission runs $9-$22. PH
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
RECREATION
Just for Giggles Monday Night Ride
facebook.com/groups/jfgcycling
Here’s a free event for cyclists everywhere. The Just for Giggles Cycling Group was founded in 2012, and they ride Monday nights starting at 6:15 p.m. from Rochester’s Three Heads Brewing. Presented by the Western New York Bike Racing Club, the group’s Facebook page says “We seriously just ride for fun. And beer. Sometimes simultaneously.” We suggest discretion is the better part of valor on that one. AC
Sophie Wellington and Jean-Baptiste Cardineau
Payton Violins, paytonviolins.com
The string-centric duo of Sophie Wellington and Jean-Baptiste Cardineau has the remarkable ability to blend the tried-and-true sounds of the frontier with the experimentation of modern bluegrass. With Wellington on guitar and fiddle and Cardineau on guitar and mandolin, the sounds ricochet in a dizzying panorama. This makes their gentle approach to folk songs all the more delightful and unexpected. The Boston-based pair stop by Payton Violins for a 7 p.m. show. Senior tickets $15, everyone else pays $20. PH
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
MUSIC
Blue Envy
Iron Smoke Distillery, ironsmokedistillery.com
The music of Rochester trio Blue Envy feels like a perfect match for the environs of Iron Smoke. The group plays blues rock with a harder edge than the standard model of bar band, but with Andrew Young’s approachable and melodic vocals. The classic ’70s vibes are in full force, from Nick Lenhard’s organ to prog-leaning riffs. Grab yourself a stiff drink and take in some local tunes. 6:30-9:30 p.m. $5. DK
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
CULTURE
Midday Bash
Parcel 5, cityofrochester.gov/events/midday-bash
Part of the “Downtown Definitely” series, Midday Bash features live music, food trucks, pop-up vendors and much more. It runs 11:30 a.m.1:30 p.m. at Parcel 5 in downtown Rochester. If you need a break to spice up your workday, this could be the ticket, although admission is free. AC
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
FOOD + DRINK
“Fine Tastings” for Al Sigl Community
Monroe Golf Club, alsigl.org
In celebration of 20 years of “Fine Tastings,” Al Sigl continues to present the culinary and potable work of area restaurants, breweries, distilleries and wineries as a fundraiser to benefit Al Sigl Member Agencies. The event will also include a silent auction and the opportunity to win a collection of wine. Participating businesses include Wegmans, Genesee Brewery, Heron Hill Winery and Iron Smoke Distillery. 5:30-8:30 p.m. $120. DK
THEATER
“The Boy from Oz”
OFC Creations Theatre Center, ofccreations.com
Peter Allen made a name for himself in the latter half of the 20th century as an electrifying Broadway and cabaret talent. His songs, like “I Honestly Love You” and “Once Before I Go,” became songbook staples, propelled by early career mentorship from Judy Garland. Allen later married her daughter, Liza Minelli. His storied life became an actual musical-theater story in “The Boy from Oz,” which kicks off OFC Creations’ 2024-25 season with 18 performances from Sept. 12-19. Starring Blake McIver Ewing (“Full House,” “The Little Rascals”) in the title role, with Tony-winning actress Marcia Mitzman Gaven as Judy Garland. Single tickets run $39-$52; season passes are also available. PH
CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
MUSIC
The Honey Smugglers
Hollerhorn Distilling, hollerhorn.com
With fiddle player Zac Lijewski soon moving to Nashville, the opportunities to catch the endearing local Americana outfit The Honey Smugglers are becoming fewer and farther between. All the more reason to make the jaunt down to Naples for the Smugglers’ show at Hollerhorn Distilling. Led by the ever-affable Brian MacDonald, the band flirts with “jamgrass” without giving into it fully. The concert doubles as a celebration of Hollerhorn’s sixth anniversary, with Public Water Supply playing in support. Expect a spirited (no pun intended) all-ages show with plentiful good vibes. 7 p.m. $23.18; kids under 5 get in for free. No pets allowed. DK
COMEDY
Colin Jost
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, rochesterfringe.com
With a Harvard pedigree and a memoir titled “A Very Punchable Face,” comedian Colin Jost has long been in on the joke of his own privilege. He began writing at “Saturday Night Live” in 2005 and has since become the long-running co-anchor of the show’s comedy news desk, “Weekend Update.” He’s also married to Scarlett Johansson. These elements may make him one of the most made dudes in the business — and turns out, he’s funny, too. Jost brings his stand-up stylings to Eastman Theatre as the Rochester Fringe Festival’s headliner, replacing previously announced performer Pete Davidson. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $53-$137, plus fees. PH
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
MUSIC
Jolie Holland
The Little Theatre 1, roclive.live Live! continues its coup of the Rochester concert scene with highprofile performances from some of
the most talented musicians working today as singer-songwriter Jolie Holland plays The Little Theatre. A compelling performer, Holland has traded in folk and Americana stories over eight studio albums. On the latest, the nine-song set “Haunted Mountain” from last year, Holland combined a smooth vocal delivery with raw and subtle emotion. This is sure to be a spellbinding show in a cozy atmosphere. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. music. $38.31. DK
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
ART
Artist Row 2024
City of Rochester Public Market artistrowrochester.com
The annual juried art show known as Artist Row gives more than 150 local artists the opportunity not only to compete but to interface with the community and sell their work. Live music will provide creative accompaniment, and food trucks and venders will also be on hand. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. DK
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
MUSIC Eastman Wind Ensemble
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, events.rochester.edu
The Eastman Wind Ensemble, first established in the 1950s, features around 50 performers and has premiered more than 200 works in that time. This fall concert, which runs 7:30-9 p.m. at Kodak Hall, features the world premiere of German-based composer Anthony Plog’s piece “Three Scenes for Antiphonal Trombone Choir and Wind Ensemble” as well as two other pieces. Mark Davis Scatterday conducts. Free. PH
Rube Foster, known as the Father of Black Baseball
Colorized image provided by They Played in Color Galleries
Step back in time...
to the late 1800s, an era when professional Major League Baseball was born, but the color line divided the field. In the face of adversity, Black baseball players demonstrated a love for the game that transcended the discriminatory Jim Crow laws. Florida’s hotel industry became an unexpected ally, with establishments like the Breakers, Royal Poinciana, and Royal Palm hosting thrilling baseball games to entertain tourists.
Never Drop the Ball, premiering Monday, September 9 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV, explores the extraordinary journey Black baseball players went through during six decades of exclusion from Major League Baseball before Jackie Robinson’s success in 1947.
Did you know that the New York Black Yankees were a professional Negro League baseball team who were eventually based in Rochester, New York? In the late 19th century, a color line was drawn, excluding African Americans from playing in both Major and Minor league baseball. In 1920 the National Negro League was formed. Twelve years later, an independent New York team, the Harlem Stars, was renamed the New York Black Yankees when they first established their home base at Yankee Stadium in 1932. The team officially joined the Negro League in 1936 but found themselves alternating home cities between New York and New Jersey until 1948 when the team played their last season with a home base at the Red Wings Stadium on Norton Street in Rochester. did you know
Miami Giants • Provided by APT
The East-West all-star game • Provided by APT
The Chicago American Giants • Provided by APT
Relive the Magic:
Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska: A Celebration in Words and Music
Monday, September 2 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Join Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Noah Kahan, Lyle Lovett, The Lumineers, and Lucinda Williams for an in-depth exploration of the 1982 album. Hosted by famed music biographer Warren Zanes, the program features performances of Springsteen’s songs with spoken word storytelling.
Our Top 4 Nostalgic Programs to Sing Along with on WXXI-TV
This September
New Kids on the Block: iHeart Radio Live
Friday, September 6 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Remembered for their catchy, fun hits, dynamic performances, and significant impact on the boy band genre, New Kids on the Block was one of the hottest boy bands of the 80’s and 90’s. Celebrate the enduring legacy of the iconic boy band that continues to capture the hearts of millions. 1 2 3 4
Cyndi Lauper Live… At Last
Saturday, September 14 at 10:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Twenty years after her debut album She’s So Unusual made her an icon, singer Cyndi Lauper performed an intimate concert at New York’s Town Hall. Filmed in 2004, this concert features dramatic renditions of her greatest hits.
Greg Allman Live: Back to Macon, GA
Saturday, September 21 at 10:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Gregg Allman, the rock and roll legend and founding member of the iconic Allman Brothers Band, returns to his roots in the town where it all began. Enjoy this intimate performance of beloved tracks like “Whipping Post,” “Melissa,” and “Midnight Rider,” along with exclusive interview footage of Gregg reminiscing about the Allman Brothers Band’s remarkable history.
WXXI TV • THIS MONTH
Get to Eleven
Thursday, September 12 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Based on Padraic Lillis’ award-winning one man show, this film blends live performance elements with narrative cinematic storytelling in an intimate conversation about suicide, addiction, and the importance of sharing stories in our darkest moments. On stage in performance, among friends in conversation, and in the streets and subways of New York City, Padraic offers his own story, and empowers his audiences to deepen their own relationship with life, mental health, and mortality. A native Rochesterian and graduate of Fairport High School, Padraic is the Founding Artistic Director of The Farm Theater, whose mission is to cultivate early career artists through workshops, productions, and mentoring.
Photo: Padraic talking to Credit: Photo provided.
America’s Test Kitchen Celebrates 25 Years
Monday, September 16 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV
America’s Test Kitchen, the most-watched cooking show on public television, celebrates 25 years of cooking excellence with this onehour special. This special episode hosted by Bridget Lancaster and Rochester native Julia Collin Davison embodies the kitchen ingenuity and lighthearted fun which makes the show a loyal fan favorite.
Credit: Photo provided.
POV: Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law?
Monday, September 23 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV
At 21, Nathan Law was a leader of Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution. By 23, he became Hong Kong’s youngest elected lawmaker. At 26, he was ‘Most Wanted’ under the National Security Law. Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law? offers a close look at the city’s most famous dissident to uncover what happens to freedom when an authoritarian power goes unchecked.
Credit: Photo provided.
37th Hispanic Heritage Awards
Friday, September 27 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month this September with the 37th Hispanic Heritage Awards. The ceremony hosted at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Opera House includes performances and appearances by some of the country’s most celebrated Hispanic artists and visionaries, including Designer Carolina Herrera, Beautyblender Creator Rea Ann Silva, and NBA Legend Carmelo Anthony. Credit: Graphic provided.
Independent Lens: One Person One Vote?
Monday, September 30 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV
At a time when many Americans question democratic institutions, One Person, One Vote? unveils the complexities of the Electoral College, the uniquely American and often misunderstood mechanism for electing a president. The documentary follows four presidential electors representing different parties in Colorado during the intense 2020 election.
Credit:
Photo: Democratic Elector and former Colorado State Senator Polly Baca.
One Person, One Vote?
Celebrate
50 Years of 91.5 FM with Sunday Baroque’s Suzanne Bona
Sunday, September 29 at 2 p.m. at Asbury First Church
As part of WXXI Classical 91.5’s year-long 50th Anniversary celebration, Suzanne Bona, host and executive producer of Sunday Baroque, will perform a free concert featuring works by J.S. Bach, Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de SaintGeorges, John Rutter, and the everpopular Claude Bolling Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio, with musicians from the Eastman School of Music. A meet-andgreet cookie reception will immediately follow the concert.
Suzanne is a classically trained flutist who earned her Bachelor of Music degree from The University of Connecticut. She performs frequently as a soloist and chamber musician and especially enjoys collaborating with public radio colleagues in performances for listeners across the country.
Sunday Baroque airs on WXXI Classical Sundays at 10 a.m.
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival
Tuesdays at 8 p.m. beginning September 10 on WXXI Classical
The 2024 Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival presents some of the finest music and performers in this weekly, one-hour broadcast of chamber music’s widely dynamic repertoire.
I
Hear America Singing
Monday, September 2 at 3 p.m. on WXXI Classical
The view of one’s life’s work has taken on different meanings in societies and eras across the world. From servant and slavery systems of old to the Industrial Revolution, to labor unions and the gig economy, our idea of work is ever-changing.
As in all aspects of our culture, music has been a part of our work every step of the way. Join the eight-member male a cappella ensemble Cantus and host John Birge for a joyful examination of the role work has played in our lives in years past and how work might evolve into the future.
provided.
Photo: Cantus Credit: Photo
4O YEARS SPINNINg
THE BEST OF ROCK AND ROLL
When Mike Murray turned six years old, he received a transistor radio as a birthday present and the rest is history. “I was glued to the radio from that day on,” he explains. “I really identified with the type of presentations the DJs had at that time, and always wanted to do that myself.”
The host of Whole of Lotta Shakin’, heard on Saturdays at 4 p.m. on THE ROUTE (WRUR FM 88.5 + WITH FM 90.1), celebrates 40 years of spinning records that transport listeners to a time when rock and roll was king. “I always loved music,” said Mike. “Some of my earliest memories are that of the Beatles and the British Invasion, and all the great Pop, Soul, and Instrumental
hits that were constant on AM radio in the 1960s.”
What started as a simple passion has become a radio show that is a staple on THE ROUTE. His love for music, ignited by the sounds of the 60s, became the driving force behind Whole of Lotta Shakin’. But as the years passed, the rock and roll scene began to change. The once-simple, upbeat tunes of the mid60s evolved, and the genre faced new challenges and transformations. “In my observation,” he reflects, “pop music lost much of its spontaneity as recording techniques evolved. While those innovations brought many more options to pop music, it lost a lot of that earlier energy, in my opinion.”
Despite these changes, Mike never wavered. He adapted his show to the new landscape, curating playlists that honored the classics while embracing contemporary music. One of the biggest challenges he has faced in keeping the show relevant and engaging for such a long period is trying to include contemporary recordings by artists who are recording in the same style as the late ‘50s-early ‘60s. “It ebbs and flows, but there is enough worldwide interest in those styles that keeps new releases flowing,” he explains.
After 40 years, Mike has countless stories and memorable moments on the air, but it’s the special guests he’s had a chance to bring on the show. “The legendary Invictas, whose 1965 single ‘The Hump’ caused quite a stir, Jerry Engler,
who recorded ‘Sputnik’ in 1957, and his reminisces of recording with Buddy Holly, Dave Adams, who worked with the legendary Joe Meek in London, and played clavinet on the demo of The Tornados ‘Telstar’,” he lists. “Plus, more contemporary artists, like the Hi-Risers, Jittery Jack, the Surfrajettes, Greg ‘Stackhouse’ Prevost, Televisionaries, The Grip Weeds...so many.”
Through it all, his passion for rock and roll never waned. “It’s just who I am,” he says simply. For him, the music is more than just a career or a hobby; it’s a way of life. “I am so grateful to have the opportunity to have a radio show like this, and that so many people enjoy listening to it. That means everything - that the listeners are enjoying themselves; that’s what really matters.”
Silent Movie Day: Pandora’s Box
Sunday, September 29 at 10:30am and 7:00pm
Tickets at thelittle.org
The rise and fall of an amoral, naive young woman whose insouciant eroticism inspires lust and violence in those around her. Daring and stylish, this 2012 restoration is one of silent cinema’s great masterworks and a testament to the dazzling individuality of its star, Rochester’s Louise Brooks.
Silent Movie Day is an annual international celebration of silent movies. This day provides an opportunity for academics, aficionados, programmers, archivists and enthusiasts to gather around their shared appreciation of this unique period in visual arts and culture.
NEW TITLES
THIS MONTH
Showtimes and details at thelittle.org
The Substance (opens Sept. 20)
The Cannes sensation featuring a go-for-broke comeback performance from Demi Moore opens at The Little. A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself. Margaret Qualley also stars.
Megalopolis (opens Sept. 27)
Francis Ford Coppola’s decadesin-the-making passion project has arrived. A conflict between Cesar, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Starring Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, and Grace VanderWaal.
Lyd (Monday, Sept. 30 at 7:30pm):
A story of a city that once connected Palestine to the world — what it once was, what it is now, and what it could have become.
A sci-fi documentary that follows the rise and fall of Lyd — a 5,000-year-old metropolis that was once a bustling Palestinian town until it was conquered when the State of Israel was established in 1948. As the film unfolds, a chorus of characters creates a tapestry of the Palestinian experience of this city and the trauma left by the massacre and expulsion.
Made by a Palestinian from Lyd and a Jewish American, Lyd provides much-needed context for this moment, as it goes deep into the history of the Nakba from the perspective of Palestinians who survived. The film imagines an alternate reality where Palestine was never occupied and Palestinians of all religions (Muslims, Christians, and Jews) live in a liberated Palestine.
Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7pm (SCREENING & FILMMAKER Q&A)
Saturday, Sept. 28 at 3pm • Tickets at thelittle.org
The ground-breaking feature documentary Plastic People investigates our addiction to plastic and the growing threat of microplastics on human health. Almost every bit of plastic ever made breaks down into “microplastics.” These microscopic particles drift in the air, float in all bodies of water, and mix into the soil, becoming a permanent part of the environment.
Now, leading scientists are finding these particles in our bodies: organs, blood, brain tissue, and even the placentas of new mothers. What is the impact of these invisible invaders on our health? And can anything be done about it?
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
MUSIC
Sevendust
Water Street Music Hall, waterstreetmusichall.live
For 30 years and counting, Sevendust has not-so-quietly held down the hard rock fort. During that time, the band has released 14 studio albums, including “Seasons,” which vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and company are commemorating on this 21st album anniversary tour. The record debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2003, powered in part by the nu metal single “Enemy, which for its part peaked at No. 10 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. With a sound that’s both relentless and melodic, Sevendust is ideal for fans of music with some heft. The bands Horizon Theory, Return to Dust and 10 Years play in support. 16 and up with legal guardian, 18 and up with ID. Doors open at 6 p.m., music at 7 p.m. $45.26. DK
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Spiegelgarden, rochesterfringe.com
It’s an annual Fringe tradition! Join the CITY Magazine team for a funfilled trivia night hosted by CITY’s Art Director Jake Walsh. Gather your friends (or make some new ones at the event!) and assemble a team; the prizes promise to be fun. All ages. 7:30 p.m. Free. DK
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
MUSIC
Public Water Supply and Southern Star
Three Heads Brewing, threeheadsbrewing.com
Typically one band playing at Three Heads is more than enough, but patrons at the brewery get a double bill on Thursday with two quality Rochester rock bands. Public Water Supply puts its own signature spin on outlaw country with a spirted rock delivery led by vocalist Iggy Marino and lead guitarist Karis Gregory. Southern Star is perhaps best known as the band behind Mikaela Davis, but pedal steel player Kurt Johnson, drummer Alex Coté and brothers Cian McCarthy on guitar and Shane McCarthy on bass all rock in their own right. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. $20. DK
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
MUSIC
Cowboy Junkies
The Smith Opera House, thesmith.org Titans of 20th century Canadian music, Cowboy Junkies achieved gold albums in their native country on three separate occasions and reached platinum with 1988’s “The Trinity Session” and “Caution Horses” in 1990. While the Timmins siblings — singer Margo, drummer Peter and guitarist-songwriter Michael — excelled at folk rock creations, they also made classics their own, like the standard “Blue Moon” and The Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane.” The band has released 21 studio albums in its nearly 40-year career, including the atmospheric and captivating “Such Ferocious Beauty” from last year. 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39.56. DK
SEASONAL
Ghost
Stories of NY After-Hours Tours
Genesee Country Village & Museum, gcv.org
Unlike a spooky hayride or a popup haunted house in a strip mall, the after-hours ghost tours at the Genesee Country Village & Museum put you square in the middle of the action. What action? A pre-electricity supernatural paradise miles from where anyone could hear you scream. Of course, the experience is much milder (and more stately) than all that. But some of the tour’s tales are based on historical occurrences, making them all the more eerie. 75-minute tours depart every 15 minutes from 5:45-6:45 p.m. in groups of 20. Tickets $23, $21 for members. PH
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
SEASONAL OktoberFest at the Farm
Lincoln Hill Farms, lincolnhillfarms.com
What makes a good Oktoberfest celebration? Schnitzel and lederhosen are surely prerequisites, as is beer. At Lincoln Hill Farms, the celebration expands into the realm of competitions: best yodeler, best dressed and best stein-hoisters will be crowned. Krazy Fireman, billed as “Rochester’s original Oktoberfest band,” soundtrack the scene from 5-8 p.m., with yodeler and accordionist Marianna Gonzalez closing out the fun from 8-9 p.m. Admission is free, parking is $10. PH
