You see, all living things depend on one another.
– Lynne Cherry, The Great Kapok Tree
Breaking the Silence Teen Dance at Kingston’s LGBTQ Community Center
“They had a broken keyboard, I bought a broken keyboard,” sing Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in their recent hit “Thrift Shop”: a song that I can’t help but move to whenever I hear it. And check this out: Not only are they behind the longest-running number-one rap song in the Billboard Chart’s history, but they are also part of the You Can Play campaign, saying “Anti-gay language has no place in music or sports.” If songs like Thrift Shop make you want to dance too, read on!
LGBTQ and ally youth from ages 14 to 18 are invited to attend the LGBTQ Community Center’s Breaking the Silence Teen Dance. The dance celebrates the close of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) Day of Silence, drawing attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools: “Students from middle school to college take a vow of silence in an effort to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior by illustrating the silencing effect of bullying and harassment on LGBT students and those perceived to be LGBT.”
The Breaking the Silence Teen Dance is free and takes place on Friday, April 19 from 7 to 10 p.m. The LGBTQ Community Center is located at 300 Wall Street in Uptown Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-5300 or visit https://lgbtqcenter.org. To learn more about the Day of Silence, visit www.dayofsilence.org.
PAVApalooza showcases teen bands at Rosendale Theatre
Speaking of great music, last month, Almanac Weekly’s brilliant music columnist John Burdick shared his thoughts about battles of the bands and announced PAVApalooza 2013: Not Your Grandpa’s Battle of the Bands. PAVApalooza is presented by Ulster BOCES’ New Visions Performing/Visual Arts program (PAVA) and takes place this Friday, April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Rosendale Theatre. Admission costs $5.
Who knows what mix of music you’ll hear, since all genres of music were permitted to register? “Bach to rock, bluegrass, funk, folk, a capella, rap, swing, klezmer, polka, jazz, choral, bluegrass and Latin.” Each band includes a junior from a high school in Ulster County, as the event is intended to showcase the talents of the Class of 2014.
The Rosendale Theatre is located at 408 Main Street in Rosendale. For more information, call (845) 331-6680 or visit www.ulsterboces.org.
It’s super-natural!
The next time you hear B.o.B. and Rivers Cuomo sing “I got the magic in me,” remember that you can have the magic in you, too! Need some inspiration? Kids’ Almanac has got you covered for magical fun for all ages on both sides of the river this weekend.
OptiMystiks Magic Show at Kingston Library
On Saturday, April 20, the Kingston Library presents Stephen Christopher’s OptiMystiks Magic Show as part of its Super Saturdays Performance Series. The show takes place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and includes live animal friends, comedy, audience participation – and lots of magic, of course! This event is free and open to the public.
The Kingston Library is located at 55 Franklin Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-0507 or visit www.kingstonlibrary.org. To learn more about the performer, visit www.optimystiks.com.
The Science of Magic at Dutchess Community College
Love magic? How about a show with some scientific flair? Also on Saturday, April 20 but on the other side of the river, Dutchess Community College’s Family Festival Program presents Jeff Boyer in “The Science of Magic.” Boyer shares, “Arthur C. Clarke once wrote that ‘sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’” In his show, Boyer acts out two characters who perform the same feats: the Amazing Mr. Snide, claiming to use magic; then Dr. Heckle, who explains the physics behind the stunts to the audience. Topics include sound, light, solar power and electric and kinetic energies.
The Science of Magic takes place at 11 a.m. in the James & Betty Hall Theatre and is free and open to the public. Dutchess Community College is located at 53 Pendell Road in Poughkeepsie. For more information, call (845) 431-8000 or visit www.sunydutchess.edu.
Reptile Encounter at Unison in New Paltz
If you attended the SUNY-Ulster Vet Tech Club’s Animal Expo that I mentioned in Kids’ Almanac last weekend, you may have seen Mark Perpetua in action with his reptiles and be looking for more. Well, you’re in luck! Head over to the Unison Arts & Learning Center this Saturday, April 20 at 1 p.m. for “Reptile Encounter.” Perpetua handles alligators, rattlesnakes and a python while entertaining and educating the audience about the role of these animals in ecology. Perfect timing for Earth Day! Tickets cost $14, $10 for members, and $7 for children ages 12 and under and are available in advance or at the door.
Unison is located at 68 Mountain Rest Road in New Paltz. For tickets or more information, call (845) 255-1559 or visit www.unisonarts.org. To learn more about the show, visit www.reptileprograms.com.
Join the family! 
