NEWSLETTER
Highlights include solo exhibition by artist, and author Michael Lindsay-Hogg, director of Let it Be (April 20 – June 2), plus a screening of his iconic music extravaganza, THE ROLLING STONES ROCK AND ROLL CIRCUS, May 4
Hudson, NY (February 15, 2024) – Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House announces a spring season of music, visual art, film, circus, theater, and community programs for the whole family. Highlights include a solo exhibition by legendary director, writer, author and artist Michael Lindsay-Hogg (opening April 20) and a special screening of his iconic 1968 music documentary The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (May 4); contemporary circus from Canada’s Femmes du Feu Creations with a high-flying homage to firefighters, In the Fire (June 15); and a duo exhibition by father/daughter artists Allan and Ara Osterweil (June 8 – July 28).
Camphill Hudson Players debut their fifth new production at Hudson Hall, Forgetful Divas (April 12; free), and new – and always free – community programs include Shakespeare Improv, Dance Stories, Chess Club, two half-day workshops with the ever-popular Sideways Art, and a chance to explore creativity and artistic practice with renowned photographers and artists Joe DiMaggio, JoAnne Kalish, and Dennis Wheeler.
Ticketed events go on sale to members Thursday, February 15 and to the public Monday, February 19 at hudsonhall.org or by phone on (518) 822-1438. Registration is required for all workshops.
SPRING 2024 EVENTS
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VISUAL ART & FILM
MICHAEL LINDSAY-HOGG
April 20 - June 2, 2024
Opening reception with the artist, Saturday, April 20 from 5-7pm
Artist, author, and director Michael Lindsay-Hogg helped create some of the most iconic moments in popular culture. Decades before the advent of MTV, Lindsay-Hogg was directing music videos for The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who, orchestrated The Beatles’ final rooftop performance for his feature documentary, Let it Be, and co-directed the groundbreaking television series Brideshead Revisited, among many other achievements.
Now based in Hudson, NY, Lindsay-Hogg’s talent as a self-taught artist is being celebrated with a solo exhibition at Hudson Hall. Combining the eccentricity and peculiarity of outsider art with the sophistication of a dry gin martini, his paintings - always figures drawn from his imagination - often convey a sense of tension, something unresolved. Who might, or might not, come out on top?
Curated by Carol McCranie and Javier Magri of HUDSON BRICK LLC, an Art Advisory based in Hudson, NY, and Lisa Ticknor
THE ROLLING STONES ROCK AND ROLL CIRCUS (dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg, 1hr 5min)
Saturday, May 4 at 7pm
Screening followed by Q&A with director Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Featuring The Rolling Stones, Jethro Tull, the Who, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, the Dirty Mac, Yoko Ono, Sir Robert Fossett's Circus and the Nurses
Tickets: $13/$8 student (includes $3 fee)
One of the "70 Greatest Music Documentaries of All Time" – Rolling Stone
Step right up and back in time to Swinging London when the pants were tight and the bands even tighter. Filmed as a TV special in 1968, The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll CIrcus features mesmerizing performances by The Rolling Stones, The Who, Jethro Tull, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Marianne Faithful in between real circus acts. Come experience the glory of this iconic musical extravaganza alongside its original ringmaster, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg.
VISUAL ART
ARA OSTERWEIL AND ALLAN OSTERWEIL: SHAPESHIFTERS
June 8 - July 28, 2024
Opening reception with the artists: Saturday, June 8 from 6-8pm
This exhibition celebrates the use of shape and color in two abstract artists: Hudson-based painter Allan Osterweil (b. 1943) and his daughter, Montreal-based painter, and writer Ara Osterweil (b. 1977). In Allan Osterweil’s exquisitely crafted drawings and paintings, shapes impose an exhilarating order on a natural world that nonetheless defies all attempts to control it. In bold contrast to her father’s meticulous compositions, the aesthetic embrace of contingency and unpredictability is the very essence of Ara Osterweil’s practice.
PERFORMANCE
CAMPHILL HUDSON PLAYERS: FORGETFUL DIVAS
Friday, April 12 at 7pm
Directed by Jody Brookes
Free; reservations recommended
A show about forgetting, remembering, and staying on schedule!
Forgetful Divas dives into the hilarious qualities of a group of demanding divas as they vie for their place on stage. Set in an open TV studio with a live film crew capturing the magic as it unfolds on stage and behind the scenes, the show explores the joy and complexity of being human through comedy, original biographical storytelling, and a dash of Bollywood dancing. Forgetful Divas is the fifth original production to premiere at Hudson Hall.
The Camphill Hudson Players are an integrated theater company including people of all abilities who create original theater productions. The Camphill Hudson Players offer a message of inclusion, acceptance and positivity suitable for all ages. The production seeks to cross boundaries and diversify relationships between neurodiverse populations and the inspiring youth of Hudson.
IN THE FIRE
Femmes du Feu Creations, Canada
Saturday, June 15 at 2pm & 7pm
Tickets start at $13 for children (includes $3 fee), $23 for adults (includes $3 fee)
Recommended for ages 8+
This show is an homage to all the firefighters out there, and to all those who have lost something or someone to fire. – Holly Treddenick, Artistic Director
Circus, movement, music, and storytelling combine in Holly Treddenick’s deeply personal homage to her late father George, a former firefighter who served 37 years with the Winnipeg Fire Department in Canada.
