"The audience applauded each title, but "Book of Mormon" was met with loud cheers and "War Horse" with an appreciative intake of breath and impressed murmuring. Later, a trio of actor-puppeteers demonstrated how they bring the title equine, Joey, to life with movements and vocalizations."

Read More at http://m.timesunion.com/tu/db_40504/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=0CALSloB&full=true#display

“…a frothy, fun night of theater.”

“… the show is consistently enjoyable and visually very pleasing, with masterful choreography, costumes, and set design.”

“Kudos to Capital Rep for premiering a musical; it’s always a treat when we get to see a show before any other area does.”

Read Amy Durant's full review.

Behind-the-Scenes of a Legend

WALKING TOUR OF PROCTORS

Sunday, March 17. Free. Public Welcomed.

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Featuring Noted Organist

  CARL HACKERT

Schenectady, NY – February 27, 2013– Proctors invites area residents and visitors to escape the high-force winds of March and enjoy a free walking tour of the arts and entertainment complex at Proctors in Downtown Schenectady.  It all takes place on Sunday, March 17, at 1 PM. Participants are invited to brown-bag the event, enjoy a cozy lunch at the theatre’s refurbished Apostrophe Café or participate in the Schenectady Greenmarket that takes place on three levels at Proctors that day!

At 1 PM on Sunday, March 17th, the free, open-to-the-public informational event will start in front of the Mainstage doors in the Golub Family Arcade and proceed to highpoints within the complex, such as the backstage, dressing rooms and newly-built GE Theatre. The tour of the historic State Street site will include the recently opened Schenectady Heritage Visitors Center, and conclude with an exciting demonstration by popular area organist CARL HACKERT playing Goldie, Proctors own Wurlitzer organ.

The Sunday, March 17th tour includes:

·      an informal, narrated history of Frederick Freeman Proctor and his impact on arts and entertainment in the extended Capital Region;

·      an overview of the architectural high points of the Proctors complex;

·      the new stage-house -- now three times larger than the original stage;

·      an insider’s look at backstage;

·      the star dressing rooms;

·      Proctors museum and

·      historic Robb Alley 

Seasoned Organist

Carl Hackert is a Crane School of Music graduate and Music Director at St. Gabriel’s Church in Rotterdam. He has been performing on Goldie as well as helping to maintain Proctors famous 3/18 Wurlitzer wonder since 1983.

Mr. Hackert has served a classical keyboardist with area chamber music groups, orchestras and choruses, is a composer and teacher, and a representative for Allen Organ Company. He has played theatre organ programs and silent films throughout the northeast and helps to organize the MVP sponsored monthly Noontime programs for the Hudson-Mohawk chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS).

About Goldie

 “Goldie” is an 18 rank, three-keyboard instrument that includes a full set of percussion instruments and a grand piano that can be played remotely from the organ console. The Golub Foundation and members of the Golub family gifted the mighty Wurlitzer to Proctors in memory of Bernard and Sunshine Golub. Since the installation of Goldie, Proctors has maintained a chapter of the American Theater Organ Society, which provides the services of the organists who perform Proctors noontime concerts as well as the crewmembers who maintain Goldie.

About the New Schenectady Heritage Area Visitors Center at Proctors

Proctors is now the site of a new Schenectady Heritage Area Visitors Center.  Local officials consider Proctors the downtown area’s biggest visitor attraction; Proctors hosted 1,728 events last year, bringing more than 600,000 people to downtown Schenectady.

Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy said of Proctors: “The city is pleased to cooperate fully with this effort to create a Visitors Center that will showcase Schenectady and offer residents and guests information about our heritage and our future as a technology leader.”

“Placing the Visitors Center at Proctors makes perfect sense. Working together we’ve created a new and exciting environment in Schenectady County with Proctors as our centerpiece. This new Center will show all that we have to offer, including thriving businesses, restaurants, and theaters that our residents and visitors can enjoy,” said Judy Dagostino, Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature.

