Hubbard Hall Times

The story of PeaceQuilts is a novel and highly unlikely one. In a tropical country, the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, the concept of quilts and quilting is introduced into a Haitian training school curriculum by Jeanne Staples, a visionary artist from Martha’s Vineyard, and Maureen Matthews McClintock, a master quilter and clinical psychotherapist from rural Vermont. The project is nurtured by a pair of Haitian Catholic nuns who teach needlework, and becomes an entrepreneurial success in less than two years. Join us for a return visit from Maureen McClintock and an update on the project since the devastation of earthquake in Haiti.

For more information on PeaceQuilts, go to www.haitipeacequilts.org.

Hilarity - Dark Ages Style

2010-05-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

Only 3 more weekends of Dark Ages hilarity remains!
Call 518-677-2495 for tickets!

May 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 at 8pm
May 16, 23, 30 at 2pm

What are you waiting for? You know you need a laugh - see Incorruptible and laugh your head off! The monks are in need of a few more heads!

Call 518-677-2495 weekdays, 9am - 5pm, for advance tickets!!

'Spring into Yoga Sundays with Natasha Judson'

2010-05-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

'Spring into Yoga Sundays with Natasha Judson'

'Medieval Fests, Destitute Monks and Dracula!'

2010-05-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

'Medieval Fests, Destitute Monks and Dracula!'

2010-05-05T05:10:00.000-07:00

Incorruptible Opening Night Dinner
Medieval Peasant Feast: Friday, May 7 at 6pm

A hilarious feast where we toss the bones to the relic collectors: duck, beef, fiddleheads, wild leek and potato soup, assorted breads, cheeses. Fruit and Flummery with custard sauce for dessert.

Reservation deadline: Wednesday, May 5 at 5pm. Call 518-677-2495 to reserve your seat.
Cost: 48.00 includes theater ticket / 30.00 meal only

Incorruptible
A Dark Comedy about the Dark Ages!
by Michael Hollinger
directed by Stephanie Moffett-Hynds
May 6 Pay What You Will / Open Rehearsal at 8pm
May 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 at 8pm
May 9, 16, 23, 30 at 2pm
24.00 general admission / 20.00 Hubbard Hall members / 15.00 students & children
Call 518-677-2495 for tickets

It's not the best of times for the rag-tag group of monks in a 13th century French monastery: The river flooded again last week, nobody's heard of the wheelbarrow yet and the abbey's patron saint hasn't produced a miracle -- or a paying pilgrim -- in 13 years.

The destitute monks feel their faith slipping away until they cross paths with a cunning, one-eyed traveling minstrel who teaches them an enterprising way to fill their empty offering plate.

An Evening with Dracula!

2010-05-05T04:59:00.000-07:00

Dracula - The UnDead
Curiosity Forum:
Evening with Dacre Stoker, Dracula historian and author
Saturday, May 8, at 5:00 pm
(Dinner with the author at 6:30 pm, see below for cost and details)
Location: Cambridge Hotel
Free

Join us for a book signing and talk with Dacre Stoker, great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker, Dracula historian, and co-author of Dracula: The Un-Dead, a sequel the original Dracula.

Stoker's sequel is based on the original author's handwritten notes and takes place twenty-five years later and finds Van Helsing's morphine-addicted protégé obsessed with countering evil forces. Stoker has extensively researched Bram Stoker's life as well as Dracula lore and arcana.

Dinner with the author:
Following the book signing, at 6:30, you may dine with Dacre Stoker. The Cambridge Hotel will serve a 3-course Transylvanian-themed menu, plus dessert, for $27.95 adults, $11.95 children. Please call the Cambridge Hotel at 518-677-5626 for a reservation for the dinner, and enjoy a night out with Bram Stoker's descendant

Curiosity Forum events are a partnership of Battenkill Books, Hubbard Hall, and Open Studios of Washington County.

'New Term - New Progarm - New Happenings!'

2010-04-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

'New Term - New Programs - New Happenings!'

'Plant Sale Mania!'

2010-04-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

'Plant Sale Mania!'

