Broome Arts Mirror – Local Theatre Reviews
The Broome Arts Mirror is a group of volunteers affiliated with the Broome County Arts Council who write previews and reviews about local performances and arts shows. For inquiries, including having someone review your local production, please contact us at bamirror@broomearts.org.
'Fantasticks' offer nostalgia and romance at Cider Mill
Reviewed by Nancy Oliveri I came across a blurb in a 1925 edition of The New Yorker — one of the short paragraphs in the “Talk of the Town” section — that said In a Garden, a new play by Philip Barry, had “too many ideas to succeed.” But [...]
SRO's 'Once On This Island' is lively, colorful production
Reviewed by George Basler On paper, Once On This Island, an unlikely marriage of Caribbean folk lore and Broadway conventions, sounds like a dubious undertaking. But any skepticism quickly goes by the boards. The SRO Productions III musical, which opened this past weekend (Jan. 22-23) at the Goodwill Theatre's Schorr [...]
Baroque concert shines spotlight on BPO's own
Reviewed by Lee Shepherd The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra may be onto something good: a Sunday afternoon concert of upbeat Baroque music featuring Philharmonic musicians rather than imported guest artists. A program yesterday (Jan. 24) of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and music by Corelli, Geminiani and Bach played by a 25-member string [...]
Glimmerglass founder Macris remembered
Peter Macris, founder and inaugural artistic director of Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, died Saturday. Here is a link to a remembrance on the website of his creation, now known as the Glimmerglass Festival: http://tinyurl.com/gu2m7tr.
Cider Mill Playhouse charts a major move
By George Basler The Cider Mill Playhouse, now marking its 40th year, is making a major move. In December, the venerable Endicott theater announced it had signed a contract with Actors Equity Association, the national union for actors and stage managers, making it the first Equity theater in Broome [...]
Downtown Singers shine in annual 'Messiah' tradition
By George Basler George Frideric Handel wasn’t thinking about Christmas -- white, or otherwise -- when he wrote Messiah 274 years ago. He began work on the oratorio in late August and saw it performed for the first time in Dublin for Easter in April 1742. So the old [...]
Vocal ensemble celebrates holidays and 40 years of music
Reviewed by Tony Villecco The Cayuga Vocal Ensemble, a mainstay in the Ithaca area, celebrated 40 years of quality a cappella choral singing last Sunday (Dec. 6) in Ithaca’s First Presbyterian Church. In a concert both varied and holiday oriented, director Carl Johengen and his group of 20 singers [...]
BCAC names new executive director
BCAC names new executive director The Broome County Arts Council (BCAC) Board of Directors has selected Laura Knochen-Davis as the new executive director. She will take her position in January, following the retirement of long-time director Sharon Ball. Board President Fred Xlander said Knochen-Davis’ wide-ranging experience in both arts [...]
Incoming BCAC leader shares views at 'virtual press conference'
Laura Knochen-Davis won't become the executive director of the Broome County Arts Council until January, but that doesn't mean we at Broome Arts Mirror won't have any questions for her until then. She's still very busy working and teaching at SUNY Broome, so we invited her to a quick [...]
'Aliens' invade in well-timed SUNY Broome double bill
Reviewed by Nancy Oliveri Is it just a coincidence that, in the turbulent fall of 2015, SUNY Broome Theater has produced a pair of plays under the heading Alien Invasions that focus on the importance of not letting paranoia and mob mentality rule the day? Maybe. But even if [...]
BU's 'Spring Awakening' does not quite hit all the notes
Reviewed by Patrick Hao On face value, setting alternative rock tunes in a conservative village in 19th century Germany seems like a crazy notion. But Spring Awakening, the Tony Award-winning musical by Duncan Sheik (with lyrics and book by Steven Slater), perfectly blends the two. By equating 21st century teen angst to that of [...]
EPAC's 'Sweeney Todd' is bloody good
Reviewed by George Basler In the 37 years since it was first staged, Sweeney Todd has become one of Stephen Sondheim’s most produced musicals. It’s also one of the darkest musicals ever to grace the Broadway stage. Hearts and flowers aren’t on display here. Instead, hatred, lust and depravity [...]
TCO’s ‘Iolanta' marked by strong singing, sincere acting
Reviewed by Tony Villecco Peter Ilitsch Tchaikovsky’s one-act opera, Iolanta, proved a sure-fire hit at its Binghamton premiere Thursday evening (Nov. 12) at the newly named Savoca Hibbitt Hall at the Tri-Cities Opera Center in Binghamton. Once again becoming a staple in regional houses, Iolanta was featured at the Metropolitan Opera [...]
You need a flow chart for Nov. entertainment (especially for TCO)
In case you haven't noticed, November is overflowing with cultural events. To take full advantage of all opportunities, you may have to do as I did and get out a calendar and a pile of season brochures to do my planning. Which brings me to this quick reminder: Some [...]
Cider Mill's 'You Can't Take It With You' provides laughs and warm feelings
Reviewed by George Basler The world got you down? Feeling a little under the weather? A surefire remedy is a short drive away at the Cider Mill Playhouse in Endicott. The remedy isn’t a pill, but a sparkling production of the 1936 comedy You Can’t Take It With You, which chronicles the [...]
