- Northern New York Newspapers
- Watertown Daily Times
- The Journal
- Daily Courier-Observer
- NNY Ads
- NNY Business
- NNY Living
- Malone Telegram
CLAYTON A high-energy scientist, a well-known mentalist and an improvisational comedy troupe will help the Thousand Islands Performing Arts Fund welcome spring.
The Clayton Opera House, home to TIPAF, will stage Garry Krinskys Toying With Science on March 8, the Amazing Kreskin on April 19, Runaway Home on April 21, the Clayton Community Band on May 7, Broadways Next Hit Musical on May 18 and Livingston Taylor on May 31.
Officials at the opera house have also updated its seating layout and ticket-purchasing procedures. Tickets are now available for member patrons first. Also, reserved seating is now available. There will be no need to line up an hour or more in advance to get the best seats.
Patrons also can purchase add-ons to tickets, such as dinner, from a TIPAF restaurant sponsor.
March 8: Mr. Krinsky, a Massachusetts native, has traveled extensively with his science show since 1995. He is described as a very physical entertainer with nonstop energy. For offstage recreation, he participates in triathlons.
Toying With Science was commissioned by and developed with the Museum of Science in Boston. Among topics it explores are the scientific principles of gravity, leverage, fulcrums and simple machines. Mr. Krinsky combines circus skills, mime, original music and audience involvement.
Mr. Krinskys original music is used to highlight his ladder-balancing, juggling and other physical comedy routines.
April 19: The Amazing Kreskin will return to the north country for the second year in a row. He performed last April at the Lake Ontario Playhouse in Sackets Harbor.
Mr. Kreskin, 78, a resident of New Jersey, was born George Kresge but later legally changed his name to the Amazing Kreskin. He is a pop culture icon who has been performing, reading minds and making predictions for more than 60 years. In the 1970s, he had his own television show. Recently hes been making regular appearances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Huckabee. For years, he was a favorite of Howard Stern, David Letterman, Regis Philbin and Johnny Carson. He has written nearly two dozen books. In 2008, Tom Hanks produced and co-starred with John Malkovich in The Great Buck Howard which was fashioned after Mr. Kreskins life.
My equipment for my show is my audience because Im reading their thoughts, he told the Times last year. Thats the essence of what the entire program deals with. Audiences who come to see me come to realize that they are really not coming to see a show. They are coming to participate.
April 21: The bandRunaway Home was created by Oklahoma native Mark Elliott. He was a protégé of the legendary artist Tom Paxton. After opening for him in 1988, Mark relocated to Nashville. As a solo artist, the songwriter guitarist has released seven albums.
Runaway Home performs three-part harmony in a style thats been called retro-commercial Americana. Other members of the trio are Gary Culley on strings and Lisa McCarter on vocals. As one-third of the group the McCarter Sisters, Lisa released two albums and had seven hits, including three top ten singles.
The band is rounded out by a percussionist and a bassist.
May 7: The Clayton Community Band has become a mainstay of Claytons entertainment at the Clayton Opera House, where it performs as its resident ensemble. Under the direction of Gloria Hvizdos Musser, the band was formed in the summer of 2004 in honor of her late husband, Willard I. Musser. All of its members and conductor are volunteers. Its concerts raise money for various causes.
May 18: Broadways Next Hit Musical is an unscripted theatrical awards show. Improvisers in the troupe gather song suggestions from the audience to create a spontaneous evening of music and humor.
The New York Post said the show has spontaneity, wit and inventiveness that must be seen to be believed.
The shows first act is an awards ceremony spotlighting songs from four Best Musical nominees based on audience-created song titles. The second act is the entire musical based on the winning song from act one.
May 31: Livingston Taylor, younger brother of James Taylor, has been a force on the folk music scene for more than 30 years. He has toured and collaborated with artists such as Linda Ronstadt and Fleetwood Mac. He has more than a dozen albums to his credit.
Mr. Taylor, 62, recorded his first record at 18 and has continued to create well-crafted, introspective and original songs that have earned him listeners worldwide.