Irvington, NY — When COVID-19 became a household name, Irvington Theater worked quickly to provide free, online programming to keep their audience members connected. And because it was so successful this summer, one such offering is back: the Arts Incubator offers a glimpse into the creative process by showcasing works-in-progress from artists across mediums. Serving as a companion to #IrvingtonAnywhere, the theater’s all-virtual season of ticketed events, this month’s Arts Incubator offerings premiere Thursdays November 5, 12, and 19 on Irvington Theater’s YouTube channel and will be available to stream on demand for free. 

On November 5, Irvington-based visual artist, educator, and art therapist Selene Smerling introduces us to some of her past influences and current projects with “Images Unfolding,” an invitation to see the world through the eyes of a lifelong painter. Smerling's paintings have been commissioned by architects and designers throughout New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, and her work reflects a keen interest in the relationship of color to emotion.

On November 12, Award-winning playwright and filmmaker Samuel Harps presents a new teleplay about an environmental disaster in the near future. “Racing the Sun” examines what people believe and how they behave when their existence is threatened, and it comes on the heels of Harps’ acclaimed two-episode “Black and Blue,” presented in Irvington Theater’s Arts Incubator earlier this year. No stranger to the Irvington stage, Harps was a member of the playwrights program at the prestigious Negro Ensemble Company. His productions have been featured in New York at the Paul Robeson Theater, National Black Theater, and Billie Holiday Theater, to name a few. Harps also serves as the Artistic Director for Shades Repertory Theater in Garnerville.

On November 19, playwrights Joy Ciarcia-Levy and Cyndi Scott bring us a virtual reading of their new play, “The Review,” which follows the story of an emerging painter on the eve of his first solo gallery show and the jaded art critic who reluctantly attends. Ciarcia-Levy and Scott are creative collaborators and longtime friends who met in the production department at ABC News. Jennie Berkson, Olivia Dei Cicchi, Keith Gilroy, Steve Mandel, Maxime Prissert, and Martin Ripchick comprise the cast of this first presentation of the in-development piece. 

Irvington Theater’s Arts Incubator fall releases will premiere on Thursdays through November 19. Stream for free at irvingtontheater.com/artsincubator or youtube.com/irvingtontheater.

Irvington Theater is home to a diverse range of innovate programming that entertains, enlightens, and inspires, establishing itself over its 118-year history as the cultural heart of the Rivertowns. The theater continues its tradition with unprecedented reach though its all-virtual fall season, “Irvington Anywhere.” Irvington Anywhere is made possible thanks to the generous support of Eric Bernstein of Compass, Dobbs Ferry.

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Photos:

ArtsIncubator-Press-Photo-1 - Caption: Selene Smerling's "Milke Weed," oil on wood. (Credit: Selene Smerling)

ArtsIncubator-Press-Photo-2 - Caption: Award-winning playwright and filmmaker Samuel Harps. (Credit: Samuel Harps)