Around Town with Amy Modesti

08/31/2025

https://www.nyvtmedia.com/sections/renss-lens/articles/brunswick-truck-crash-destroys-home-driver-deceased?&wallit_nosession=1

Thursday, August 28,2025, my editor of the Renss Lens and I were on the scene of a serious dump truck crash in our hometown of Cropseyville, NY.

The driver of the dump truck possibly had a medical emergency and passed away, thus, loosing control of the truck and crashing into the newly renovated house.

Only living less than 2 minutes away from this house, I drive by it all the time to head to my destinations. It is sad to see it down and that the driver had passed away. This has not been a good week for our hamlet.

My condolences and positive thoughts extend to the driver’s family, friends and co-workers at this time.

You can view the photos that I took of the incident on the ALM Fine Art & Photography Facebook as well as on both the Around Town With Amy Modesti & ALM Fine Art & Photography Instagram pages.

You can also read my editor, Doug LaRocque’s story on Renss Lens, the new e-newsletter and news source for Rensselaer County News. It can be found on www.nyvtmedia.com.

Thank you for your time. Have a great and safe Labor Day weekend.

📸: Photos taken by Amy L. Modesti, additional photos contributed in article by Sidewinder Photography and Doug LaRocque.

🖊️: Article written by Doug LaRocque

08/22/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/aroundtownwithamymodesti/p/hubbard-hall-begins-2025-theater?r=2u0jzr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Are any of my Around Town With Amy Modesti followers fans of William Shakespeare?

Hubbard Hall began their 2025 theater season on Wednesday with their production of "As You Like It" by William Shakespeare. This Free Shakespeare tour will be travelling throughout Washington County, NY and to North Bennington, VT.

Friday, Aug. 22, the show will be held on the grounds of the Historic Salem Courthouse lawn. Saturday, Aug. 23, it will be shown at two locations: Cambridge Community Garden (2pm) and the Park-McCullough Historic Site (6pm). It will conclude Sunday, Aug. 24 at the Georgi Battlefield Museum and Park (2pm).

To learn more about "As You Like It", head over to Around Town With Amy Modesti via Substack. The story can also be read NOW on the NYVT Media website (www.nyvtmedia.com) and on InPlay Capital Region.

More additional info can be found on Hubbard Hall's page and website.

-Preview written by Amy Modesti
-Photos provided by Hubbard Hall

The 2025 Free Shakespeare Tour is held in communities across Washington County, NY and North Bennington, Vermont, beginning Aug. 20 and running through Aug. 24.

08/22/2025

Are you a fan of William Shakespeare’s work?! Hubbard Hall Center for the Arts And Education in Cambridge, NY began their 2025 theater season with “As You Like It” from William Shakespeare Wednesday, Aug. 20. The production will continue Friday, Aug. 22 at the Historic Salem Courthouse lawn and will run through Sunday, Aug. 24 at Georgi on the Battenkill Museum and Park (2:00pm). All performances are free and open to the public. To learn more about “As You Like It” and its showtimes, head over to Around Town With Amy Modesti on SubStack and InPlay Capital Region to read all about it. You can also go to Hubbard Hall’s website for additional information. Thank you so much. (📸: All photographs provided by Hubbard Hall) , , .hall , , , , , , , , , , , ,

08/09/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/aroundtownwithamymodesti/p/crescent-furniture-and-mattress-arrives?r=2u0jzr&utm_medium=ios

Are you searching for new furniture or a mattress for your home or apartment?! I know of a brand-new store that will be happy to help you with your needs!

Tuesday, July 15,2025, Crescent Furniture and Mattress held its ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening at the store, located at Hudson River Commons (aka Troy Plaza).

The store, owned by Allan Teller, was originally based in Clifton Park. They have now settled inside the old location of Shoe Depot.

Crescent Furniture and Mattress is the only family-owned furniture and mattress store in over a decade to settle in the Troy and Brunswick area.

To learn more about Crescent Furniture and Mattress, please go to Around Town With Amy Modesti on SubStack. A link to the Renss Lens story can be found in the story link.

Please consider being a paid subscriber or a free subscriber on the Around Town With Amy Modesti SubStack page to keep up on the local news and help support local independent news media. Thank you so much!

📸 and ✒️ by Amy L. Modesti

Allan Teller brings business to Rensselaer County, to become the first family-owned furniture and mattress store in Troy in over a decade.

