Events: Polly’s Editor’s Picks in February 2013

Senior Editor Polly Sparling lists her top event picks for February 2013

Pop music of the 1960s and ’70s gets a jazzed-up treatment at “Top Pops,” this month’s performance by the Westchester Jazz Orchestra. The ensemble covers songs by the likes of Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Billy Joel, and other top-shelf musicians — a description that also applies to the WJO, whose members have worked with everyone from Sinatra and Streisand to Michael Jackson and Gwen Stefani. Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. $40, $35 seniors, $15 students. • Irvington Town Hall Theater. 85 Main St., Irvington. 914-591-6602 or www.westjazzorch.org

north by northwest

North By Northwest, the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock thriller, plays on UPAC’s big screen this month. Cary Grant is Roger O. Thornhill, an advertising executive who is mistaken for an undercover agent by a sinister group of bad guys (led by James Mason and Martin Landau). Thornhill is pursued across the U.S., which results in several unforgettable scenes (including this one, in which he’s chased by a crop-dusting plane that’s spewing pesticide). Wear a gray suit to the screening, and get in free. Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. $6. • Ulster Performing Arts Center. 601 Broadway, Kingston. 845-339-6088 or www.upac.org

american idiot

Based on the eponymous (and multi-platinum) recording by punk-rock group Green Day, American Idiot is a sung-through musical (with no spoken dialogue) about a trio of disaffected suburban friends looking to find their way in the post 9/11 world. The Broadway version of this high-energy show won two Tonys in 2010, and nabbed the Grammy for best musical show album the following year. Feb. 5-7; call for times. $20-$70. • Proctors. 432 State St., Schenectady. 518-346-6204 or www.proctors.org

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john davis gallery

Hudson’s John Davis Gallery hosts a solo exhibit of paintings, prints, and sculptural reliefs by Kyle Staver. Her work often spotlights relationships by presenting figures — male and female, sometimes clothed but usually nude — in a quirkily personal style. Through Feb. 24. Opening reception Feb. 2, 6-8 p.m. Gallery hours Thurs.-Mon. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and by appt. • 362 1/2 Warren St., Hudson. 518-828-5907 or www.johndavisgallery.com

eaglefest

Little-known fact: More than 150 bald eagles spend the winter along the Valley’s waterways. Catch a glimpse of this majestic bird in its natural habitat during Teatown Reservation’s Hudson River EagleFest. Croton Point Park hosts educational demonstrations featuring eagles and other birds of prey, as well as bird walks, bus tours, environmental displays, and a tent full of children’s programs. Best of all, you can visit one — or more — of seven eagle viewing sites, staffed by experts, located in riverfront towns from Garrison to Sleepy Hollow. Feb. 9. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The event is free, except for Eagle Theatre shows ($10) and bus tours ($25). • Croton Point Park. Croton Point Ave. (off Rte. 9), Croton-on-Hudson. 914-762-2912, ext. 110 or www.teatown.org/eaglefest

the capitol steps

Putting the “mock” in “democracy”: The Capitol Steps is a comedy troupe comprised of former Congressional staffers whose skits and song parodies skewer the political establishment on both sides of the aisle. The group — which has been touring for more than 30 years — is adept at twisting well-known tunes to their comic advantage; their 2012 CD, Take the Money and Run — for President, sports tracks like “If I Tax a Rich Man” and “Help Me Fake It to the Right.” Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. $40. • The Bardavon Opera House. 35 Market St., Poughkeepsie. 845-473-2072 or www.bardavon.org

 

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