B’ville Center for the Arts presents Winter Arts Series

By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

It may be frigid outside, but wild weather has never kept the people of Baldwinsville from getting out and enjoying themselves. That’s what the Baldwinsville Center for the Arts is banking on as it invites people to thaw out and tune in to its Winter Arts Series.

The series kicked off Jan. 12 with the Java and Jam poetry night, but there are seven more events in the series, which goes through March. Music, theater and visual art are all represented among the offerings. (See sidebar for schedule.)

Jim Dale, board president of the BCA, said the organization received enthusiastic feedback from attendees of its historical Ghostwalk back in October, the second night of which was haunted by pouring rain.

“It really didn’t dissuade anyone,” he said.

Dale said while the Ghostwalk was successful — the BCA sold more than 1,000 tickets — the board wanted to maintain the momentum the organization gained from that event, so they planned a full slate of arts offerings to fill the winter weekends.

“We wanted to make sure we kept things busy during the winter months,” Dale said.

The Winter Arts series features Shakespearean theater and improv, musical performances of different genres, and even visual arts. The Baldwinsville Bed & Breakfast — which Dale owns with his wife, Phyllis — is the venue for the next three events, which offer dessert and wine as well as evenings of entertainment.

“We wanted everything from literary arts to performing arts to music,” Dale said.

BCA Artistic Director Kelley Hamilton is pulling double duty: Not only does she coordinate the players for the series, but she’ll be performing next weekend. Hamilton will be duetting with Lance Anderson on selections from the Great American Songbook.

“She really is a tremendous resource. She does such a great job pulling these things together,” Dale said of Hamilton, who now resides in Ithaca but still devotes her time to the BCA.

The BCA is partnering once again with WT Brews for “Shakes-beer: An evening of the Bard and beer,” which takes place Feb. 24. Theater students from Syracuse University will perform monologues and scenes from the works of William Shakespeare while attendees taste WT Brews’ offerings.

“He’s been very supportive with everything we’ve asked him to be involved in,” Dale said of WT Brews co-owner Mike Johnson

The board, Dale said, has reorganized and is re-energized going into 2019, having formed event planning and marketing committees.

“This year, one of our focuses is to get the community not only attending these things but engaged in [planning] them,” he said.

To that end, the BCA is putting a call out to the community to get involved. The organization is looking for volunteers, sponsors and artist members. A general interest meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, at the Baldwinsville B&B, which is located at 70 Oswego St. in the village.

“We’re trying to find a four-season calendar for ourselves,” Dale said.

Penciled into that calendar are two springtime events. The BCA will collaborate with the Museum at the Shacksboro Schoolhouse’s annual Peony Fest, and the Oswego Street neighborhood will host Art on the Street. More details on these events will be available in the future.