Answering the challenge issued by entertainment venues across Western New York, Artpark officials have opened their minds — and wallets — to present what they think is one of the Lewiston venue’s best calendars to date.
In formally announcing the park’s schedule Wednesday, Artpark President George Osborne cited increased competition this summer from the Seneca Nation’s casinos in Niagara Falls and Salamanca, as well as the new concert series in North Tonawanda to compete with the Molson series, which moved from NT to Lockport.
“It’s pushed us to a position to where we’ve had to pay a little more money than we did in the past,” said Osborne, citing one example where Artpark had a verbal agreement to have Peter Frampton perform there, only to have the Seneca Nation double the offer and entice him to Salamanca. “I think we’ve got a great schedule, but it wasn’t easy getting there.”
The season kicks off in high gear with Bret Michaels’ “Rock of Love” tour coming to town June 3. With Trisha Yearwood and Three Dog Night playing the two subsequent weeks, Osborne feels the Tuesday in the Park series has become the park’s main attraction and serves many residents.
“Tuesday in the Park came off and really became our premier series. We felt that we needed to make certain that we serve all ages of our population because it is a state park,” he said.
The park’s reach is further expanded with activities for both age extremes. Family Weekend events will feature numerous kid-friendly activities throughout July and August, while the return of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and mainstream acts like Michael McDonald and Kansas will ensure that older generations are again well-represented. Family Movie Night in August is a new attraction to draw youngsters in, as are national acts Gov’t Mule and moe.
Music-lovers won’t be the only people represented this summer. Art in the Park will feature professional artists plying their trades weekday afternoons, including comic art, ceramics and wood sculpture. Artists will also give the park’s picnic tables a makeover June 28-29 when they will be painted in a variety of themes, such as being set for a picnic.
The move is part of the park’s effort to recreate its past, wherein activities took place all day long.
“We’d like to create that atmosphere again so we can become more of a tourist destination,” he said.
Also new this summer is the Outdoor Sculpture Competition, which features eight works that will be on display from May 29-Sept. 15 at the park. Juror Robert L. Wood of Buffalo State College will name a winner, who will receive a $2,500 grand prize.
Artpark is once again stepping up its musical effort for this season, as “Beauty and the Beast” will be staged in August. Osborne and other Artpark officials spent a good part of their winter recruiting talent for the production, including auditioning more than 800 performers in New York City.
Artpark made the move two years to mainly equity actors, Osborne said, which has helped increased attendance as the quality has improved. Attendance of last year’s musical, “Aida,” increased 79 percent from 2006’s musical, while overall park attendance was up 138 percent from 2002 to more than 220,000 visitors.
“If we’re gong to spend the kind of money we’re now spending on musicals, we need to present shows that are bigger than the community theaters do,” said Osborne, who emphasized that Artpark produced its own musicals. “By being a producing theater, we have a much bigger impact on the local economy. Most people involved live in Erie and Niagara County.”
In conjunction with the musical, Artpark will host a theater camp July 21-25 to be led by Niagara University associate theater director Doug Zschiegner. Young actors will work with cast members and stage their own show while getting to see a matinee of “Beauty and the Beast.” That camp will be complemented by three art camps in July that will delve into themes such as painting, drawing and clay work.
In Osborne’s eight previous seasons at Artpark, the venue has generated a small profit seven times, which is poured back into the following season’s shows. Despite that, the park’s main goal is to break even while best serving the public.
“The only thing we need to have a smash season is good weather,” he said. “The role of a state park is to serve the community.”
May
* WEDNESDAY: “Arthur Live!” at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
June
* 3: Bret Michaels “Rock of Love” Tour
* 10: Trisha Yearwood
* 17: Three Dog Night
* 24: America
* 28-29: Picnic Table Art
July
* 1: David Clayton-Thomas
* 8: Kansas
* 8-31: Art in the Park
* 9: moe.
* 12-13: Family Weekend
* 12: BPO’s By George, By Gershwin
* 13: BPO’s The All-American Sousa
* 15: Blue Rodeo
* 16: Cajun Festival
* 19-20: Family Weekend
* 19: BPO’s From Mozart to Bernstein
* 20: BPO’s Native American Celebration
* 22: Michael McDonald
* 23: Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
* 25: BPO’s Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3
* 26-27: Family Weekend
* 26: BPO’s Tchaikovsky Spectacular
* 27: BPO’s Cirque Capriccio
* 28: Artie Shaw tribute featuring the Sal Andolina Big Band
* 29: Gov’t Mule
* 30: Sam Roberts Band
August
* 1-22: Art in the Park
* 1: BPO’s The Tango Returns
* 2-3: Family Weekend
* 2: BPO’s An Evening with the Neglia Ballet
* 3: BPO’s A Salute to John Williams
* 5: Dickey Betts and Great Southern
* 6: Walter Trout with Watermelon Slim
* 11: Family Movie Night: “The Sandlot” at 8:30 p.m.
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