The Roundtable

There will be a celebration on Wednesday August 24th for the launch of Little Liberty Library, a free library box in Caffe Lena's courtyard in Saratoga Springs dedicated to frequently banned books. Admission is a banned book or a donation to keep the library stocked.For more than 60 years, Caffe Lena has not only cared for free speech but presented a safe haven for it on stage—whether in the form of music, theater or the spoken word.The current national uptick in efforts to ban controversial books from libraries is a way to suppress conversation; to tame our ability to think for ourselves. This celebration will open and close with music by Dan Berggren. Twelve authors will each read for 3-5 minutes from titles that have been banned or challengedJoining us: Free Banned Books! Organizer Pat Nugent, Executive Director of Caffe Lena Sarah Craig, and Director of the New York State Writers Institute Paul Grondahl.

The Berkshire Theatre Group is presenting a new production on Dracula” at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA through August 27. Based on Bram Stoker's classic novel of gothic horror and directed by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award Winner, David Auburn, “Dracula” has been striking fear into the hearts of people around the world for over a hundred years. To learn more – we welcome actors Mitchell Winter who plays Dracula, and Nomè SiDone who plays Jonathan Harker.

This week's Book Picks come from Kira Wizner of Merritt Bookstore in Millbrook, New York.

Which Matt do North Country Democrats prefer? In today's Congressional Corner, Democratic candidate Matt Putorti of New York's 21st district speaks with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

Tony Award and two-time Golden Globe Award Winner, Linda Lavin, will perform at the Southern Vermont Arts Center's Arkell Pavilion on Thursday, August 18th at 8PM as part of the Broadway in Vermont Concert Series presented by Berkshire Bank.Linda Lavin, Love Notes is a CD release party with the great Billy Stritch at the piano and on vocals. A romantic and swinging collection of the Great American Song Book with some Brazilian and Steely Dan thrown in for dazzle!Broadway, TV, and film star Linda Lavin has received numerous awards: a Tony, a Drama Desk, an Outer Critics, a Helen Hayes, and in 2011, she was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. She is also a 6-time Tony Nominee. Linda is widely known for playing the title character in the TV sitcom Alice for 9 years, for which she is a two-time Golden Globe Award Winner.

Our Falling into Place series spotlights the important work of - and fosters collaboration between- not-for-profit organizations in our communities; allowing us all to fall into place.Falling Into Place is supported by The Seymour Fox Memorial accomplishment. See more possibilities … see more promise… see more progress.This morning we focus on Hive of Hope - a safe haven for those committed to living their best life in sobriety. We welcome the founder of the group - Nathan Writer and volunteers Brandon Blanchette Christina Paddon.

A special election this month pits two Hudson Valley County Executives against one other.In today's Congressional Corner, Democratic Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan wraps up his conversation with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, investigative journalist and RPI adjunct Rosemary Armao, Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategy and Policy at Bard College Malia DuMont, and political consultant and lobbyist Libby Post.

This summer, The Clark in Williamstown, Massachusetts, presents “Rodin in the United States: Confronting the Modern” - an exhibition that explores how American collectors embraced the French artist's art over time. The exhibition was guest curated by independent scholar Antoinette Le Normand-Romain.Esther Bell is the Robert and Martha Berman Lipp Chief Curator of the Clark Art Institute - and just this week it was announced that she has also been appointed as The Clark's Deputy Director. She leads us on an audio tour.

Some Hudson Valley residents can vote for two Congressional district races this month.In today's Congressional Corner, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan continues his conversation with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, UAlbany Professor of Africana Studies Jennifer Burns, Siena College Professor of Economics Aaron Pacitti, and Albany County District Attorney David Soares.

Steep Canyon Rangers are Asheville North Carolina's Grammy winners. They are perennial Billboard chart toppers and frequent collaborators of the renowned comedian Steve Martin. Steep Canyon Rangers are coming to Schenectady on Sunday as part of the Music Haven Concert Series. Mandolin player and harmony vocalist Mike Guggino joins us.

A new exhibition of art installations by Catskill-based artist Marc Swanson is now at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. The exhibition -- titled “Marc Swanson: A Memorial to Ice at the Dead Deer Disco” -- is the second part of a two-part exhibition of his work that is also on display at MASS MoCA. The exhibition is inspired by the work of Thomas Cole and his warnings about environmental damage.

In his new book "The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan", Elliot Ackerman, who served four combat tours in Afghanistan with the Marines and the CIA, writes of how his mission continued, in seeking to rescue an Afghan and his family from the country's fall to the Taliban.

Democrats in New York's new 18th district have a key primary this month. But voters in the old 19th district do, too.In today's Congressional Corner, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan speaks with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, Publisher Emeritus of The Daily Freeman Ira Fusfeld, President and CEO of The Business Council of New York State Heather Mulligan, and investment banker on Wall Street Mark Wittman.

There's a common story we tell about America: that our fundamental values as a country were stated in the Declaration of Independence, fought for in the Revolution, and made law in the Constitution. But, with the country increasingly divided, this story isn't working for us anymore—what's more, it's not even true.As Kermit Roosevelt argues in reinterpretation of the American story, our fundamental values, particularly equality, are not part of the vision of the Founders. Instead, they were stated in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and were the hope of Reconstruction, when it was possible to envision the emergence of the nation committed to liberty and equality.

On Saturday, August 13 at 6 p.m. at The Old Dutch Church in Kingston, New York, Amanda Palmer will play a benefit concert for O+ with special guests Holly Miranda, Chris Wells, Sophi Strand, Father Nathan Monk, and Gracie and Rachel. This is Palmers' only major solo show this summer and her first in the United States in three years.

In today's Congressional Corner, Democratic candidate Jamie Cheney of New York's 19th district wraps up her conversation with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, research professor and Stuart Rice Honorary Chair at the University of Massachusetts Amherst's College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) and Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University Fran Berman, Cohoes City Director of Operations Theresa Bourgeois, Siena College Professor of Comparative Politics Vera Eccarius-Kelly, Former EPA Regional Administrator, Visiting Professor at Bennington College, and President of Beyond Plastics Judith Enck.

David McCullough, the Pulitzer Prize winning author whose lovingly crafted narratives on subjects ranging from the Brooklyn Bridge to presidents John Adams and Harry Truman made him among the most popular and influential historians of his time, has died. He was 89. McCullough died Sunday at his Massachusetts home. He had been in failing health and died less than two months after his beloved wife, Rosalee.McCullough dedicated himself to sharing his own passion for history with the general public. He saw himself as an everyman, blessed with lifelong curiosity, and the chance to take on the subjects he cared about most. His fascination with architecture and construction inspired his early works on the Panama Canal and the Brooklyn Bridge. While his admiration for leaders whom he believed were good men, drew him to John Adams and Harry Truman in the 70s and 80s. He indulged his affection for Paris with the 2011 release of "The Greater Journey" and for aviation with the bestseller on The Wright brothers that came out in 2015. David McCullough was a frequent guest on this program, as well as The Book Show. I spoke with him in 2017 about a project he worked on examining the American spirit through speeches he'd written and delivered throughout his illustrious career.

This week's Book Picks come from Pamela Pescosolido of The Bookloft in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

Australian pop star and actor Olivia Newton John died yesterday; she was 73. Best known for her iconic performance opposite John Travolta as Sandy in the 1978 movie musical “Grease,” she was already a popular easy-listening singer with several hit songs when she was cast it the film. In 1981, her poppy dance hit "Physical," became her biggest hit and spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. After learning she had breast cancer in 1992, Newton-John became an advocate for research into the disease. We spoke with her in 2011 when a northeast tour brought her to The Palace Theatre in Albany, New York.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, investigative journalist Rosemary Armao, Tetherless World Chair of Computer, Web and Cognitive Sciences and Founding Director of RPI's Institute for Data, Artificial Intelligence and Computing Jim Hendler, and former Associate Editor of the Times Union Mike Spain.

A redistricting crisis is now upon us. The new book, One Person, One Vote: A Surprising History of Gerrymandering in America, tells the history of how we got to this moment - from the Founding Fathers to today's high-tech manipulation of election districts - and shows how to protect our most sacred, hard-fought principle of one person, one vote. Author and Professor Nick Seabrook joins us.

Is the new 19th House district in New York state ready for a new face? In today's Congressional Corner, Democratic candidate Jamie Cheney continues her conversation with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond.Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, Vice President for Editorial Development at the New York Press Association Judy Patrick, Chairman of Capital District Latinos Dan Irizarry, and political consultant and lobbyist Libby Post.

Each weekday morning, WAMC's President and CEO and Political Observer, Alan Chartock, and Roundtable Host Joe Donahue are joined by various experts, journalists, educators, and commentators to discuss current events. On Roundtable Panel: The Week in Review, we feature your favorite panelists discussing news items from the previous week.

Taking to the Main Stage at Williamstown Theater Festival, Alex Edelman's "Just For Us," takes the audience through hilarious anecdotes from Alex Edelman's life. After a string of anti-Semitic abuse is directed at Edelman online, he decides to covertly attend a gathering of White Nationalists in New York City and comes face to face with the people behind the keyboards. The result is a hair-raising encounter that gives "Just For Us" its title and final, jaw-dropping twist.

The first musical from Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown ("Parade," "Bridges of Madison County"), "Songs for the New World" is a moving collection of songs which examine life, love and the choices that we make. It's about one moment. It's about hitting the wall and having to make a choice or take a stand or turn around and go back. These are the stories and characters of today, the "Songs for a New World."With a small, powerhouse, multi-ethnic cast and a driving, exquisitely crafted score that runs the gamut of today's popular music, Songs for a New World brings us face to face with those moments in life when everything seems perfect and then goes sideways.Mia Munn and Nathe Rowbothan are both company members and join us this morning.

Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts presents Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Weeler's “A Little Night Music” on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage August 6-28.Outgoing founding Artistic Director Julianne Boyd directs the love-laden and confused weekend in the country in a new production starring Emily Skinner as Desiree Armfeldt and Jason Danieley as Fredrik Egerman.