ADIRONDACK Studios, an Argyle, NY firm that has been the fabricator of sets for Disney’s The Lion King as well as sets for the Boston, Los Angeles and New York Opera companies, was commissioned along with Stracher Roth Gilmore Architects of Schenectady to design the new facility that will be located across from the Proctors box office. The 1,200 square foot exhibit area will be easily accessible from the State Street entrance of Proctors entertainment complex.

The exhibit features five areas that highlight the legacy of Schenectady area and alert visitors to the role that Schenectady plays in green energy and other emerging technologies. The exhibition areas include History, Landmarks, Industry, Culture and Visionaries. 

The Visitors Center exhibits employ state of the art digital print and TV technologies. The area will include enhanced lighting to highlight the area – and a new ceiling over and adjacent to the exhibits will create an intimate space to view and participate in the exhibits. The exhibit space will also include display racks to showcase marketing materials on various historic points and places of interest within Schenectady County and the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway.   

A unique feature of the Visitors Center is that it is designed to be a revolving exhibit, enabling Proctors to introduce new subject matter throughout the year. The exhibit panels are designed to be easily and cost effectively updated.

Representatives from numerous organizations came together to develop the content of the exhibit, including the Schenectady County Historical Society, Schenectady Museum, Mabee Farm, local historians, Proctors History Committee, Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway, Revolutionary Byway and the City of Schenectady.

The Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway is a national and state designated byway from Waterford to Schenectady. It connects to the Revolutionary Byway that runs to Port Ontario. 

Ray Gillen, Metroplex Chair and Commissioner of Economic Development for Schenectady County, said: “By working together we were able to utilize this grant funding to take a high visibility space within the Proctors complex that was not being utilized and turn it into a resource that will help theater goers and other visitors to downtown learn about everything that Schenectady County has to offer.”

Responding to Visitor Requests

 “With more and more visitors coming to downtown Schenectady, it seems only natural to welcome those who have expressed an interest in wanting to know more about this historic place," says Marilyn Sassi, a longstanding member of Proctors History Committee and Volunteer Coordinator of the informal but informative walkabouts.   

A Tour to Remember

Proctors is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  In 2009, the League of Historic American Theatres commended Proctors as a theatre of exemplary vision and dedication to its community.

Originally built as a vaudeville house, Proctors has seen its stage graced by such legendary performers as comedians Red Skelton, George Burns and Gracie Allen, magicians Harry Blackstone Sr. & Jr., and bandleaders Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Glenn Miller.

In recent years, Proctors has hosted beloved entertainers including Tony Bennett, Carol Channing, Tim Conway, Robert Goulet, Carol Burnet, Norah Jones, Brittney Spears, Aretha Franklin and Alice Cooper.  Singer Mariah Carey chose Proctors as the site for her first concert special in 1993, and the theatre is featured prominently in the video for her big hit "Hero".

Tours of the restored 1926 Vaudeville palace and our two new theaters are available, led by trained volunteers throughout the year as needed or upon request for private tours. Private tours for groups of fifteen or more can be arranged by calling Proctors Business Office at (518) 382-3884.

Informed, Experienced Guides

Marilyn Sassifacilitates all tours of the Proctors arts and entertainment complex; she schedules and conducts these informational gatherings in concert with a trained corps of committed volunteers.

Although she started her volunteer work as a member of The Theatre Guild at Proctors, over time she opted to combine her rich experience as a seasoned teacher specializing in material culture, architecture and area history with her enjoyment of people and love of Proctors. Ms. Sassi is a proactive contributor to Proctors History Committee.

All tours offer an informal glimpse of the entire facility, including the new Proctors Guild Room and Museum. These gatherings are always informal, fun and informative, says Ms. Sassi. “This informal event is enriched by questions, memories, and interaction. I always suggest that participants bring their friends and a camera.”

 Contact Information

·      For additional Tour Information, contact Marilyn Sassi, (518) 377-3282; marilynsassi@gmail.com

·      For more information about Proctors, including a brief history, visit proctors.org.