MUSIC
Be Kind Festival
Three Heads Brewing, thelocalsoundcollaborative.org
For the past few years, the Local Sound Collaborative has devoted itself to its Artist Grants Program, which helps fund local musicians and those who work in the field. To do this, the Collaborative relies on its Be Kind Festival, a benefit to help raise those very funds. The all-day fete runs 2-10 p.m. at Three Heads with food courtesy of Lovin’ Cup. Local bands like A Girl Named Genny, Bellwether Breaks, Monday Funk, Extended Family and Brass Garden provide the soundtrack. $10 admission, $30 VIP tickets. PH
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
FAMILY
Sensory Sunday
Rochester Museum and Science Center, rmsc.org
An opportunity for people of all ages with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, or other developmental disabilities to access a more sensory-friendly experience at the RMSC Museum & Science Center. Features will include dimmed lighting of fluorescent bulbs, social stories emailed ahead of time, designated quiet areas, and sensoryfriendly activities like KEVA building stations, 3D printing demonstrations, Stacking Stones and Zen Garden Balls. The museum will provide adaptive equipment — earmuffs, fidget toys and/or stress toys and KultureCity Sensory Bags (available during any visit to the museum). The program is a pay-what-you-wish; see all options online. LEAH STACY
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
MUSIC
Eastman School Symphony Orchestra (ESSO) and Eastman Philharmonia
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, events.rochester.edu
Two of Eastman’s orchestras come together on stage for a program of music old and new. The symphony tackles Beethoven’s “Overture No. 3 in C Major, Op. 72b, ‘Leonore’” along with “Hymn for Everyone,” a 2021 composition by Jessie Montgomery written as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philharmonia, meanwhile, takes on Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 ‘Pathétique.’” The free show runs 7:30-9 p.m. PH
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
THEATER
RocHaha Clown Festival
MuCCC, muccc.org
By now, the scary clown trope is trite, its impact blunted by overuse. Historically, clowning has always been a way to introduce comedic touches on complex issues. Enter the often existential art of theatrical clowning, on full display from Sept. 24-28 at MuCCC via performances, workshops and even a clown cabaret. The excellently named RocHaha Clown Festival, organized by Katherine Marino and Ashley Jones, presents Natasha Mercado’s absurdist and feminist “Tree,” Julia VanderVeen’s grief-stricken “My Grandmother’s Eyepatch” and more. Sliding scale tickets are $15-$35 for standard shows; $40-$80 for workshops. PH
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
THEATER
Mel Brooks’s “Young Frankenstein”
Geva Theatre Center’s Wilson Stage, gevatheatre.org
Geva kicks off its ’24-’25 season with “Young Frankenstein,” the brainchild of comedy legend Mel Brooks. Originally a hit in movie theaters featuring Gene Wilder in the title role along with Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman and Gene Hackman, Brooks adapted the story for musical theater audiences in 2007. Produced in collaboration with Berkshire Theatre Group and Bay Street Theater, the Geva presentation calls upon the direction and choreography of Gerry McIntyre. The opening night performance on Wednesday begins on 7:30 p.m., and the production continues through Oct. 27. $32-$66. DK
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
MUSIC
X
Water Street Music Hall, waterstreetmusichall.live
In August, venerated Los Angeles punk band X released “Smoke & Fiction,” its ninth studio album being billed as its finale. Since its inception in 1977, the quartet of drummer D. J. Bonebrake, vocalist Exene Cervenka, and bassists-guitarists John Doe and Billy Zoom has maintained a foothold in punk, even as the genre mutated and grew. It wouldn’t be a swan song without an accompanying farewell tour; the band stops in Rochester for an 8 p.m. show (doors at 7). Tickets for the 18+ show are $49.36 (16+ get in with a legal guardian). PH
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
MUSIC
Leslie Odom Jr.
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, esm. rochester.edu/theatre
The Tony and Grammy-winning performer Leslie Odom Jr. is best known for his role as the antagonist Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash-hit musical “Hamilton.”
But the versatile actor and singersongwriter has an impressive CV with numerous TV and film appearances, as well as a successful recording career. This high-profile show at Eastman Theatre will undoubtedly showcase Odom Jr.’s range as a dynamic singer adept at musical theater, jazz and pop alike. 8 p.m. $25-$125. DK
CONTINUED ON PAGE 38
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
FESTIVAL
Naples Grape Festival
This festival celebrating the fruit of the vine is a perennial source of fun in the scenic Finger Lakes village of Naples. From fresh Concord grapes to pies and wine slushies, there are myriad ways to enjoy this delectable fruit. The two-day event also features a seemingly endless roster of vendors, food trucks and more, plus live music from headliner Chris Trapper, Rochester artists The Mighty High and Dry, Steve Grills & the Roadmasters and Kara & Parker Story, and others. Open on both Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., rain or shine. Free entry. DK
BOOKS
Rochester Small Press Book Fair
RIT City Arts Space, smallpressbookfair.com
Zine culture never fully went away, but thanks to the continuing allure of physical media, zines are enjoying a moment. That DIY spirit is on full display at the Rochester Small Press Book Fair, where vendors showcase their own scrappy work alongside that of poets, photographers, indie publishers and artists — all to reflect what publishing is and can be in 2024. Paper remains pricey, of course, so digital resources are on hand as well. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. PH
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
MUSIC
Neko Case
Asbury Hall at Babeville, babevillebuffalo.com
Around 15 years ago, Neko Case had a dream about a lovesick twister. When she woke up, she wrote “This Tornado Loves You,” an invigorating piece of Americana that begins her 2009 album “Middle Cyclone.” The other work in her nearly 30-year career spans many topics other than romantic natural disasters — gender dynamics, the indifference of luck — as well as varied collaborators like The New Pornographers and The Sadies. She brings her highly acclaimed songbook to Buffalo with moody, psychedelic guitarist Imaad Wasif opening. Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m. General admission tickets $48.50. PH
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
ARTS
“In
This Moment” Book Launch & Panel Discussion
Dryden Theatre, eastman.org
To celebrate the release of a new chapbook, a cadre of luminaries assemble at the Dryden Theatre. Blues musician Joe Beard, essayist Monique Franz, photographer Rudy Fabre and educator/storyteller Almeta Whitis are the latest to appear in this series alongside essayist Gaya R. Shakes EdD and photographer Selena Eyob for a panel discussion. The 6:30 p.m. event is free, though registration is required. PH
If you write poems and fancy a chance to share them with others, New Ground Poetry Night provides the perfect opportunity on the first Tuesday of every month. The firstcome, first-serve open mic gives each poet the opportunity to recite three works or five minutes of verses. If you don’t feel like sharing, you can always sit back, listen and enjoy some refreshment from Equal Grounds. 7 p.m. Free. DK
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2
FAMILY
Amazon Free Afternoon
Rochester Museum & Science Center, rmsc.org
As the name suggests, admission to the museum is free, 12-5 p.m., as it always is on the first Wednesday of every month. Explore the interactive exhibits and let your imagination run free. This open house of sorts also extends to the Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center in Naples. Free. DK
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3
MUSIC
Folkfaces Fest
Cherry Hill Campground, folkfacesmusic.com
It’s hard to believe that the annual music festival hosted by Buffalo band Folkfaces is now in its eighth year. Frontman Tyler Westcott and company never fail to bring their talented friends to Darien Center for a weekend of shows that always includes two sets from the host group. The weekend event runs through Sunday, Oct. 6. Weekend passes are $161.90. Camping is sold separately at cherryhillcamp.com. DK
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4
SEASONAL
Moonlight Maze
Long Acre Farms, longacrefarms.com
Long Acre Farms’ sprawling property in Macedon is no secret to families looking for fall-time fun. What Long Acre Farms calls “The Back 40” offers a variety of activities, including a pirate ship, obstacle course, a fort, tunnels and a tire mountain. And that doesn’t even count the five-acre corn maze, which becomes the Moonlight Maze between 5 and 9 p.m. Woodfired pizza, wine, beer and ice cream are all options, too. Visit the website for more information and ticket details. DK
CONTINUED ON PAGE 41
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5
FESTIVAL
Harvest Hootenanny
South Wedge, southwedge.com
Hosted by the Business Association South Wedge Area, the Harvest Hootenanny is billed as “a funky little street party.” The day-long community get-together features music by Flower Head Folks and The Fakers, folk dancing by the Rochester Contra Dancers, carnival games and food from neighborhood restaurants and area food trucks. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Free.
DK
FESTIVAL
Agricultural Fair
Genesee Country Village & Museum, gcv.org
It’s a farmer’s market, Genesee Country Village-style. With offerings by such regional favorites as Crosswinds Farm & Creamery, F. Oliver’s oils and vinegars, Laughing Gull Chocolates, Iron Smoke Distillery, KP’s Kettle Corn and others. Visitors can also take in cooking demonstrations, see livestock and more. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The event continues on Sunday, Oct. 6. Admission is $16-$18. Tickets for children 3-12 are $12. Kids under 3 are free. DK
MUSIC
That Girl Lay Lay
West Herr Auditorium Theatre, rbtl.org
For the past few years, Alaya High has starred as the title character on Nickelodeon’s “That Girl Lay Lay,” a cool and stylish AI avatar brought to life. Offscreen (and IRL), High is likewise a star, a singer and rapper who received her first record deal at just 11 years old. She’s 17 now, and her list of film and music credits is already long. She brings her supersized charisma to Rochester at this early evening show. Tickets for the 6 p.m. performance run $49-$82. PH
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6
FESTIVAL
Hilton Apple Fest
This annual celebration of the prized fruit in Hilton is now in its 42nd iteration, with the festival kicking off on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The lineup of activities includes an apple pie contest, an arts and crafts show, an auto show and plenty of apples, of course. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Free admission, plus free parking and shuttle buses. DK
We partnered with Goldring Arts Journalism graduate students from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University to preview some of the Rochester Fringe Festival’s biggest acts.
Inside the labyrinth
A one-of-a-kind art experience comes to the Spiegelgarden.
BY COLETTE GOLDSTEIN
The Daedalum by Architects of Air is not your typical art exhibit.