Democrats in New York's new 19th district have a key primary this month. In today's Congressional Corner, Democratic candidate Jamie Cheney speaks with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, Former EPA Regional Administrator, Visiting Professor at Bennington College, and President of Beyond Plastics Judith Enck, Siena College Professor of Economics Aaron Pacitti, and Albany County District Attorney David Soares.

In 2020, the world experienced massive change. Millions of lives were ended—and millions more upended—by the Covid-19 pandemic. The shocking police killings of Black men and women gave rise to powerful social movements and widespread collective action to rectify centuries of injustice and racism in the United States and globally. Together, these three colossal events tested the resilience of the social fabric bringing us all together.Attempting to illuminate and make sense of this new reality, photographers from around the world documented these transformational moments as they unfolded.Curated by the founders of Scopio, a community-based image marketplace, a stunning and unforgettable visual history that captures the world's response to major events that defined 2020: the COVID pandemic and the sweeping movements for racial and social justice.

Ted Rosenthal's jazz opera "Dear Erich" was inspired by letters written in Germany between 1938 and 1941 by Herta Rosenthal to the composer's father. Dear Erich depicts a family's dual fates.

The Lake George Music Festival returns to the historic Fort William Henry Carriage House Theatre and features a diverse musical lineup, showcasing the versatility of more than 30 World-Class Symphony musicians as they perform music ranging from cherished legendary masterworks to new works.They are celebrating their11th season – running from August 10-18. The Season Opener is the Emmy Award Winning group – Time for Three. To tell us more, we welcome co-founders: CEO Alex Lombard, Artistic Director and Conductor Roger Kalia, and Artistic Director Barbora Kolářová.

Peter Hughes, Manager of The Linda: WAMC's Performing Arts Studio, joins us with a preview of upcoming events and broadcasts.

For Congressional candidates this election cycle, foreign policy looms large.In today's Congressional Corner, Democratic State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, who is running in the primary for New York's 17th House district, wraps up her conversation with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, investigative journalist Rosemary Armao, Cohoes City Director of Operations Theresa Bourgeois, and investment banker on Wall Street Mark Wittman.

Ellen Highstein stepped down earlier this year as director of The Tanglewood Music Center after 25 years in the post, but she is back this summer overseeing the summer institute for promising young artists as well as the Festival of Contemporary Music, which runs August 4-8.

The Bard Music Festival returns for its 32nd season with an exploration of the life and work of Sergei Rachmaninoff who lived from 1873 to 1943.Through a series of themed concert programs, lectures, and panel discussions, Rachmaninoff and His World explores such themes as composition during the Cold War, virtuoso pianists and their public, and America's ongoing love affair with Rachmaninoff's music.The festival runs through August 5–14, 2022. To tell us more, we welcome: Christopher Gibbs - Co-Artistic Director of the Bard Music Festival and James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Music at Bard College.

Edgar-Award winning writer Larry Beinhart returns, and so does his legendary detective, with a gripping thriller about marital discord, contract killing, off-piste skiing and the deep state. His new novel is "The Deal Goes Down."

Two high-profile Democrats are facing off in a Hudson Valley House primary.In today's Congressional Corner, Democrat Alessandra Biaggi, who is running in the primary for New York's 17th House district, continues her conversation with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, investigative journalist Rosemary Armao, Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategy and Policy at Bard College Malia DuMont, and Professor of Law, Director of The Justice Center and Director of Immigration Law Clinic Sarah Rogerson.

Simon and his mother, Ora, have always been close. She's been his champion, his defender, and his friend. But when a life-changing secret comes to light, can their bond survive? 2020 WTF Foeller Fellow Tyler Thomas directs "we are continuous" - a WTF-commissioned play by Harrison David Rivers (Where Storms Are Born) that explores how people can change and how love can evolve."we are continuous" runs on the Nikos Stage August 2-14.

This summer, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare festival presents a trio of shows in its open-air tent overlooking the Hudson River, including an age-blind production of “Romeo & Juliet,” “Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play,” which takes its inspiration from “The Simpsons,” and “Where We Belong” - an intimate solo performance by Mohegan writer-director-actor Madeline Sayet.This season's performances are being performed on the festival's iconic open air tent - but on their new grounds in Garrison, NY.Davis McCallum is the Artistic Director of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and he joins us now to share more details about these exciting productions.

James Conrad and Jackie Kellachan from The Golden Notebook in Woodstock, NY joins us with this week's Book Picks.

A New York state Senator wants to make the jump to Washington.In today's Congressional Corner, Democrat Alessandra Biaggi, who is running in the primary for New York's 17th House district, speaks with WAMC's Alan Chartock.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, investigative journalist and UAlbany adjunct professor Rosemary Armao, The Empire Report's J.P. Miller, and former Associate Editor of The Times Union Mike Spain.

Dorset Theatre Festival's season continues with “Back Together Again: The Music of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway,” a new concert featuring Christina Acosta Robinson and Ken Robinson.