For the second year, Stissing Center for Arts and Culture is proud to present exceptional, world-class Dance performances showcasing the very best talent from around the world! Curated by Catherine Tharin, these three performances will move and engage you using the language of movement!
In The Grace Note
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Garrison Starr brings her powerful voice and finely crafted songs to The Grace Note. Known for blending pop sensibility with Americana edge, her music has appeared in shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Nashville. With a career spanning decades and a deeply engaging live presence, this is a chance to hear an accomplished artist up close in an intimate setting. “A Lucinda Williams for Gen X’ers.” -NPR
In Banning Hall
Experience Beethoven’s music as it was meant to be heard, performed by Daniel Adam Maltz on a replica of the composer’s own Viennese fortepiano. This early instrument offers a strikingly different sound from the modern piano. Hailed as “the foremost performer in the world of the fortepiano,” Maltz brings clarity, nuance, and insight to this rare and intimate concert.
In The Grace Note
Join Tangent Theatre Company for an intimate reading of Kenneth Lonergan’s critically acclaimed modern classic LOBBY HERO. The play examines the intersection of morality, authority and conflicting loyalty as two security guards and two police officers test their principles over the course of a few late-night shifts in a Manhattan apartment building lobby.
In Banning Hall
Join us for The Magical Music Machine, a fun, interactive musical adventure for the whole family with acclaimed keyboard artist Zach Frame! Discover how live music brought silent films to life, enjoy the classic Laurel and Hardy short Liberty, request your favorite songs, and even try the organ yourself. Co-presented with the New York Theater Organ Society. Free ice cream, generously donated by Stewart's Shops, will be served after the performance!
In Banning Hall
Filmed on the ballfields of Pine Plains and directed by local native Lee Cipolla, Rally Caps stars Judd Hirsch, Amy Smart, and Carson Minnear. The film follows a young boy named Jordy as he overcomes a serious injury sustained during a youth baseball tryout and helps bring his camp team together for a championship. It’s an inspiring, family-friendly story about resilience, teamwork, and finding your way back.
In The Grace Note
Join Tangent Theatre Company for an intimate reading of Kenneth Lonergan’s critically acclaimed modern classic LOBBY HERO. The play examines the intersection of morality, authority and conflicting loyalty as two security guards and two police officers test their principles over the course of a few late-night shifts in a Manhattan apartment building lobby.
In The Grace Note
Kazemde George returns to Stissing Center, this time in the intimate setting of The Grace Note. A Brooklyn-based jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator, he plays the full spectrum of musical styles blossoming from the African Diaspora, including Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Brazilian, and African-American traditions. His performances combine rich improvisation, rhythmic vitality, and soulful expression, creating an unforgettable experience for jazz lovers and new audiences alike.
In Banning Hall
Jorge Glem and Sam Reider, Latin GRAMMY nominees, are a dynamic duo blending Venezuelan and American musical traditions. Glem, the GRAMMY-nominated Cuatro player of Venezuelan musical ensemble C4 Trio, and Reider, the acclaimed accordionist and composer, met in New York in 2016. With performances including Lincoln Center and NPR Tiny Desk, their collaboration celebrates cultural exchange. Their debut album, Brooklyn-Cumaná (2022), earned a 2023 Latin GRAMMY nomination.
In The Grace Note
Will Lawrence is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Millerton. His fifth studio album, Rooftops in the Centerfold (September, 2025), showcases his reflective, melodic style. Beyond his solo work, Lawrence is known as the drummer for The Felice Brothers and has performed with John Early and the Lemon Squares, among others. Stissing Center is proud to welcome him back—this time to The Grace Note.
In Banning Hall
Part of Stissing Center’s Summer Children’s Series, The Myth of Persephone offers children a chance not just to watch the show—but to be in it! The morning begins with a workshop and rehearsal at 10:00am, where young participants will learn songs, movements, and the role of the Greek chorus. Then, at 11:00am, they’ll join Grumbling Gryphon’s lively presentation of this classic myth. Through masks, music, and storytelling, children help rescue Persephone while discovering the ancient story behind the changing seasons - a celebration of creativity, environmental awareness, and the joy of performance.
In Banning Hall
Opera Uncorked is a lively evening of wine and music. Expect drama, romance, and a curated wine list from Italy, France, Germany, and the U.S. Sip and swirl your way through an unforgettable evening of opera and wine. Each musical selection is paired with wine chosen to enhance the mood, flavor, and drama of the music. It will be a night of bold voices and beautiful pours. Presented in partnership with Fulton and Forbes Wine and Spirits in Ancram, this event invites you to experience opera in a whole new way!
In The Grace Note
Spencer LaJoye brings their intimate, captivating songwriting to The Grace Note for an evening of music that is as heartfelt as it is quietly disarming. With crystalline vocals, acoustic guitar, and looped layers, they create a sound that feels both expansive and close at hand. Wry, thoughtful, and deeply human, LaJoye invites listeners into a shared space where humor, vulnerability, and connection unfold in real time.
In The Grace Note
Join us for Open Mic Night at The Grace Note, a welcoming evening for music, spoken word, comedy, and every kind of self-expression. Artists of all ages and experience levels are invited to share. Come perform, listen, and cheer on friends and neighbors as creativity, courage, and community meet on one stage together here tonight.
