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African Drumming with Kofi Donkor A FREE youth workshop focused on developing musical skills, learning about African culture, and improving communication skills through drumming! www.bak2roots.org This program is produced in part with the support of the State of New York Office of Children and Family Services upon the legislative initiative of Assembly member Jonathan Jacobson.   The Howland Chamber Music Circle’s Classics for Kids series presented a vibrant performance of Holst’s The Planets, arranged for six brass players and piano. Planet lanterns created by local children through Compass Arts brightened the space, and the program was narrated with fun facts about each planet. This engaging event brought together music, creativity, and science—perfect for inspiring curiosity in audiences of all ages. Kids of all ages are invited to help create planet lanterns, cosmic garlands, and other outer space decorations that will adorn the Howland Cultural Center on February 28th during the Classics for Kids presentation of Gustav Holst’s THE PLANETS. Come join us as we create planets, comets, stars and more! Compass Arts Creativity Project. This program was produced in part with the support of the State of New York Office of Children and Family Services upon the legislative initiative of Assembly member Jonathan Jacobson.   Sometimes, finding your tribe requires a bit of magic. Deep in the forest, where fur-lined armor is handmde and lightsaber combat is a daily ritual, a group of teens embark on a quest of legendary proportions. For attendees of a live action role-playing (LARP) camp in upstate New York, the accepting environment gives neurodivergent, queer, and self-proclaimed “nerdy” teens the space for true self-discovery. As the campers immerse themselves in an imaginative world, they discover inner strength and emerge as heroes.
We Can Be Heroes is a critically acclaimed 2024 documentary from Tribeca Films directed by Carina Mia Wong and Alex Simmons. The film premiered at SXSW in 2024, where it won a Special Jury Award for Bravery and Empathy. “We Can Be Heroes is a documentary that makes your heart swell” D. Feinberg (Hollywood Reporter) “In a time where we are constantly overwhelmed by news of turbulence and uncertainty, we hope the film will inspire you to look around with fresh eyes and find all that we can still be - and need to be - hopeful for.” Carina Mia Wong (We Can Be Heroes Co-Director) ***** Q&A with film cast member Judson Packard, the executive director & owner of THE WAYFINDER EXPERIENCE in Kingston NY, will follow the screening. Judson Easton Packard graduated from Kansas State with a Bachelor’s degree in English and from Rutgers with an MFA in Creative Writing. They have been involved with the Wayfinder Experience since 2003 when they first came as a camper. They were on the Rules and Regulations board from 2013-2018. Before that they served the community by serving on the Hiring Board, and working every event they were given the opportunity to. They believe in hill trolls and LARP because the costumes bring out their eyes. In 2023 Judson became an owner as well. Vitamins! Better Communication! Weird Animal Sex! You may have the winter blues, but fear not, we have just the cure! Three fun-yet-informative visual presentations with music, prizes, refreshments and guaranteed good company. We hear from Dr. Anthony Basile, Associate Professor of Biology at SUNY Sullivan with: “For the Love of Vitamins." No, this talk is not about vitamin supplements. Instead, from A to K, this talk is about the little bits of organic chemistry that we must eat every day to live. Next, we welcome Dawn Hunter, Nerd Nite St. Pete co-boss, with “Connection Before Content: The Secret Sauce to Better Communication.” Ever wondered why some conversations feel like a warm hug while others are as cold as a winter breeze? It's all about connection! Take the quiz below for some fun participation.** Finally, Dr. Kate Weiss, urban wildlife ecologist and Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at Marist University, brings us “The Birds, the Bees, and the Bizarre: Weird Sex in the Animal Kingdom” which investigates the age-old question: "How could childbirth possibly get worse?" Surprise, it can! Be there and be square! hudsonvalley.nerdnite.com **For some added fun, you can take this anonymous quiz (no personal information is collected). Make sure to save your score and bring it to the show! https://tinyurl.com/MFTsurvey-book Once you close the survey, we have no way of identifying you, so please save your score.   Sam Weber is a Portland-based songwriter whose songwriting and musicianship are disciplined enough to stun and feel as effortless as sleight-of-hand magic. Sharing bills with Feist and Anna Tivel, and earning songwriting credits from Grammy winner Madison Cunningham, Weber writes of the complexity of human existence: eternal in a fragmenting modern world.
noctuabooking.com/#samweber Lily Talmers is a songwriter and musician keen on capturing the unique interplay of sorrow and joy. Raised in Michigan and now based in Brooklyn, NY, her lyricism is spiritual and strange—vivid images that range from sludge-covered and dismal to childlike and wondrous. Drawing from heady 60's folk revivalists such as Leonard Cohen and Judee Sill, her Midwestern-accented melodies are coated with intimacy and refined wit. lilytalmers.com A great night of music and a wonderful fundraiser for The Beacon Players. With snippets from their forthcoming show, “Jekyll & Hyde-The Musical.” Beautiful love songs sung by Beacon Players members. The Beacon Players is the name for the Beacon High School drama organization, known for their knockout musical productions.  Back by popular demand! Classics for Kids presents a special screening of two beloved Buster Keaton classics—Day Dreams and Electric House—presented by the Howland Chamber Music Circle and the Howland Cultural Center. Enjoy Keaton’s hilarious antics on the big screen with live piano accompaniment by Jesse Stacken, recreating the authentic movie-house experience of a century ago.  Celebrating a decade of harmony, pride, and community. Through inventive vocal arrangements and storytelling, we explore the many ways we experience the elasticity of time – how we spend it, save it, waste it, and watch it fly. This year marks our 10th anniversary as a chorus, and our time together has been time very well spent. Key of Q has built a family where every voice matters, and every unique identity is celebrated. We honor the past that has shaped us, stand together in the present against the forces that would divide us, and move forward into a future strengthened by community, courage, and connection. It’s about harmony. It’s about belonging. It’s About Time. Key of Q  ARTICHOKE Storytelling Series is back with a fantastic night of live storytelling and comedy! Featuring Ophira Eisenberg, Gastor Almonte, David Drake, Maggie Crane, and Mark Pagan, plus our Big Story Showdown winner Natalie Allen, this lineup promises big laughs and unforgettable stories. artichokeshow.com  Taxidermy! Surgical Catastrophes! Squirrel Invasions! Gird your loins! This may be our most stomach churning evening yet! Three fun-yet-informative visual presentations with music, prizes, libations and guaranteed good company. We hear from Dr. Hannah Brooks, board-certified General Surgeon and proud recipient of the American Cancer Society’s Lane Adams award for compassionate care with: “When Food Fights back: Gut Wrenching Tales of General Surgery.” Please be warned, this talk will include depictions of the surgery process. Next, we welcome Trace Dominguez from PBS’s weekly astronomy show Star Gazers, who specializes in translating complex STEM topics for general audiences with his talk: “Invading New Jersey with Squirrels: A Proposal.” Please be warned, this talk will give you ideas. Finally, Mike Price, an Artist, a Taxidermist, a Story Teller, gives us a talk on what to do with all those squirrels once they enter NJ with “Meddling With Nature: Taxidermy and the beauty of going skin deep.” Please be warned, this talk will show depictions of the taxidermy process. Special Guest Maker Keith Decent reveals a Nerd Nite surprise! Be there and be square! hudsonvalley.nerdnite.com  This program is produced in part with the support of the State of New York Office of Children and Family Services upon the legislative initiative of Assembly member Jonathan Jacobson.  Our annual HOLIDAY GIFT Show & Sale! Celebrating the holiday season while supporting Hudson Valley artists and makers! The perfect holiday shopping destination with gifts for everyone (and yourself) - handmade creations, including paintings, photography, pottery, crafts, jewelry, knitwear, clothing, accessories, ornaments, cards, and stocking stuffers. Buy local and support local artists while supporting the Center. 'Tis the season for supporting the arts community!  Glen Heroy is Santa Claus in… I, SANTA (Confessions From Behind the Beard) Directed by Kevin Maher In this one-of-a-kind solo performance, Glen Heroy appears as Santa for an intimate evening of strange-but-true stories about playing Saint Nick. His real-life anecdotes range from hilarious to heartbreaking, capturing the best and worst of the holidays, as seen from the photo-op throne of Santa Claus. Taking an “Ask Me Anything” approach, Glen fields questions from the crowd and provides unforgettable answers. Previous performances have included accounts of:
 WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY ELI WALKER -- In this darkly comic solo performance, Eli Walker dismantles the modern obsession with expertise, belonging, and the seductive promise of spiritual authority. Part confessional memoir, part satire of wellness culture, Kill the Buddha traces her path from eager yoga student to viral yoga entrepreneur to self-proclaimed “belonging expert”—and the unraveling that exposes the gap between performing wisdom and living authentically. Framed around a disastrously honest podcast interview, the show ricochets between past and present as Eli confronts the manipulative yoga teacher who exploited her search for meaning, the media machine that commodified her irreverence, and her own complicity in turning pain into performance. Through a rotating cast of characters—from vapid hosts to desperate seekers—Walker skewers the ways we surrender our agency to anyone claiming to have “the way.” With raw honesty and biting humor, Kill the Buddha asks what it really takes to stop performing enlightenment and start living the truth beneath it all. Eli’s Bio: Eli Walker is a speaker, author, performance artist, and social wellness expert whose career bridges intimate storytelling and global impact. With a BFA in Theater from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, she is the founder of the internationally acclaimed brand Drunk Yoga®—featured in GLAMOUR, WomensHealth, Forbes, and The LA Times—and a recognized voice on belonging and human connection. A storyteller since childhood, Eli wrote her first one-woman show—a feminist twist on Little Red Riding Hood—at age 8, and by 16 was performing Lily Tomlin’s The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe from memory. While earning her BFA in Acting from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, she performed off-Broadway at Lincoln Center, LaMaMa, and the Lucille Lortel Theatre, working with Tony Award-winning directors such as Liz Swados and Blake Bradford, and has appeared in TV, film, and commercials for DiscoveryID, Microsoft, Honda, and Xfinity. Previous NYC one-woman shows include STEPS, COUNTING, and The Quarter-Life Crisis Monologues also explored belonging, vulnerability, and identity. Through all her work, Eli invites audiences to explore the space between self and other—the place where social wellness is sparked. Learn more at www.eliwalkerstories.com or follow @eliwalkerstories.  CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS, HANUKKAH & KWANZAA with GOLDEE GREENE & FRIENDS Gorgeous raffle gift basket from Viscount Wines and Liquor!  An immense treat for our community to witness the tremendous talent that resides right here in Beacon. A collection of winter and holiday-themed songs in a variety of musical styles. Choir Illume is a mixed gender choir of sixteen, composed of performing arts professionals and experienced choral enthusiasts from the worlds of musical theatre, opera, film, folk, classical, composition, comedy improv, and music education. Members have performed with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Broadway's Big Fish, the Asia tour of The Sound of Music, The Irish Tenors, The Four Tops, and in the major motion picture film Weapons. Choir Illume was founded by singer/actor Nicole Tori (Artistic Director) and is conducted by composer/arranger, Timothy Brown. CHOIR ILLUME   Including piano improvisations to a video with paintings by Maria Marin
Luiz Simas - piano and vocals Premik Russell Tubbs - sax and flute Gustavo Amarante - bass Kerry Linder - vocals and percussion Music has shaped generations—Djavan, Hermeto Pascoal, John Lennon, Cole Porter, João Bosco, Aldir Blanc, Milton Nascimento, Márcio Borges, and Dorival Caymmi. Alongside these legends, the program features vibrant original works by Luiz Simas, Kerry Linder, Maria Marin, and Sue Maskaleris, offering a rich blend of timeless classics and fresh, contemporary voices. Rio-born Brazilian jazz composer/singer/pianist Luiz Simas is a genuine Carioca! A New Yorker since ‘89, he moved to Beacon in 2025. Luiz has led original groups in jazz festivals and clubs in the US, Europe and Brazil. Luiz' voice and music have warmed major venues including New York's famous Birdland Jazz Club, the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and Rio's Sala Cecilia Meirelles Concert Hall. Luiz Simas is not only a wonderful musician, singer and composer, he is an engaging performer who draws his audience into his witty, joyful, sensuous musical world. Simas epitomizes the fantasies we non-Brazilians have about that wonderful country, and with him, we all get to be Brazilian, at least for the a couple hours! - Judy Carmichael, pianist Premik Russell Tubbs is a virtuoso master of sax and flute, has performed and/or recorded with Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin and The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Whitney Houston, Sting, Herbie Hancock, Elton John, Billy Joel, James Taylor and many others. Gustavo Amarante is one of the premier Brazilian bass players in the US, and has played with Gato Barbieri, Simon Diaz, Hendrik Meurkens, Eliane Amherd, Claudio Roditi and Thalia, at top venues, including the Kennedy Center, The Blue Note, Birdland, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and Nokia Theater. Kerry Linder, a singer and percussionist hailing from the island of Curaçao. Critics have likened her vocal style to the ethereal allure of Astrud Gilberto and the warmth of Ella Fitzgerald. Her latest single, Paradiso, has drawn thousands of listeners on Spotify and other platforms, affirming her place as a luminous force in contemporary music. www.luizsimas.com Sons of Mercury is a fresh, high energy band that blends classic rock, with new age rock and roll. Playing covers ranging from the 1970’s all the way to the present, along with our new, emerging originals. Started by three NYC boys (on bass, drums, and guitar), with an added touch of singing Cali vocals, Sons of Mercury bring both a new yet nostalgic sound to the live music scene. Galen James-Heskett on lead vocals, Sean Pagán on lead guitar, Michael Bode on bass and back-up vocals, and Devan Sáez on drums. sonsofmercury.com  Route One is a singer/songwriter duo formed in 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina. Following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the pair moved north, resettling in Warwick, N.Y. With scores of clever and catchy original music, along with handfuls of complementary covers, Route One touches on notes of folk, pop, rock, and blues, combining the standard musical forms into a package that is all their own. Between sweet, mellifluous harmonies, shadowy minor-key pieces, or charging rock progressions, Route One explores the range of the American musical idiom, with lyrical content that does just the same. The clean, unburdened two-piece arrangement between Federici & Savchuk gives listeners a chance to connect with both the duo and the songs they deliver, making for intimate performances audiences are sure to remember. www.routeonemusic.com   Curators Larry Kerschberg and Ronnie Beth Sauers invited top-notch photographers to be in the show: Hillary Clements, Ross Corsair, Ron Hershey, Amy Finkel, Wilbur Norman, Robert Tirrell, Jr. They have exhibited their work, both locally and internationally, in galleries, on television, in documentaries, etc.
Check the photographer's website for more. Hillary Clements, Ross Corsair, Ron Hershey, Amy Finkel, Wilbur Norman, Robert Tirrell, Jr. Thanks to the generous sponsorship from the Leica Store NYC This exhibit followed the highly successful “Focus on Photographers” held in 2024. A night of stories and laughs with host Drew Prochaska and some of the best performers around, including: Anoush Froundjian, Bridget O'Neill, Jim O'Grady, Jeff Simmermon, Julie Piñero & Steve Whyte. ARTICHOKE Storytelling  Jonathan Kruk Legend of Sleepy Hollow storyteller with Halloween Tales! “Witch’s Surprise!” Ghostly local lore! “The Haunted Hand” and “The Rolly Head! Eerie music by Caffeine Kelman. jonathankruk.com This program is produced in part with the support of the State of New York Office of Children and Family Services upon the legislative initiative of Assembly member Jonathan Jacobson.  |
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