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.
Biggers' concert bountiful and beautiful
Reviewed by Lee Shepherd A couple of dozen lucky people sat in Binghamton’s United Presbyterian Church at dusk yesterday (Sept. 11) to hear a reprise of Jonathan Biggers’ July 11 concert at Atlanta’s Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. […]
Violin/piano duo brings Phelps audience to its feet
Editor’s note: Julian Shepherd is the husband of BAMirror reviewer Lee Shepherd and, like her, an accomplished string musician. Reviewed by Julian Shepherd You probably keep track of the Tri-Cities Opera and Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra schedules, but do you know that there is (and has been for a few years) [...]
'Songs From the Land of Morning Calm' are unexpected delight
Reviewed by Lee Shepherd So what if PBS has The Three Tenors. We’ve got The Tenor, The Baritone and The Fabulous Piano Accompanist. In a stellar concert Saturday evening at the Anderson Center at Binghamton University, Tri-Cities Opera artists Mario Eun Hwan Bae (tenor) and Robert Heep-Young Oh (baritone) treated [...]
What have you been doing in the arts?
If your life (like mine) goes by the school calendar, then summer 2012 is almost over. And what a summer it's been! Concerts, plays, gallery openings -- you name it! How have the arts been part of your season?
EPAC's 'Shrew' is pleasant trifle
Reviewed by George Basler The Taming of the Shrew is one of William Shakespeare’s more controversial plays, as well as one of his best known. If taken seriously, the misogynistic tone and message of female submissiveness can be grating, even offensive, to modern audiences. Thankfully, the Endicott Performing Arts Center’s [...]
Marvin Hamlisch: An appreciation
Award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch was scheduled to conduct a performance of his music with the Binghamton Philharmonic late last month. The show would have taken place at the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts on the Binghamton University campus. But about a week before the much-anticipated show, word came [...]
Feared, revered art critic Robert Hughes dies at 74
At some early point in his long career, more than three decades of it spent at TIME, Robert Hughes became the most famous art critic in the English-speaking world. This happened because he was also the best — the most eloquent, the most sharp-eyed and incisive, the most truculent [...]
Unappealing protagonists sink 'Separation Rapid' at Chenango River Theatre
Reviewed by George Basler I wish I could say I liked Separation Rapid, which is getting its world premiere at the Chenango River Theatre in Greene. Unfortunately, I can’t. The professional, non-profit theater company should be given credit for taking the risk of mounting a new work. And the [...]
Check out article by BAMirror writer
Classical Singer magazine recently published BAMirror reviewer Tony Villecco’s article about the late contralto Jean Madeira. Here’s a link.
Fenimore Quartet makes trip to West Kortright Centre worthwhile
Reviewed by Lee Shepherd Take four fine musicians, put them in an 1850s church surrounded by farm fields frequented by horses and other critters, and ask the performers to play their favorite works, and you’ll get the marvelous concert performed last night (July 25) by the Fenimore Quartet at [...]
Half Light Theatre schedules 'Master Class' benefit; Binghamton mayor has role
By George Basler Half Light Theatre, a new Binghamton-based theater company, is planning to mark its first anniversary with a special evening this coming weekend. On Friday (July 27), the company will take over the grand mansion foyer of the Roberson Museum and Science Center for a gala fund-raising event [...]
EPAC successfully tackles controversial musical
Reviewed by George Basler Director Patrick Foti calls Spring Awakening, which opened Thursday (July 19) at the Endicott Performing Arts Center, a descendant of West Side Story, the ground-breaking musical of a half century ago. While the comparison might not be readily apparent, both shows deal with the raw [...]
Lesser-known works fare best in Elton John revue
Reviewed by George Basler In his remarkable 40+-year career, nobody has ever accused Elton John of understatement. To the contrary, John’s name conjures up a rock star image with over-the-top performances in large arenas and stadiums, outrageous costumes and driving rock bands. One image that doesn’t leap to mind [...]
Summer Savoyards launch solid 'Pirates' production
Reviewed by George Basler Back in the 1940s, there was a New York Yankee baseball player, Tommy Heinrich, who was called “old reliable” because of his consistency on the ball field. While it may be stretching the comparison, the Summer Savoyards have become one of “the old reliables” of [...]
KNOW Theatre to produce Kennedy Center award winners
By George Basler Audiences coming to the KNOW Theatre in downtown Binghamton next week (July 5-8) will get in on the ground floor of seeing the next potentially great American playwrights. For the first time ever, the Binghamton-based theater company is cooperating with the John F. Kennedy Center for [...]
