Dust off your dancing shoes and get ready for our March dance party!  Last year we offered the awesome sounds of local band, Rust Brothers.  Let’s see if we can top it this year!  We will be announcing soon the band, the date and all the exciting details.

The annual Chowderfest in Saratoga is one of the most popular events each winter, occuring during Winterfest weekend. Mark your calendar for February 6, 2010 from 11am-4pm - the day of this year’s Chowderfest event.

And this year will be the first time Universal Preservation Hall is honored to enter into the ring.  Please stop by the 38 High Rock Condominium Office at 425 Broadway for a delicious bowl of chowder, prepared by our exclusive caterer, Classé Catering. $1 a cup (3oz. serving) and proceeds go towards restoring UPH.

And please remember to vote for us that day by casting your ballot!  Ballot drop-offs and T-shirt locations will be at Saratoga Arts (formerly Saratoga County Arts Council) and the Saratoga Springs Visitor Center.

If you are looking to support UPH and receive a tax deduction for the 2009 tax year, there is still time.  Just be certain to mail your gift postmarked no later than December 31, 2009 and we will gladly acknowledge your gift as a 2009 contribution.

Join us when Nacre Dance Presents Charles Weidman’s Christmas Oratorio. Nacre’s production is based on Charles Weidman’s later version of “Christmas Oratorio”, which opened in New York City in 1961 to wide critical acclaim, and has remained a much-loved classic work of modern dance.  This historic work tells a story of the Nativity through modern dance.  In this rendition of the work, Weidman focuses on feelings and emotions such as joy, compassion, and friendship in this danc eof rejoicing.  Dancers move in wonderment and reverence and their hands are often clasped in prayer or raised in exultation.  Sensitive portrayals of biblical figures and Bach’s passionate music combine to make this a moving and unforgettable experience.

Only a few select dance companies in the world have performed the Christmas Oratorio. Our performance is a unique opportunity to see this beautiful and rarely produced work of art! A tea service will provided by Classe Catering.  Tickets are now available: $25.00 General Admission and $20.00 for Seniors (55+)/Students (w/ID).  Group discount of $5.00 off per ticket for groups of 20 people or more.

To purchase tickets, click here.

Please join us this year for the second annual Phinney Design Group Tour of Homes.  The tour will feature five beautiful homes in the Saratoga area, all designed by PDG. This event will take place on Saturday, October 3^rd and Sunday, October 4^th from 12 Noon – 5 PM.  On Sunday, there will be a reception to follow at UPH from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.  For a listing of homes and directions, click here.  This tour is also part of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association Green Buildings Open House – a national tour of sustainable designed homes throughout northeast. Please visit NESEA website for more information.

Phinney Design Group is a multi-disciplinary Architecture, Interior Design and Green Building Consulting firm with a focus on sustainable and environmentally sensitive construction methods for both custom residential and commercial design. The firm recently received accolades for the design of the first United States Green Building Council LEED certified project in the Adirondack Park—the Bio-Building at the Wild Center/Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks.

Advance ticket price will be $35 and can be reserved until 5PM Friday, Oct. 2nd ($45 tickets can be purchased at any of the homes on either day of the tour) and proceeds will benefit Universal Preservation Hall. Tickets may be purchased online at our website or by contacting Mary Beth McGarrahan via email or by phone.

Mark Klein

A headliner at comedy clubs throughout the United States for the past 30 years, Mark Klein is “king of the one night stand-ups,” according to GQ Magazine. He has been featured on “48 Hours” and in Forbes Magazine and has appeared on such network television broadcasts as A&E Comedy on the Road, Showtime: Comedy Club, and Comedy Central. As the CorpJester, he has entertained countless Fortune 500 companies, business conventions, trade shows, and cruise ship passengers with his family-friendly brand of humor.

The opening act will be the wonderful a cappella group, Vintage 13. The Vintage 13, former members of the Colgate 13, the fourth oldest collegiate a cappella singing group in America, has reunited after 40 years to sing a repertoire guaranteed to delight any audience.

This will be a fundraiser for Universal Preservation Hall, Saratoga’s historic center for the arts, events and community. All net proceeds go to fund the operations of our unique performance venue. Tickets are $20 a person and may be purchased in advance by calling the office (518) 584-2627 or by mailing your check to our address. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Nacre, the capital district’s newest dance performance organization, will present an afternoon of modern dance on Sunday August 9th, 2009 at 4pm. The evening will open with Doris Humphrey’s “Air for the G String.” This piece of music was a favorite of Humphrey’s since childhood and the inspiration behind the choreography. “Air for the G String” premiered at the opening performance of the Humphrey/Weidman Company in 1928 in New York City. Other highlights of the evening will be live vocal accompaniment for Donald McKayle’s “Rainbow ‘round my Shoulder” featuring Garland Nelson from Soul Session. The original 1959 piece explored the experience of men on chain gangs in the American South. The piece was adapted as an etude (short study) in 1996 by The American Dance Legacy Institute and is taught to young dancers around our nation. For the summer of 2009, Jim May (former dancer for Anna Sokolow) reconstructed Anna Sokolow’s Session for Six which was created in 1958. The piece which is set to the music of Argentinean composer, William Catanzaro, “…depicts at once the gaiety and swagger of youth, with the dancers spinning self-absorbed in solitary circles.” Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post, 1997. Other featured works include original works or works inspired by pioneering American Modern dance choreographer, Ted Shawn, Isadora Duncan, and David Parsons. The evening will also feature the work “Still/Flowing” created by Nacre’s 2008-09 guest choreographer Vanessa Paige Swanson, Artistic Director of Soundance in Brooklyn, NY. Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $12.00 for senior citizens and students. Tickets can be purchased in advance on line or by calling Mary Beth McGarrahan at 518-584-2627. Tickets may also be purchased the afternoon of the performance. For more information on Nacre, call 518-435-0510 or visit Nacre’s website at www.nacredance.com.

Nacre Dance Company will hold an open rehearsal for the public on Tuesday, August 4th from 9am –12pm. This open rehearsal is in preparation for an afternoon of modern dance to be presented at The Universal Preservation Hall on Sunday, August 9th at 4pm. Pieces include original works or works inspired by modern dance legends Isadora Duncan, Ted Shawn, Doris Humphrey, Anna Sokolow, Donald McKayle, David Parsons and Nacre’s 2009 guest choreographer Vanessa Paige Swanson. A $5.00 donation will be collected. Tickets can be purchased in advance on line at www.universalpreservationhall.org or by calling Mary Beth McGarrahan at 518-584-2627. Tickets may also be purchased the day of the rehearsal. For more information on Nacre, call 518-435-0510 or visit Nacre’s website at www.nacredance.com.

Looking for a committed relationship?
Wondering how to make irresistible first impressions on a date?

Come meet and listen to Rachel Greenwald, author of Find a Husband After 35 (Using What I Learned at Harvard Business School) and New York Times Best Seller. Rachel’s new book just came out in April, entitled Why He Didn’t Call You Back (1,000 Men Reveal What They Really Thought About You After Your Date). Rachel’s background as a renowned dating expert includes appearances on numerous national TV shows (NBC Today Show, CNN, Fox News, CBS Early Show, Nightline, ABC News, etc.), and features in dozens of women’s magazines (O Magazine, Fortune, People, US Weekly, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, etc.) and major newspapers (NY Times “Style” section, NY Post, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Denver Post, etc.)

The event will be on Thursday, July 23, 2009 from 5 – 9 PM and both men and women will find the lecture helpful and informative as Rachel will be answering questions about why both men and women lose interest after a date, what you can do about it, and how to find the right partner. Agenda for the evening will be:

Business Showcase 5 – 6:30 PM

Lecture 6:30 – 8 PM

Business Showcase and book signing 8 – 9 PM

Tickets are $30 per person and include a complimentary glass of wine. You may purchase tickets by calling Mary Beth McGarrahan at (518) 584-2627 or online (reference “Women’s Event” when completing the form). Hors d’oeuvres and cash bar are available. Rachel will be signing books at the conclusion of the event. We encourage you to advance purchase your book(s) when purchasing your ticket as only a limited number of books will be available on-site. As an added bonus, for every advance book purchase, a portion of the sale will be donated back to UPH so get your order in by the end of the day of July 14. Both advance tickets and books can be picked up at the sign-in table. Click here for “Save The Date” announcement.

Book prices for Find a Husband After 35 (Using What I Learned at Harvard Business School) are $22.95 for hardcover and Why He Didn’t Call You Back (1,000 Men Reveal What They Really Thought About You After Your Date) hardcover is $24.00.

Business Showcase vendor tables are still available for $100 and we encourage all business owners to join us as it’s a great opportunity to showcase your products and services.

We gratefully acknowledge our Sponsors and hope you will visit their websites and support their businesses.

SaratogaArtsFest 2009 is a four-day celebration of the arts from June 11-14, featuring music, dance, visual art, film, theatre, and literary art. Take part in this dynamic showcase of the arts, now in its third year, by attending one of the many events being hosted throughout the city.

We are proud to be hosting two days of events here at the Hall. Saturday, we will have The Trilaterus Trio performing from 7:00 – 8:00 PM (admission is $10 or FREE with ARTSPASS). The trio mostly performs the chamber music of Ron Wasserman, the group’s bassist, but also has a repertoire that includes arrangements of various composers from a variety of genres, including Astor Piazzolla, Stephane Grappelli, Tchaikovsky, Bolling, and Charles Mingus. Sunday, will be a performance from the Albany Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet from 2:30 – 3:30 PM (admission is $10 or FREE with ARTSPASS).

Please see the ArtsFests schedule for more details.