All Over Albany

The week ahead

Here are a few things to keep in mind, look forward to, or keep busy with this week, from the weather (not bad at all), to film, to radio drama, to hoops, to speakers, to the Victorian Streetwalk, to ice skating, to music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:

Monday: Sunny and 41.

Tuesday: Cloudy, rainy. 40.

Wednesday: Cloudy, rainy. 50.

Thursday: Some sun, maybe some snow in the morning. Mid 40s.

Friday: Sunny and 45.

Weekend: Sun, mid 40s.

Not bad at all!

Film

Goodfellas at The Palace
Monday: The Palace's movie series is screening Goodfellas. Monday 7 pm - $5

Can You Dig This
Thursday: The Linda is hosting a screening of the documentary Can You Dig This. Blurbage:

As part of an urban gardening movement taking root in South LA, people are planting to transform their neighborhoods and are changing their own lives in the process. Calling for people to put down their guns and pick up their shovels, these "gangster gardeners" are creating an oasis in the middle of one of the most notoriously dangerous places in America. CAN YOU DIG THIS follows the inspirational journeys of four unlikely gardeners, discovering what happens when they put their hands in the soil.

The screening is presented by Capital Roots. Thursday 7 pm - $10

Us and the Game Industry
Thursday: The Opalka Gallery at the Sage Albany campus is showing the documentary Us and the Game Industry. Blurbage: "This documentary film explores the motivations and processes of computer game designers at the frontier of experimental game development." Thursday 6:30 pm - free

Stage

A Christmas Story, The Musical
Tuesday: Capital Rep's production of A Christmas Story, The Musical continues. It's based on the now-famous film. Tuesday-Sunday various times - $20 and up

It's A Wonderful Life radio drama
Tuesday: The Immediate Theatre Project will be at Proctors for a production of Live From WVL Radio Theatre: It's A Wonderful Life in the GE Theater. Blurbage:

This fresh new adaptation of the film is set in the fictional studio of WVL Radio Theatre, which is struggling to stay on the air one snowy winter's night. The professional voice actors are unable to get to the studio, but the show must go on--and so a small but intrepid band of employees manages to create the story's dozens of characters and scenes using just their voices and some everyday household items for sound effects.

Tuesday 7:30 pm - $35

Hoops

Tuesday: The UAlbany women's basketball team -- four-time defending America East champs, and coming off a close loss at #4 Tennessee -- take on Providence at SEFCU Arena. Tuesday 7 pm - $5 and up

Arts and sciences

Elyn Saks
Wednesday: Elyn Saks -- an USC law professor who won a McArthur "genius" grant for her work advocating for people with mental illness -- will be at Skidmore for a talk. Saks suffers from schizophrenia, and she'll be talking about her journey to becoming a law professor and advocate. Wednesday 7 pm, Filene Recital Hall - free

On Screen/Sound
Wednesday: The On Screen/Sound series at EMPAC wraps up its season will a look at transforming musicals from stage to screen. London-based artist Cally Spooner will present the EMPAC-produced musical And You Were Wonderful, On Stage. And there will also be a screening of the 1933 musical Gold Diggers of 1933. Wednesday 7 pm - $6

TEDxAlbany

Thursday: TEDxAlbany -- the locally-organized version of the popular TED talks series -- will be back at Overit in Albany. Here's the list of speakers for this year. Thursday 8:30 am-4:30 pm - $90 (pre-registration required), includes breakfast and lunch

Victorian Streetwalk

Thursday: The Victorian Streetwalk returns to downtown Saratoga Springs. Broadway will be closed from Route 50 to Spring Street for entertainment, refreshments, business open houses, and people in Victorian costumes. Thursday 5-10 pm- free

Skating on the plaza

Friday: The ice skating rink at the Empire State Plaza is scheduled to open (weather permitting). And it's a free skate rental day. Friday (and on through the season) 11 am-8 pm - free to skate

Music

Wednesday: Leftover Salmon at The Egg
"Originators of the Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass genre." 7:30 pm - $34.50

Thursday: Vanessa Carlton at Troy Music Hall
One of the videos of "A Thousand Miles" has 92 million views on Youtube. 7:30 pm - $27 and up

Thursday: Mary Halvorson + Colin Marston at EMPAC
Jazz guitarist + metal guitarist. 8 pm - $18

Thursday: The Sword at Upstate Concert Hall
Rock. With: Royal Thunder. 8 pm - $18 ahead / $20 day of

Thursday: Anais Mitchell at Caffe Lena
Folk. With: Bridget Kearney & Benjamin Lazar Davis. 7 pm - $22

Friday: It's a Jazzy Christmas! A Celebration of Vince Guaraldi's Holiday Jazz Music at The Massry Center
Popular annual show. 6 pm - $20 / $20 students / under 5 free (ticket required)

Friday/Saturday: Jackie Greene at Helsinki Hudson
Roots rock. 9 pm both nights - $25 and up

Friday: Eric Owens at Troy Music Hall
Operatic bass-baritone. 8 pm - $25 and up

Friday: Cassidy and the Music at The Linda
From Antigone Rising. 8 pm - $18

Friday: Ball in the House at Caffe Lena
A cappella. 8 pm - $18

Saturday: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at The Egg
Soul. (And they'll be playing some new Christmas tunes.) 7:30 pm - $34.50 and up

Saturday: San Fermin + Sam Amidon at MASS MoCA
Baroque pop + folk. 8 pm - $12 ahead / $18 day of

Saturday: Girls Guns and Glory at The Low Beat
Country. With: The Hawbuckees, Henry's Rifle. 8 pm - $8.38

Saturday: Holiday Toys and Noise at The Hollow
Fundraiser for the Langan School & The Giving Tree Foundation. MIRK, Big Rush, Elsphinx, Stockade Kids, Probing Digit. 7 pm - $10 or unwrapped toy

Sunday: ASO Magic of Christmas at The Palace
Annual Albany Symphony holiday show. 3 pm - adults $28 and up / kids $14 and up

Sunday: Modern Baseball at Upstate Concert Hall
Pop punk. With: Pup, Jeff Rosenstock, Tiny Moving Parts. 7 pm - $15 ahead / $18 day of

To do list

1. December starts on Tuesday, so... December things.

2. Get ready to spin the dreidel. Hanukkah begins Sunday evening (December 6).
____

These are a just a few things for this week, not a comprehensive list. Know of something people should be looking forward to this week? Please share!

The Troy Music Hall, Helsinki Hudson, and Sage advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of the ESP ice skating rink.

photo: Jake Chessum