(CHATHAM, N.Y.)  –  Humor will run through the programming at PS21 this summer, tying together the various strands of dance, music, theater and film events with the theme of comedy in the work of the Monica Bill Barnes dance company, short plays by David Ives, a one-woman show by international Fringe artist Hilary Chaplain, a concert by world-renowned banjoist Tony Trischka (banjo is always good for a laugh, especially when there are banjo jokes) and a film festival featuring the works of Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Peter Sellers and Steve Martin, among others.

PS21’s summer lineup also includes classical music, jazz, acoustic roots and rockabilly; children’s shows; workshops and other performances.

Season highlights include

String Theory: Three consecutive Saturdays in June feature groups that are among the best in the world at their specific musical genre, and whose featured performer plays a string instrument.

Walking the Dog Production of “Long Ago and Far Away and other short plays” by David Ives. Eleven performances over three weeks. Special preview and talk back nights.

Four critically acclaimed dance companies will perform, and dance classes will be offered for varying skill levels.

Make ‘Em Laugh Film Festival includes nine consecutive evenings of comedic film. Movie Tuesday returns, and as always, there is no fee to attend any of the films.

Just For Fun Series: Six special events just for kids (and their families).

Community Lawn Concerts: Early evening concerts of diverse musical styles will be held the fourth Sunday of each month.

 

Details of the 2013 Season:

“Banjo Roots and Branches” Sunday, June 9, 5 p.m.

A talk/demonstration on the history and styles of the banjo with Steve Reilly. Co-presented by PS21 and Roe Jan Library. Free admission

Roe Jan Community Library: 9091 New York 22, Hillsdale, NY 12529

 

STRING THEORY CONCERTS

“8th Annual Paul Grunberg Memorial Bach Concert”

Saturday, June 15, 7:30 p.m.

Eugene Drucker, violin, Marija Stroke, piano. D Minor Partita for solo violin, Keyboard Partita in B flat Major & piano-violin sonatas

$35/$30 members/$20 students

 

“West African Kora Concert: Zal Idrissa Sissokho and Buntalo”

Saturday, June 22, 7:30 p.m.

Zal Sissokho on kora and voice, David Mobio, keyboard, Guy Langue, bass, Ehui Thomas Niamke, drums

$30/$25 members/$18 students

 

“Tony Trischka Territory”

Saturday, June 29, 7:30 p.m.

With Tony Trischka, banjo, Darol Anger, fiddle, Michael Daves, guitar. Tony Trischka is perhaps the most influential banjo player in the roots music world.

$30/$25 members/$18 students

 

COMMUNITY LAWN DANCE CONCERTS

“Chandler Travis Philharmonic”

Sunday, June 23, 6 p.m.

Dixieland, R&B, 60’s Rock, and more. A nine-piece ensemble from Boston that includes a horn section, string bass, keyboard, mandocello, guitar, drums, accordion, and singing valet.

$15/$12 members/$10 students

 

“Berkshire Bop Society”

Sunday, July 28, 6 p.m.

A Tribute to Thelonius Monk: A Take On Monk In Stride and Song. Followed by Swing and Salsa dancing! Berkshire Bop Society is Lincoln Mayorga, piano, Sheri Bauer-Mayorga, vocals, Otto Gardner, bass, and Ted MacKenzie, drums.

$12/$10 members/$8 students

 

“The Buzzards: Rockabilly!”

Sunday, August 25, 6 p.m.

The Buzzards have performed at every rockabilly hot spot. They are the house band at the Bayou in Long Island and have performed more than ten times at the Gold Coast Casino and Orleans Casino in Las Vegas for the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend.

$12/$10 members/$8 students

 

THEATER

 

“Hudson Air: Radio Plays”

Friday, June 28, 7:30 p.m.

An evening of live radio theater performed by David Anderson, Lora Lee Ecobelli, James Occhino, and Nancy Rothman, directed by Andrew Joffe. Presented by PS21 in collaboration with Hudson Air, Hudson Opera House, and WGXC 90.7 FM. The first in a series to be presented in alternate seasons by PS21 and Hudson Opera House.

$18/$15 members/$10 students

 

“Long Ago and Far Away and other short plays by David Ives”

An evening of comedic short plays by contemporary American playwright David Ives. His verbal dexterity, theatrical invention, and quirky humor have made him popular with audiences and critics alike. A Walking the dog Theater production directed by David Anderson

Friday, July 5, 8 p.m. $20/$15 members and students – Preview

Saturday, July 6, 8 p.m. $20/$15 members and students – Preview

Sunday, July 7, 8 p.m. $20/$15 members and students – Preview

Thursday, July 11, 8 p.m. $25/$20 members/$15 students – Talk Back Night

Friday, July 12, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

Saturday, July 13, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

Sunday, July 14, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

Thursday, July 18, 8 p.m. $25/$20 members/$15 students – Talk Back Night

Friday, July 19, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

Sunday, July 21, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

 

“Hilary Chaplain: A Life in Her Day”

Saturday, July 27, 8 p.m.

