Joe Donahue

    Samuel D. Hunter’s award-winning and critically acclaimed new play, The Whale, opens tonight at The Charles R. Wood Theater in Glens Fall, NY last night as part of The Adirondack Theatre Festival’s 2014 season. The production is directed by Kristen Van Ginhoven.

Charlie, a 600-lb man is slowly eating himself to an early grave. His caretaker and friend, Liz, has been trying to get Charlie to see a doctor for years, to no avail. Charlie teaches online writing courses from his Idaho apartment; his weight keeps him isolated from the physical world outside. His daughter, Ellie, a teenager who’s pushing against the adults in her life, suddenly shows up at his door. So does Elder Thomas, a young Mormon on his two-year mission. Charlie deals with more than weight issues; issues from his past have brought him to a crisis in the present.

We are joined now by two actors from the production, Timothy Carter who plays Charlie and Brenny Rabine who plays Liz.

  Michelle Delaney is the Director of the Smithsonian’s Consortium for Understanding the American Experience and is the author of the observation that the Catskill Region is not only the Birthplace of American Art, but she says growing research shows that it’s also the Cradle of American Art. Delaney will be speaking tomorrow at 1PM at the Pratt Museum in Prattsville.

Delaney will be giving the Keynote Address for the Pratt Museum’s 2014 Season which is titled: “Big History, Small Museums: Understanding the American Experience through Collaboration.”

The Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings of D. F. Hasbrouck American Impressionist is the new exhibition at The Pratt Museum. Carolyn Bennett, Museum Director is here to tell us about that and big history of THIS small museum.

  Emily Arnold McCully will be reading from her new biography, Ida M. Tarbell: The Woman Who Challenged Big Business – and Won!, at the Chatham Bookstore on Sunday from 2-4.

Born in 1857, Tarbell was one of America’s first investigative journalists, “a fascinating and complex person: quirky, opinionated, reserved, adventurous, independent – a woman proving herself in a man’s world.

Emily Arnold McCully received the Caldecott Medal for Mirette on the High Wire. The illustrator of more than 40 books for young readers, she has a lifelong interest in history and feminist issues and she joins us this morning.

  Today's panelists are WAMC’s Alan Chartock, political activist Libby Post and newsman Ray Graf.

Topics include:
Obama Travel
German CIA Anger
Colorado Race for Women's Vote
Boehner's Lawsuit
Chinese Hackers

  Cuban-American drummer, composer, and bandleader Dafnis Prieto and his globally inspired Si o Si Quartet will perform their mix of Afro-Cuban jazz at PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century on Saturday at 8pm.

Prieto will give an one-hour talk/demonstration on Saturday from 1 to 2pm at the Tracy Memorial Village Hall in Chatham as part of the village’s Summerfest event.

Classically trained in Cuba, his revolutionary drumming techniques has had a powerful impact on the Latin and jazz music scene, locally and internationally. He is a recipient of various awards, including the 2011 MacArthur Fellowship Award.

  Shakespeare’s Macbeth is considered one of the greatest tragedies ever written, overflowing with murder, madness and evil spirits, as it explores the dark side of ambition, greed, and guilt. Macbeth is the play most requested by summer audiences at Saratoga Shakespeare Company.

Saratoga Shakespeare’s production of Macbeth will run in Congress Park July 15th-27th. Joining to tell us more – actors Tim Dugan (Macbeth), Amy Prothro (Lady Macbeth) and Artistic Director of Saratoga Shakespeare Company, Lary Opitz.

  Shawn Stone, the Arts Editor of Metroland, lets us know what is coming to area stages and screens this week.

  The Sterling and Francine Clark Institute in Williamstown re-opened on the Fourth of July after being closed since March for a major construction project over a decade in the making.

The Clark houses a noted collection of 18th and 19th century artwork. The $145 million project includes a new building, another building rebuilt and a complete rethinking of the Clark’s 140-acre campus, with three new reflecting pools, 2 miles of hiking paths and more than 1,000 new trees.

And then there is the amazing art. To tell us more we welcome Clark Director Michael Conforti and senior curator Richard Rand.

  Today's panelists are WAMC’s Alan Chartock, Political Activist Libby Post and Daily Freeman Publisher Emeritus, Ira Fusfeld.

Topics include:
Obama on Border
Off Label Drugs
Chinese Hackers
Nagin to Prison
Detroit Art

  This morning we will discuss the very sexy topic of inferential software. Our Tech Guru, Jesse Feiler, is here to help answer the question – is it worth it to spend $250 bucks just to turn on the lights?

Jesse Feiler is an app developer, consultant, trainer, and author. His latest book is: iOS App Development for Dummies. His apps include Minutes Machine the iPad-based app for managing meetings, agendas, and minutes; and Saranac River Trail app.