2010-04-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

Movie, Lunch, Dance!
Saturday, April 24 12noon-3pm
Cost: 14.00 / 12.00 members
DANCE STUDENTS! Sign up with a friend who is new to Hubbard Hall, and YOU (the current student) can come for half price! Deadline to register is Tuesday, April 20 at 5pm

Bring a bag lunch and we treat you with sweets, a movie, and a dance class for dessert! Watch and talk about the dance movie, Step Up (104 min. Rated PG-13). Then join guest instructor Gladys Brangman for a street-style jazz workshop. Gladys will take the funkiest song from the movie Step Up and she’ll have you dancing, prancing and laughing while learning some really cool dance moves. In this class, the warm up is just as much fun as the choreography. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Gladys Brangman is a high energy dance instructor who loves working with dancers of any age. She has taught at The Trumansburg Dance Studio, Trumansburg, NY, The College for Lifelong Learning and the Community School of Music and Art, Ithaca, NY and Jill Reeners School of Dance and Performing Arts , Cortland, NY. In Cortland, Miss Gladys had a dance team that won platinum awards at competition two years in a row. Her dance philosophy is “If you can walk, you can dance” but it doesn’t end there. In her Hip Hop for Seniors dance class Miss Gladys had seniors in wheelchairs movin’ and groovin’.

2010-04-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

Denim Delights Fashion Show
Denim Delights Fashion Show
Saturday, April 24 at 7:30pm
Beacon Feed Studio
10.00 adults / 5.00 children under 12
Runway fashion show featuring designs by fashion students & designer Katrina Maria. A benefit for the Hubbard Hall dance studio.

2010-04-19T11:26:00.001-07:00

Freight Depot Gallery
LAST WEEK TO STOP BY AND VISIT THE INAUGURAL GRAND OPENING EXHIBIT!
The Grand Opening Exhibit will close on Sunday, April 25 at 5:00pm - don't miss out on this beautiful exhibit of original works by professional artists who have been great supporters of Hubbard Hall Projects!

Grand Opening of the Freight Depot Gallery
April 1 - 25, 2010
Featuring works by Gerald Coble, Constance Kheel, Clarence King, Karen Koziol, Jeri Macdonald, Adriano Manocchia, Robert Nunnelley, Leslie Parke, Carol Serotta, George Van Hook, Gyula Varosy, Hannie Varosy, Regina Wickham, and Anita Witten.

We have had so much fun exploring Hubbard Hall’s newest facility, the Freight Depot, as a theater facility. Now come and help us celebrate its use as an exhibition space.

The Freight Depot is the Green Building behind Hubbard Hall, next to the R.R. tracks and at the end of the yellow brick road.

Gallery Hours:
Mon-Fri 2:00-4:30pm
Sat & Sun 10:00am-5:00pm

'A Hot Weekend at the Hall!'

2010-04-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

'A Hot Weekend at the Hall!'

2010-04-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

LAST SHOW WAS A COMPLETE SELL-OUT!!!
DON'T BE DISAPPOINTED - CALL FOR TICKETS NOW!
Any remaining tickets will be on sale at the door 30 minutes before show time.

The Red Lions:
Saturday April 17 @ 8pm
Freight Depot Theater

"Elegant, sophisticated and refreshingly open-hearted, singer-guitarist Margan pens wonderfully literate and melodically inventive songs that he has orchestrated for a most unusual but oh-so effective ensemble of musicians. This is chamber music for the 21st century, and it simply sparkles”
-Greg Haymes, The Times Union

“Brilliantly informed by Impressionism, classic rock, and chamber and adagio musics with a dash of smoky nightclub jazz. Expect Stravinsky to spice the slow sonics, Gershwin to walk side by side with rapture, Ravel to pull in fog and rain, and Weill to spike the decadence factor.” - Mark S. Tucker, Acoustic Music Exchange

Tickets: 12.00 / 10.00 members / 8.00 students

See the Red Lions on MySpace Call 518-677-2495 for tickets

2010-04-14T05:00:00.001-07:00

The Starry Mountain Singers
Wednesday, April 14
Hubbard Hall Mainstage
7:30pm Concert
4 – 5:30pm Workshop
6-7pm Potluck Dinner - bring a dish to share!