Winner of the Solo Show Award at the International Fringe Festival in NYC. Unconventional and outrageously funny, A Life In Her Day is a wonderful mix of physical comedy and serious theatre about a Jewish woman chasing the elusive promises of happily ever after.

$25/$20 members/$15 students

 

SUMMER SINGS

 

“Summer Sings”

A community sing accompanied by Michael Clement at the piano.

Monday, July 8, 7:30 p.m. led by Gwen Gould

Monday, July 15, 7:30 p.m. mostly for youth led by Sheri Bauer-Mayorga

Monday, July 22, 7:30 p.m. led by David Grunberg

$10/$8 members, $25/$20 members for the series of three

 

ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS

 

“Storyteller Eshu Bumpus”

Friday, July 12, 1 p.m.

Eshu Bumpus captivates his audience with the telling of African, African-American and World folktales leavened with music, humor and mystery. He is a renowned storyteller, an accomplished jazz vocalist and a master at physical characterization,

weaving music and drama to bring age-old tales to life.

$10/$5 children 14 and under

 

“Off Leash for Kids”

Friday, July 19, 1 p.m.

A family version of Walking the dog Theater’s hilarious and imaginative improvisation performance where the audience gets involved in getting the actors thinking on their feet! Actors use audience suggestions to shape the performance as they create dialogue, setting, and plot right in front of you.

Tickets: $10 adults/$5 youth 18 and under

 

“Jamal Jackson Dance Youth Workshops”

Monday-Friday, July 22- 26, 9am-10:30am and 11am -12:30am

For ages 9 to 18 exploring African and African-American dance.

$75/$65 members scholarships available. Pre-registration required.

 

“Jamal Jackson Dance Workshop Performance”

Friday, July 26, 1 p.m.

$10/$5 children 14 years and under

 

“Exploring Nature with The Columbia Land Conservancy”

Friday, August 2, 11 a.m.

The Columbia Land Conservancy’s educator, Jenny Brinker, will lead children on an exploration of the natural world resident in PS21’s apple orchard. Free admission

 

“Vanaver Caravan SummerDance On Tour”

Friday, August 9, 1 p.m.

From Flamenco to percussive/rhythm tap and clog dancing to Bulgarian and contemporary dance/theatre, the Vanaver Caravan’s SummerDance on Tour will take you around the world and back again!

$10/$5 youth 18 years and under

 

“Youth Theater Celebration”

Friday, August 16, 11 a.m.

Young actors from Chatham will present a mini-festival of plays they have created from scratch during their theater workshops at Chatham Kids Club and the Chatham Recreation Department’s summer camp. Free admission

 

DANCE

 

“Monica Bill Barnes and Company: Luster and Suddenly Summer Somewhere”

A contemporary American dance company with the mission to celebrate individuality, humor and the innate theatricality of everyday life.

“Barnes (is) one of the wittiest young choreographers around.” – The Village Voice

Friday, August 2, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$15 students

Saturday, August 3, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$15 students

 

“PearsonWidrig Dancetheater: Ordinary Festivals and Other Works”

Creating and presenting “American dance theater at its funniest and most compelling” [Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Switzerland], they have toured extensively, and have gained an international following for work that transforms the familiar into the mysterious, the subversive, and the intimate.

Friday, August 16, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

Saturday, August 17, 8 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

 

“Dance Omi @ PS21: Critical Response to Dance Omi Works-in-Progress”

Sunday, August 18, 2:00 p.m.

Using his extensive experience with the Liz Lehrman’s Critical Response Process, Dance Omi Director Christopher K. Morgan will facilitate an exchange between the dance artists in residence at Dance Omi and the audience. A reception for the dance artists will follow the showing.

Free admission

 

“RubberbanDance Group: Gravity of Center”

Choreographer and dancer Victor Quijada founded his group to create a base where he could mix several influences to create a contemporary style that blends the exuberance of hip hop with the refinement of classical dance. This style incorporates theatrical interpretation, improvisational approaches, film, and impromptu performance.

Friday, August 23, 8:00 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

Saturday, August 24, 8:00 p.m. $30/$25 members/$18 students

 

“Parsons Dance”

Program includes Nascimento Novo, In the End and Caught. An internationally renowned contemporary dance company under the artistic direction of dancer/choreographer David Parsons, touring nationally and internationally and maintaining a repertoire of more than 80 works choreographed by David Parsons.

Friday, August 30, 8 p.m. $40/$35 members/$25 students

Saturday, August 31, 8 p.m. $40/$35 members/$25 students

 

FILM

 

Make ‘Em Laugh Film Festival

Monday-August 5-Monday, August 12 at

8:30 p.m. Free admission to all films

 

“Sleeper”

Monday, August 5, 8:30 p.m.