-       30–

  Single Girls Guide at Capital Rep: Sex and Sensibilityby B.A. Nilsson on March 6, 2013 · 1 commentBook by Gordon Greenberg, music and lyrics by T ommy Newman, directed by Gordon Greenberg Capital Repertory Theatre, Through March 30Single Girls Guide is an intimate (nine-actor) musical that romps through the era with a Brill Building sound, which, thanks to skillfully written songs by Tommy Newman, doesn’t imprison itself therein. For every number with period licks and doo-wop echoes, there’s one with a more complex musical-theater construction—such as the opening “Dear Auntie Agatha,” where every needed aspect of time, place and character is nailed even as a trio of housewives pulls off Newman’s tricky cascade of overlapping lyrics. Read Byron Nilsson’s glowing review in METROLAND:http://metroland.net/2013/03/06/sex-and-sensibility/

 After 10 years on the job—a decade in which he has tripled ticket sales—Proctors CEO Philip Morris shows no signs of slowing down. Read Michael DeMasifull report in The Business Review:  http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/print-edition/2013/03/01/philip-morris-expands-proctors-empire.html?ana=e_ph&u=lSeEqbvjLISH2osVYnWK5iwpmtb

More than 2,000 years of tradition, perfection, spectacle & awesome entertainment for

One performance only, 8 PM, Feb. 21 at Proctors

Schenectady, NY – Feb. 18, 2013-- THE PEKING ACROBATS^®, a troupe of China's most gifted tumblers, contortionists, jugglers, cyclists, and gymnasts complemented by live musicians playing traditional Chinese instruments will bring their 2,000-year-old tradition of acrobatics to North America for an extensive tour. Their Twenty-Seventh North American Tour will begin in January 2013 and continue through March 2013.

Tickets On Sale Now

Tickets to THE PEKING ACROBATS at Proctors are $20, $30 & $35/subject to change and are available at Proctors Box Office, 432 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12305; by phone (518) 346-6204; and online at proctors.org.

THE PEKING ACROBATShave played to sold-out houses and earned rave reviews during their previous twenty-six headline Theatre Tours from 1986 through 2012. When THE PEKING ACROBATSreturned to Broadway in New York City, they made headlines. Their sold-out three-week engagement thrilled audiences of all ages. The reviews said it all, with virtually every word of these glowing articles quotable, here are a few highlights:

“The things these kids can do before breakfast...seem to push the envelope of human possibility. If daring and dexterity turn you on, this is a show that will probably twist you around in your seat...it’s amazing and exciting!”  ~ Clive Barnes, New York Post

“Amazing! Zounds! The vocabulary of exclamation seeks expression as the medium of awed and surprised reaction to the wondrous feats of THE PEKING ACROBATS! In their graceful efforts...these brightly costumed tumblers, acrobats, cyclists, jugglers and clever clowns provide 90 minutes of family fun that infuses springtime in New York with an extra measure of joy.” ~ Lawrence van Gelder, New York Times

“The physical feats of THE PEKING ACROBATS seem almost...surreal, defying laws of body mechanics and physics. It’s like watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon LIVE, without camera tricks creating special effects. All the members of this troupe are amazing athletes with grace and charisma in addition to their razor-sharp precision...everything entertainment should be, uplifting, awe- inspiring and an exploration of the full extent of human potential. When a show can fill you with the wonder of a 10 year-old, you know you have had a good time...that’s success!” ~ Angela Jones, Dance Insider

THE PEKING ACROBATShave been the featured performers on numerous television shows and celebrity-studded TV Specials including appearances on THE WAYNE BRADY SHOW as well as NBC’s RING IN THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY SPECIAL, NICKELODEON’S UNFABULOUS and ELLEN’S REALLY BIG SHOW, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.

THE PEKING ACROBATSset the world record for the Human Chair Stack on Fox’s GUINNESS BOOK PRIMETIME where they astounded television audiences with their bravery and dexterity as they balanced six people precariously atop six chairs, 21 feet in the air, without safety lines!