In Banning Hall
Part of our Summer Children’s Series, Monster Intelligence follows Melvin, a young monster eager to earn his license to scream. With help from his friend Red the Rat, he sets off on a lively quest to learn and grow. Filled with colorful characters and original songs spanning rock, jazz, pop, and Broadway, this family-friendly musical celebrates different ways of learning and encourages kids to discover their own “monster intelligence.”
In Banning Hall
An Evening with Windborne showcases the group’s striking vocal harmonies and globally inspired repertoire. Known for music rooted in social justice traditions, Windborne weaves together songs of struggle, resilience, and hope with selections from cultures around the world. Their close, powerful singing creates an immersive experience—at once intimate and far-reaching—inviting listeners to connect through voices that carry both history and a shared sense of purpose.
In The Grace Note
Christopher Hoffman brings a wide-ranging creative practice to The Grace Note, blending cello, composition, and improvisation into a singular live experience. Drawing from his solo work (REX) and collaborations across jazz, experimental music, and film—including with Henry Threadgill, Yoko Ono, and Martin Scorsese—Hoffman creates performances that feel both cinematic and immediate. His playing moves fluidly between structure and spontaneity, inviting listeners into a richly textured, deeply expressive sound world.
In Banning Hall
Experience Frankenstein (starring Boris Karloff) like never before, with the world premiere of a chamber ensemble score by composer Michael Shapiro, performed live by the Argus String Quartet with pianist Steven Beck—called “vivacious” by The New Yorker. Shapiro’s haunting score reimagines the bond between creator and creature, blending dark, Herrmann-esque tension with moments of unexpected tenderness, revealing the monster not as horror, but as a soul in search of connection. The evening begins with a Q&A with our special guest, Boris Karloff's daughter, Sara.
In The Grace Note
Seven comic pieces ranging in length from one minute to 20 minutes. A Young Man comes out to his Father—12 different ways. A beleaguered daughter brushes up her euthanasia skills, just in case. A mismatched dance team prepares for a nationally televised talent competition. Two high school girls discover the perfect diet—vampirism! And against all odds, a man and a woman find their perfect mate in the jungle of contemporary dating.
In The Grace Note
House of Hamill delivers a high-energy blend of original folk, Celtic influences, and tight three-part harmonies. Known for captivating festival audiences across the U.S., the Pennsylvania-based trio pairs inventive songwriting with virtuosic playing and an engaging stage presence. Their latest album, Wildfire, showcases lyrical depth and irresistible hooks, while their viral violin-driven arrangements have reached millions. From driving jigs to rich ballads, House of Hamill creates a performance that is both lively and memorable.
At Globe Hill
Please join us for another extraordinary evening on Globe Hill watching the sun set over the Catskills as we celebrate and support the arts. Stissing Center’s signature fundraising event features a performance by John Sebastian (The Lovin’ Spoonful) invites guests to enjoy music, food, wine, and the beauty of our region while supporting exceptional performances, free youth and family programs, and year-round arts experiences for the community.
In The Grace Note
The Limeliters bring their signature vocal sound and spirited performance style to The Grace Note. Formed in 1959 at the height of the folk revival, the group remains a lively presence with a current lineup featuring Andy Corwin, Steve Brooks, and C. Daniel Boling. Blending rich harmonies, humor, and timeless songs, The Limeliters continue to connect with audiences in an intimate setting perfectly suited to their enduring appeal.
In Banning Hall
The first-ever Pumpkin Patch Dance Party at Stissing Center! Join friends and neighbors in beautiful Banning Hall for a lively night with beloved dance band Jungle Love, back by popular demand. Promising great music and great vibes, come spend an autumn evening boogie-ooogie-oogieing on the dance floor.
In The Grace Note
Stissing Center launches its new literary series, Writers & Readers, with a special eventfeaturing novelist Jane L. Rosen in conversation with author John Searles about his newly released book Single Girls. Presented in partnership with Oblong Books and the Pine Plains Free Library, the series brings writers and readers together for lively discussion, storytelling, and insight into the creative process in an intimate, welcoming setting.
In Banning Hall
Fresh off their 2025 Telluride Bluegrass Band Contest win, Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light are a Boston-based string band making music that blends folk tradition with feminist storytelling, poetic detail, and a little grit. At the center is Sumner’s songwriting—rooted in history, myth, and personal reckoning—carried by close harmonies, upright bass, acoustic guitar, and fiddle. The trio features Kat Wallace on fiddle and vocals and Mike Siegel on upright bass and vocals, whose playing brings both tension and tenderness to the sound.
In The Grace Note
Diana Hickman is a singer, pianist, and songwriter known for her expressive voice, dynamic musicianship, and engaging performances. Blending soul, pop, and jazz with a strong sense of storytelling, she creates emotionally rich, deeply human music. A California native, she studied at the Boston Conservatory and is now based in New York City, performing regularly at venues including Blue Note Jazz Club, Webster Hall, and throughout the Hudson Valley.
In Banning Hall
Join us for the 2nd annual Pine Plains Festival of Short Films—celebrating short films by local and regional filmmakers. Each screening includes a Q&A with the creator. Come enjoy great storytelling and help us bring more films to Pine Plains!
In The Grace Note
The next installment of Stissing Center’s Writers & Readers series welcomes author Rachel Greenfield in conversation with Pulitzer Prize–nominated writer Amy Reading about Greenfield’s new biography Rose Knox. The book explores how Knox transformed a small gelatine company into a national brand by blending business savvy, marketing innovation, and the realities of working motherhood in early 20th-century America. Presented in partnership with Oblong Books and the Pine Plains Free Library.