In this classic futuristic comedy Keystone Cops meet Flash Gordon in the wild imagination of Woody Allen. (USA, 1973, directed by Woody Allen, Rated PG-13)

 

“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”

Tuesday, August 6, 8:30 p.m.

Howard Hawks directs Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in this musical comedy based on Anita Loos’s novels about Two Little Girls from Little Rock. (1953)

 

“Mr. Bean: The Movie”

Wednesday, August 7, 8:30 p.m.

“Atkinson’s reactive brand of bug-eyed and near-silent comedy has always been more akin to Jacques Tati–plus a lecherous pinch of Jerry Lewis…” – Bob Nelson, The Boston Phoenix (UK, 1997, Rated PG-13)

 

“The Jerk”

Thursday, August 8, 8:30 p.m.

Steve Martin made his film-starring debut in this wacky comedy hit.

(USA, 1979, R)

 

“Kind Hearts and Coronets”

Friday, August 9, 8:30 p.m.

“The sly and adroit Mr. Guinness plays eight Edwardian fuddy-duds with such devastating wit and variety that he naturally dominates the film.” – Bosley Crowther, New York Times (UK, 1949, with Alec Guiness)

 

“A Shot In the Dark”

Saturday, August 10, 8:30 p.m.

This, the second of the Peter Sellers hilarious Pink Panther movies directed by Blake Edwards, is often cited as the greatest of the series. (UK, 1964, Rated PG)

 

“Mon Oncle”

Sunday, August 11, 8:30 p.m.

Mon Oncle won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, a Special Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film. (France, 1958, directed by Jacques Tati)

 

“The Producers”

Monday, August 12, 8:30 p.m.

Written and directed by the legendary comic genius Mel Brooks (Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs) With Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. (USA, 1968)

 

Movie Tuesdays

Free admission to all films. All begin at 8:30 p.m.

 

“God’s Fiddler”

Tuesday, June 18, 8:30 p.m.

Introduced by director Peter Rosen. This is the only film biography of the world’s most renowned violinist, Jascha Heifetz. (USA, 2012, 87 min.)

 

“Give Me the Banjo”

Tuesday, June 25, 8:30 p.m.

A comprehensive look by documentary filmmaker Marc Fields at a quintessential American musical instrument, the banjo, from its African roots to contemporary jazz and into the 21st century. (USA, 2011, 90 min.)

 

“Meet Me in St Louis”

Tuesday, July 2, 8:30 p.m.

Director Vincent Minelli’s valentine to American small town life and to his soon to be wife Judy Garland. (USA, 1944, 113 min)

 

“Humoresque”

Tuesday, July 9, 8:30 p.m.

Based on a Fanny Hurst novel with a script by Clifford Odets, this classic melodrama stars Joan Crawford and John Garfield. He is a talented violinist from the slums and she is the wealthy socialite who becomes his patron and lover. (1947, 125 min.)

 

“Cover Girl”

Tuesday, July 16, 8:30 p.m.

Starring Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth, the film is shot in lush Technicolor and includes a special effects sequence in which Kelly dances down the street with his own ghost-like reflection. (USA, 1944, 107 min. Directed by Charles Vidor)

 

“‘Round Midnight”

Tuesday, July 23, 8:30 p.m.

Directed by Bertrand Travenier, the legendary sax player Dexter Gordon plays the part of Dale Turner, a jazz musician living in New York in the 1950s and spiraling down into despair and a worsening addiction to alcohol and drugs. (France, 1986, 133 min., Rated R)

 

“The Magic Flute”

Tuesday, July 30, 8:30 p.m.

Ingmar Bergman’s film of Mozart’s opera sung in Swedish tells the story of Tamino’s (Josef Köstlinger) adventures as he tries to rescue a beautiful princess (Irma Urrila) from the clutches of the vengeful Queen of the Night (Brigit Nordin). (Sweden ,1975. Rated G)

 

“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”

Tuesday, August 6, 8:30 p.m.

Howard Hawks directs Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in this musical comedy based on Anita Loos’s novels about Two Little Girls from Little Rock. (USA, 1953)

 

“This Is Spinal Tap”

Tuesday, August 13, 8:30 p.m.

The film that invented the “rockumentary” has now outlasted most of the bands it mocked. (USA, 1984, directed by Rob Reiner, Rated R)

 

“100 Years of Dance on Camera”

Tuesday, August 20, 8:30 p.m.

An evening of short films and excerpts of some of the best dance film ever made,  curated and introduced by Deirdre Towers, former producer of the annual Dance on Camera festival from 1994-2012.

 

“Pina”

Tuesday, August 27, 8:30 p.m.

This revolutionary film from director Wim Wenders captures the aesthetic of legendary German dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch’s greatest works. (Germany, 2011, dir. Wim Wenders)

 

PS21 is located at 2980 Route 66, one mile north of the village of Chatham. Visit PS21 or call 518.392.6121 for more information. To order tickets, please visit our website or call 1-800-838-3006.