Twenty-seven years ago, Mark Linn-Baker and some other New York actors set up a summer program at Vassar that has blossomed into an annual festival where established and emerging theater artists collaborate on new productions in all stages of development. Though most of the professional actors come from New York or LA, it is the residents of Poughkeepsie and neighboring towns—especially the Hudson Valley Advisory Board—that make the Vassar & New York Stage and Film present Powerhouse Theater a dynamic, intellectually challenging venue for new dramatic works. The upcoming season includes a full-production of F2M, a play about a woman becoming a man written by actress Patricia Wettig (thirtysomething and Brothers & Sisters) that will feature her husband, Ken Olin (thirtysomething and Brothers & Sisters). There will also be a production of Poughkeepsie native Rob Handel's A Maze, and a special musical "reading" by singer/songwriter Dar Williams, who sang at the preview (see video below.) The party was a bit of a tease, because the full summer-schedule was not announced for it has not yet been finalized.
Vassar drama professors Chris Grabowski & Shona Tucker; New York Stage & Film artistic director Johanna Pfaelzer & Edward Cheetham, producing director of Powerhouse Theater.
Jerry Greenberg and Dana Effron, a member of the Hudson Valley Advisory Board; Joan Venable, whose parents both taught at Vassar, with Diana Salsberg.
Shirley and Bernard Handel, whose son Rob's play A Maze will be performed this summer on the mainstage; composer David Forman, New York Stage and Film board chairman Mark Sagan (who has a house in Great Barrington) with Dr. Sheldon Werner, a member of the Hudson Valley Advisory Board.
Co-founder and producing director Mark Linn-Baker with Hudson Valley Advisory Board member Sarah Johnstone Levine.
Rhinebeck Savings Bank president Michael Quinn and Robert Levine; writer and activist Jay Blotcher and Andy Bell.
Phyliss Bressman and Corinne Fuimarello; Scott Bowen and Teressa Del Campo of the Millbrook Arts Group.
Vassar's Tamar Thibodeau & Raymond Schwartz; Julie Ling, Alessia Alessandra de Borbón and Jaime Eduardo de Borbón of the La Herradura Polo Team.
Dar Williams, who lives in the Hudson Valley, sang for the guests. She will bring her family-friendly show, The Island Musical, to Vassar this summer.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
