Pendragon shows off new theater with top-notch farce

A Review by Tim Rowland

It’s not often the director is the star of the show, but Pendragons Theatre’s Noises Off in Saranac Lake is such a rip-roaring, door-slamming, stair-falling, three-dimensional theatrical cacophony that by the end you’ll want to buy director Sarah Norris a drink—and maybe a warm compress.

Perhaps director is the wrong title; zookeeper might be more apt, as this 1970s-era production escalates through three acts to a pinnacle of farcical joy. Don’t even try to keep up. Refrain from leaning over to ask your partner to clarify a line obfuscated by a cockney accent, because you’ll miss the next six. You don’t follow this play, you absorb it, and if you catch a third of the rapid-fire barbs, consider it a win.

Noises Off, known as a play within a play, and the funniest farce ever produced, was the choice of Pendragon Managing Director Michael Aguirre to open the beautiful new space at 56 Woodruff St., after enduring decades in a repurposed automobile repair shop.

Pendragon’s Noises Off bubbles over with 1970s neon clothing, and equally colorful acting from Kelly McCarty’s over-the-top depiction of Brooke Ashton (think a cross between Stormy Daniels and the hairdresser Mona Lisa Vito from My Cousin Vinny) to Christopher Daftsios, who takes his Lloyd Dallas character on a Giuliani-like de-evolution from serious director to boozing and babbling train wreck.

Noises Off runs through July 11, tickets available HERE. 

Come to see the new theater, stay for the show. Both are great. 

Keene Valley Library Announces Rare Harold Weston Art Auction

Beginning June 30, collectors and art enthusiasts will have a rare opportunity to bid on an original painting by acclaimed Adirondack artist Harold Weston (1894–1972). The online auction, presented by the Keene Valley Library, runs through July 24, with opening bids set at $18,000 for the museum-quality work, valued at $24,000.

The featured piece, From Gothics (1933), is a gouache on tinted paper generously donated by the Harold Weston Foundation. Depicting one of the Adirondacks’ most iconic mountain peaks, the painting reflects Weston’s distinctive ability to capture both the grandeur and emotional spirit of the landscape. His work continues to inspire collectors, historians, and lovers of the region.

Proceeds from the auction will directly benefit the Keene Valley Library, supporting its collections, educational programs, and community services for residents and visitors alike.

The auction also complements the library’s annual summer fundraiser, Freedom in the Wilds, inspired by Weston’s memoir, Freedom in the Wilds: An Artist in the Adirondacks (Syracuse University Press, 2008), celebrating the artist’s enduring connection to the Adirondack wilderness.

Additional details and bidding info are HERE.

Step Mother Nature presents

Paint by Proxy, Peter Seward

Friday, July 3 – Monday, August 31, 2026

Opening Reception Friday, July 3, 5 – 9 pm

A solo show featuring paintings by Saranac Lake’s Pete Seward.

Image: Banner Sails, 2026, oil and marker on found paint-by-number painting, 17” x 13” 

Visit Step Mother Nature HERE.

Step Mother Nature,1720 State Route 3, Bloomingdale

Verplanck Colvin (1847-1920) led the New York State Adirondack Survey from 1876 to 1900.

Kaleb Winters will share how his work enabled a broader understanding of the richness and beauty of the Adirondacks and how he became a force in the preservation of millions of acres now known as the Adirondack Forest Preserve. Colvin’s maps and reports were key in recognizing the value of protecting the wilderness for future generations that led to the amendment in the 1894 State Constitution, making these lands forever wild.

Kaleb is a Professional Land Surveyor 1, Bureau of Real Property, Division of Lands and Forests with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

This program is free for Chapman Members and $10 for non-members.

Payment is required at the time of registration.  Space is limited.

To register, please call (518)793-2826.

Also at the Chapman,

John Brown America250 Events

The Adirondack History Museum Presents

The Champlain Valley in 1776: History & Stories

Adirondack History Museum, 7590 Court St, Elizabethtown

Meadowmount School Of Music’s 2026 Summer Concert Series

Founded in 1944 by Ivan Galamian, the Meadowmount School of Music is a seven-week summer program for young violinists, violists, and cellists. Its alumni include world-renowned soloists, chamber musicians, and principal players in leading orchestras—among them Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Pinchas Zukerman, Marin Alsop, James Ehnes, Stefan Jackiw, and Jessie Montgomery. Meadowmount offers a unique blend of tradition, rigor, and inspiration on its 240-acre campus in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. With a capacity enrollment of 190, the school retains an intimacy that fosters personal attention and camaraderie, and many alumni return year after year as students, faculty, and guest artists, ensuring the continuity of the Meadowmount teaching tradition.

