Throughout Schenectady County this summer, you’ll find free music series in towns big and small. Whether at Schenectady’s Central Park, Scotia’s Freedom Park or Glenville’s Park at Indian Meadows, the county offers multiple chances to see some great live music throughout the rest of the season.
Schenectady’s Central Park also continues their summer concert series until August 27. After an impressive lineup of Steel Pulse, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, and Sammy Miller & The Congregation, the Lemon Bucket Orkestra will perform on July 31. Other performances, such as the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and Steep Canyon Rangers, are set to perform later in August.
Steep Canyon Rangers
Residents and visitors to the county can also stop by Scotia’s Freedom Park for more fantastic performances. The Refrigerators, a popular party-rock band, are set to perform on July 27. Other great talents contributing to the summer lineup include Quintocracy, SIRSY, Heard, and many more.
Come out to any of these concert series above and enjoy some great summer events!
On April 11th, Proctors Collaborative announced new shows coming to Proctors in Schenectady for the 2022-2023 season of the KeyBank Broadway Series. Due to COVID-19 complications, the announcement was posted on the Proctors Facebook page on April 11th.
Starting the season will be Disney’s Aladdin, which will kick off their newly imagined North American tour. Then, Proctors brings back a Broadway classic to the stage. Hairspray, which will be available as a crossover show to Capital Repertory Theatre subscribers.
“Probably the biggest sign that the Proctors Collaborative is back is our ability to announce a new season! Imagine, a Disney tech is returning with Aladdin, Hamilton returns, and as many Tony awarded shows will be here as ever before. Yes, Proctors, UPH and theRep are back,”
says Proctors Collaborative CEO Philip Morris.
Next on the calendar Proctors 2022-2023 features the Tony Best Musical winner Hamilton. Joining them this season are Tootsie and Jagged Little Pill, which very recently closed its Broadway run due to COVID-19. Closing out the season, Proctors welcomes back Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Proctors 2022–2023 KeyBank Broadway Series
Aladdin
Oct. 11-23, 2022
Discover a whole new world at Disney’s ALADDIN, the hit Broadway musical. From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of ALADDIN, a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It’s an extraordinary theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite. See why audiences and critics agree, ALADDIN is “Exactly What You Wish For!” (NBC-TV).
Hamilton
Mar. 14th-19th, 2023
This “theatrical landmark has transformed theater and the way we think about history” (The New York Times)
HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.
Tootsie
Apr. 11th-16th, 2023
Call it “musical comedy heaven” (Rolling Stone). Call it “the most uproarious new musical in years!” (The Hollywood Reporter). Call it TOOTSIE! This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime. Featuring a hilarious Tony®-winning book by Robert Horn and an outrageously clever score by 2018 Tony-winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), this New York Times Critic’s Pick is “a joyful delight” (The Washington Post) that’s “so packed with punchlines, it should be called a jokebox musical!” (Bloomberg). “In these turbulent times, when the world seems out of balance, we need a place to let the good times roll,” raves Rolling Stone. “TOOTSIE is it!”
Jagged Little Pill
May 2nd-7th, 2023
SOME SHOWS YOU SEE. THIS SHOW YOU FEEL.
Joy, love, heartache, strength, wisdom, catharsis, LIFE—everything we’ve been waiting to see in a Broadway show— is here in the exhilarating, fearless new musical based on Alanis Morissette’s world-changing music.
Directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Waitress, Pippin, upcoming 1776) with a Tony-winning book by Diablo Cody (Juno) and Grammy-winning score, this electrifying production about a perfectly imperfect American family “vaults the audience to its collective feet” (The Guardian). “Redemptive, rousing and real, JAGGED LITTLE PILL stands alongside the original musicals that have sustained the best hopes of Broadway.” (The New York Times)
You live, you learn, you remember what it’s like to feel truly human… at JAGGED LITTLE PILL.
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
May 23rd-28th, 2023
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations is the electrifying new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Nominated for 12 Tony® Awards and the winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, it’s a thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal during a decade of civil unrest in America. Set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” Ain’t Too Proud tells the unforgettable story of the legendary quintet that Billboard Magazine named the greatest R&B group of all time.
Subscriptions for the 2022–2023 KeyBank Broadway Series at Proctors go on sale Wednesday, April 13th and are available through the Box Office at Proctors, in person, over the phone at 518-346-6204 Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, or online here.
Serving the community through the arts, Proctors Collaborative has announced their next block of upcoming shows at the historic Proctors in Schenectady. Since 1926, this unique theatre and educational program has presented the very best in entertainment for the Capital Region.
Proctors Collaborative is an association of arts organizations located in three venues: Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga, Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, and Proctors in Schenectady. Overall, being one of the most expansive arts education programs in Upstate New York with programming in Albany, Schenectady Saratoga, and in schools throughout the Capital Region.
Over the past few decade, Proctors has expanded their venues. Doing so made it possible to accommodate large Broadway productions, giant screen films, local performers, and ever-growing audiences from around the country. Today, Proctors Collaborative is known for being the Capital Region’s destination for upcoming major Broadway shows, cutting-edge film festivals, exciting special events, and everything in between.
April Shows at Proctors
Alton Brown Live: Beyond the Eats
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 8. MainStage at Proctors
Alton Brown is hitting the road with a new culinary variety show. Expect comedy, music, and potentially dangerous science. Prepare for an evening unlike any other and if Brown calls for volunteers… think twice.