– The Singers –
Stefan Amidon, Zara Bode, Avery Book, Gideon Crevoshay, Jeff Fellinger, Cora Kelly, Emily Miller, Nathan Morrison and Suzannah Park

The Starry Mountain Singers is a nine-voice world music ensemble that performs sacred and secular singing traditions from Georgia, Bulgaria, Corsica, and the United States. The group’s members have toured extensively and taught with the Vermont-based world-music ensembles Northern Harmony and Village Harmony, where they received an introduction to traditional songs and singing styles from around the world. In addition, members of the ensemble have worked with Meredith Monk and the Revels Inc., have performed on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion and Mountain Stage, and include three members of the Brooklyn-based country band, The Sweetback Sisters.

For music clips and more information, go to: http://www.myspace.com/thestarrymountainsingers
http://www.suzannahpark.com/StarryMtnSingers.html

Concert Only : 15.00 / 12.00 member
Workshop & Concert Admission: 25.00 / 20.00 member

For more information please contact: morrisonpark@gmail.com Please call 518-677-2495 for tickets & registration.

Only 6 Performances Remaining!

2010-04-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

'All My Sons & More...'

2010-04-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

'All My Sons & More...'

Michael Eck Review of All My Sons - SEE IT!

2010-04-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

ALL MY SONS @ HUBBARD HALL, 4/2/10

April 3, 2010 at 12:19 am by Michael Eck

by Michael Eck
Special to The Times Union
A small crowd gathered at Hubbard Hall Friday night for the opening of Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons.” That’s too bad. It should have been a big crowd, because this is a powerful production of a powerful play.
It does not go down easy.
63 years after making its bow on Broadway the play remains a scathing indictment of American ideals; and — unfortunately — its themes of money and war seem as timely as they did in 1947.
Actor Allen McCullough directs the show for the Theatre Company at Hubbard Hall and it’s his first time on the other side of the stage.
He succeeds by letting the actors act, and he has assembled a top notch cast mixing Hubbard Hall familiars and talented newcomers with serious resumes. McCullough has also been assisted by his wife, Randolyn Zinn, who choreographs the action in such a way to amplify the emotions without distracting from the tale.
And what a tale.
Miller wrote “All My Sons” using Greek tragedies as a rule book, and he succeeded in spades.
As the play opens we find ourselves in the backyard of Joe Keller’s house, just beside the former home of his partner, Steve Deever, who went to jail after being convicted of selling cracked cylinder heads the Army Air Force (and causing 21 pilots to crash over Australia).
Soon the details swirl around — concerning sons who died overseas and sons who came home; daughters who stopped talking to their fathers; and mothers who manipulate the truth.
The play is indeed a tragedy, but its force would be blunted to say much more.
As noted, McCullough’s cast is strong, playing all the action in realistic fashion on a simple stylized set courtesy of Richard Howe.
David Braucher has a winning grin as Keller; the kind of grimace that belongs to a man living with secrets. Joan Coombs is every bit his equal as wife, Kate, one of the most thankless roles in the American canon. Coombs creates a full character, without worrying whether the audience will love her or loathe her.
Josh Bywater and Melissa Macleod Herion play Chris Keller and Ann Deever, children of the accused men; both caught in the webs left by the incident, the war and the loss of Larry Keller (Chris’ beloved brother and Ann’s intended) in the Pacific Theatre.
Bywater is brilliant in his role and this production hangs on him; as does Herion as the confused, yet willful Ann.
The supporting cast is also impressive, although Peter Delocis and Keelye St. John might be just a little loud (and not just in volume) for the surroundings.
Capital Repertory Theater recently offered a production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” which reminded patrons just how powerful classics (even dark classics) can be. This staging of “All My Sons” does the same.
See it.

ALL MY SONS
Performance reviewed: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Hubbard Hall, 25 E. Main Street, Cambridge
Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes; one intermission
Continues: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Through April 25.
Tickets: $15-$24
Info: 677-2495; http://www.hubbardhall.org.

THANK YOU!