Named after “Daedalus,” the architect for the Labyrinth of King Minos in Greek mythology, the Daedalum is a cavernous, balloonlike structure composed of 19 domes that will be inflated each day during Rochester Fringe Festival, September 10-21. Inside the Daedalum, visitors move through an immersive experience of art, where they are met with an amalgamation of vibrant lights and a soothing, ambient soundscape.
“You’re fully in this spherical amorphous blob of different colors, temperatures and sounds. I think it snaps you out of reality and into yourself,” said Devanshi Mehta, who attended the Daedalum when it was in residence at UC Santa Barbara in 2023.
Mado Ehrenborg, managing director of Architects of Air, describes the luminaria as a cocoon-like experience of art that falls somewhere in between being at home and in a museum. All visitors remove their shoes upon entry, and there is a continuous flow of around 80 people at all times; both a communal and private journey through the structure.
“There’s no social differences once you’re in there … and I think that’s part of its success,” Ehrenborg said. “It’s a common language that everybody has, because it touches the senses, the emotions.”
Visitors may also embark on their passage through the Daedalum however they choose. Some might lay down on their back and watch the structure “breathe” as it deflates and inflates with the opening and closing of the entrance door. Others might simply walk through the site and explore the changing colors.
Ehrenborg said some people have even chosen to crawl through.
“What people get out of this is something totally different to what they’re used to in their day-to-day lives,” she said.
It doesn’t matter how one chooses to explore it; what really sets this exhibit apart from others is the way the space communicates a sense of universal wonder. Last year, Mehta entered the exhibit without knowing a single thing about it.
“Oftentimes, art feels inaccessible because of the lack of context around it,” she said. “Something that was really important about this was that, regardless of who you were or if you’ve ever seen an installation before, you were able to engage in the most authentic way for you.”
For this reason, inclusivity is key to Architects of Air. Not only is the experience open to adults and children — though attendees younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult — it is also open to anyone with accessibility needs, such as the use of a wheelchair or a service dog.
Ehrenborg emphasized the expectation for visitors to respect both the structure and the different ways people choose to experience it. While this awe-inspiring tunnel of light acts as a zone of spatial and communal mindfulness, the Daeldalum also gifts visitors with an opportunity for introspection.
“It was so internal for me. It changes your experience depending on where you are in your life,” Mehta said. “I would 100% go back if I could.”
Daedalum: Architects of Air One Fringe Place (Corner of Main & Gibbs) September 10 - 21 | All ages | $7
Scenes from a past Daedalum installation. PHOTO PROVIDED
A decade of Dashboard Dramas
The annual Fringe sellout isn’t hitting the brakes anytime soon.
BY HENRY O’BRIEN
Those in and around the Spiegelgarden during the 2024 Rochester Fringe Festival — or any year previous — will likely come across parked cars and a variety of characters: competing opera singers, Gremlins, Elton John, Princess Diana’s ghost, Justin Bieber and his nanny.
This motley crew is a part of the “Decade of Dashboard” lineup, a celebration of the best hits of “Dashboard Dramas,” the car-based theatrical plays that have been playing at Fringe since 2014.
“Decade of Dashboard” will highlight how the intimate theater experience has evolved over the 10 years of performances. Along with “Dashboard Dramas X,” the primary show that will feature four new plays, the “Decade of Dashboard” will bring back four older plays that have been performed at Fringe before. The basic idea each year is four 10-minute plays set in cars, while an audience of two people per car rotates through each play.
Director Patricia Lewis Browne
said the performances in each play are predicated on the audience members in each car. The difference in audience members has led to the clearest evolution since Browne started working with the two longtime writers and founders, Abby Park and Kerry Young.
“I’ve seen kind of a development in the 10 years in that, when we started out, the plays were more (like) plays,” said Browne. “The audience was more observers than participants, for the most part. And then, as Abby and Kerry developed their way of doing this, I saw things develop so that the audience members are more challenged.”
A “Gremlins”-inspired play will have the actors interact up-close with audience members in the car, acting like the mischievous creatures from the 1984 film.
Park and Young have always experimented with audience interaction, and found that this experimentation bled over into their scripts. Park added that many regular
audience members understand the drill when it comes to these plays, so they have to prepare in order to surprise them.
“We’re like, ‘How can we keep this new and fresh?’” said Park. “We have our actors, and we’re like, ‘We need someone to say this here, but it doesn’t really fit with our characters. So let’s make the audience member a character.’”
For actors like Chris Woodworth, a theater professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges who has performed with “Dashboard Dramas” for four years, the plays written by Park and Young have gained their own sense of style. Woodworth now has a strategy that helps her dissect characters while preparing for a role.
“What’s the wildness in this character?” she said. “Because there’s always something kind of wild about each of the roles that they’ve written; something that’s surprising about them or very distinct.”
Browne describes the plays as gems, with little enjoyable details to
parse out — largely due to the scripts Park and Young have written.
Even with a decade of “Dashboard Dramas” under their belts, the founding duo remains surprised by how the shows sell out immediately, and the ideas they have shown to unsuspecting actors and audience members.
“When Kerry and I get ready for the next year, I look back at the scripts,” Park said. “We’re like, ‘Oh yeah, I can’t believe we made a person do that — that’s crazy.’”
“Decade of Dashboard”
One Fringe Place (Corner of Main & Gibbs) September 10, 13-15, 17, 19, 21 18+ | SOLD OUT
“Dashboard Dramas X”
One Fringe Place (Corner of Main & Gibbs) September 11-12, 14-16, 18, 2021 | 18+ | SOLD OUT
Past productions of Dashboard Dramas. PHOTO PROVIDED
The comesEnigmatist home
David Kwong, a Brighton High grad, will perform his first-ever local show during Rochester Fringe Festival.
BY SARA ATENCIO-GONZALES
Being born and raised in Rochester is something magician and "New York Times" puzzle constructor David Kwong — who performs at Rochester Fringe Festival September 13 through 15 — holds with pride.
“I’m a proud native of the town of Brighton and (graduate of) Brighton High School, and the show is all about where I came from,” said Kwong.
Growing up, Kwong would perform magic as a little kid and later performed card tricks in the high school cafeteria, something his childhood friend Jared Tankel remembers well.
“He was obsessed with magic, and Scrabble ... I feel like he always wrote that line between it was amazing,” said Tankel, “and also, like, who’s this kid that is so obsessed with playing Scrabble in the cafeteria all day?”
Kwong’s skills grew as he attended Harvard University, where he studied magic. Since then, he has achieved much: becoming a crossword puzzle constructor for “The New York Times,” “Los Angeles Times” and “Wall Street Journal,” along with writing a kids magic book titled,“How to Fool Your Parents,” which debuts October 6.
But Kwong’s lifelong journey through magic will come full circle as he performs his first-ever hometown show during Rochester Fringe Festival.
“There’s nothing more important to me than to perform for people that know where I came from,” said Kwong.
He will bring his well-known one-man show, “The Enigmatist: Magic and Puzzles with David Kwong” to the Spiegeltent for three nights only, September 13-15. The audience will follow along as Kwong tells the story of the first American code breakers, William and Elizebeth Friedman, while presenting codes and puzzles to see if anyone can crack them.
“This is a very fun, interactive show,” said Kwong. That’s why it’s special. Everybody gets to participate in solving the puzzles, and it’s not meant to be too hard.”
However, it will not be quite the same routine that was performed to great acclaim at the Kennedy Center or Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
“It’s a special show,” said Kwong.
While it will consist of pieces of “The Enigmatist,” it will also include photos from Kwong’s childhood to show the audience the place he holds so dearly — for an audience he’s been waiting a long time to leave speechless.
“I think homecoming shows are always special,” said Tankel. “You know there’s a nostalgia piece … and you feel like you’ve made it on a certain level.”
“The Enigmatist: Magic and Puzzles with David Kwong” Spiegeltent | September 13-15 Ages 5+ | $38-$199
David Kwong. PHOTO PROVIDED
Nowhere to Hyde
PUSH Physical Theatre breaks the fourth wall with their newest show.
BY VICTORIA WYFFELS
PUSH Physical Theatre is bridging the gap between observer and artist by inviting audience members into their new production “Hyde,” which plays at the Rochester Fringe Festival September 14-15 and 20-21. Through numerous fourth-wall breaks, Dr. Edward Hyde, the main character, begs the audience to see his side of the story — and by the show’s end, the audience is tasked with evaluating their own moral decisions concerning Hyde.
Ashley Jones, the creative director for PUSH who plays the role of Hyde, came into the writers' room interested in the direction this piece would take.
“The big question for me was, ‘why this and why now’?” said Jones. It was apparent that there had already been many adaptations of “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson and with it, the theme of the duality of man. The PUSH team’s devising process required asking another question.
“What interests us in terms of using that theme?” said Jones.
PUSH’s creative process is quite different from how most plays are created. Acrobatics and elements of modern dance are at the forefront of each show; with the writing structure and choreography taking different roles than in a traditional playmaking process. The movement begins, and the script follows.
“It’s a collaborative process by which all of the members of the cast create the work,” said Darren Stevenson, co-founder and artistic director of PUSH.
The three cast members include Stevenson, Jones, and Heather Stevenson — who is married to
Darren as well as sharing the cofounder and co-artistic director title.
Each came into the studio with a vague idea of what the play would be about as well as background research into “Jekyll and Hyde.” From there, they built a show together.
“We purposely try not to get ahead of ourselves, and then, through improvisation and discussion, we develop the work in the studio,” said Stevenson.
Years ago, Jones attended a clown school in the mountains of Switzerland. During this show, he’ll use his diverse skill set to charm audiences into sympathizing with a murderous criminal by showing Hyde on a more personal, communicative level.
“A massive part of Hyde is his relationship to his audience,” said Jones.
Both Stevenson and Jones expressed the main theme of “Hyde” is determining who is responsible for evil. Through the character’s fourth wall breaks, the audience unpacks what made Hyde into an evil person.
“Is the audience complicit in it?” said Jones. “Is the parent complicit in it?”
Playing an evil character is no easy feat, and Jones underwent a dynamic process to find Hyde and discover what he likes — sometimes improvising for hours on end. Through this, the team was able to build a script from dialogue or moments they liked.
An important part of Hyde is how he interacts with the audience, and Jones found that the first seven performances of “Hyde” at the Orlando Fringe Festival earlier this year served as a workshop for solidifying the character. By the eighth show, he truly found Hyde.