THE PEKING ACROBATSmade the Hollywood scene on the silver screen as company members were featured in director Steven Soderbergh’s hit film Ocean’s 11,playing with Hollywood’s elite such as Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, and George Clooney. Qin Shaobo, an alumnus of THE PEKING ACROBATS, appeared in that film’s two blockbuster sequels, Ocean’s 12, and Ocean’s 13.

THE PEKING ACROBATSstill enjoy great success from the release of their first DVD. Their performance, filmed in High Definition format, has aired numerous times on HDNet television. THE PEKING ACROBATSare excited and honored to have been selected by HDNet to be among the first performing ensembles of their kind to participate in such an innovative technology as high definition television, reaffirming THE PEKING ACROBATS’ commitment to bringing their unique and ancient art form into the 21st Century!

THE PEKING ACROBATS’ DVD’s are currently available for purchase by the public at their performances and on the internet at www.iaipresentations.com.

THE PEKING ACROBATShave performed with some of the most prestigious Symphony Orchestras in North America today. These include the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra featuring members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. In the fall of 2008,

In May of 2011, THE PEKING ACROBATSperformed in sold-out Symphony Concerts with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Canada. These concerts marked the first time THE PEKING ACROBATShave performed with Canadian Symphony Orchestras, expanding their reach to yet another concert going audience. No doubt, these engagements will lead to many other such performances with Symphony Orchestras across North America and, in between their theatre tours, THE PEKING ACROBATScontinue to bring their unique artistry to a completely new audience of theatrical patrons.

In December of 2009, THE PEKING ACROBATSreturned to Europe for their Fifth European Tour where they visited many cities in Holland and Belgium. In October 2012, they began their Sixth European Tour, this time adding Portugal to the long list of European countries they have visited on their tours. On this same tour, they returned to the Netherlands and Belgium in November 2012 through January 2013. Here, again, are more triumphs for THE PEKING ACROBATSas they share their incredible talents, abilities, and culture with ever-widening audiences, building their reputation as the finest Chinese acrobatic troupe in the world! It is no surprise that they are asked to return there by popular demand. The warmth and appreciation of the European people makes THE PEKING ACROBATSfeel right at home and the future holds many more such successful tours for THE PEKING ACROBATS, much to the delight of their growing numbers of European fans!

THE PEKING ACROBATS’ability to perform the astounding is rooted in centuries of Chinese history and folk art. Records of acrobatic acts can be found as early as the Ch'in Dynasty (221 B.C. - 207 B.C.). In fact, the name China is actually derived from the Ch’in Dynasty. According to Fu Qifeng, author of Chinese Acrobatics Through the Ages, acrobatics originated from the people's daily life, drawing from their experiences in work, war, and sacrificial rites. During the Warring States Period, acrobatics became widespread. It was believed that practicing acrobatics could steal people's will, increase their physical strength and the accuracy of their movements.

During the Han Dynasty (207 B.C. - 220 A.D.), acrobatics flourished, and this wide variety of juggling, tumbling, and magic acts came to be known as the "Hundred Entertainments." It was at this time, according to historian Fu Qifeng, that Emperor Wu Di of the Han Dynasty presented the first grand acrobatic performance at the Imperial Court. The Emperor Wu Di invited a number of important foreign dignitaries, thus making this performance the first time in Chinese history that acrobatic art was presented for diplomatic purposes. The foreign guests were so impressed by what they saw that they agreed to enter into military and trade alliances with the Han Emperor.

Continuing the tradition of Chinese acrobatics inspiring confidence and impressing one’s guests, THE PEKING ACROBATSalso have been expanding their reach in the Corporate and Special Events milieu. They have performed for such prestigious clients as Johnson & Johnson Medical in Beijing, China; the Unisys Corporation in Macau, China; the Smithsonian Institute Associates in Washington, DC; the International Monetary Convention in Beijing, China; Ferrari/Maserati in Beverly Hills, California; Lucent Technologies and Pepsi-Cola in Hawaii; at Walmart’s 2010 Shareholder’s Meeting in Fayetteville, AR.

