Smith Center for the Arts Press Release Archive

Philanthropists Dave and Brenda Rickey help #FilltheSmith with generous matching gift

February 24th, 2021

On Friday, March 26th, The Smith Center for the Arts will be celebrating World Theatre Day by hosting a 24-hour, virtual Giving Day called #FilltheSmith and seeking a donation for every seat in the house or 1400 in all. Philanthropists Dave and Brenda Rickey will be matching a portion of the gifts received on this day, enabling donors to double their gift and impact. Read more »

From Albany to Buffalo, and in-between, Theater #lightsUPstateNY

December 4th, 2020

The Theatre lights in Upstate New York went dark in mid-March and the curtains remain closed today. Despite their best efforts and positive outlook, the reality is that these organizations and facilities will need help to restart when the time comes. Read more »

Gather safely and converse inspiringly at The Smith Salon

December 3rd, 2020

On Friday, December 4th at 6:00pm, the Smith Center for the Arts will launch a brand new, in-person series called The Smith Salon. This new series is meant to inspire and spark conversation amongst our attendees. Our first host will be Matthew Craig, vocal music teacher at Geneva High School, and he will talk about “Teaching Music During A Pandemic.” Our second salon event will be Friday, December 11th at 6:00pm with host Joyce Jacobsen, president of Hobart & William Smith Colleges, who will talk about “Higher Education’s Pandemic Pivot and a Look to the Future.” Read more »

Celebrate The Smith: An Immersive Theatre Event Oct. 20-26, 2019

May 10th, 2019

2019 is a special year for the Smith Opera House. It is the 125th anniversary of this historic theatre. To celebrate this auspicious anniversary, we are skipping our traditional Finger Lakes Photo/Plays event to instead create an epic, immersive theatre Read more »

The Singing OUT Tour 2019 with Heather Mae and Crys Matthews headlines Pride Weekend at the Smith Opera House

May 1st, 2019

GENEVA NY --- The Smith Center for the Arts is celebrating Pride Weekend June 7-9 with a concert and three films that celebrate the LGBTQI community at the Smith Opera House. The Singing OUT Tour 2019 with Heather Mae and Read more »

Live comedy at The Smith? It’s no joke! The Second City to perform October 6

April 25th, 2019

GENEVA NY --- There’s a reason the biggest names in laughter all catapulted their careers at The Second City...it’s been the funniest place on the planet since ‘59! Come witness the next generation of comedy superstars put their spin on Read more »

National Players bring The Crucible to The Smith’s ArtSmart Educational Theatre series May 6

March 28th, 2019

National Players, America’s longest-running touring theatre company, performs The Crucible by Arthur Miller at the Smith Opera House on Monday, May 6 at 10 a.m. and again at 7 p.m. The performances are part of The Smith’s ArtSmart Educational Theatre Read more »

The Smith’s Jan Regan Club Series brings Eilen Jewell to Bottomless Brewing on May 31

March 25th, 2019

GENEVA NY --- The Smith Opera House’s Jan Regan Club Series presents Eilen Jewell to Geneva on Friday, May 31. The retro rockabilly singer-songwriter and her band will perform at 7:30 p.m. at Bottomless Brewing, 3543 East Lake Road, Fayette, Read more »

Philanthropists Dave and Brenda Rickey Offer 125th Birthday Match for Contributions to Endowed Fund for Continuing Maintenance

February 27th, 2019

The Grand Dame of Geneva’s downtown is celebrating a big birthday. The Smith Opera House is turning 125 years old! Hailed as one of the longest operating theaters in the country, The Smith opened its doors on October 29, 1894 Read more »

Jazz legends Kenny Barron and Dave Holland perform at Smith Opera House April 6

February 26th, 2019

GENEVA NY --- National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Kenny Barron and Dave Holland come together for a special performance on Saturday, April 6 at 8 p.m. at the Smith Opera House. The concert is part of The Smith’s Read more »

Red Hot Chilli Pipers to perform at Smith Opera House March 7

February 22nd, 2019

GENEVA NY --- It’s Bagpipes. It’s Rock. It’s Bagrock. It’s the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, and they are performing at the Smith Opera House Thursday, March 7 at 8 p.m. The Red Hot Chilli Pipers are a nine-piece ensemble from Read more »

A girl with a helmet and a man standing behind her portray the characters from They Called Her Vivaldi.

“They Called Her Vivaldi” comes to the Smith Opera House March 24 & 25

January 30th, 2019

GENEVA NY --- A sensitive girl with a lively imagination and mature musical chops lives life as a tuneful adventure when her elderly father crafts a peculiar radio-like headset for her. When that quirky chapeau is stolen, our heroine’s real Read more »

South Africa’s Ladysmith Black Mambazo performs at the Smith Opera House Feb. 16

January 14th, 2019

GENEVA NY --- Five-time Grammy Award winners Ladysmith Black Mambazo will perform at the Smith Opera House on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. The South African all-male choral group sings from a traditional music called isicathamiya (is-cot-a-ME-Ya), which developed Read more »

Gaelic Storm to perform at Geneva’s Smith Opera House Jan. 24

January 9th, 2019

GENEVA NY --- The Smith Center for the Arts welcomes Gaelic Storm to the stage on Thursday, Jan. 24. The reserved seating show starts at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. Gaelic Storm kicked off its career as Read more »

Pianist Jon Nakamatsu performs Beethoven on Geneva Concerts series

January 7th, 2019

Geneva Concerts presents the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday, February 1, 7:30 p.m., at the Smith Opera House. Music Director Ward Stare will lead the orchestra. The concert begins with Rachmaninoff’s tone poem, The Isle of the Dead, inspired by the painting of the same name by the Swiss artist Read more »

