ArtsRock to Bring Lewis Black, Bernie Williams to Town

Nyack's ArtsRock is following up its inaugural season with another line-up of music, comedy and conversation.

ArtsRock is kicking off their fall/winter season with some big names, including comedian extraordinaire Lewis Black, musician and athlete Bernie Williams, and the impressive American Brass Quintet.

They will also be local acts and interactive games, like The Bossy Frog and Sukey Molloy and the free Hula Hoop Festival.

ArtsRock was begun in 2009 by a core group of local professionals who had all been involved with Riverspace in one capacity or another.

"After three years of success in the heart of Nyack, we felt the need to come together and keep the arts vibrant in all of Rockland County," said ArtsRock Artistic Director Elliott Forrest. "We continue to offer the community a diversity of quality, affordable and accessible programming. Not having our own dedicated space might have been a challenge, but it has many advantages. We get to offer quality performing arts throughout the entire county."

Traveling the county from Nyack to Suffern, season two performances will take place at the Cultural Arts Center at Rockland Community College, the historic Lafayette Theatre in downtown Suffern and various venues throughout Nyack, including the Nyack Center, The First Reform Church and the Nyack BOCES
Ritterhausen Theater.

"Depending on the venue and the performance we try to mix and match the performances so that each one is offered in the optimal setting," said ArtsRock Managing Director Dara Falco.

ArtsRock is sponsored by the Friends of the Nyacks, an investement they've glad to make, officials said.

"Friends of the Nyacks' mission is both to improve the quality of life in the Nyacks and to nourish the artistic endeavors of its residents," explained Deborah Darbone, past Chairperson and current member of the Steering Committee of Friends of the Nyacks. "Our support of Arts Rock is a natural outgrowth of that mission." 

"It is a privilege to nuture an organization like ArtsRock which offers so much promise for a rich artistic and cultural future for all of the Nyacks and for Rockland County," she added.

The season officially begins with the re-scheduled free Hula Hoop Festival in Memorial Park on Saturday, Oct. 2 followed by "Lewis Black in Conversation" on Monday, Oct. 11. October's events will conclude with "An Evening with Bernie Williams on Guitar" Saturday, Oct. 23.

Bringing in cheer for the holidays, the American Brass Quintet—now in their 50 season—will play festive music at The First Reformed Church of Nyack in December.

(World-class Ragtime musician Bob Milne played there last month).

The holiday performances also include family favorites Sukey Molloy and Jeffrey Friedberg and the Bossy Frog, both offering shows that will amuse the kids and parents alike.

Keep your eyes on the ArtsRock website to see what's around the corner for the full Winter Season. Forrest notes other performances will include conversations with Alec Baldwin and Sigourney Weaver, a dance extravaganza with Chiku Awali and the ever-popular Irish group Cherish The Ladies.

"We are very excited moving into our second season and hope to draw supporters of the arts from all throughout Rockland County, and beyond," Forrest said.

For more information, e-mail info@artsrock.org. For tickets, call (866) 811-4111.

The line-up:

Hula Hoop Festival

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 2
• Time: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Location: Memorial Park
• Price: Free

Lewis Black in Conversation with ArtsRock Artistic Director Elliott Forrest

• Date: Monday, Oct. 11
• Time: 8 p.m.
• Location: Rockland Community College, 145 College Road, Suffern.
• Price: Tickets: $35 and $25
• Premium Tickets $75 (includes Front Row Seats and an after party with Black)

An Evening with Bernie Williams in Concert

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 23
• Time: 8 p.m.
• Location: Lafayette Theatre, 97 Lafayette Avenue, Suffern.
• Price: Premium seating $100.00; $75.00; $60.00; $40.00. VIP tickets available

Sukey Molloy & the Winter Holiday Show!

• Date: Saturday, Dec. 4
• Time: 11 a.m.
• Location: Nyack BOCES
Ritterhausen Theater 
(Old Nyack High School), 131 North Midland, Nyack
• Price: $12 advance, and $15 at the door

 American Brass Quintet

• Date: Monday, Dec. 6
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Location: The First Reformed Church, 18 South Broadway, Nyack     
• Price: $25

The Bossy Frog Band: The Really Big Show

• Date: Thursday, Dec. 30
• Time: 1o a.m.
• Location: Lafayette Theatre, 97 Lafayette Avenue, Suffern.
• Price: $12 advance, and $15 at the door