“We’re hitting on some really heavy themes,” said Jones, “but there’s wonderful moments of flavor that take you on a roller coaster. You’ll cry and you’ll laugh with Hyde.”
“PUSH Physical Theatre: HYDE” | School of the Arts: Allen Main Stage Theatre September 14-15, 20-21 Ages 13+ | $18
From left: Heather Stevenson, Ashley Jones and Darren Stevenson. PHOTO PROVIDED
Varieté show
Matt and Heidi Morgan return with a troupe of talented performers for an all-new “Cirque du Fringe.”
BY ALLY WATKINSON
At this point, Rochester Fringe Festival Producer and CEO
Erica Fee considers Las Vegasbased performers Matt and Heidi Morgan to be local celebrities.
“Do you want to know how I know they’re in Rochester?” she asked. “It’s not because I know their flight. Every single year when they arrive, I get no less than three texts from somebody who’s seen them in Wegmans.”
The Morgans, a married performing duo, have become annual mainstays at Fringe since they performed their first “Cirque du Fringe” show in 2015. Every year, the pair produces a new show under the “Cirque du Fringe” umbrella — as well as add-on performances of their “Shotspeare” productions, booze-soaked adaptations of the Bard’s best works.
“Being able to create something new every year is kind of a dream,” said Matt Morgan. “(As) an artist, sometimes you get locked into things, and you have to do 10 shows a week, or you have to do the same thing over and over again. So for us to be able to do something fresh and different every year is super fun — a lot of work, but it’s really fun.”
This year’s show, titled “Cirque du Fringe: Varieté,” and described as a “classic vaudeville meets retro variety show kitsch meets modern circus live in technicolor” will feature Argentinian gauchos, trapeze and hair hang aerialists, roller skates, a basketball juggler and more.
“We get to bring (in) some of the best artists in the world,” said Morgan. “The festival itself has cultivated such
a unique and wonderful experience for the community, so I’m excited for those people to see these artists and what it is that they’re making and producing in the world.”
The pair has performed across the country, receiving acclaim for their clownery and work in classical theater. But despite their busy schedule, the Morgans prioritize their marital status.
“Our relationship — who we are as a married couple and as friends and all of that — is first on the list,” said Morgan. “And then performing and all of that is second.”
The Morgans, along with their two young sons, look forward to returning to Rochester every year and performing new shows for a familiar audience.
“Going back to the same crowds year after year is extra special, just because we get to develop relationships with the audience, and we get to know people,” said Morgan. “To cultivate a unique theater experience for an audience, that part of it is probably the best part of the whole thing.”
In their downtime (which isn’t much), the Morgans and their troupe are avid supporters of other acts during the 10-day festival.
“Go out, support art,” said Morgan. “Go see something at Fringe you wouldn’t normally see.”
“Cirque du Fringe: Varieté” Spiegeltent | September 10-21 Ages 13+ (Saturday matinees 5+) $23 - $147
Scenes from last year's Cirque production in the Spiegeltent. PHOTOS BY NARADA J. RILEY
Balancing act
Shanna Pagán is behind-the-scenes and in the spotlight during Rochester Fringe Festival.
BY COLETTE GOLDSTEIN
Marketing professional by day. Performer by night.
Shanna Pagán is a jackof-all-trades at this year’s Rochester Fringe Festival.
While her 4-foot-10-inch height might not suggest it, Pagán has a mighty, powerhouse voice that has granted her a spot onstage at Rochester’s Fringe Festival for four years. This year marks her fifth time in the Fringe spotlight — her show “Starborn: A Tribute to Legendary Voices” will be performed on Thursday, September 19 at School of the Arts — but this time, she also doubles as the festival’s director of marketing.
“As crazy as it sounds or feels, getting to do both at the same time is actually a total dream,” Pagán said.
Whereas other kids wanted to be astronauts or marine biologists growing up, Pagán wanted to be
a pop star. At three years old, she started singing and dancing and hasn’t stopped a day since. Her 2022 song, “Bridesmaids,” a pop jam dedicated to the 16 bridesmaids in her wedding, garnered over three million streams and gained traction globally, with the largest portion of streams coming from India.
She’s always had a knack for performing, but Pagán is also wellversed in the world of marketing. When she was still in college, she scored a one-day promotional gig for Karma Water, which resulted in getting the CEO’s attention and led to a job offer. Thus began Pagán’s 12-year career in marketing for the wellness beverage industry.
Her newly assigned role as marketing director for Rochester Fringe Festival centers around promoting other artists and helping them market their shows. Her best friend and performing-partner,
Meredith Bready, sees Pagán’s dual role at Rochester Fringe as a microcosm of who she is every day.
“She’s the most ambitious person I’ve ever met in my life,” Bready said. “I’ve never met anybody who was able to meet someone, hone in on what makes them special and make them feel seen for that. She has a way of building people up that is really second to none.”
Bready will join Pagán onstage, along with violist Sean Mulligan and pianist Emiliya Mullerman from the Eastman School of Music, for “Starborn: A Tribute to Legendary Voices” at SOTA’s Allen Main Stage Theater. The performance will include classic pop covers from artists like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, Broadway favorites, original songs and even spoken word woven through the musical narrative.
“We’re so connected with our phones now,” said Pagán. “There
are so few opportunities for us to literally just take a moment to be present. That’s something we want to give to our audience … experience your favorite artists in a different way.”
While the purpose behind the performance coincides with Fringe’s theme this year — “lose yourself” — Pagán seems to have found herself in this dual role.
“Starting mid-June, she’s just all-in on Fringe — she eats, sleeps and breathes it,” said Bready. “It’s a ton of work, but I think it just feeds her soul in a way that nothing else really does.”
“Starborn: A Tribute to Legendary Voices” | School of the Arts: Allen Main Stage Theater Thursday, September 19 All ages | $20
From left: Shanna Pagán and Meredith Bready. PHOTOS PROVIDED
“SOUL VACATION”
BY ELLEN PIERONI
Since leaving the quartet Folkfaces, with its punk energy-meets-old-timey Americana sound, Buffalonian sax player Ellen Pieroni has leaned into more idiomatic music for her instrument, bolstered by her more-than-capable backing band The Encyclopedia of Soul.
Pieroni’s first album since going solo, last year’s “The Encyclopedia of Soul Vol. 1,” was an exuberant calling card that delivered what its title advertised. Pieroni and her crew pick up where they left off with her sophomore release, “Soul Vacation,” released on August 30.
The title track is a silky mélange of soul, jazz and funk. A sense of optimism pervades guitarist Adam Bronstein’s “Lonely No More” and Pieroni’s “Everything Is There.”
“Pocket Man” is unfettered funk, with Pieroni’s sax solo finding an ideal balance of tasteful and playful that can be heard throughout the nine cuts on “Soul Vacation.” In other words, Pieroni has great musical intuition, looking to play what serves the song best rather than peppering the arrangements with busy runs that might dilute the chemistry between the melody and the rhythm.
Perhaps most importantly, each song has a dynamic arc, meaning the tunes rarely end in the same mood with which they begin. It’s especially true of Pieroni’s take on the 1972 Stevie Wonder song “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever),” which starts conventionally as a ballad before picking up steam and morphing into a funky freak-out featuring the commanding vocals of Alex McArthur.
As a collection, the mostly instrumental “Soul Vacation” throws back to the ’70s with what could easily be categorized as “easy listening.” But this isn’t elevator music. Pieroni and company play it fresh, with a wide-eyed approach that revels in the groove, first and foremost. And the big, brassy melodic hooks are undeniable.
— DANIEL J. KUSHNER
“AFTER THE WARS” BY GREG "STACKHOUSE" PREVOST
One would be in luck if a gateway came of Greg “Stackhouse” Prevost’s “After the Wars,” a golden ticket, masterclass crate dig sweetened by originals and tugging-ly superb vocal performances.
Like a luxury liner-note vacay, county jangle whispers nearly chill the opener, a version of Mountain’s “Traveling in the Dark,” resonating with layered strings. Wonderment gets a hug from traditional “Twelve Gates to the City,” and a duo vocal treat featuring Danielle Colbert-Parrish. In this honky-tonk, perfect reverb soaks the blues harp (drinks are free).
Prevost’s original “No Hallelujah for Glory” sticks in the middle, driving forth with super-crunch bottleneck electrics crawling with harmonica around the tight bump. Things are just loose enough on this looker, with Prevost’s vocals soaring up and “… down the road.”
Jangled hooks pull heartstrings and showcase Roky Erickson’s (of 13th Floor Elevators) “I Have Always Been Here Before,” a koan-like composition that inspires gratitude to the artist-at-large; musicians like Prevost help listeners consider shared truths or mysteries.
There is no retort to real, motivating love on this richly produced, acoustic rendition of the 1965 deep-cut from Rochester’s Church Mice, “Babe, We’re Not Part Of Society,” just passionate abandonment courtesy of a juvenile, pre-House Of Guitars, Armand Schaubroeck’s pen.
On-the-nose yet broad, Prevost unites lyrically on “Roadkill Rag,“ delivering a new real folk blues with spike-drive lead accent guitar work: Ran across a liberal, and a redneck too, trying to tell me what I was supposed to do…
Loneliness is extinguished by steelguitar in “Apartment #9,” and a clock-tick paces the multi-part title track finale with a backwards acoustic babysitter, oozing emphatically toward the “…sun machine…” full band final chorus of David Bowie’s “Memory of a Free Festival.”
—
RYAN YARMEL
“PRISMATIC/PLASMONIC”
BY LAURA LENTZ
Since its inception in 2015, it’s been easy to label the chamber music produced by fivebyfive as contemporary classical. Although it’s an accurate enough label, it’s also a box to which the Rochester quintet and its artistic director, flutist Laura Lentz, have never confined themselves.
Lentz’s third solo collection, “Prismatic/Plasmonic,” out September 6 via Blue on Blue Records, is an electronic album with prominent, genreless flute music — rather than simply a classical album with electronics.
“Prismatic Wind” features Lentz playing contemplative flourishes with a decidedly New Age flair, an unsurprising idiomatic approach to the flute. But composer Chloe Upshaw’s use of electronics acts as an insistent rhythmic counterpoint that also provides low-end textures and a more immersive sound world. From the listener’s vantage point, there is plenty vying for attention, but it never sounds too busy.