What starts with a firefighter’s coat, pants, and boots explodes into a multidisciplinary aerial and dance show exploring the evolution of a father/daughter relationship and themes of memory, trauma, self-discovery, aging, and love.
Hudson Hall’s presentation of In the Fire pays tribute to the City of Hudson’s Fire Department, the oldest active volunteer fire department in New York State, and the many volunteer fire departments in our region.
In the Fire has been generously supported by the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Theatre Gargantua, MICC Commissioning Group at THOH and Peak Performances at Montclair State University.
This engagement is supported by The Audience Building Project, a program of the Lake Placid Center for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts with support from the Governor and New York State Legislature.
FREE YOUTH WORKSHOPS
SHAKESPEARE IMPROV
Led by Cindy Kubik
March 5 - May 28, 2024
Tuesdays from 5-6pm; Ages 8-12
Free; registration required
Welcome Merry Wanderers! This spring, join instructor Cindy Kubik as she leads young thespians through all things improv and Shakespeare! Participants dive into Shakespeare’s poetry, discover the secrets of the Globe Theater, practice writing with quill pens, and develop their acting skills through improv games. This workshop culminates with a performance of the farcical finale of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for friends and family.
DANCE STORIES
Led by Nkoula Badila and Angel Lau
April 17 - June 12, 2024 ; Wednesdays from 4-5pm
Ages 8-12
Free; registration required
Influenced by West African traditions, instructor Nkoula Badila leads a weekly contemporary dance and movement class full of imagination and play. With a focus on self-expression, students learn the art of dance as storytelling and its relationship to music and rhythm.
If dancing’s not for you, no problem! Students will have the opportunity to learn drumming with instructor Angel Lau and accompany dancers with various percussion instruments.
BUILD A BOAT
Co-presented by Sideways Art
Saturday, April 13, 10am to 2pm (with a lunch break)
Ages 7-11
Free; registration required
In this half day workshop led by instructors Lou Smith and Ruby Jackson, children create miniature boats from recycled materials. To end the workshop, kids put their creations to the test and answer the age old question, “will it float?
TREASURED BOXES
Co-presented by Sideways Art
Saturday, May 18, 10am to 2pm (with a lunch break); Ages 7-11
Free; registration required
In this half-day workshop led by instructors Lou Smith and Ruby Jackson, children are invited to decorate their very own treasure boxes! Kids then go off on a real-life treasure hunt to collect natural treasures around Hudson.
ALL AGES WORKSHOPS
HUDSON COMMUNITY CHOIR
March 14 - June 6, 2024; Thursdays from 6-8pm
Free; registration required. All ages and abilities welcome.
Love to sing? Led by local Hudson conductor Andrew Stein and assistant conductor Sharece Johnson, the Hudson Community Choir meets weekly to rehearse and perform exciting vocal repertoire. Free and open to singers of all ages and abilities.
In partnership with Beautiful Racket
ON CREATIVITY: AN INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION WITH JOE DIMAGGIO, JOANNE KALISH, AND DENNIS WHEELER
Saturday, March 16 from 1pm
Free; registration required
Recommended for amateur and professional photographers and artists.
Join internationally accomplished artists and longtime friends Joe DiMaggio, JoAnne Kalish, and Dennis Wheeler for an interactive discussion exploring creativity: how to find it, how to foster it, and how to express it. The trio discuss their artistic careers, methods, and ideologies, while answering questions, providing insight, and inspiring attendees in the creation and development of their own work.
Joe DiMaggio is an internationally acclaimed photographer/artist who has shot the likes of William Shatner, Paul Newman, and Mike Tyson, to name a few. His photographs have been featured in Life magazine, Time Magazine and many of the world’s most prestigious advertising agencies. JoAnne Kalish is an internationally known photographer/artist who has contributed to various publications including Time Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Art & Antiques Magazine. Graphic designer and artist Dennis Wheeler has designed for covers of Time, Fortune, and Life magazines.
CHESS CLUB
Led by Theo Baker
May 22 - July 31, Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30pm
All Ages
Each week, chess club instructor Theo Baker provides players of all ages with the tools they need to approach their chess game with discipline, determination, bravery and laughter. Discover the best moves and enjoy relaxed games with friends and neighbors.
ABOUT HUDSON HALL
hudsonhall.org
Hudson Hall is a cultural beacon in the Hudson Valley, offering a dynamic year-round schedule of music, theater, dance, literature, exhibitions, workshops for youth and adults, as well as family programs and large-scale community events such as Winter Walk. Located in a historic landmark that houses New York State’s oldest surviving theater, Hudson Hall underwent a full restoration and reopened to the public in April 2017 for the first time in over 55 years. In 2019, through an extensive program encompassing live performance, art exhibitions, city-wide festivals, free community events and workshops, Hudson Hall served an audience of 50,000 and employed over 400 artists and skilled technicians, making it a valuable contributor to Columbia County’s $8 million creative economy. Approximately 70% of Hudson Hall’s programs are free of charge or subsidized to ensure equitable access to the arts.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Caroline Lee
caroline@hudsonhall.org
(518) 822-1438
Image: Still from The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (1968, dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg)