Once again the newest stage in town is ready to launch the theatre season of plays and musicals for the remainder of 2023 at the CNY Arts Center in the heart of downtown Fulton holding out for a moment to finalize one musical.  With a second performance stage for smaller plays and entertainment options in our Black Box Theater, located on the lower level. The main stage season will host the larger cast musicals and  plays, with classical drama and popular shows, movie specials as well as film events with a state of the art movie projector system. While the Black Box theatre space in the lower level will produce smaller one act productions, along with other shows or specials.

Finishing off 2023 with two very amazing shows.  

"Sweeney Todd has become a bloody, worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony's, (including Best Musical), for its Broadway premiere. Stephen Sondheim's and Hugh Wheeler's (A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures) tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed and delighted audiences across the world.

An infamous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which, he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett's luck sharply shifts when Todd's thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up... and the carnage has only just begun!"  Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 1979 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler. It is based on the 1970 play Sweeney Todd by Christopher Bond. This is a musical concert like no other. Prepare to be enchanted by the gripping narrative and mesmerizing performances that bring the tale of Sweeney Todd to life. The haunting melodies and captivating lyrics of Sweeney Todd will transport you to the dark alleys of Victorian London, immersing you in the sinister tale of the demon barber.

Directed by Janie Wainwright, Musical Directed by Dan Williams , Costumes by Tracy Edson

Show dates are Friday and Saturday October 27 & 28that 7:30 pm, Sunday October 29th @ 2 pm, Friday and Saturday November 3 & 4that 7:30 pm and the final showing  Sunday November 5th @ 2 pm. This production will be held at the City of Fulton’s Educational Center on their exquisite stage for the perfect paring of the setting of the play and the authenticity of the stage for this production. Located at 167 S 4th Street, Fulton NY 13069

Tickets are available online $22 each.  This is an Adult rated play and is not recommended for children under 16. Anyone 16 & 17 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

The season will round out with “Babes in Toyland” A new version, first produced in 1975 by the Light Opera of Manhattan with the support of the Victor Herbert Foundation, is more sentimental than the original. Two unhappy children, Jane and Alan, run away from home. Their parents, who are always putting work and discipline before fun, are too busy for them, so the young siblings set out for a place where they will be understood. The children believe that Toyland, a magical land of spirited toys, will deliver them from their hardships. When they arrive, the kindly Toymaker welcomes them with open arms. He warns them not to become too caught up in the fantasy, but soon the toys of Toyland draw them in with their singing and dancing.

The busy parents must find a way to bring the young runaways back home. They send a private eye to search for their children, but this detective sees an opportunity for personal gain in his trip to Toyland; he forces Jane and Alan to help him steal the Toymaker's plans for a new marching toy soldier. When the parents arrive in Toyland via hot air balloon, they too fall under the spell of the mystical land. Arguments break out, toys are wounded, and Jane and Alan get lost and frightened in the dark woods outside of Toyland. As the parents and toys search for the children, the characters and audience alike discover the true meaning of Christmas.  A perfect sentiment to the true meaning of Christmas.   Directed by Don Crow, Co Directed by Jay Merante, Musical Directed by Dan Williams, Choreography by Kami Greenleaf, costumes by Tracy Edson.  Show dates will be Friday and Saturday December 8th & 9th, 15th & 16th at 7:00 pm Sunday December 10th & 17th  @ 3 pm.

This production will be held at “The Art Scene” in the newly renovated space at the CNY Arts Center, made possible by the DRI grant.    Come check out the new space and changes with this Holiday Musical featuring casts of all ages.

“Our 2024 theater season will be announced shortly. ”Announced Bonnie McClellan, Interim Executive Director.   “As we have become an anchor for the downtown entertainment, we are working hard to fill the needs and desire for everyone to participate and be entertained alike as we finalize every last production.”  “As we are not the only theater group in the area, we like to be mindful of other shows that people might want to see, and as there are only so many weekends to choose from, we are trying not to overlap exact show dates so that we can give everyone the opportunity to see it all!” 

“Collaborating efforts with other theater groups is a win-win, if the Art Center has something that is not being used at that moment that will make their production better.  They are willing to loan/rent out some things upon request, such as lights, or simple sound equipment like cordless mics, and costumes, we have full sets of costumes for some productions, or one or two costumes that a theater group might be missing, including props and backgrounds. Since the theatrical community is not huge in this area, many actors or directors, even technical hands often cross paths and work within multiple theater groups, depending on what their desire might be to act or participate in, making the connection possible to know where to get something.” 

“The Arts Center is especially excited to be able to reach out to the youth in the community to give them a place to learn and hone their much desired craft, it is amazing the amount of confidence that one child can gather over just a few short classes of being on stage, and walking out of their comfort zone.”  “This not only gives them confidence on stage, but off and this they will carry on through life.”  “Developing our youth now will take them places in the future.”She concluded.

Installation of a new LED stage lighting system was completed back in 2019 at the CNY Arts Center located at 121 Cayuga St in downtown Fulton. With funding from a New York State Council on the Arts grant, the state-of-the-art light ‘package’ includes LED stage lights in a variety of sizes and features that are expected to greatly reduce the heat and energy use from traditional tungsten stage lights while offering a broader range of design capabilities. Syracuse Scenery and Stage Lighting designed and installed the new system for the Arts Center.

2019 quote - “This is a very exciting time for the Arts Center and for our theatre folks,” said Nancy Fox, Executive Director. “It is rare for a small theatre to house this kind of lighting and it was only possible for us through this state grant. The lights make a major difference onstage. Many of the lights are really small but powerful. They do not generate the heat that takes a toll on the actors and heats up the theatre.” 

"There are things these lights will do that we have barely begun to explore for special effects and color spectrum and flexibility. We are very excited to see what the possibilities are and to deliver our audiences a truly professional experience. This system will carry us into literally a brighter future for everything we do onstage.”

The new Interim Executive Director, Bonnie McClellan stated “The lighting system will be reinstalled after the renovations of the DRI Grant project is completed of raising the roof and surrounding walls to create a much larger and more functional space for theatrical productions starting with our Holiday play in December of Babes in Toyland.”  “The LED Lights will be a little higher, allowing for actors to be showcased better and have more head room to move, since the one side of the stage was rather low all of the lights were hung according to the available space, now with the new height, expanding upwards of 8 feet these lights will be out of the actors way to allow them the freedom on stage to perform more freely.”  “The performers and directors alike are very excited for this change.

Babes in Toyland runs for two weekends with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 and Sunday matinees at 3pm. For more information or tickets visit www.CNYArtsCenter.com or call 315-598-ARTS(2787).

Monique Harrison displays her original handmade art at a recent outdoor Arts Market held weekly at the Arts Center. Monique has grown from teenage volunteer to teaching artist and director of the annual summer Arty Camp. 

 In 2011, Nancy Fox put an ad in the Fulton Daily News inviting anyone from the community to attend a meeting in a church basement. She had decided that her town was in desperate need of an Arts Center – an idea that took many by surprise. “An arts center in Fulton?” many people asked, to which she replied: “Why not?” Despite some early skepticism, 14 people attended that first meeting. In addition to developing the resources to promote a diverse range of artistic opportunities, their efforts were focused on a core problem: how do you mobilize a community to form an arts center when most residents had never interacted with one before?

          The fact was that Fulton was already facing a number of important challenges. Nearly a decade had passed since the Nestle plant had closed, and no other industry had emerged to replace it. Economically, the situation is still a difficult one. As Fox put it, “We have a lot of hurting people.” But what Fox understood was that the challenges Fulton was facing were reasons for an arts center – not against. “Being involved in arts means using problem solving and creative thinking which are essential for every path or career in life,” Fox says. “Getting people involved in the arts leads to people making changes in their lives.”