Kenny White, Granville Automatic and Jane Siberry to perform in Geneva as part of the Smith Opera House’s Jan Regan Club Series

January 4th, 2019

GENEVA NY --- The Smith Center for the Arts has just announced three concerts that are part of The Smith’s Jan Regan Club Series. Singer/songwriter Kenny White will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15 at the Smith Opera House, Read more »

Kenny White, Granville Automatic and Jane Siberry to perform in Geneva as part of the Smith Opera House’s Jan Regan Club Series

January 4th, 2019

The Smith Center for the Arts has just announced three concerts that are part of The Smith’s Jan Regan Club Series. Singer/songwriter Kenny White will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15 at the Smith Opera House, 82 Seneca St., Read more »

Smith Opera House hosts Volunteer Recruitment Open House on Jan. 12

December 18th, 2018

GENEVA NY --- Does your 2019 New Year’s resolution include the wish to make a valuable contribution to the Geneva and greater Finger Lakes arts community? Then consider joining the Smith Opera House volunteer team. The Smith will be hosting Read more »

Poster shows tree standing in moonlight, promoting Opera Ithaca's A Little Night Music.

Dec. 30 is all about Sondheim and Bergman at the Smith Opera House!

December 13th, 2018

The Smith Opera House will be alive with the cherished work of composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim and the late Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman on Dec. 30 as Opera Ithaca performs Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music” at 8 p.m. and The Read more »

The Smith Center for the Arts appoints Rebecca Burditt to its Board of Directors

December 10th, 2018

The Smith Center for the Arts announces the appointment of Rebecca Burditt as a new member of its Board of Directors. She joins The Smith’s Board after serving on its Film Committee since 2016. Her three-year term begins immediately. Burditt Read more »

Geneva Rotary Club grant enables Smith Opera House to expand accessible theater seating

December 5th, 2018

Thanks to a generous grant from the Geneva Rotary Club, the Smith Opera House has increased its ADA-accessible seating by four, making the theater more accessible to patrons who use wheelchairs. The $1,000 grant has allowed The Smith to purchase Read more »

Lyons National Bank supports Smith Center for the Arts’ educational theater series with $5,000 contribution

October 9th, 2018

The Smith Center for the Arts, stewards of the historic Smith Opera House in Geneva, received a generous contribution of $5,000 from The Lyons National Bank to support its ArtSmart Educational Theatre program. LNB Geneva Branch Assistant Manager Kelsey Thibault Read more »

Black Violin to perform at Smith Opera House Oct. 28

September 26th, 2018

For Immediate Release Media Contact: Karen Miltner, 315-781-5483, smithcenterforthearts@gmail.com Photo credit: Colin Brennan Photo caption: Black Violin is made up of Wil B. on viola and Kev Marcus on violin. They will perform Oct. 28 at the Smith Opera House Read more »

Smith Opera House’s 2018-2019 ArtSmart Educational Theatre brings four diverse performances to the Smith stage

September 24th, 2018

For Immediate Release Media Contact: Karen Miltner, 315-781-5483, smithcenterforthearts@gmail.com GENEVA NY --- Physical theater with an extra helping of rice and laughter. The magic that happens when an immigrant child falls in love with books and reading. An upbeat adventure-comedy Read more »

The Jersey Tenors perform at the Smith Opera House Sept. 28

September 15th, 2018

For Immediate Release Media Contact: Karen Miltner, 315-781-5483, smithcenterforthearts@gmail.com GENEVA NY --- The Smith Center for the Arts welcomes The Jersey Tenors to the Smith Opera House stage 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28. Calling themselves an “opera-rock mashup sensation,” Read more »

Smith Center for the Arts honors attorney Wendy Marsh: Celebrate Smith! Dinner will take place Sept. 20 at Cracker Factory in Geneva (Aug. 7, 2018)

August 7th, 2018

GENEVA, NY (For Immediate Release) -- The Smith Center for the Arts will honor Hancock and Estabrook attorney Wendy A. Marsh at its annual Celebrate Smith! Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 20. The reception will start at 6 p.m. and dinner Read more »

“A Cappella Sunday” comes to the Smith Opera House September 9 (July 30, 2018)

July 30th, 2018

GENEVA NY --- The Smith Opera House in Geneva is proud to present “A Cappella Sunday: An Harmonious Afternoon of Song” on Sunday, September 9 at 2 p.m. The concert will feature performances from several a cappella singing groups from Read more »

The Nelson B. Delavan Foundation gives $5,000 to support Educational Programming for Young Audiences at Smith Opera House (July 30, 2018)

July 30th, 2018

GENEVA, NY --- The Smith Center for the Arts is pleased to announce that it has received a generous grant of $5,000 from the Nelson B. Delavan Foundation for the Smith’s ArtSmart Educational Theatre program for the 2018-2019 season. The Read more »

42nd Infantry Division Band to perform free concert at Smith Opera House on Aug. 3 (July 25, 2018)

July 25th, 2018

GENEVA, NY --- The 42nd Infantry Division Band will perform a free concert open to the public on Friday, August 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Smith Opera House, 82 Seneca St. in Geneva. The 42nd Infantry Division Band is Read more »

Medley on Linden Returns to Geneva on August 19 (July 16, 2018)

July 16th, 2018

GENEVA, NY --- Come drink, dine and dance on Geneva’s romantic Linden Street as the Smith Center for the Arts brings back its popular Medley on Linden on Sunday, August 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. Celebrating the flavors of Read more »

Press Releases