Each summer, Meadowmount holds over 40 concerts on its campus and throughout Essex County, NY. Explore the 2026 Concert Season HERE. 

Steve Thomas to Discuss Newly Revised Edition of The Last Navigator DuringAdirondack Speaking Tour

Author, sailor, filmmaker, and former This Old House host Steve Thomas will visit the Adirondacks this July to discuss his newly revised book, The Last Navigator, the remarkable story of his apprenticeship with one of the world’s last master traditional navigators.

Thomas’ Adirondack tour begins Saturday, July 11, at 8:30 am, with a breakfast lecture and question-and-answer session hosted by the Arts Center Lake Placid at the Cambria Hotel. He will share stories from his journey to the remote Micronesian island of Satawal, where he studied under renowned master navigator Mau Piailug. Using only the stars, ocean swells, winds, and other natural signs, Piailug navigated thousands of miles across the Pacific without modern instruments.

Later that day, Thomas will sign copies of The Last Navigator from 1 to 3 pm at The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid. Books will be available for purchase.

On Monday, July 13, Thomas will present the Keene Valley Library’s Monday Night Lecture from 7:30 to 8:30 pm, exploring the ancient art of Pacific wayfinding and the enduring cultural traditions behind the book.

Originally published in 1987, the revised edition features updated research, historical photographs, and reflections gathered over decades, preserving the story of a remarkable maritime tradition for a new generation of readers.

Fort Ticonderoga Honors 250th Anniversary of American Independence

Special Exhibit Highlights Soldier’s Knapsack and Its Powerful Message

Extremely rare Revolutionary War knapsack and note from a Continental soldier implores future generations to “never surrender your liberties”

Thru Sunday, August 2, 2026

The 250-year-old knapsack, made of painted linen, was carried by Benjamin Warner of New Haven, Connecticut, during service in the Revolutionary War that took him to Boston, Quebec, New York and elsewhere over his years in the ranks. Later in life, Warner left it to his son as a memento of his service and a reminder of what he fought for, writing:

“This Napsack I caryd (sic) Through the War of the Revolution to achieve the American Independence. I Transmit it to my olest sone (sic) Benjamin Warner Jr. with directions to keep it…and whilst one shred of it shall remain never surrender you libertys to a foren envador or an aspiring demegog (sic).”

The letter is signed, “Benjamin Warner Ticonderoga March 27, 1837.” Both the knapsack and its note are carefully preserved in the collection at Fort Ticonderoga where they have resided for almost a century but have not been on display for over a decade.

Learn more HERE.

Fort Ticonderoga, 102 Fort Ti Road, Ticonderoga

Tupper Arts presents

Book Reading & Signing with Liza Frenette

Sunday, July 5, 4 pm

Looking for a perfect weekend afternoon activity? Join us for a special book reading and signing with national award-winning author and Tupper Lake native, Liza Frenette!

She will be showcasing her new middle-grade novel, Detour Ahead, a heartfelt story of self-discovery, adventure, and family secrets set right here in the enchanting Adirondack Mountains. This book carries a beautiful local legacy, inspired in part by the history of Goodman Mountain, which Liza’s family passionately petitioned for and helped trail-blaze. Come meet Liza, hear about her inspiration, and pick up a signed copy for the young readers (or Adirondack lovers!) in your life.

Tupper Arts Gallery, 106 Park Street, Tupper Lake

Also from Tupper Arts, 

Summer Sunset Series

Junction Jam

Monday, July 6, 7 pm

Junction Jam is a Tupper Lake based band playing an eclectic mix of rock n roll from the 60s through 90s. “We always look forward to playing the the Sunset Stage in our beautiful town and we look forward to seeing everyone on July 6.”

See the full schedule of Summer Sunset Performances HERE.

Tupper Lake Bandshell, Flanders Park, 7 Martin St, Tupper Lake

The View presents Concerts in the Courtyard 

Shawn Smith, “The Big Sexy”

Wednesday, July 8, 5 – 6:30 pm, free

Shawn Smith, finalist on The Voice, is a charismatic entertainer, performing a mix of Rock & Roll and Country standards with his powerful voice, and dynamic guitar style.

See the full Concerts in the Courtyard schedule HERE.

View Arts Center, 3273 NY-28, Old Forge