Shen Yun 2022
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 15-16. 2 p.m. Saturday, April 16. MainStage at Proctors
Through breathtaking dance and music, Shen Yun’s artists tell of a time when divine beings walked upon the earth, leaving behind a culture that inspired generations.
GNA Secret Star
7 p.m. Wednesday, April 20. MainStage at Proctors
GNA’s Secret Star features four of country music’s biggest stars, on stage at the same time sharing their songs and stories. The lineup is not revealed until the show.
Gospel Jubilee
6 p.m. Saturday, April 23. MainStage at Proctors
Gospel Jubilee returns to the MainStage at Proctors with a special musical tribute in dedication to the Capital Region’s beloved, the late Regina “Gina” Parsons, and Antonia “Toni” Brown.
Suede with Fred Boyle, Piano & Rich Hill, Bass
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23. GE Theatre at Proctors
From astounding a cappella, incredibly intimate ballads and smoking trumpet solos to “bring down the house” belting blues, Suede delivers it all with her own unique blend of warmth, high energy, wit, and pure musical artistry.
Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards – “The Eddies”
6 p.m. Sunday, April 24. MainStage at Proctors
This year, we honor 210 finalists in 36 categories for their work during 2021. Nominations and voting are determined by a group of judges representing the local music community. The musical line-up for the 4th annual Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards will be Buggy Jive, Nite Train w/ Thomasina Winslow, Hot Club of Saratoga, Rich Ortiz, the Erin Harkes Band and Super 400 with returning emcee Erin Harkes.
An Evening with Neil Gaiman
7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28. MainStage at Proctors
Neil Gaiman is the bestselling author of Neverwhere, Anansi Boys, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), Smoke and Mirrors, Fragile Things, and so many more. Today, as one of the most celebrated writers of our time, his popular and critically acclaimed works bend genres while reaching audiences of all ages.
Golden Oldies Spectacular
7 p.m. Saturday, April 20. MainStage at Proctors
Headlining the show is The Brooklyn Bridge, highlighted by a tribute to the memory of their incredible lead singer Johnny Maestro who passed ten years ago. Hits include “The Worst That Could Happen,” “Blessed is the Rain,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and “Welcome Me Love.”
Tickets are available online here, in person at the Box Office, or via phone at 518-346-6204 Monday-Friday 10am-6pm.
The award winning R&B Group Boyz II Men will be coming to Proctors in Schenectady at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 27. Michael McCary, Nathan Morris, Wayna Morris and Shawn Stockman found fame during the 1990s with Motown Records. The group is currently the best-selling R&B group of all time, selling over 64 million albums.
Boyz II Men dropped their debut album in 1991 called Cooleyhighharmony. The album sold over nine million copies and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The album included hits such as “Motownphilly” and “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.”
Since then, the 4-time grammy award winning R&B group went on to release mega-hits like “I’ll Make Love to You,” “End of the Road,” “One Sweet Day,” and many more. In 2011, Boyz II Men celebrated their 20th anniversary by releasing an album fittingly named Twenty. This album was the group’s first in nearly ten years.
On top of their Grammy awards, they’ve also won nine American Music Awards, nine Soul Train Awards, three Billboard Awards, and a 2011 MOBO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, and many more iconic achievements.
Outside of their musical achievements, the group also started their own charity called Boyz II Men House. The charity was established to support individuals and organizations that focus on improving quality of life while contributing to those who are less fortunate.
Pre-sales for the August 27th show will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 15 with the official on-sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 18. Tickets are available through the Box Office at Proctors, in person or online at proctors.org.
Mitchell Ramsey, owner of Jay St. Pub in Schenectady, is partnering with building owner Noah Smith to create the city’s newest live music venue, “The Station.”
This is not Ramsey’s first foray into live entertainment as Jay St. Pub currently hosts a number of bands and solo acts. Comedians are also welcome, as the pub looks to turn Thursday nights into “nights of music and laughter.”
Inside Jay St. Pub
Now, Ramsey is eyeing a building across from Schenectady’s City Hall to help his plans come to fruition. After being in the works for three years, he and the building’s owner, Noah Smith, are ready to publicize their efforts. According to their Times Union feature, the venue will have two parts: the performance area itself and a special rooftop deck.
The performance area will be called “The Station” and the rooftop will be called “The Platform,” taking inspiration from the city’s railroad background. Both sections will have different types of performers. The new venue will also have the capacity to hold larger audiences, compared to Jay St. Pub which can only handle small crowds.
In addition, performers can expect to have access to high quality sound and recording equipment which they can use to produce demos for record labels. Ramsey hopes that this new music venue will help downtown Schenectady live up to its fullest potential.
The world renowned and award winning musical RENT is coming to Schenectady for it’s 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour, as the musical will be at Proctors Theatre for back to back nights on February 11th and 12th.
RENT, the musical created by Jonathan Larson, follows the lives of a young group of artists pursuing their dreams in Lower Manhattan. Debuting on February 13th, 1996 at the New York Theatre Workshop, RENT then went to Broadway in April of that same year, winning a Pulitzer Prize award as well as a Tony award.
The musical was adapted into a movie in the year 2005. RENT also became one of the longest running musicals on Broadway, showcasing the production for 12 years.
After its run on Broadway, RENT began to tour all over the United States and the rest of the world performing in six continents and 27 countries. For international tours, RENT was translated into different languages.
RENT has toured around the world for 24 years and this year will be fans last opportunity to see it.
To purchase tickets to see RENT for it’s 25th and final tour, go to Proctors.org. You may also purchase tickets in person at the box office or by dialing 518-346-6204, Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m