            Despite having a background in theater and a drive to expand her idea, Fox did not have much experience building up an organization in the way that she wanted to expand the CNY Arts Center. In 2015, she reached out to the Gifford Foundation. “Gifford embraced us and gave us opportunities, not just via grants but also through programs like POWER which helped our board come together and function better.” The POWER program (People & Organizations With Energy & Resilience) is a 12 month capacity building initiative designed to assist grassroots organizations in building their internal capacity and resiliency; Nancy Fox participated in the first POWER program ever to be offered.

           The POWER program aims to increase the strength and operating capacity of small selected nonprofits by connecting them with consultants, offering the opportunity for a self-assessment, and providing regular coaching and support. When Fox had to step aside for six weeks to deal with a family illness, the POWER program was able to provide the resources and support needed to help the organization figure out a way to continue to function smoothly even when its director was not present. Part of this meant ensuring that the CNY Arts Center had assembled an active, functional, and diverse board. Sure enough, the organization was able to continue growing during Nancy’s absence. “From the beginning,” said Fox, “Gifford was a wonderful resource.”

           The CNY Arts Center also participated in Gifford’s Story Growing initiative, which connected them with Daylight Blue Media and other consultants who helped tell their story. Together, they put together a video entitled “Fulton’s Future” which explored the impact of The Center on the Fulton community as a whole and the importance of participation in the arts. “Whether it’s a character on stage, a piece of music, or a painting – you’ve created change in your life,” says Fox in the video, “And if you can change one little part of your life, hey – there’s hope to change more.” As Fulton continues to evolve, those involved with The Center hope that the arts will bring people together and be a new and important component of town’s identity.

           Nancy Fox still serves as the Director of The Center, which is now moving into and renovating a 7,000 square foot space in downtown Fulton. The previously abandoned space is now home to a broad range of creative endeavors, including theater, painting classes, writing workshops, children’s programs, and organized efforts to brighten up the city by adding parks and working on home improvement projects. As Fox put it, “We help people find the areas they are passionate about and start improving them.” The positive effects of the CNY Arts Center are not just aesthetic. By moving into a more central location, it is better positioned to serve as a hub and economic driver for the downtown area. As people are drawn in and participate in The Center’s events, they find themselves within walking distance of the local restaurants and shops located nearby.

           For many residents of Fulton, the CNY Arts Center can provide the impetus to tackle long-standing aspirations, or projects that have been postponed for too long. Fox emphasizes that “It’s not just for kids – we work hard to make sure that adults get involved too.” One participant who had worked for years as a cake decorator got involved with The Center with the hopes of learning to paint and improving her writing skills. Today, she is still actively enrolled in painting classes and is about to publish her third book. She also writes a regular column for the Fulton newspaper.

          The CNY Arts Center has grown significantly over the past eight years and now has a team of staff and volunteers totaling between 40 and 50 people. They also have plans to expanding the number of paid employees instead of relying mainly on volunteer assistance. The success of this project offers clear proof that the arts have a strong and meaningful role to play in rural communities – not only in urban ones. We are excited to see how The Center will continue to grow and make use of its new home.

Installation of a new LED stage lighting system has been completed at the new CNY Community Arts Center located at 121 Cayuga St in downtown Fulton. With funding from a New York State Council on the Arts grant, the state-of-the-art light ‘package’ includes LED stage lights in a variety of sizes and features that are expected to greatly reduce the heat and energy use from traditional tungsten stage lights while offering a broader range of design capabilities. Syracuse Scenery and Stage Lighting designed and installed the new system for the Arts Center.

“This is a very exciting time for the Arts Center and for our theatre folks,” said Nancy Fox, Executive Director. “It is rare for a small theatre to house this kind of lighting and it was only possible for us through this state grant. The lights make a major difference onstage. Many of the lights are really small but powerful. They do not generate the heat that takes a toll on the actors and heats up the theatre. 

