By Jeremiah McCarthy. Co-curator of Inspired Encounters/ Courtesy of David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center
Stop by the new David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center in Tarrytown, where its inaugural exhibit, Inspired: Women Artists and the Legacies of Modern Art, is on show through March 19, 2023. There, visitors can experience 43 artworks by a dozen acclaimed women artists from the postwar period, paired with new commissions of contemporary art that explore concepts of intergenerational influence and innovation.
Photo by Anne Horneman/ Courtesy of of Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts
If a relaxing evening of holiday-themed a cappella sounds like a good time, then head to Katonah’s Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts for a performance by the winners of the 2009 Concert Artists Guild International Competition. There, music mavens can enjoy the dulcet tones of the German a cappella ensemble Calmus performing classical Christmas masterworks from the 11th, 14th, 16th, and 19th centuries.
By Roman Dean/ courtesy of The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College
Get into the spirit of the season when The Rob Mathes Holiday Concert descends on The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College with a sleigh-full of musical merriment. Hailing from nearby Greenwich, Mathes is returning to Purchase with his all-star band, performing energetic renditions of cherished holiday classics enlivened with elements of jazz, rock, and blues.
Telling the incredible story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons as they overtake the musical landscape of the 1960s, Jersey Boys is the winner of four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, as well as a Laurence Oliver Award. This month, those who long for the days of sock hops and soda shops can spy this Broadway sensation live onstage at the White Plains Performing Arts Center, where audiences can enjoy enduring hits like “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Sherry.”
Ring in New Year’s Eve with psychedelic rock when Dark Star Orchestra make their way to Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre for two trippy nights. Known for performing the music of the Grateful Dead for more than 20 years and 3,000 shows, this groovy group is headed to the county as part of their New Years Eve 2023 tour, during which audiences can take a timely toke of what made Jerry Garcia’s iconic jam band so great.
By Thomas Giroir/ Courtesy of the Palace Theatre
When it comes to enduring holiday traditions, a family outing to a performance of The Nutcracker remains high on the list. Thankfully, Stamford’s Palace Theatre is holding four performances of the beloved ballet over the course of two days. The fanciful show features guest stars from American Ballet Theatre as well as New York City Ballet, alternating the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her dashing Cavalier.
Would the holidays really be complete without at least one viewing of It’s a Wonderful Life? Directed by Frank Capra and starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, this beloved 1946 classic (screening twice this month) at The Ridgefield Playhouse tells the tearful story of a down-on-his-luck businessman who is given one last chance at life by a well-intentioned angel.
Photo by Kyle Abraham/ Courtesy of the David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center
A graduate of SUNY Purchase, Kyle Abraham is a local star who has gone on to become one of the more notable figures in modern dance. Area audiences now have the chance to see this hometown hero’s impressive work when his company, A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham, stops by the David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center in Tarrytown, to perform work created with artists across various disciplines, intertwining text, music, visual art, and video with his fancy footwork.
Related: How to Entertain for the Holidays in Westchester County