Local composer Sean William Calhoun’s “Plasmonic Mirror” comes across as an avant-pop fantasia, complete with trippy dance beats that provide steady, if unpredictable support for Lentz’s equally mercurial flute motives. Undeniably fun, the art-rave adventure rages on for five minutes at break-neck pace before an ominous interlude unfolds, allowing for a breather before launching again into a digital whirlwind.
The EP’s final track finds Calhoun revisiting one of the iconic works in all of classical flute literature — the sly, smooth and evocative “Syrinx” by late-Romantic French composer Claude Debussy. Calhoun’s electronically enhanced take, “Reimagined Syrinx,” ups the ante on the atmospherics while retaining Debussy’s signature hypnotic melody.
The EP listening party for “Prismatic/ Plasmonic” takes place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6 at Blue on Blue Recording Studio. Free; but RSVP at lauralentzflute.com.
— DANIEL J.
KUSHNER
“LIVE NOISE” BY
SULACO
For more than 20 years, Sulaco has remained a heavy musical force. The metal band never fit neatly into one category.
Sulaco partly owes its versatility to Lon Hackett, the longtime bass player known as “Spoth.” Hackett’s crunch provided an oceanically deep low end, upping Sulaco’s heaviness. After Hackett died in 2023, the band shared two final, intense songs written with him: “Vacant” and “Funeral Suit.”
Months before Hackett’s passing, on October 12, 2022, Sulaco stopped by Bar Bad Ending, then still called Rosen Krown, for an improvisatory set of sheer wild noise during Rochester Experimental Week. A strategically placed phone captured Sulaco’s howling show, which the band released as “Live Noise” on July 16.
“It was the only time we’ve done this in front of a crowd and not in our jam room,” drummer Chris Golding (“Crif”) wrote to accompany the music. (Golding works at WXXI.) The bravery of abandoning its tight songs in favor of making an unplanned clamor pays off. “Live Noise” is a triumphant swirl of chaos that celebrates the alchemy of musical exploration.
Joining Golding and Hackett are guitarists Erik Burke and Brian Mason and the group’s vocalist, Jason Leone, who offers textural samples. Much of the 21-minute performance sounds like airy menace — poking around in the dark to find the light switch.
Midway through, Golding and Hackett lock into a powerful groove. “It felt like magic that night,” Golding wrote. That moment is a conquest, a lens snapping a muddied scene into sharp focus.
Thus the promise of improvised noise jams is fulfilled: “I don’t know where we’re going, but I’ll tell you when we get there.”
“Live Noise,” with its imperfect sound quality and sudden twists, embodies what former CITY writer Saby Reyes-Kulkarni once called Sulaco’s “audio invisible ink.” It’s a fitting send-off for a departed musical giant of Hackett’s stature.
— PATRICK HOSKEN
A grand old city
BY PATRICK HOSKEN PATRICK@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
Long before Rochester band Joywave signed to a Disneyowned record label, vocalist Daniel Armbruster was stuck in a part-time job at Staples. “Life is not working out how I thought,” he recalled. “I [was] still living at home with my parents and working this dead-end job.”
He had little delights, like watching “The Colbert Report.” When Joywave performed on Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” show years later, in 2018, it only felt right to sing “Doubt,” a song that called back to that time in Armbruster’s early twenties.
“The song is kind of about wondering if ‘this is it,’” he said.
Armbruster, drummer Paul Brenner and guitarist Joseph Morinelli had to give it their all — who knows if they would ever get another shot on national television?
This line of thinking about legacy leads off “Permanent Pleasure,” Joywave’s fifth album, released in May 2024. Opening track “Graffiti Planet” presents the idea that the bold colors of our lives will soon be painted over by the next crop of spray-can taggers.
But there’s hope, too. Preceding that song is a message from former Rochester mayor Tom Ryan, welcoming listeners to the city’s sesquicentennial celebration from 1984:
“Rochester has a unique and varied cultural history. What better way to celebrate it than by listening
Joseph Morinelli, Daniel Armbruster and Paul Brenner formed Joywave in Rochester in 2010. PHOTOS BY GRANT SPANIER
to the music written, performed and published by Rochester musicians?”
Ryan was speaking about the local players who’d then recorded old tunes like “Put Me Down at Kodak Town” to commemorate the city’s 150th anniversary. But the message doubles as an evergreen introduction to Joywave, one of Rochester’s most visible contemporary cultural exports.
Armbruster found a vinyl copy of those songs on an old LP, “The Rochester Sesquicentennial,” at a local Goodwill for $1 during the pandemic. “It was released the year that I was born,” he said. The significance spoke to him.
He began the process of locating the rights holders to incorporate the audio into “Permanent Pleasure.” The locality of the material helped; a clerk at Stutzman’s Guitar Center in Greece offered an in with someone who played on the LP. The band’s manager worked out an arrangement with the original album’s producer, Jim Riley.
In the streaming age, artist royalties depend on users listening
to songs past the 30-second mark. Devoting the first 41 seconds of any song, let alone an album opener, to an extended sample is risky, if not downright dangerous. The band faced some pushback, including people who asked for a release of “Graffiti Planet” without the mayor.
“We grew up really enjoying albums with good transitions and cool interludes,” said Armbruster. “We think about that as part of the process.”
Thus, “Permanent Pleasure” taps into Rochester history both explicit and implicit. “On a national or international scale, it’s really difficult to be a band from Rochester,” Armbruster said, citing the lack of a music industry here.
But over time, as Joywave’s stature grew, being from Rochester became a defining characteristic, perhaps even a curiosity.
“Everyone would always be like, ‘What’s that like?’” Morinelli said.
The group’s roots play out on “Brain Damage,” a slow-burning stomp featuring a trombone performance from the members’ former band teacher at Greece Olympia. (Their high school band instruments, for the record — Armbruster: flute and bassoon; Brenner: percussion; and Morinelli: alto saxophone.)
Joywave’s album ends with a recording of “Rochester Is a Grand Old City” from the vintage LP. It follows their own cleverly titled closer, “Here to Perform the Final Song from Their Album ‘Permanent Pleasure,’
Please Welcome... Joywave,” which calls back to their experience playing for Colbert in 2018.
“Is this the last time that I get to talk to the audience? Maybe. You never know, right?” Armbruster said. “I loved the bookends of starting in Rochester, and then our 10 [songs] are various observations or feelings, and then we end it by going home.”
Joywave will live this trajectory via a pair of tours this fall. The latter routes through Europe; the former kicks off September 11 in Toronto and culminates with a gig at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom on October 18. Notably, the group will skip Rochester this time around.
The short explanation for this involves venue sizes. Buffalo’s 1,000-capacity club can hold a few hundred more than Essex, where Joywave played last December. Brenner chalks it up to presentation as well.
“It’s kind of us wanting to do something cool and unique instead of just another show,” he said.
Yet wherever Joywave goes, there Rochester is. On tour, the members hear from Flower City fans who’ve since moved away, as well as folks who’ve visited and feel compelled to share memories.
“The Rochester Sesquicentennial” prompted the band to ponder its own local history. Armbruster, Brenner and Morinelli have all considered leaving at some point.
So why have they stuck around?
“It just never really happened,” Brenner said. “We’d take a lot of trips [instead].”
They’d see the world. Then they’d see Eastman Business Park back on the horizon.
“The end of the record is ‘Rochester Is a Grand Old City,’ which I think really sums it up,” Armbruster said. “I’ve been to New York City, Chicago, Boston, right? But no place is like Rochester. That’s home.”
The trio’s fifth album, “Permanent Pleasure,” begins and ends with musical references to its hometown.
FALL PREVIEW MUSIC
Live audio for autumn
Brandee Younger Trio
Kilbourn Hall at Eastman School of Music
Sat., Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER DKUSHNER@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
Shakespeare said it best when he called music
“the food of love” in the very first line of his comedy “Twelfth Night.” More than four centuries later, that description still holds up: both cultural staples attract devotees with insatiable appetites. So for those in the mood for a buffet of sorts, here are CITY’s picks for 10 live shows to see and hear in the coming months.
Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer
Hochstein Performance Hall
Fri., Sept. 6 at 8 p.m.
Two of the preeminent bassists regardless of genre, Christian McBride and Edgar Meyer are powerhouse performers who bring creative ingenuity to their jazz arrangements and compositions. The pair’s cheekily titled new album, “But Who’s Gonna Play the Melody?” is heavy on indelible grooves, and a funloving sensibility permeates the music. Doors for this all-ages show at Hochstein open at 6:30 p.m., with music at 8 p.m. $43.56-$69.85. roclive.live
Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert
State Theatre of Ithaca
Wed., Sept. 11 at 8 p.m.
Fans of the pitch-perfect yet unconventional Bob Dylan biopic “I’m Not There” and its intriguing soundtrack may remember the chic cover of “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” from Chan Marshall, AKA Cat Power. Having released “Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert” last year, Marshall is touring her interpretation of the landmark “Royal Albert Hall” show (which was actually performed at Manchester Free Trade Hall). The original concert came in the wake of Dylan’s pivotal shift away from a traditional acoustic folk sound irreversibly toward “electric” music, but the suddenly divisive singer-songwriter was still splitting the difference, playing both acoustic and plugged-in sets at his shows. Concertgoers at the intimate yet majestic State Theatre in Ithaca can expect that vintage Bob Dylan sound, sung to mesmerizing effect by Marshall. Doors at 7 p.m., music at 8 p.m. $39.50-$75. stateofithaca.org
Brandee Younger is a different kind of harpist, as happy to jump into the fray of joyful and chaotic jazz, lay down the groove in a soul-R&B ballad or provide the hook for a hip-hop track as she is to play a crystalline melody with a more “classical” aesthetic. This versatility will be showcased in the brilliant acoustic environment of Eastman School of Music’s Kilbourn Hall, as Younger is joined by her rhythm section, double bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Allan Mednard. To say Younger has been a revelation within the last few years is an understatement. In 2022, she became the first Black woman to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Composition, and in 2024 she won the NAACP Image Award. With last year’s album “Brand New Life” and her new EP “Serenity: A Collection of Mindful Meditations” in her repertoire, Younger’s performance promises to be transcendent. $32-$45. esm.rochester.edu/theatre
RPO presents Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony
+ Kevin Puts’s “Contact” Triple Concerto with Time for Three Kodak Hall at Eastman School of Music Sat., Sept. 21 at 8 p.m.
