Seagle's Fulton Fryar’s Closet: An Encore Presentation on Mountain Lake PBS This Weekendend

The year was 1957 and this small building (above) was a new addition at the Seagle Music Colony on Charley Hill Road.

That summer it housed a 17-year-old singer named Fulton Fryar. He was the first African American to study at the colony. His sleeping quarters were kept separate from those of the other singers on the campus.  Fulton’s story came to light a couple of years ago when it was slated for demolition and a friend of Darren Woods, The Seagle Music Colony’s Artistic Director --  Jonathan Green – learned about the room.

Fulton Fryar, was 17-years-old in 1957

“Jonathan became obsessed with saving this little room and bit of African-American history in the Adirondacks. He contacted Steven Englehart with Adirondack Architectural Heritage who then sent the pictures to Laura Rice at the Adirondack Experience (formerly the Adirondack Museum),” said Darren. (It is now part of the Adirondack Experience permanent collection).

You can read more of Darren’s story here and this weekend viewers in the Mountain Lake PBS region will once again have the chance to watch an award winning documentary about the history of Fulton Fryar’s closet. The documentary features an interview with Fulton, and Darren Woods and explores the unknown story of racial inequality in 1950s Adirondack culture.

Fulton Fryar’s Closet: A Spotlight Special airs this Friday night at 8:00.  It repeats Sunday morning at 5:30 am and 10am.

Spotlight is made possible, in part, by the Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation, dedicated to improving the quality of life for year-round residents of the Adirondack Park.  Spotlight is also supported by Hill & Hollow Music.

Seagle Music Colony's Vesper Concert Sunday, August 11

The traditional Seagle selfie at last week’s Guild Luncheon at the Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing.. Proudly hosted by the SMC Guild

From our friends at the Seagle Music Colony;

“Don't forget - this Sunday, August 11 is the first 2019 SMC Vespers Concert at 5:00 pm. Join the 2019 SMC artists for a concert of sacred solo and choral music. The concerts are FREE with a suggested donation of $10 per person.

After the concert - be sure to stick around for the 2019 Seagle Music Colony, Inc. Annual Meeting. All members in good standing are invited to the meeting. If you're unsure of your membership status, please give us a call or send us a message, by clicking here!”

The Manchurian Candidate Comes to Schroon's Seagle Music Colony

Photo: Seagle Music Colony

This week The Seagle Music Colony continues to bring new opera to the stage with the east coast premiere of The Manchurian Candidate, which opens on Wednesday night.

NCPR’s Todd Moe talks to Seagle Artistic Director Darren Woods and the opera’s librettist Mark Campbell about this new work, based on the novel by Richard Condon.

Click here to listen to the interview. Click here for ticket information.

Oh, What A Night!

Seagle Colony’s 104th season kicked off Saturday night showcasing the extraordinary class of 32 emerging artists at their “Old Friends and New Concert.”

The show spanned the gamut of opera standards and Broadway hits, with the finale featuring a guest appearance by Darren Wood, SMC’s Artistic Director and former General Director of Fort Worth Opera, as he led the company with a performance of “Old Friends” from Merrily We Roll Along, by Sondheim.

And a big shout to the four pianists: John Cockerill, Eric Frei, Jonathan Heaney and Ciyuan Zhu.

Darren was like a proud parent when he talked about this year’s artists, the upcoming shows and the success of the first “audition classes.”

These are mock auditions where the artists perform different arias, in costume, before a panel of industry experts, and receive immediate feedback on their performances: from vocal techniques, stage presence and attire.

“The first few auditions have been exhilarating. Today we watched Ashlee Lamar and her performance from Madam Butterfly was simply amazing”.

A champagne reception followed with the young artists mingling with guests, sharing their various journeys to Charley Hill Road, first impressions of Schroon and their excitement about the shows they are in.

Rehearsals have begun for Evita which is almost sold out and (click here for tickets) and this week “sing-throughs” for the remaining season begin.