In addition to these engagements, they have been the featured entertainment at private events at such prestigious venues as the American Museum of Natural History and the Lotos Club, in New York City, the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Energy Solutions Arena and the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, among many others. These private performances are a logical outgrowth of the tradition of Chinese acrobatics, which began centuries ago as entertainments designed to impress Heads of State and dignitaries in ancient times.

In China today, professional acrobatic troupes have many outlets for displaying their talents. Some appear on Chinese television shows as the broadcast industry in China has expanded to include several television channels featuring diverse programming. Some travel throughout China bringing their own unique costumes, stage props, and acrobatic styles to factories, villages, army units, remote areas, and frontier outposts. Still others have formed joint ventures with Theme Parks as an economically thriving China has fostered the growth of its own family entertainment industry, where they perform seasonally as part of the theme park’s entertainment, much like here in the U.S.

As time goes by, it is telling that the Chinese Acrobatic tradition just gets stronger, due to the continued innovation of the artists and the endless enthusiasm from their adoring public.  

"THE PEKING ACROBATS regularly passed from the seemingly impossible to the virtually unbelievable."  - Chris Pasles, Los Angeles Times   

THE PEKING ACROBATShave performed the world over for more than twenty-five years to standing ovations and packed houses, including such far-reaching corners of the globe as Australia, Europe, throughout the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, and numerous Asian countries.

Ready to be amazed by THE PEKING ACROBATS?  You will be!

- 30 - 

thru 2/17-Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical (Review)

Priscilla! (Review)

At Proctors

State Street, Schenectady

proctors.org

2/13 thru 2/17

“I had a dream to go where no drag queen has gone before.”

“Really?  Where?”

“Australia.”

Let me make it simple: Priscilla is one of the funniest, warmest, feel- good plays you’ll ever, ever see. It’s also one of the best musicals we’ve seen in ages. You will laugh from start to finish, taking breaks only to wipe the tears from your eyes and clap your hands together to non-stop disco action from the 70′s thru favorites of today. Take your attitudes and shoes and leave them at the door, because this is one show you’ve got to see. The singing is done by three of the loveliest ladies you ever did lay eyes on, not to mention angels that come down from the ceiling and a cast that was simply super. This cast can sing, but this time, they can all sing. And they are singing you’re favorite songs, tightly woven around messages that continue to need to be heard.

Priscilla is the fuzzy and hilarious story of a trio of drag queens who find themselves on one of the coolest buses to ever bless the stage, traversing the desert somewhere in the land down under. Ah, yes, there is a mission in store, one we learn in the very beginning: Tick (Wade McCullom) receives a call from his wife Marion  (Christy Faber). Just so happens she runs a casino in Alice Springs on the other side of the desert, and needs performers to help the show out. There is one other detail: Tick will finally meet the son he had with Marion, who is now asking for daddy to read him books and tuck him in at night. Can dad step up to fatherhood? What will his son think of him? We are tempted to compare this toLa Cage, but we can’t: La Cage was a ground-breaking statement when it was introduced. Priscilla is a musical in and of itself.

READ ALL ABOUT IT! 

http://www.didyouweekend.com/217-priscilla-queen-desert-musical-review/

Proctors’ Zebulon Schmidt Appointed to Board

Of NY Chapter of Alliance for Community Media

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Sharing a vision of civic engagement through community media

Schenectady, NY – Feb. 10, 2013 -- Zebulon (“Zeb”) Schmidt, Station Manager of Open Stage Media (OSM) at Proctors will join the Board of the NY Chapter of the Alliance for Community Media, effective immediately. In his new role as ACMNY Board Member, Mr. Schmidt is expected to emphasize ACM’s local and national mission of promoting civic engagement through community media, a function that he has spearheaded on behalf of Proctors for the past three years.

According to Maryann Arrien, ACMNY Chair, “The North East Region of the ACM recently awarded a prestigious Grassroots Scholarship to Zeb Schmidt to attend the ACM North East ‘Conference by the Sea’ in Plymouth, MA. Every year the Region likes to recognize and invest in one or two great human resources for Community Media within the region,” she said.  “Zeb was picked in 2012. 

