Events: Out & About in May 2013

Liza — live!

Entertainment royalty arrives in Poughkeepsie this month when Liza Minnelli performs at the Bardavon Gala. A singer and actress, Minnelli — the eldest daughter of iconic actress Judy Garland — has been delighting audiences since her appearance as a child guest on Art Linkletter’s People Are Funny in the 1950s. From there, she has gone on to make her mark on Broadway (Victor/Victoria), in film (Cabaret), and on television (everything from Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In to Law & Order: Criminal Intent); she is one of a handful of stars to have an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony on her mantelpiece. This is a rare Valley appearance by a consummate stage and screen performer. May 17 at 8 p.m. $125-$225. The Bardavon Opera House. 35 Market St., Poughkeepsie. 845-473-2072 or www.bardavon.org

Air it out

What do you get when you combine an urban street performance with a Cirque de Soleil-style circus? The answer is Traces. This 90-minute show — which was an off-Broadway hit in 2011 and comes to the Eisenhower Hall Theatre this month — melds music and dance with skateboarding, basketball, and acrobatic moves that would make the Flying Wallendas proud. The kicker, though, is that these indefatigable performers appear onstage to be just as aerially challenged as the rest of us. May 5 at 8 p.m. $38. 655 Pitcher Rd., West Point. 845-938-6769 or www.ikehall.com

All in the family

For 45 years, the Eighth Step — the company in residence at Proctors in Schenectady — has been responsible for bringing top-shelf acoustic musicians to the upstate area. In celebration of their longevity, the organization hosts a special concert by Peggy and Pete Seeger. A Beacon resident, Pete is a true folk legend, both as a performer (notably with the Weavers) and as a songwriter (“If I Had a Hammer”). Sister Peggy is a successful folksinger in her own right, especially in Great Britain, where she lives. This performance — slated to take place one week after Pete’s 94th birthday — is the only concert the pair is scheduled to play together this year. May 12 at 7 p.m. $24-$54. Proctors. 432 State St., Schenectady. 518-346-6204 or www.proctors.org

On-the-spot art

With today’s cell phones making instant photography commonplace, it may be hard to fathom the excitement generated by the 1972 release of the Polaroid SX-70 camera — among both amateur photographers and professional artists. The SX-70’s ability to produce color images in a flash inspired artists — including Ansel Adams, Walker Evans, Andy Warhol, and William Wegman, among others — to explore the myriad ways this new technology could be creatively utilized. The Polaroid Years: Instant Photography and Experimentation is a survey of Polaroid images created by 39 artists, including the four just mentioned; works range from early forays with the medium to more recent (and refined) pieces. Tues.-Wed., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 1-5 p.m. through June 30. Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College campus. 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie. 845-437-5632 or http://fllac.vassar.edu 

Playing with fire

Sight Unseen, the spring production mounted by Tangent Theatre Company, chronicles what happens when a very successful — and happily married — artist visits an old flame on a whim. Playwright David Margulies, who snagged the Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for Dinner with Friends, tells this story by jumping forward and backward in time, exposing a tangled relationship between love, art, money, and super-stardom. May 2-19. Thurs.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. $20. The Carpenter Shop Theater. 60 Broadway, Tivoli. 845-230-7020 or http://tangent-arts.org

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