Sarah LaDuke

Ballin' at the Graveyard - a documentary made by Albany filmmakers Paul Kentoffio and Basil Anastassiou and Co-Produced by Spectrum 8 owner Keith Pickard, Ballin' at the Graveyard is an intensely personal look into the society and community of pickup basketball as told by a group of hardcore ballers at Albany's Washington Park - aka, the Graveyard. It begins screening at The Spectrum this weekend.

We are joined in studio by Cydney Cross (President of Out of the Pits, Inc.), Helene Goldberger (board member), and Helen of Troy - a rescue-turned-therapy dog, to discuss the work that Out of the Pits does to save pitbulls and help their public image. The Artful Canine Show at the Way Out Gallery is a fundraiser for Out of the Pits - with artwork from Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Sue Coe, Dorothy McDevitt, and many others.

Chester Theatre Company’s theme for this summer’s season - their 23rd - is “Uncommon Love Stories,” and they kick off the summer this week with a production of Animals Out of Paper by 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist, Rajiv Joseph.   We speak with artistic director, Byam Stevens, about that show and the rest of the season's offerings.

The first Martel Musical of New York York Stage and Film and Vassar College's Powerhouse Theatre's 28th Season is The Fortress of Solitude - the play is based on Jonathan Lethem's best-selling novel of the same name.  The show is conceived of and directed by Daniel Aukin, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman and book by Itamar Moses. We speak with this creative trio of theatre super-men about developing the show.

New York Stage and Film and Vassar College present Powerhouse's production of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's play, Abigail/1702, directed by David Esbjornson and starring Chloë Sevigny, Patrick Heusinger, Laila Robins, Paxton Whitehead, and Millbrook, NY 4th grader Lucas Pfeifer. The show runs through July 8.