“It was actually later that the ACMNY Board discovered that Zeb had already instinctively reached out to help the fledgling ChannelAlbany, even to the point of providing additional original programming to help the understaffed new station meet its requirements for Stage 2 funding. Zeb Schmidt was already so much in tune with our mission to help foster the growth of Community Media in New York State.  We noted his conspicuous outreach to Albany when we unanimously voted to add Zeb to the ACM New York Board.”

Proctors’ designation as manager and operator of public, education, and government access cable television by the City of Schenectady in December 2009 spurred the creation of Open Stage Media (OSM) at Proctors (formerly SACC-TV) and in line with that charge, OSM at Proctors provided community organizations with enhanced opportunities to share opinions, ideas, and interests through three public access broadcast streams:  Channel 16:  Public Access; Channel 17:  Education; and Channel 18:  Government.

“Zeb’s knowledge of public access television from his tenure at SACC-TV -- coupled with his talent and personal vision were critical to the expansion of OSM at Proctors over the past four years,” said Proctors CEO Philip Morris. 

“Just as important,” added Morris, “is Zeb’s ability to work well with others to achieve established goals. This was critical both in the transition from SACC to Open Stage Media at Proctors and in establishing OSM as the premiere distribution hub for public access throughout the region.”

OSM at Proctors has shown itself to be deft at integrating and linking the legacy assets of the former Schenectady public access television with the front-running multi-venue Proctors entertainment complex, its evolving pool of intellectual property, as well as its reservoir of creative talent and technological innovations. 

Schmidt is proud of his association with both Proctors and OSM: “Being on the public stage and really pushing myself and OSM toward the high standards that the residents of Schenectady have come to expect of Proctors has been an exciting challenge,” he said.

“Managing three television/internet station(s) under the Proctors brand has made me strive to drive that hallmark of excellence even higher, always aiming beyond what’s expected. That goal keeps me sharp, focused and driven.”

Under Schmidt’s leadership, OSM has enriched community information sharing and entertainment through such programs as MasterMinds, Green Talk, Carla Page Show, movie planet, Scopitones, OSM presents, BlueTV and many others.

A graduate of Schenectady County Community College, Schmidt says he has explored the professional landscape between Philadelphia and Boston, but remains proud to call Schenectady – and Proctors -- home.

He has been involved with public access since 2005 and with Proctors since 2009, drawn by the combination of free-speech and limitless creativity of public access.

What does he enjoy most about his professional life: “When people compliment me and my work – and I know they really mean it, he says.  “I also enjoy producing forgotten and mostly odd filmstrips such as Scopitones or Avant-Garde Cinema -- and re-packaging them into shows. Knowing that people will enjoy them and learn from them gives me a solid sense of fulfillment “

He is also excited about producing an upcoming "big table" show titled Capital District Political Watch.

Asked about his most challenging project to date, Schmidt says that he is about to become a new dad: “I have an untitled project due in March -- and expect it to last the rest of my life!” he said.

Schmidt says that he eagerly looks forward to his new role at ACMNY and contributing to its stated vision of an ever increasing array of media channels, with communities demanding relevant, factual and hyperlocal content from respected sources. The Alliance for Community Media will be a recognized contributor, aggregator and leader in that movement.

“ACM’s guiding principles are akin to those that have shaped my own professional development: promote free speech, expand civic engagement through local media, collaborate with others, and act with one voice. The goals and aspirations of the Alliance closely mirror his own as station manager of Open Stage Media at Proctors, says Mr. Schmidt

Founded in 1976, the Alliance represents more than 3,000 Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) access organizations and community media center throughout the country. The ACM works to protect the interests of these access centers and those who use PEG facilities and equipment to advance their causes through cable television and the Internet. The Alliance also represents local community groups, public schools, religious institutions, colleges and universities, Government officials, and second language communities.

For more information on ACM: