FREE EVENT | Carpe Diem's favorite night of the year!

Our campers will dazzle you as they perform solos, group numbers, and showcase their many dynamic talents! Free to attend, we encourage you to bring friends and family alike to this one-of-a-kind performance!

Learn More

As our biggest fundraiser of the season, we hope you’ll join us for an evening of spectacular singing from our own Carpe family and our visiting professionals! Hosted by former news personality and local favorite Benita Zahn, this year’s benefit concert will feature sets from Dudney Joseph (Cats: The Jellicle Ball, PAC NYC; The Harder They Come, The Public Theater), the 2025 Showcase cast, students from our ROOTS program, and CDT Staff. We will have exciting raffle items, silent auction, a large bake sale, and other giving opportunities.

We are offering tickets on a sliding scale - please make the contribution you are willing and able to make. We are glad to have you claim a free ticket so you and your family can join us!

Tickets & More Information

Carpe Diem Theater | ROOTS

ROOTS: Realizations On & Off The Stage presents students with critical information about making theater as well as the roles and responsibilities of theater makers themselves. Teaching artists from Broadway, Off-Broadway, international touring companies, and beyond, bring their experiences to the Round Lake Auditorium for Carpe Diem Theater's free workshop series.

These workshops are open to all ages, but are geared towards teens and beyond. All community members are welcome! 

Learn More

Carpe Diem Theater | ROOTS

ROOTS: Realizations On & Off The Stage presents students with critical information about making theater as well as the roles and responsibilities of theater makers themselves. Teaching artists from Broadway, Off-Broadway, international touring companies, and beyond, bring their experiences to the Round Lake Auditorium for Carpe Diem Theater's free workshop series.

These workshops are open to all ages, but are geared towards teens and beyond. All community members are welcome! 

Learn More

Carpe Diem Theater | ROOTS

ROOTS: Realizations On & Off The Stage presents students with critical information about making theater as well as the roles and responsibilities of theater makers themselves. Teaching artists from Broadway, Off-Broadway, international touring companies, and beyond, bring their experiences to the Round Lake Auditorium for Carpe Diem Theater's free workshop series.

These workshops are open to all ages, but are geared towards teens and beyond. All community members are welcome! 

Learn More

Perform at our Open Mic nights!

Show off your talent! Prepare and perform a 5min act. If you are a musician, bring your instrument to plug in or mic up to our sound system. Poets, we want to hear what you have written! If you are a dance crew, we can cue up a song for your act.

Plan to arrive early to sign-up. Your order in the show will be determined by the time you arrive.

All ages are welcome to perform!

Hosted by Scott Rigney

June 30-July 5, 2025 | SHOWCASE is a one-week theater intensive and performance opportunity open to students ages 16-22 years old.  Our mission is to provide an immersive and collaborative production experience to promote artistic autonomy, in-depth scene study, and build confidence in advanced theater makers.

Selling out its 2024 performances at the Round Lake Auditorium and Fort Salem Theater, Showcase returns for 2025, bringing some of the Capital Region's brightest young talent into the spotlight. Led by stage director Nick Ong (Edinburgh Fringe, Two River Theater), vocal coach Brady Walsh (former Met Opera artistic staff), and choreographer Emma Alteri (National Tour The Cher Show), these young performers share their gifts in a uniquely curated program of beloved repertoire. 

After an intensive week of coaching their material, they will premiere this one-of-a-kind performance at their home theater before making their NYC debuts two weeks later at The Green Room 42! Performers include CDT alumni, students from top theater programs in the region, and more. 

Learn More

Thursdays in June & August

Meet at the Auditorium for a tour, a sip of tea, and an organ demonstration on the Davis-Ferris Tracker Organ, a National Historic Landmark. There even may be a peek at the pipes!

Thursdays in June & August

Meet at the Auditorium for a tour, a sip of tea, and an organ demonstration on the Davis-Ferris Tracker Organ, a National Historic Landmark. There even may be a peek at the pipes!

Lecture Series | Photography & Filmmaking

In our engaging lecture series, we delve into topics of culture, history, health, and art.

Join us as we discover the history of filmmaking and host a panel discussion with photographers, filmmakers, publishers, and analog makers who love the unique aesthetic of analog imaging.

Steve Carter is the Head of Marketing and Outreach at CineStill Film, where he works to help analog photographers create their best work. With a deep understanding of both traditional film and modern media, Steve bridges the gap between legacy formats and contemporary photography formats.

