Broome Arts Mirror
Calling all ‘Twilight Zone’ fans: Historical Society hosting lecture on Binghamton’s own Rod Serling
By George Basler Fans of Rod Serling and his classic television program, The Twilight Zone, can learn more about his life and career Wednesday, Oct. 20, in a presentation sponsored by the Broome County Historical Society. Lawrence “Larry” Kassan, coordinator of special events and theatre for the Binghamton City [...]
Binghamton Community Orchestra returns with a full season
By George Basler After being shut down by COVID-19 last season, the Binghamton Community Orchestra is returning with three concerts planned for 2021-22. The orchestra, formed to allow community musicians to perform great orchestral works, will be under the direction of its new music director, Evan Meccarello. The season [...]
Strong actors make the most of provocative play at KNOW
Reviewed by George Basler The title Gidion’s Knot refers to the legendary Gordian knot, a knot so intricate and tightly entangled that it is virtually impossible to untie. Such impossible entanglements are at the center of Johnna Adams' play, which opened this past weekend (Oct. 8-10) at the KNOW [...]
Masterful stagecraft of word and action defines ‘The Craftsman’ at CRT
Reviewed by Katherine Karlson Billed as recounting “the greatest con job of the 20th century,” The Craftsman is the concluding offering of Chenango River Theatre’s abbreviated 2021 season. It provides a penetrating look into the dark reaches of the human psyche set against one of the most extraordinary incidents [...]
Cider Mill Stage actors spot-on in funny, but uneven, McNally play
Reviewed by George Basler Near the end of It’s Only a Play a character cracks the witticism that “God punishes people who do plays on Broadway.” The one-liner pretty much sums up the theme of Terrence McNally’s play that is either a love letter or a poison pen note [...]
EPAC and Theatre Street do solid job with classic musical
Reviewed by George Basler Certain Broadway musicals, even hits, are pretty much forgotten after their initial runs while others become enduring works that reach audiences across generations. Man of La Mancha fits into the latter category. The original 1965 Broadway production ran for 2,328 performances and won the Tony [...]
Moving 9/11 play at KNOW retains its visceral power
Reviewed by George Basler For those of us old enough to remember, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 will never be forgotten. But it’s been 20 years -- two decades -- since that cataclysmic day. An entire generation has grown up since then. For them, it’s a historical event, not [...]
On with the show: Arts groups plan live performances for the fall
By George Basler Having survived their COVID-disrupted 2020-21 seasons, local performing arts organizations are gearing up for the return of a full slate of live productions this fall.Leaders believe there is pent-up demand for live performances. “The actors and staff are chomping at the bit,” said Tim Gleason, artistic [...]
Local group works to revive Cider Mill Stage
By George Basler Kate Murray has fond memories of the Cider Mill Playhouse in Endicott. She acted there, worked on productions and was an audience member for other shows. “The building meant a lot to me. It meant the same thing to a lot of people,” she said. Now [...]
EPAC stands as lasting tribute to Lou Ligouri
By George Basler Following Lou Ligouri’s funeral Monday (July 12), his friends and family will gather for a reception at the Endicott Performing Arts Center, and no location could be more fitting. Ligouri, who died of pancreatic cancer on July 1, was one of a small group of committed [...]
S.T.A.R returns to live action with nasty classic
By George Basler Southern Tier Actors Read (S.T.A.R) is returning to live performances this weekend on a truly nasty note. Friday through Sunday (June 25-27), the company will perform a staged reading of Lillian Hellman’s acerbic The Little Foxes at the Phelps Mansion in Binghamton. The play focuses on [...]
Vestal concludes Tier’s non-traditional high school musical season
By George Basler Austin Kiley has directed student musicals at Vestal High School for 10 years, but he says he has never directed a show like the one that will be seen this weekend. The production of Les Miserables School Edition will close out a non-traditional high school musical [...]
Remembering CyberCafé West proprietor Jeff Kahn
By Barb Van Atta Broome Arts Mirror offers its deepest condolences to the family and friends of former CyberCafé West proprietor Jeffrey (Jeff) Kahn, who died Sunday (June 13). Kahn, 59, was a towering figure in Broome County’s live music scene. Although the café closed, it maintained a Facebook [...]
Strong performances brighten KNOW’s dark ‘Birdbath’
Reviewed by George Basler Leonard Melfi’s Birdbath takes place on Valentine’s Day, but do not expect candy or flowers. The deceased American playwright, who grew up in Binghamton, was known for creating eccentric characters who are out of tune with conventional society. And the characters in Birdbath certainly fit [...]
Philharmonic plans return to Forum and busy summer season
By George Basler After more than a year’s absence, the Binghamton Philharmonic will return to the Broome County Forum Theatre on June 19 for two concerts of Baroque music. And Paul Cienniwa, the orchestra’s executive director, is excited for both the musicians and the community. For the musicians, the [...]