2010-03-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

WOW! - what an incredible weekend! Fantastic audiences for all events - Documentary Film Series on Friday Night, Puppet Show on Saturday afternoon, a Music from Salem Concert on Sunday afternoon AND the contra dance too! We have so much going on - so much creativity! Thank you to everyone who turned out this past weekend. Don't forget that All My Sons starts this Friday night - opening night! Join us for the Pay What You Will/Open Rehearsal on Thursday night at 8pm and then come to the show for real later in the run. Enjoy and compare - see how a show evolves over the run!

All My Sons:
April 1 pay what you will / open rehearsal 8pm
April 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24 at 8pm
April 4, 11, 18, 25 at 2pm

Call 518-677-2495 for tickets!!

First Friday Night Flicks Documentary Film: Under Our Skin

2010-03-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

Friday Flicks Documentary Series

March 26 -- Under Our Skin (2009 Academy Award short list)

Screening @ 7pm in the Freight Depot Theater

Free – donations appreciated.

Under Our Skin - 3/26/10 @ 7pm

2008. 103 minutes. Not Rated. english

Unfolding like a real-life thriller, “Under Our Skin” exposes the hidden epidemic of Lyme disease. A gripping tale of microbes, medicine and money, UNDER OUR SKIN exposes the hidden story of Lyme disease, one of the most controversial and fastest growing epidemics of our time. Each year, thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, told that their symptoms are “all in their head.” Following the stories of patients and physicians fighting for their lives and livelihoods, the film will bring into focus a haunting picture of the healthcare system and a medical establishment all too willing to put profits ahead of patients.

"Like a well-made thriller, gets under your skin…More deeply terrifying than any slasher film you'll ever see." ~The Washington Post

Join us for general discussion following the film. There will also be a resource table available if you have information you'd like to share.

WAMC: Kevin O'Hara - A Lucky Irish Lad (2010-03-16)

2010-03-18T04:46:00.000-07:00

Check out Joe Donohue's interview with our upcoming Friday night Curiosity Forum guest Kevin O'Hara!
March 19 7pm at Battenkill Books, on Main St in Cambridge, NY
Join us for a pint at the Cambridge Hotel after or head on over to Hubbard Hall for Katy Schonbeck performance of Cloud Dancing!

WAMC: Kevin O'Hara - A Lucky Irish Lad (2010-03-16)

Curiosity Forum: A Lucky Irish Lad

2010-03-10T10:19:00.001-08:00

Curiosity Forum with Author Kevin O’Hara (3/19)

in Events

Friday, March 19th, 7 pm

Battenkill Books

(After the event, all are welcome to sojourn to the Cambridge Hotel for a pint and live music provided by the Ernie Williams Trio!)

Kevin O’Hara recreates his boyhood with these wonderful stories of growing up in Massachusetts in the 1950s and 60s as one of eight children. His parents, born in Ireland, came to this country for their children’s sake. His family struggled against grinding poverty but they never gave up and never lost their faith that God had a plan for them.

Kevin learned the lessons of making do and making things last, and what the true riches of the world are: good health and the love of a united family. All these lessons grounded him as he reached adulthood…and was sent off to fight in wilds of Vietnam as a reluctant solider.

This book will tug at your heart and make you cry tears of both sorrow and joy. It is a story about the Irish-American experience but it is much more–it’s the story of a generation growing up in the shadow of the Second World War and the start of a new age of hope and promise, a time when people believed that anything was possible as long as you dared to dream and had faith in yourself.

And a little Irish luck couldn’t hurt either.

Kevin O’Hara is the author of Last of the Donkey Pilgrims, an autobiographic telling of his travels around the coastland of Ireland with his beloved donkey Missy. A psychiatric nurse for more than 25 years, O’Hara still resides in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the place to which his parents emigrated.

Praise for A Lucky Irish Lad

“Told in a loquacious style and hitting all the iconic moments of childhood, from his first baseball mitt to his first kiss, this engaging memoir is sure to warm hearts and elicit knowing nods from like-minded baby boomers nostalgic for their own childhoods.”–Booklist

“With great affection and narrative skill Kevin O’Hara brings back an era that needs to be remembered–a moment common to many Irish Americans.”–Mary Pat Kelly, author of Galway Bay

“Kevin O’Hara’s memoir of being Irish and growing up in small-town America of the Fifties and Sixties captures the time, the place, and the ethnic family values with such an unerring eye that you’ll hear the bands on the Fourth of July, taste Mallow cup candies, share in the cadences of the rosary—and smell a young draftee’s fear in the horror that was the Vietnam War. This is memoir as tour de force.”—Patrick Taylor, New York Times best selling author of An Irish Country Doctor “A story of growing up Irish and American that will stir deep emotions in every reader. Read it now and enjoy the movie later!”—Thomas Fleming, winner of the Lincoln Prize for Lifetime Achievement in History; and the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Trial of Robert E. Lee

“Kevin O’Hara crystallizes the Irish-American experience of the mid-Twentieth Century as vividly, as accurately, and as humorously as anyone has yet. So read the book. You’ll feel lucky, too.”–William Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Back Bay and The Lost Constitution

“This funny, sweet and fast-moving memoir tells the story of growing up in a large Irish family in a small Yankee town — a way of life that has almost disappeared. Kevin O’Hara deserves a prominent place in the long tradition of the Berkshire’s finest storytellers.”—Debby Applegate, Winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher

Head on over to the Beacon Feed after Hadrian VII!

2010-03-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

Curiosity Forum:
Breaking Out of Prison
Bernice Mennis, author of
Breaking Out of Prison: A Guide to Compassion, Consciousness, and Freedom
Sunday, March 7 at 4 pm
Beacon Feed Studio

For twelve years, Bernice Mennis, a resident of the Adirondacks, taught Composition and Literature in the Great Meadows and Washington Correctional Facilities as part of Skidmore College’s University Without Walls program. At the center of Breaking Out of Prison are papers written by students in a composition class in prison and the author’s journey toward understanding and freedom. The book is not only about those imprisoned by concrete and steel, but also about those who have placed them there and how habitual thinking and entrapped mindsets cast some people “beyond the pale” with the illusion that another’s imprisonment makes us safe. Breaking Out of Prison won the Adirondack Center for Writing’s Award for Memoir in 2009.

Curiosity Forum events are a collaboration between Hubbard Hall Projects, Battenkill Books, and the Open Studios of Washington County.

Last Chance to See Pope Hadrian!

2010-03-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

We had yet another super weekend of performances for Hadrian VII! This coming weekend - March 5, 6 & 7 - is your last chance to see this unique, comedic/dramatic wonder! Here's a peek at what audience members have emailed us after last weekend:

An audience member passing on his friend's reaction: "Normi Noel, a Canadian director who lives in the Berks, whose entire work is about the ephemeral, fragile reality onstage that comes from who-knows-where, adored you all and what you've done, and she's very astute. Revan liked it even more than before."

From Philip Kerr, theater professor, director and actor"... and Bravo. What a full and delightful evening I had at the Freight Depot last night. What an imaginative and crisp exploration you and your splendid (sweaty) cast rendered ... , and gave to us the gift of seeing dear friends, newcomers, and the [audience] unite in a rare tumble of vision, insight, craft, and plain theatricality. Bravo encore. Please pass this on to your fellow artists..."

Only 3 more chances to share in the gift! Friday, March 5 at 8pm Saturday, March 6 at 8pm Sunday, March 7 at 2pm

If you want to be certain that you have a seat - you need to call 518-677-2495 anytime during our regular business hours which are Monday - Friday from 9am to 5pm. Please leave a message if we are unable to take your call at the time.

Any remaining tickets after 5pm on Friday will be available at the door. If a show sells out we will post it on the website and on voice mail.

"Hmmm, I think there are people out there who have yet to visit my Vatican! Be not afraid - come laugh with us!"

2010-02-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

HADRIAN VII
Pay what you will/open rehearsal is this Thursday night - Feb. 18 at 8pm!

Pay what you will is an excellent opportunity to see a show still "in progress" and maybe even a chance to see scenes reworked depending on how the run goes. It's also a cheap way to see great theater!

More and more people are coming to the "pay what you will" night and then coming later in the run to a real performance. It's gives an audience member the chance to how a show grows and changes during a production run.

And how can you resist seeing Doug Ryan as a Pope - come on - and a Pope eating pickles is just too funny to miss!