Before joining CineStill, Steve worked as the Global Head of Social Media at Kodak, where he played a role in revitalizing the brand’s presence online. He stepped into co-host duties while continuing to serve as a producer for The Kodakery, KODAK's official brand podcast featuring guests ranging from well-known to up-and-coming photographers, filmmakers, publishers, and analog makers.

Steve became a faux-tographer(1) during Instagram's early days using his iPhone camera. Over time, that interest evolved into a dedication to film photography—a format he now champions both personally and professionally.

Today, Steve is not only works in marketing Cinestill film to film enthusiasts but is also an active film photographer, committed to preserving and promoting the unique aesthetic of analog imaging.

Chromoscope Pictures is a boutique production company based in Troy, NY that writes, directs, and produces original content in various fields of art and industry. Much like the instrument that is our namesake, we align our passion for storytelling with the vision of our clientele; to produce an image of that combined purpose.

Filmmakers and storytellers at heart, Nick, Zach, and Jamie have been making videos and films in one form or another since 2009. Throughout high school and college, they focused their efforts on narrative projects, and after incorporating in 2012, built their respective careers in the video production and film production fields.

Together as Chromoscope, we produce short and long form branded content, such as television commercials, social media content, and corporate video productions, in addition to music videos. Outside of client commissioned work, we develop and produce original narrative films with an amazing network of talented collaborators in NY’s Capital Region.

We continue to hone our vision on each new project, from local brands, to national artists. Together, our work in film, music video, and branded content has garnered millions of views across the web, television, festivals, and theaters.

Perform at our Open Mic nights!

Show off your talent! Prepare and perform a 5min act. If you are a musician, bring your instrument to plug in or mic up to our sound system. Poets, we want to hear what you have written! If you are a dance crew, we can cue up a song for your act.

Plan to arrive early to sign-up. Your order in the show will be determined by the time you arrive.

All ages are welcome to perform!

Hosted by Scott Rigney

Thursdays in June & August

Meet at the Auditorium for a tour, a sip of tea, and an organ demonstration on the Davis-Ferris Tracker Organ, a National Historic Landmark. There even may be a peek at the pipes!

Improv Spaces Music Festival

The 2025 Improv Spaces Music Festival presents an impressive roster of 35 musicians and collaborators hailing from the Capital Region and beyond for this day-long musical improvisation program.

Learn More: 2025 Improv Spaces Music Festival

Grow your garden and your bookshelf!

Friday April 25th | 5:00-8:00pm

Saturday April 26th | 9:00am-4:00pm

From timeless classics to hidden gems, there is something for every reader. Whether you're looking to refresh your bookshelf or discover your next favorite read, this is the perfect chance to stock up for spring and summer reading.

A portion of the proceeds will support the Round Lake Auditorium.

Grow your garden and your bookshelf!

Friday April 25th | 5:00-8:00pm

Saturday April 26th | 9:00am-4:00pm

From timeless classics to hidden gems, there is something for every reader. Whether you're looking to refresh your bookshelf or discover your next favorite read, this is the perfect chance to stock up for spring and summer reading.

A portion of the proceeds will support the Round Lake Auditorium.

Perform at our Open Mic nights!

DATE CHANGE: September 20th to September 27th

Show off your talent! Prepare and perform a 5min act. If you are a musician, bring your instrument to plug in or mic up to our sound system. Poets, we want to hear what you have written! If you are a dance crew, we can cue up a song for your act.

Plan to arrive early to sign-up. Your order in the show will be determined by the time you arrive.

All ages are welcome to perform!

Hosted by Scott Rigney | srigney721@yahoo.com

The Dugout Galway

International concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor and lecturer

Before the recital, join us for a historical presentation of the Auditorium at 3pm.

Gail Archer is an international concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor and lecturer who draws attention to composer anniversaries or musical themes with her annual recital series in New York City, including A Slavic Celebration, Max Reger, The Muse’s Voice, An American Idyll, Liszt, Bach, Mendelssohn and Messiaen.

Ms. Archer was the first American woman to play the complete works of Olivier Messiaen for the centennial of the composer’s birth in 2008: Time Out New York recognized the Messiaen cycle as “Best of 2008” in classical music and opera.

Her recordings include her 2022 Polish release, Cantius, and Chernivtsi, A Russian Journey, The Muse’s Voice, Franz Liszt: A Hungarian Rhapsody, