New Rochelle generally has the reputation of being the cultural heart of the Sound Shore, with an arts museum and an opera company to its name. But Port Chester seems to be making a bid for the crown, especially now that the historic Capitol Theatre is hosting concerts again.
The Capitol Theatre
The 1926 Thomas W. Lamb-designed Capitol Theatre was a haven for touring artists like the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd in its heyday during the ’60s and ’70s. After a period of disuse, The Capitol came roaring back in 2012 with a grand-reopening concert with Bob Dylan. Today, when the biggest names in music come to the county, they come here. Since its reopening, Al Green, the Alabama Shakes, David Byrne and St. Vincent, Elvis Costello, My Morning Jacket, Pixies, Queens of the Stone Age, and Sleigh Bells have performed here. In 2014, Phil Lesh and Friends vowed to play 30 concerts at the Cap.
149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester
(914) 937-4126; www.thecapitoltheatre.com
Clay Art Center
For those who appreciate the ceramic arts and all things pottery, the Clay Art Center has a gallery with a rotating exhibition of sculptural and functional ceramics, as well as The Shop at CAC, where invited guest artists from around the nation sell their wares. For those who aren’t content just to look at the works, there are also classes, workshops, and demonstrations where you can make your own.
40 Beech St, Port Chester
(914) 937-2047; www.clayartcenter.org
Emelin Theatre
You can find a little of everything at this intimate, 275-seat theater. Musical performances range from classical to bluegrass, and there are also series devoted to theater, comedy, dance, film, and children’s events. Recent performers include indie singer/songwriter Nicole Atkins, folk-rock
legend Art Garfunkel, music/literature variety show Wesley Stace’s Cabinet of Wonders, contemporary dance troupe Taylor 2, experimental theater piece The Table, and a film series by Rooftop Films.
153 Library Ln, Mamaroneck
(914) 698-0098; www.emelin.org
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Dance troupes are just one of the many acts to perform at Mamaroneck’s Emelin Theatre. |
Mamaroneck Artists Guild
Incongruously located in Larchmont, the Mamaroneck Artists Guild is the oldest artists’ cooperative in the county. (It was founded in 1953.) Today, the co-op maintains a not-for-profit gallery with rotating exhibitions from its 200-plus members. Many look forward to its yearly Small Works show, as well as a holiday-time art show and sale with pieces priced for gift-giving.
126 Larchmont Ave, Larchmont
​(914) 834-1117; www.mamaroneckartistsguild.org
Museum of Arts & Culture, New Rochelle High School
The Museum of Arts & Culture stands out as the only museum in Westchester located on a high school campus—in fact, it’s the only Regents-chartered museum in a school in New York state. Exhibitions often have a local focus, such as the inaugural exhibition centered on Norman Rockwell (who lived in New Rochelle for a time), or another about Ragtime that included a visit from writer E.L. Doctorow. In the summer, the museum offers a free film series with films that thematically fit with the current exhibition.
265 Clove Rd, New Rochelle
(914) 576-4657; www.dbmac.org
New Rochelle Opera
The New Rochelle Opera was started in the early 1980s by singer Camille Coppola as a way to bring opera to Westchester and foster an appreciation of live opera. The company continues in this mission today, staging productions of favorites like Madama Butterfly, Cavalleria Rusticana, I Pagliacci, Carmen, Tosca, and others.
18 Fern St, New Rochelle
(914) 576-0365; www.nropera.org
Rye Arts Center
You can head to the gallery at the Rye Arts Center to see works by local, national, and international artists. Then, once you’ve been inspired, you can register for one of the center’s classes, which focus on art, music, and dance. For those with more of a scientific mind, there’s a new STEM+Art program, which has classes with a scientific, technological, engineering, or mathematic component.
51 Milton Rd, Rye
(914) 967-0700; www.ryeartscenter.org
The Symphony of Westchester
The Symphony of Westchester, a professional orchestra, started off as the Westchester Chamber Orchestra, and grew until the name no longer applied to the full, symphonic works it was presenting in its programming. Guest soloists such as pianist Alon Goldstein, flutist Carol Wincenc, and pianist Adam Kent have joined Founder, Artistic Director, and Maestro Barry Charles Hoffman for the Symphony’s four-concert season. Performances are held at the Christopher J. Murphy Auditorium at Iona College in New Rochelle.
10 David Dr, New Rochelle
(914) 654-4926; www.thesymphonyofwestchester.org
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A professional orchestra of more than 60 musicians, The Symphony of Westchester performs four separate classical music concerts annually in November, December, February, and May. |
Thomas Paine Cottage Museum
The unassuming white saltbox house in New Rochelle looks like it could belong to any family, but, in the early 1800s, it belonged to Thomas Paine, the Revolutionary War author of Common Sense and The American Crisis. Today, it’s set up as a museum, and visitors can learn about 18th-century life and see local, historical artifacts.
20 Sicard Ave, New Rochelle
(914) 633-1776; www.thomaspainecottage.org
Westchester Sandbox Theatre
This year-round, 90-seat theater puts on a few main-stage productions each year, including regional premieres of musicals like Next to Normal, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Avenue Q. But its real emphasis is on shows for kids and teens, and it hosts 10 shows for young people each year.
931 E Boston Post Rd, Mamaroneck
(914) 630-0804; www.wstshows.com