We hope to see you at The Freight Depot for Hadrian VII at any or even all of the following shows:

Feb 18 Pay what you will/open rehearsal 8pm
Feb 19, 20, 26, 27 March 5, 6 8pm
Feb 21, 28, March 7 2pm

Call 518-677-2495 for advance tickets or get remaining tickets at the door.
Remember - the box office is open Monday - Friday from 9am to 5pm. We don't know you've called if you don't leave a message! If you haven't secured your tickets during open hours, remaining tickets will be sold at the door.

2010-02-08T20:40:00.000-08:00

DANCE VANGUARD SERIES

AVA HELLER

PERFORMANCE: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH @ 8PM
BEACON FEED STUDIO

Ava Heller is a New York-based artist and teacher investigating the layered and inter-changeable dynamics between movement, music/sound, audience, and performers. She holds a BA from Bennington College and an MA in Dance Education (New York State Certification, Teaching Dance Grades PreK-12) from New York University. Ava works with multi-media choreographer Koosil-ja and collaborates with dancer Keren Ganin-Pinto and musician Westbrook Johnson to develop ensemble-based improvisation for performance. She has studied with and performed in the works of Dana Reitz, Susan Sgorbati, Terry Creach, Susan Rethorst, Jennifer Nugent, Paul Matteson, and the Batsheva Dance Company. Ava has performed at the Figment Festival (New York), The Tank (New York), Danspace Project at the St. Mark’s Church, and in the 2005 d.u.m.b.o. dance festival (Brooklyn, NY). 
As a teacher, Ava facilitates the creative ambitions of her students through standards-based curricula. Students actively engage in the dance-making process and develop decision-making skills through the study of compositional improvisation. Ava is a 200-hour certified yoga teacher through Yoga Works and an avid student of contact improvisation. 


CLASS: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH @ 10am
BEACON FEED STUDIO

Contact Improvisation for all levels. Contact Improvisation is a partnering form of dance. Skills such as falling, rolling, following and leading, and giving and supporting weight will be explored through a series of fun and refreshing activities. Spend this Valentines Day dancing with a partner or best friend. Come as a pair or just bring yourself! 

Sweet Storm Review: Loved It!

2010-02-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

For The Daily Gazette *Date:* February 1, 2010

Elements combine to create refreshing, gentle '*Sweet* *Storm*'

*Author(s):* Matthew G. Moross

CAMBRIDGE -- Sometimes one can be charmed by what seems to be the
slightest of scripts. A smile comes to your face and stays there for the
whole of the play. You find yourself transfixed by an idea so odd and
fresh, you are not completely aware of what is lurking underneath. It is
on the ride home from the theater when the processing and revelations
take place. Such is the case with The Theater Company of Hubbard Hall's
current production of Scott Hudson's "*Sweet* *Storm*" running through
Feb. 7. Running a scant 70 minutes, "*Sweet* *Storm*" is a one-act comic
charmer with an absurd premise, gentle restraint, winning cast and a
deceptively simple little theme.

Set in 1960's Florida during an approaching ominous summer *storm*, the
play follows newlyweds Ruthie and Bo. In their arboreal honeymoon suite
in the sky, a tree house that Bo has built as a romantic gesture to his
bride, they start to explore the future from the view above. Ruthie's
initial excitement and surprise turns to doubt and fear and the two see
that their ideas of happiness and marriage may not be in synch.

The future will bring many unforeseen dramas and frightening situations.
How will they prepare? As the *storm* grows closer, Bo and Ruthie
struggle to brace themselves against forces both inside and outside
while presenting a story which challenges our perception of trust, faith
and love.

In a delicate play like this one, careful watch must be applied not to
force, cajole, trick, dazzle or manipulate the audience into a feeling
or an emotion. It just needs to breathe and be. Under the watchful eye
of director Dina Janis, cast members Remy Bennett and Monroe Robertson
manage to not only get the emotional honesty each of their character's
require, but are able to maintain that honesty for the duration of the
evening, a feat not easy in a fable so fanciful and one that borders so
close to fantasy.

Robertson as Bo, the enlivened parson, finds all the earnest and
eagerness that young faith can embody. Robertson's small awkward actions
as a man of the cloth experiencing the land of the lustful and the
fervent wish to redeem the emotionally crippled is engaging and appealing.

As the sensitive and melodramatic young bride Ruthie, Bennett succeeds
in revealing a wounded girl who has lost her faith as she struggles with
the notion of trust and opening up to its power to heal. Bennett's
performance is chock full of nuance and offers clues of what the future
holds for both Ruthie and her spouse.

With a simple setting full of tree branches, gardenias and glimpses of
hope, the evening succeeds in both charming us and puzzling us all at
once, leaving us wondering if what we have witnessed is the start of
something good or a vision that will be washed away by the impending
deluge. *Sweet* *Storm* is a parable which will leave you refreshed as
the air on a hot summer's night after a cloudburst of rain.

Copyright (c) 2010 The Daily Gazette Co. All Rights Reserved.

2010-01-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

Opening this coming Friday (1/29/10) in the Freight Depot Theater at Hubbard Hall - Scott Hudson's Sweet Storm, directed by Dina Janis.

In this charming, slice-of-life piece set in rural Florida in 1960, two young newlyweds spend their wedding night in a tree house surrounded by an approaching storm as they struggle to understand each others aspirations, dreams and frustrations. With great humor and tenderness, this award-winning play and recent Off Broadway hit is a funny, powerful and intimate love story to challenge perceptions of marriage, faith and love.

Director Janis has served in the Drama faculty of Bennington College for the past 10 years. She has served as director and dramaturg for the Theresa Rebeck/Lark Writer's Retreat at The Dorset Theatre Festival for the past two years and will be acting Artistic Director for Dorset's upcoming summer season. Long involved with new play development, she has worked as both actor and director with Philip Seymour Hoffman's The Labyrinth Theater Company for the past five years.

There will be only 6 performances of Sweet Storm so get your tickets now!

Jan 28 - pay what you will/ open rehearsal 8pm
Jan 29, 30, Feb 5, 6 at 8pm
Jan 31, Feb 7 at 2pm

Call 518-677-2495 for tickets.

$24 nonmember / $20 member / $15 students / $18 TCHH Season Subscribers

Ballads of the Bands

2010-01-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

Hubbard Hall Projects, Inc. Whoop-de-do! Third annual Ballad (aka Battle) of the Band cometh! Saturday, Jan. 23 at 8pm. Beer, Wine & Food available. $15 admission - ages 21+

Child care available in the Beacon Feed for $5/child. Tickets at the door or call 518-677-2495 for tickets and childcare reservations. All proceeds benefit the Hall. Visit www.hubbardhall.org for more details.

2010-01-19T05:11:00.000-08:00

In the creative mood? Join us Thursday night!
Jam'n January!
Dancers and musicians are invited to join Barry Hyman and Katy Schonbeck for an evening of improvisation. Come play with us!

Music/Movement Improv Jams
Third Thursday of Each Month, 8:00-9:30pm
January 21, 2010
Free!

Street shoes or boots will harm our beautiful dance floor; please carry in a pair of clean, soft-soled shoes to wear while playing or dancing -- or go barefoot!

For additional information contact ktscho@gmail.com or KingHappyArtMusic@msn.com.

Vanguard Dance Series: Madeline Best

2010-01-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

Dance Vanguard Series: Madeline Best Saturday, January 16, 2010
Madeline is a sometimes dancer, a maker of dances, a lighting designer, a mixer of video for performance, a stage manager and a helping hand. She is a recent graduate of Bennington College who grew up in Durham, NC. She has worked in various ways with Brian Rogers and the Chocolate Factory Theater, Eiko and Koma and Parsons Dance.

Join us for a PRE-SHOW TALK on Sat. Jan. 16 at 7:00pm
Using clips from several dance films as a springboard for discussion, this pre-show talk will explore the process of watching, making and performing dance today.

Followed by a PERFORMANCE at 8:00pm
Beacon Feed Dance Studio
Cost: Donation Suggested.

HUBBARD HALL THANK YOU!

2010-01-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Artists-in-Residence Update #3

2010-01-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

Pedro Jimenez/Eric Conroe

One day of rehearsal left! We'll be in the studio and working around town all day tomorrow. More footage to come! Come enjoy the performances Saturday at 8 p.m. and also stay for the post-show discussion, moderated by series curator Tess Meyer.