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is at its best — and most memorable — when it pairs cherished works by legendary composers with intriguing pieces by living composers. (The performance of Romantic composer Johannes Brahms’s “A German Requiem” alongside the world premiere of Derrick Skye’s “A Rage of Peace” during RPO Artistic Director Andreas Delfs’s first full season at the helm comes to mind.)
The orchestra’s 2024-25 season opener follows the same playbook, putting Tchaikovsky’s sweeping Fifth Symphony in a contemporary context with “Contact,” a triple concerto for two violins, bass and orchestra by Eastman School of Music alumnus Kevin Puts. To sweeten the deal, Delfs and the RPO have enlisted the dynamic string trio Time for Three as soloists. For fans disappointed by the group’s canceled concert at ChamberFest Canandaigua during the summer, here’s another chance to hear Nick Kendall, Ranaan Meyer and Charles Yang at their scintillating best. The performance will be reprised on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. $18-$104. rpo.org
Coral Moons and Bugcatcher Bug Jar
Sat., Oct. 5 at 9 p.m.
The band Coral Moons has been a breath of fresh air in the local music scene’s atmosphere ever since singerguitarist Carly Kraft and lead guitarist Justin Bartlett moved to Canandaigua during the pandemic. With the recent release of its second full-length album, “summer of u,” the pop-rock quartet that got its start in Boston continues to build on its momentum from 2022’s “Fieldcrest” and tireless touring. Powered by Kraft’s commanding, melody-rich vocals and a penchant for anthemic, guitar-driven hooks, Coral Moons is one to watch out for everytime the group plays in Rochester, such as this early October date with indie rocker Jake Denning’s slowcore project Bugcatcher playing support. Doors at 8 p.m. The 18-and-over show is $17.70-$22.85. bugjar.com
The Wooten Brothers
Water Street Music Hall
Sun., Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
The name Wooten is synonymous with mind-bending musical virtuosity and relentless creativity. Any music fan who’s ever come across Bela Fleck & The Flecktones can attest to the technical prowess and eccentric sensibilities of bassist Victor Wooten and his percussionist brother Roy Wooten, AKA Future Man, who invented the instrument known as the ‘drumitar.’ The dynamic rhythm section is joined by siblings Regi on guitar and Joseph on keyboards for the “Forebrothers of Funk” tour. And if the recent single “SWEAT” is any indication of what listeners can expect on the upcoming album, the groove won’t be denied. Doors at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $37.74. waterstreetmusichall.live
Undeath with Kruelty and Gates to Hell Photo City Music Hall Sun., Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
The pride and joy of Rochester death metal, Undeath returns home on the heels of its latest album, appropriately titled “More Insane.” The quintet leans into the absurdity of metal music imagery with a blistering sound to match and a tongue-in-cheek approach to its lyrics. Having made headway in the national music scene with the approval of tastemakers such as The Needle Drop and Pitchfork, the Prosthetic Records-signed band continues to rep the 585 for wider audiences. For heavymusic headbangers, this show will be underlined in red. Doors for the 18-and-over show at 6:30 p.m. $27.83. photocitymusichall.com
Alan Cumming & Ari Shapiro:
“Och & Oy! A Considered Cabaret”
The Theater at Innovation Square Sun., Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
The artistic partnership between Broadway, film and TV star Alan Cumming and journalist Ari Shapiro of NPR’s “All Things Considered” sounds like something concocted in a marketing meeting. But the chemistry between the two performers is genuine, as the two sing cabaret tunes and playfully rib one another. The title of the show is itself a jocular nod to their respective Scottish and Jewish roots, while also acknowledging their claims to fame. Cumming and Shapiro’s voices mesh well on tunes like “Nowadays” and “Bosom Buddies,” but to be honest, the creative duet is first and foremost about fun, as in the pair’s take on “Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)” from the musical “Annie Get Your Gun.” Doors at 6:30 p.m. $74$125. theaterais.com
Barbara Hannigan & Bertrand Chamayou Kilbourn Hall at Eastman School of Music Sun., Dec. 8 at 3 p.m.
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
State Theatre of Ithaca
Tues., Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
The careers of songwriters Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are inseparable, and the pair’s legacy at the zenith of modern Americana music shows no signs of fading. Having met at Berklee College of Music, Welch and Rawlings have been playing on one another’s albums and performing together onstage ever since; the ongoing collaboration yielded a 2021 Grammy win for Best Folk Album with “All the Good Times (Are Past & Gone).” Skilled guitarists and enthralling storytellers through song, Welch and Rawlings traverse the paths between country, bluegrass and oldtime folk with exquisite results. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $59.50. stateofithaca.org
Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan is a paragon of contemporary opera, a fixture on the international stage with a staggeringly prodigious résumé. With unmatched strength and sensitivity, she has performed in the world premieres of more than 90 different operas. Hannigan is also an accomplished orchestral conductor who will become the Iceland Symphony Orchestra’s chief conductor and artistic director in 2026. For this rare performance in North America, Hannigan will deliver a cuttingedge recital of works by avant-garde masters Olivier Messiaen and John Zorn, as well as late-Romantic composer Alexander Scriabin. Pianist Bertrand Chamayou joins Hannigan for this must-hear concert. $38-$63. esm.rochester.edu/theatre
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS
Glory days
BY LEAH STACY LEAH@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
It’s 2 p.m. on a Thursday when Jackie Powers steps away from the kitchen and pulls up a patio chair outside her restaurant. She checks her phone quickly, then loosens her rooster apron and tucks a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. One more check of the phone, then it’s flipped face down on the table to minimize distractions. There’s an hour left in lunch service, but the usual line out the door has tapered, due in part to the mid-August haze hanging over the city. A few guests remain seated, chatting over last bites of the cafe’s famous cookies.
The cozy dining room is speckled with plants and mismatched tables and chairs, and there are knickknacks on almost every flat surface. The name ‘Orange Glory’ feels apt — everything in the space seems tinged orange somehow, whether it’s the whimsical art by Nancy Diliberto and Peggy Hutchens or the sunlight pouring through almost floor-toceiling windows that face out to Main Street. But the name isn’t referring to a color (though it is Powers’s favorite hue). Powers spontaneously chose the name of a friend’s cat, which was also an homage to the rock band they once talked about starting under the same moniker.
A beloved downtown lunch and catering spot approaches 20 years in business.
This is Powers’s nineteenth summer as owner and chef at Orange Glory Café and Catering, which she opened in 2005 at 240 East Ave. in a tiny storefront space beside The Little Theatre (then owned by William Coppard and John and Pam Blanpied, not WXXI). The kitchen was in the basement and there was little-to-no-seating inside, but the cafe’s reputation as a walkable lunch destination quickly grew.
Powers’s culinary journey is a nontraditional one that includes stints at The Little Bakery, in the building that now houses Ugly Duck Coffee, and 2Vine, the longtime fine dining spot on Winthrop Street that launched many a Rochester hospitality career. (In 2019, Redd moved into the vacant space.) Outside of that, her five years as an aesthetician in Atlanta and her college degree in psychology didn’t prepare her to own a restaurant — except, she noted wryly, perhaps with managing people.
“I really always wanted to be in the food industry,” said Powers. “So I went to my guidance counselors in 1985 and told them what my interests were, and they were like, ‘Listen, find yourself a nice husband you can cook for instead.’”
There were two catalysts that pushed Powers to open Orange Glory 20 years later. The first was Aaron Smith, pastry chef and coowner of The Little Bakery, who convinced Powers to explore her catering chops using his facilities. The second was a two-week training program in 2004 at famed culinary institute Le Cordon Bleu.
“Going to Paris for the first time, seeing these beautiful pastry displays, cheese shops and bakeries — there wasn’t anything like that at home,” she said. “So I wanted to bring a little bit back here.”
Powers drew inspiration from things she tried in France; first, the ideas for her lentil and spinach burgers, followed by the mushroom artichoke and chickpea and eggplant burgers. Surprisingly, Powers isn’t vegetarian — she simply cooks with ingredients she likes. Because of that, Orange Glory’s menu was an early local offering of vegetarian options.
“I’ll take breaks, I quit eating meat again a month ago, so we’ll see
how it goes,” she said. “But as a chef, sometimes it’s just like a habit to go, ‘Oh, let’s see what that tastes like,’ and I eat it and it’s meat and I’m like, ‘oops’.”
She stops mid-sentence to greet a regular.
“Hi, Gerry,” she said. After he walks away, she notes that he was not only one of her first customers, but she’ll still see him multiple times a week.
It’s a common story here, within walking distance from the Eastman School of Music. A group of middle schoolers walking home from the YMCA peeks in to see if their favorite cookies are still in the jar. A handful of regulars will often come in before Orange Glory opens, sometimes bringing their own box of Ridge Donuts, ordering coffee and settling in with the newspaper while Powers and her staff prep for the day’s lunch service.
The “Gerry” that Powers greeted is Gerry Szymanski, devoted OG regular, photographer and Eastman School of Music librarian. It’s because of Orange Glory and Powers that Szymanski began showing and selling his photos around town; she hosted his first photography show, “Play of Light,” at the original space in 2006.
Like so many, Szymanski first heard about Orange Glory from a friend.
“I knew the space when it was Lulu’s in the 80s, back when I was seeing things like ‘Room with a View’ at The Little,” he said. “It had gone through many failed iterations, so I wasn’t sure, but I was blown away by the amazing chicken salad sandwich I had. And of course, the potato salad was so different from the mayocovered ones you’d have at a picnic or a German salad covered in vinegar.”
Left: The Spinach Burger with a side of Potato Salad.
Middle: Jackie Powers preps in the Orange Glory kitchen.
Right: The daily sandwich case; one of the many decorative pieces in the dining room.
PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO
Szymanski quickly became a regular.
“It was the perfect walk away from Eastman,” he said. “In the winter, I’d put on a coat and gloves. It was far away enough that I got off campus, but it was rare that I went there and didn’t know someone.”
Nearly 20 years later — Orange Glory will reach that milestone in April 2025 — the cafe has much the same operating hours (Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.) in an expanded location on 480 East Main St. and, as of June, a newly minted second location in the new Constellation Brands building. Powers was first approached by one of the architects on the project and it ended up being a good fit for all parties. While the building has gourmet kitchens on every floor, they wanted to have an option for outside catering and lunch nearby.