08/03/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/aroundtownwithamymodesti/p/looking-for-something-fun-to-do-theater-47a?r=2u0jzr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Hello everyone! Welcome to another month of "Looking for Something Fun to Do Theater Edition" on Around Town With Amy Modesti!!

Here at Around Town With Amy Modesti, I have what you need to know about what's happening in the Capital Region and Berkshire County for theater shows, auditions, and more.

Be sure to take a look at the event and audition listings here! If there is something missing that I need to add to the list, or if there is an event that you would like me to report about and attend, please send me an email to [email protected].

You can also check out the event listings on InPlay Capital Region as well.

Thank you for your time. Have a great weekend!

-Amy (8/2/2025)

Around Town With Amy Modesti's Theater Shows and Audition Listings

08/02/2025

Hello August! Welcome to another month of “Looking for Something Fun to Do: Theater Edition” on Around Town With Amy Modesti”! Are you looking for a show to watch or perhaps, a play to audition for?! Around Town With Amy Modesti just has what you are looking for! This week is your FINAL week to watch “South A Nautical Musical” at Bridge Street Theatre - running through Sunday, Aug. 3. This week, Confetti Stage opened tonight with William Shakespeare’s “Long Lost First Play (Abridged)” inside the Shaker Meeting House. The Confetti Stage production will run through Aug. 10. Also happening this month is Will Kempe’s Players productions of “Julius Caesar” and “The Alchemist” both beginning at Indian Ladder Farms on Aug.2-Aug.3, Fort Salem Theater’s production of “Tick, Tick…Boom!” - beginning Friday, Aug. 8, as well as Hubbard Hall’s 2025 Free Shakespeare Tour of “As You Like It” beginning Aug. 20. To learn more about what’s happening in the theater community and beyond, please go to Around Town With Amy Modesti on SubStack, as well as InPlay Capital Region on Facebook to keep up on the current news. Don’t forget to become a free and or PAID subscriber of Around Town With Amy Modesti (on SubStack). Thank you so much! , , , , , , , , , .hall , , , , , ,

07/28/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/aroundtownwithamymodesti/p/jacob-houstons-pop-up-art-exhibit?r=2u0jzr&utm_medium=ios

Greenwich, NY resident Jacob “Jake” Houston was destined to become an artist. For over 20 plus years, the self-taught artist has been successful as a working artist through his talent for painting.

Recently, Houston held a pop-up art exhibition show on July 26-July 27. He will have his final pop-up art exhibition shows on November 8-November 9,2025.

Coming in April 2026, Houston will open his own gallery and art studio in Greenwich.

To learn more about Jacob and his artwork, please go to Around Town With Amy Modesti on SubStack.

Become a PAID subscriber on SubStack to help support this news site financially, or become a free subscriber to keep up on reading your local news.

Thank you for your time. Stay cool!

✒️:Article by Amy Modesti

Houston will host his final pop-up art show in November and soon move into his own art gallery and studio space in April 2026.

07/27/2025

Greenwich, NY - Greenwich artist and illustrator, Jacob “Jake” Houston, was destined to become an accomplished artist. For over 20 years, the artist has remained true to his own painting style and techniques in his creative projects. A weekend pop-art show featuring Houston’s art, was held Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27. Houston’s FINAL Pop-up exhibits will be held Saturday, Nov. 8, and Sunday, Nov. 9,2025, before he officially settles into his brand new art gallery and studio space in Greenwich by April 2026. Houston has also illustrated two book covers for Greenwich author, Marie Gimmke. To learn more about Jacob Houston and his art, please go to his artist website, www.jacobhoustonart.com . You can learn more information about the accomplished artist exclusively on Around Town with Amy Modesti and the July 25,2025 edition of the Washington County FreePress, out now on Washington County newsstands and online on www.nyvtmedia.com. Thank you again to Jake and his mom, Claire, for chatting with me and having me tell your story! I hope this weekend’s exhibit was a success! -Amy (✒️: Article written by Amy L. Modesti, 📸: Photos taken by Claire Houston & 🎨 paintings made by Jacob “Jake” Houston) , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

07/26/2025

REVIEW: “Between Riverside and Crazy” at Albany Civic Theater

Are you going to catch some local theater this weekend?! This weekend is your final chance to go to Albany Civic Theater to watch the production of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ “Between Riverside And Crazy”, happening TONIGHT, Saturday, July 26 (7:30pm) and Sunday, July 27 (3:00pm). The drama centers around Walter “Pops” Washington, a retired NYC African American police officer who is mourning over the passing of his wife. Living in his apartment are his son, Junior, Junior’s girlfriend, Lulu, and Oswaldo, a recovering addict. This is Harbinger Theatre’s second production of 2025 and their 16th Capital Region Premiere. To learn more about “Riverside and Crazy”, and how to obtain tickets, please visit Around Town With Amy Modesti on SubStack and InPlay Capital Region on Facebook. To help support Around Town With Amy Modesti financially, please become a paid subscriber on SubStack or become a free subscriber to keep up on your local news. Thank you! (✒️: Review by Amy Modesti , with press photos taken by Andrew Elder of Best Frame Forward , with additional photos by Amy Modesti) , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

07/26/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/aroundtownwithamymodesti/p/review-between-riverside-and-crazy?r=2u0jzr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Did you have a chance to go to Albany Civic Theater yet to watch "Between Riverside and Crazy"?!

This weekend is your final chance to catch the production of Stephen Adly Guirgis' "Between Riverside and Crazy", happening TONIGHT, Saturday, July 26 (7:30 p.m.) and Sunday, July 27 (3:00 p.m.).

The drama, written by a SUNY Albany alumni and playwright, is based on the story of Walter "Pops" Washington, a retired NYC African American police officer who is mourning over the passing of his wife. Living inside his apartment with him are his son, Junior, Junior's girlfriend, Lulu, and Oswaldo, a recovering addict.

This is Harbinger Theater's second production of their 2025 season and their 16th Capital Region premiere.

To learn all about "Between Riverside and Crazy", and how to obtain tickets for the show, please visit Around Town With Amy Modesti on SubStack and InPlay Capital Region on Facebook.

To help support Around Town With Amy Modesti financially, please become a paid subscriber on SubStack, or become a free subscriber to keep up on your local news. Thank you.

Review Written By Amy Modesti

All photos taken by Andrew Elder of Best Frame Forward

Harbinger Theater held its 16th Capital Region premiere of the play by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Production will hold the last week of showings through July 27.

07/14/2025

Ancram Center for the Arts held its regional premiere of Jeff Augustin’s play, “Where The Mountain Meets The Sea” Friday, July 11. The production stars Tai Bennett as Jean, a father and Haitian schoolteacher and Kristofer Wilson as Jonah, Jean’s son. “Where the Mountain Meets The Sea” will have its final week of showings starting Thursday, July 17 (7:30pm), and will run Friday, July 18 (7:30pm), Saturday, July 19 (7:30pm), and Sunday, July 20 (3:00pm). To learn more about “Where the Mountain Meets The Sea” and how to purchase tickets for the play, go to Around Town With Amy Modesti and the Ancram Center for the Arts website. You can also go to InPlay Capital Region to read about the play. Be sure to LIKE and FOLLOW Around Town With Amy Modesti and InPlay Capital Region on Facebook to keep up on the latest news! Thank you so much! (📸: Photo Credit: B. Docktor) , , , , , , , , , , , .docktor.photo , , ,

07/14/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/aroundtownwithamymodesti/p/ancram-center-for-the-arts-regionally?r=2u0jzr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Ancram Center for the Arts held its regional premiere of Jeff Augustin's play, "Where the Mountain Meets The Sea" Friday, July 11.

The production stars Tai Bennett as Jean, a father and Haitian schoolteacher, and Kristofer Wilson as Jonah, Jean's son.

"Where the Mountain Meets The Sea" will have its final week of showings starting Thursday, July 17 (7:30 p.m.), and will run Friday, July 18 (7:30 p.m.), Saturday, July 19 (7:30 p.m.), and Sunday, July 20 (3:00 p.m.).

To learn more about "Where the Mountain Meets The Sea" and how to purchase tickets for the play, go to Around Town With Amy Modesti and the Ancram Center for the Arts website. You can also go to InPlay Capital Region to read about the play.

Be sure to LIKE and FOLLOW Around Town With Amy Modesti and InPlay Capital Region to keep up on the latest news. Thank you!

Jeff Augustin's play making its regional debut Friday, July 11, will run through Sunday, July 20.