"There are things these lights will do that we have barely begun to explore for special effects and color spectrum and flexibility. We are very excited to see what the possibilities are and to deliver our audiences a truly professional experience. This system will carry us into literally a brighter future for everything we do onstage.”

The new lighting system will debut with the opening of Blithe Spirit running September 27-29 and October 4-6. “Blithe Spirit is a perfect production to launch the new system with calls for ghostly scenes and special effects, a broad range of lighting from day to evening, moods and supernatural happenings,” Fox continued. “We will be exploring the possibilities of this new system with each production. I just can’t wait for everyone to see it!”

Blithe Spirit runs for two weekends with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 and Sunday matinees at 3pm. For more information or tickets visit www.CNYArtsCenter.com or call 315-598-ARTS(287).

The newest stage in town is ready to launch the theatre season of plays and musicals for 2020 at the Community Arts Center in the heart of downtown Fulton along with a second performance stage for smaller plays and entertainment options. Based on a theme of “New Beginnings” the mainstage season will host 4 musicals and 2 plays, with classical drama and popular shows while the Black Box theatre space in the lower level will produce 3 smaller one act productions.

The year begins with the debut of the Black Box theatre and a production of Keely and Du, a hard hitting drama for adults only concerning abortion rights and the confusion that surrounds the conversation. Keely and Du takes a human inspection of both sides in a non-dictating approach that stimulates dialogue and introspection for audience members. The play is directed by Nancy Fox who last directed Keely and Du at Syracuse University Drama with Laura Austin Allyn and Carolyn Fitzgerald in the title roles. Auditions are November 8 and 9 for Keely and Du which runs January 10-19.

Ghost the Musical kicks off the mainstage 2020 season as a Valentine offering February 14-23. The cult movie of the same name has an endearing musical score that carries the theme of partner love and loss and starting over no matter how tragic the loss. The production is co-directed by Adam Schmidtmann and Liz Walton.

Children of Eden ushers in the Easter season March 27-April 5 and delivers a powerful score and lessons of parents letting go to allow for new beginnings. The production will feature a cast of children in the role of animals in both the creation and in the Ark story alongside a strong ensemble and team of principle actors and musicians. The production is under the direction of Nancy Fox and Dan Williams with auditions scheduled for October 26 & 27. Music rehearsals will start in late December. 

The New Beginnings theme continues with the annual Jr production chosen this year as Disney’s Frozen Jr where siblings learn to embrace challenges while facing fears. The production for kids ages 7-18 who are still in school is under the direction of Adam Schmidtmann and runs May 8-17.

The summer family production this year takes a turn away from music to a classic drama, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. with a large cast of adults and children. The beloved story demonstrates how some new beginnings take us out of our comfort zones and expands our worlds. The production under the direction of Nancy Fox will run August 7-16.

Fall 2020 will bring the classic Shakespearean tale of The Tragedy of Macbeth directed by Chad Lewis, confronting the evils and demons that forced Macbeth to a new beginning, beyond his control. The production will feature live action and combat with swords and knives, authentic period costumes and set, running September 25-October 4.

The season rounds out with Elf, the beloved Christmas musical and Buddy’s search for his real beginnings. The movie turned stage musical is in limited release to local theatres only through December 2020 before it will be restricted to professional and touring companies again. The production directed by Don Crowe will run December 11-20 and features a cast of all ages.

“We are excited to offer this new year of live entertainment for the region. As an anchor for downtown entertainment and family attractions, we have chosen strong theatrical pieces that will make the best use of our unique space,” said Nancy Fox, Executive Director, “And we’ve given children more opportunities to be onstage learning from adults or sharing the stage with parents even. We encourage families to audition and get involved in backstage as well as onstage activities associated with each production.

“We have a brand new LED light system with unlimited potential for creative design for each production and some challenging costume designs to create in this season coming up. There is something for everyone and it is a time of new beginnings in many ways.”

CNY Arts Center is pleased to announce two fall grants received in support of educational programming in the new Community Arts Center located at 121 Cayuga St. in downtown Fulton. John Ben Snow Foundation recently awarded the nonprofit organization $7500 for youth programming and events in the 2019/2020 school year and through summer 2020. The Leadership Council of the Oswego County Community Foundation awarded $2000 to finance diverse programming in the Center.

“With our great new space we have so much more room to offer the educational programming and events our mission calls for,” said Nancy Fox, Executive Director. “With these grants we can afford to offer truly low-cost, no-cost opportunities for folks of all ages to find a program or class or event and get involved.

“We have classes in a variety of arts, great opportunities to try out different things and good opportunities to build new relationships, too,” Fox continued. “Our youth program has been in the planning stages for almost a year as an expansion of our successful summer art camp plus added programming with an emphasis on older teens. With these grants we can focus on getting teens and families to find creative, positive affordable activities for everyone.  

“We are so grateful for the recognition from these two foundations who see the need for what we do enough to lend their support. With these funds we can lay a strong foundation of programs and events that will deliver a positive outcome to the community and surrounding region.”

By MIKE LEBOEUF editor@fultonvalleynews.com

 Buzzing with performances, classes, and other activities since opening in February of this year, the new CNY Community Arts Center in Fulton promises even greater community involvement once the rest of the work on the building is completed.

“We would really like to be able to do our grand opening in September,” said Nancy Fox, the center’s executive director. “I think when we finish (the main) floor with all the fancy things, the art and the doors and the floors … people are really going to be blown away by what we have here to work with.”

Located in downtown Fulton at 121 Cayuga St. — the former Herron’s Fabric Store — the CNY Community Arts Center opened just prior to the production of “Little Women” in mid-February. Prior to making the move to the current location, the center’s activities had been held at other sites.

Now in the midst of its eighth year, the CNY Arts Center started out being housed at State Street Methodist Church in Fulton. Classes were held in the basement and theater productions were held in their dining hall. After that, the center shifted its operations to Cayuga Community College. The space offered a 200-seat theater, but it didn’t have classrooms.

While Fox said the center was grateful for the use of those places, there was the hope that a permanent home could be found in which to house the entire program including theatrical and musical performances, art classes, and other activities.

Last year, the center purchased the downtown building. Fulton Savings Bank led the way with a significant donation to help secure the property. They received a $110,000 grant from the Shineman Foundation, and others came on board to help including Pathfinder Bank, Community Bank, National Grid, Huhtamaki, and other businesses and individuals.

CNY Arts Center signed on the property in June at a purchase price of $80,000. That was just the beginning of the financial commitment, because much work was needed in terms of code compliance, handicap accessibility, and fire safety to get everything ready to open to the public. Renovations began in August, and the main work was completed in time to open for “Little Women” in February.

Now, work continues to put the finishing touches on the center in anticipation of a grand-opening celebration.

The next big project is the installation of the wheelchair lift. Fox said that could be ready by the end of this week.

Once that is completed, new vinyl flooring will be put in.

“We have purchased the floor, but we wanted to wait until the wheelchair construction was finished because that’s quite messy. As soon as that’s finished we will be laying the new floor in the downstairs and upstairs as well,” Fox said.

She said that the Sunrise Rotary Club in Fulton is covering the cost of the arching system that will allow art to be hung so art exhibits can be held.

Also, the new theater doors provided by the Noon Rotary Club in Fulton need to be installed. They are heavy doors and require special hinges, she said.

As for the 100-seat theater, it’s practically completed and has already hosted several events.

“We’ve been very busy in here. We’ve already started a full roster of programming. It’s been nonstop since ‘Little Women’ opened in February. We did ‘Beauty and the Beast Jr.’ and a lot of people came to see that. We just had the Tony Monaco Trio, Jazz in the House. The house was just rocking,” Fox said.

As part of a state grant, the center will be getting some hearing-assist devices for those who can benefit from them. “It’s a very intimate theater and it’s not an issue usually, but the music can be loud. We’ll get those devices. I’m hoping that’s here by December. Then this room will essentially be finished just as we get ready to launch our 2020 season,” Fox said.

The center is preparing for its next play, “Once Upon A Mattress,” set for Aug. 2-4 and Aug. 9-11. After those performances are done, another project will begin.

“Part of the state grant was for new LED stage lights. Those will be going in the day after ‘Mattress’ closes,” Fox said. “It’s too close to the start of ‘Mattress’ to do it now and get everybody trained on how to use them. As soon as ‘Mattress’ is over, the old lights will come down and the new lights will be installed. We can’t wait to get our hands on that system and train on them. There are so many things you can do with that.”

Classrooms will be almost completely done once the new flooring is installed. One classroom still needs a sink to be installed, Fox said. All the bathrooms are done.

The biggest project left on the main floor is the kitchen.

“We’re just waiting to work out all the details on some funding sources. We need to do some fundraising toward that. We can move forward on parts of the project,” Fox said.

The biggest chunk of the expense is equipment she said.

TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE, PLEASE GO HERE

The official cast list for Once Upon a Mattress is as followed:

• Princess Winnifred - Joey Tucker

• Prince Dauntless - Arthur Lincoln

• Queen Aggravain- Jessie Essig

• Minstrel- Sabrina Woodward

• King Sextimus- Grant Marriner

• Jester - Aly Barnaba

• Lady Larken- Catherine Castilano

• Sir Harry- Patrick Carman

• Wizard- Kristin Ruth Cook

• Ladies in Waiting- Megan Acker, Bev Poznoski, Ella Greenleaf, and Sheila Kirby

• Princess #12/Nightingale - Alexis Phelps

• Sir Studley/Knight-  Noah Phelps

'If you are interested in being part of the production, please reach out to Jess Tetro via the CNY Community Arts Facebook page or via this website for more information.

After 5 months of rehearsing, more than 30 children, ages 6-18, will step onstage to present Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr. at the new Community Arts Center, 121 Cayuga St in downtown Fulton. The popular Disney musical will run May 10-19 with Friday and Saturday evening performances May 10, 11, 17, & 18 at 7pm and matinees at 2pm on Saturday, May 18 and Sundays, May 12 and 19.

The JR production is an annual event the children look forward to each year and wait excitedly for the announcement of next year’s show. The production is only open to those 18 and under who are in school (or homeschooled). The production team led by Adam Schmidtmann, known affectionately as Mr. Adam, is the same team working together on the Jr show for the last 4 years at CNY Arts Center including JR productions of Seussical, Legally Blonde, Shrek and now Beauty and the Beast. The label notes a moderated version of classic musicals scaled to youthful voices and skill levels to make the material more accessible to the children.

The new Community Arts Center, recently opened after more than 8 months of renovations, houses a theatre smaller than the previous theatre which seated over 100. “Only during Jr shows do we sell out over 100 seats for any one performance,” said Executive Director, Nancy Fox. “So the intimate size of the new theatre is perfect for all other uses. We’ve added an extra performance to the run of the Jr show to accommodate the expected sellout crowds. We encourage advance ticket purchase to avoid being turned away.”  

Tickets are available from any child in the show who will receive a complimentary ticket to share with a guest for every 10 tickets sold. Or visit CNYArtsCenter.com for tickets and more information.

Caption: Beauty and the Beast’s Belle (portrayed by Ally Barnaba) reads to the children and spends time with little princesses during Story Hour at the Fulton Public Library. Beauty and the Beast, Jr will run May 10-19 at the new CNY Community Arts Center in downtown Fulton on 121 Cayuga St. Visit www.CNYArtsCenter.com for tickets and more information.