CAPITAL REGION FESTIVAL OF THEATRE RAISES OVER $50,000 TO SUPPORT INAUGURAL WEEKEND OF EVENTS JUNE 12-15

Jam-packed festival schedule puts the Capital Region center stage as a great place to love theatre.

ALBANY, NY – The Capital Region Festival of Theatre (CRFT) will be hosting its inaugural festival June 12-15, 2025.   This four-day celebration will take place all over the Capital Region, with events stretching from Fort Salem to Albany, NY. The festival’s purpose is to celebrate the thriving performing arts scene in our area by showcasing the diverse professional and community theatre companies, performers, playwrights, designers, technicians, and theatre enthusiasts that make up our flourishing artistic community.

In January of 2024, Patrick White and Chris Foster organized an informational meeting for the purpose of creating a Capital Region-wide theatre festival. Nearly one hundred theatre companies and educational institutions were represented at that meeting, and the list of Capital Region theatres involved continues to grow. From that initial meeting, the Capital Region Festival of Theatre, abbreviated as CRFT, was born, and has since become an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The company has since succeeded in raising over $35,000 through events including a Cast Party hosted by Playhouse Stage Company at Cohoes Music Hall in October, and a bash celebrating Shakespeare’s birthday in April at The Albany Barn Theatre. Significant donations have also been received from Dylan and Krystal Clements and Chet and Karen Opalka, plus numerous individual and company memberships.

Now, with funding secured, the first annual Festival weekend will be held across the region in June. Festivities kick off with a celebratory mixer on Thursday, June 12^th at The Cue Theatre, from 6pm to 10pm. Guests can expect an evening of food, wine and entertainment hosted by Erin Harkes and Jaye McBride. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. All subsequent festival events are FREE to the public!

Friday, June 13 takes CRFT from Sand Lake, NY to Troy NY, with Sand Lake Center for the Arts, (SLCA) running a Senior Day from 10am to 4pm, and The Theatre Institute at Sage (TIS), organizing a Youth Theatre Education Day from 3pm to 9pm. SLCA has programming for Seniors by Seniors (55 and up) in the morning, and an afternoon of performances for all ages to enjoy. TIS will host youth-focused workshops from 3-5:30pm and then an evening of performances from youth theatre groups from all around the Capital Region.

Saturday, June 14, the festival continues at Fort Salem Theater for a Theatre Maker Morning from 9am to 1 pm, including workshops on sensory-inclusive performances and improving dance audition techniques, plus a panel discussion on producing for theatre and film. Their morning concludes with a performance of Songs from Upstate, which highlights musicals written and produced in the Capital Region.

Saturday’s program continues with a Musical Matinee at SLOC Musical Theater (SLOC), where there will be a courtyard gathering for music, games, and DIY theatre from 2pm to 3:30pm. This will be followed by performances on the SLOC stage through 5pm, including selections from MopCo, Aaron Moore, and a variety of upcoming musicals from several Capital Region companies.

CRFT’s Saturday schedule continues in Albany with an Albany Mayoral Candidate forum on the arts at The Madison Theatre at 5pm. This special forum ahead of the June 24 Democratic Primary will be hosted by Tenth Ward Councilperson Owusu Anane, and moderated by Playhouse Stage Company Producing Artistic Director, Owen Smith. Candidates participating are City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs, businessmanDan Cerutti, Council President Corey Ellis, and County Legislator Carolyn McLaughlin.

Events continue with Downtown Saturday Night, programming at Capital Repertory Theatre, with a pre-show theatre fair from 6pm to 7pm, where numerous theatres will have information about their upcoming seasons, along with a free raffle drawing with prizes including theatre tickets, restaurant gift cards, and more. An evening of diverse performances on theRep stage will follow from 7pm to 10pm, with selections from Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NY, Create a Space NOW, The Vocal Studio of Lisa Franklin, and more.

On Sunday, June 15, the festival moves to the Campus Center at the University at Albany where there will be programming all day from 9am to 6pm. The Sunday Festival program will offer something for everyone. Fourteen different one-act plays will be performed, including some by local playwrights. Workshops will be offered in everything from auditioning to vocal techniques, lighting design, improv, stage management, stage combat, and more. Panel discussions will be held on fighting censorship in theatre, scenic design, playwrights of color, diversity, equity and Inclusive casting, theater for social justice, and a round table discussion with artistic directors from Capital Region theatre companies. The day will also feature a satellite version of Playwright’s Jams held at Caffé Lena in Saratoga Springs, and an address from keynote speaker, American playwright Sharr White. Panelists and moderators to include Hettie Barnhill, Maggie Cahill, D. Colin, Jarel Davidow, Annabelle Duffy, Eunice Ferreira, Jordan Harrison, Bill Kellert, Sarah LaDuke, Carol Max, Kevin McGuire, Jean-Remy Monnay, Aaron Moore, Joanna Palladino, Gabriella Pizzolo, John Saunders, Owen Smith, John Sowle, and many more.

“For thirty years, I’ve worked in the Capital Region theatre community and have been amazed by the extraordinary growth in interest, support, and participation for our work,” said Patrick White, President of the CRFT Board of Directors. “The broader county, state, and world need to know what a phenomenal community of theatre artists we have here in our region and the tremendous economic and community development our work helps catalyze.”

For more information, patrons are encouraged to visit the CRFT website at www.crftinc.org, as well as the festival’s social media channels. Members of the media are encouraged to contact Jillian Becker, CRFT Vice President, with further inquiries at jillianbecker1025@gmail.com or 518-210-8090.