Powers trusts her staff at the Constellation location to function without her constant supervision as she stays primarily at the main location to oversee catering and baking operations. It’s a nearly identical menu, but with expanded hours: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Katherine Hammerl, who’s been with Powers for about two-and-a-half years, is the manager of the new location. Hammerl started her hospitality career at a Pontillo’s in Churchville, and moved back from New York City a few years ago
after working in management there. She met Powers through her roommate, Thea Chiarenza, another longtime OG staffer.
“Working here is just a beautiful coincidence,” said Hammerl. “Thea was working a brunch with Jackie and said, ‘Do you want to come wash dishes?’ Since I didn’t have a job at the time, I said, ‘Sure’ — and then I never left. Jackie is the nicest, best boss you could possibly ask for.”
Hammerl also appreciates Powers’s approach to fresh ingredients and her generosity toward not only staff, but the community.
“I love her ideas and what she does,” she said, “It’s fast, healthy and genuinely delicious food.”
As Orange Glory approaches 20 years in April 2005, Powers is reflecting on what’s next. At 56, she’s never borrowed money to start or keep the business, and she’s currently working to bring her spinach and veggie burgers to the wholesale market through the Minority and Women-Owned Business Investment (MWBE) Fund.
“It’s in the very baby stages, could be a pipe dream,” she said.
Powers is also a mom of three — Emily, 32, Dylan, 27, and Stanley, 17 — and a recent first-time grandmother. But while her sons are helping with the wholesale strategy, none of the three have worked for Powers throughout the years.
“It’s not a family business,” she said.
“I let them do their own thing, have autonomy, go their own way in life.”
Instead, Powers has surrounded herself with a small-but-mighty staff, and many of her friends are also industry lifers. As someone who’s been a force in and watched the hospitality scene for the last 20 years, she is happy the pandemic is past, and cautiously optimistic the local industry will continue to grow and support each new concept.
“We need more casual restaurants with good food,” she said. “Somewhere you can have a special meal, but you don’t have to pay $45 for an entree. At a certain point, you’re paying for the experience or a scene, even if the food is delicious. I like to go somewhere quiet if I’m going out. We need more classic spots.”
Classic. Stalwart. Like Orange Glory. In two decades over two locations, Powers hasn’t really changed the hours (except to close on Mondays), and she’s adamant there will never be dinner service given the demands of the catering side. Lunch, cookies, catering — these are all proven successes for Orange Glory. And of course, the chicken salad (with grapes, on cinnamon raisin toast, with a hint of honey mustard) remains on the menu.
“I can’t believe I’ve been making it for 20 years,” she said. orangeglorycafe.com
Left: Egg and Olive Sandwich with a side of Sesame Noodles.
Right: Sam Gilbert sits on the patio at the Orange Glory location in the Constellation Brands building.
The Dish
FOOD AND BEV NEWS, GOSSIP, AND GATHERINGS CURATED BY LEAH STACY
BITE-SIZED NEWS
A new food truck, Mad Potatoes, entered the chat in mid-August, offering “SpudRockets” — russet potatoes hollowed out, battered, fried and filled with anything from a Chicken French-inspired mix (lemon garlic butter chicken, broccoli, parmesan) to a veggie blend (sweet potato fried rice, choice of veg, house teriyaki). It’s the brainchild of Rochester native Danny Murphy, who also works as a cook at Jackrabbit Club and Good Luck. And of course, a side of fries is on the menu. See the week’s menu and pop-up locations at instagram.com/madpotatoesfoodtruck.
On the heels of a successful food truck and catering venture launched by Mendon native Patrick Roache in May 2024, Pat’s Pigs will expand to a storefront in the town of Mendon. The BBQ-focused spot has quickly become a staple, attracting lunch and dinner crowds alike.
The spot has quickly become a Mendon staple. Roache has been in the biz for almost a decade, primarily catering private events. The new storefront will be open Monday through Saturday; catering and food truck operations will also continue. patspigs.com
WHET YOUR PALATE
A new coffee shop iteration has announced a soft opening at 45 Euclid Street near Parcel 5, the space that formerly housed Fuego Coffee Roasters and other rotating businesses over the past decade. In addition to coffee roasted by Aporia Coffee Co. and breakfast sandwiches by day, AM:fm will offer cocktails and vinyl listening by night. instagram.com/amfm_coffee
FOR THE LOCAVORES
The former Bagley’s Poplar Ridge property in Hector reopened on July 5 as Ria’s Wines after an extensive tasting room renovation. Founded by husband and wife team Ria D’Aversa and Mike Penn, Ria’s is on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail and will allow guests to explore their portfolio of terroir-driven wines grown with organic practices (think cool-climate varieties including Riesling, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc) in a range of scenic locales, from the indoor tasting room and bar to an outdoor patio and green garden bordering the 20-acre vineyard. Visitors can create customizable flights, taste by the glass or try a seasonal spritz in addition to assorted snacks. rias-wines.com
FOOD FÊTES
A local chef competition is heating up the culinary scene this fall. Food Fight takes place at Good Luck’s event space, Jackrabbit Club, and features head-to-head chef showdowns once a month on Sundays at 8 p.m., along with guest bartenders, tunes from DJ Chreath and snacks from food trucks. The competition kicked off on August 25 with Chefs Ryan Simpson (Good Luck) and Lizz Sheridan (Ziggy’s); the next round takes place Sunday, Sept. 22 with Cruz Nieves (Shell) and Taylor Wilde (Wildflour). Free to attend. Follow instagram.com/jackrabbit_club for the most upto-date announcements.
The inaugural Rochester Tiki Week will run Sept. 23-29, featuring rumsoaked cocktail events across eight bars — Jack’s Extra Fancy, Bar Bad Ending, Leonore’s, Marge’s Lakeside Inn, Martine, The Classic, Pourin’ Joy and Ziggy’s — but ultimately “all for the love of tiki.” Follow instagram.com/rochestertikiweek for the most up-to-date announcements.
Avvino’s Mercantile on Main location — Frenchman Street — will host an End of Summer Beer Dinner featuring Three Heads Brewing pairings on Friday, Sept. 6. The menu includes fun items like a corn dog paired with the Tiny Kind Session IPA and a Sno-ball dessert course paired with Strawberry Piña Colada Sour. $75 per ticket. exploretock.com/avvino
With fall comes football, and that means hosting friends and bringing out the comfort food — including your favorite wines. On Wednesday, Sept. 18, Living Roots (Rochester location) will host a Grapes + Game Day Pairings class filled with tips and tricks for pairing LR wines with your go-to game day snacks. $45 per ticket. exploretock.com/livingrootswineco
Quarter Century
PUZZLE
BY S.J. AUSTIN & J. REYNOLDS
ACROSS
1. Art supply often produced in square crayons
7. Droop
10. One of several for Taylor Swift
13. Expels, as waste
19. Respiratory condition often treated with an inhaler
20. In the style of
21. "With this ring, I thee _____"
22. Comedian Ullman
23. ** Movie Script
25. Former Bolivian president Morales
26. Mistakes for a baseball fielder
27. "_____ gift to be simple" (Shaker hymn)
28. Option at the pump
30. Agnes, in Argentina
32. _____ Helens
33. "Blessed" weather phenomena in Africa, according to an '80s radio hit
35. "My concern is..."
37. Rich spreads
38. Athletes who try not to make a splash
41. * Simone Biles, 11 times
45. _____ a time
46. Lost lady in "The Raven"
47. Term replaced with "Alaska Native" in federal laws since 2016
51. Utmost: Abbr.
52. Has awareness of
54. Sorting category on Spotify
58. Standard to be cleared
59. Grammy and Oscar winner Jon who co-wrote the score for Pixar's "Soul"
61. _____ on TV!
63. Jumpable subway entrance
65. See 130-Across
68. Denalis, Yukons, and others
70. Capital of Norway
71. Take advantage of
72. Substance drained and retained to make syrup
74. "_____ favor"
76. Geometric points
79. Significant spot
81. See 130-Across
86. Meters and liters
88. Colossal sentient larva of Japanese film
90. Get behind
91. Actress Scala
92. Wife: Sp.
94. Respectful
97. Female reproductive cells
98. Larry, Curly, or Moe
100. Takes root
102. Croaks
104. ** Like the glass surrounding the Mona Lisa
108. Crème de la crème
109. Underwhelmed
112. Playground retort
113. Supreme Court justice Kagan
115. Rental scooter brand partnered with Uber
116. SNL alum Carvey
117. Hot
120. Chew on
124. Comedic format at The Groundlings or Second City
126. Actor McKellen
128. Runny babbit or bass-ackwards, e.g.
130. Word that can precede the first half of the answers to the starred clues... or the traditional gift for 65/81-Across, celebrated this month by 22-Across and 16-Down. (Love you, T! -S)
131. Green prefix
132. Family
133. Wiped clean, as a blackboard
134. Guides in a particular direction
135. Ave. crossers
136. Line part: Abbr.
137. City _____
1. Bygone
2. Fungal spore sacs
3. Orch. section including viols
4. What drop-in visitors may claim to have been in
5. Suffix with morph-
6. "The Blues Brothers" director John
7. Dealership denizens
8. "What a pity!"
9. Motown's "Prince of Soul"
10. Ma who says baa
11. Published critique
12. The Lord, in the Hebrew Bible
13. Summers on the Seine
14. Watchdog warning
15. Designate, as funds
16. Manager of Schrute and Beasley
17. Short on words
18. Operating procedures: Abbr.
24. Tradable Disney souvenir
29. Perjurer
31. Directional suffix
34. Van Gogh and Picasso, for two
36. Pet peeves?
37. Little siblings, sometimes
38. Call into question
39. Relative by marriage
40. Sporty Chevy
42. Ambient musician Brian
43. Politician's plea
44. 8-bit video game console, for short
46. Gladly, old-style
48. Sacred bird of ancient Egypt
49. Place to meet Santa
50. Good name for a tuxedo kitten
53. Eye afflictions
55. Daughter of King Lear, whose name resembles the surname of a president
56. Musical paces
57. Business abbr. that literally means "embodiment"
60. Indigenous people group, many of whom now find 47-Across offensive
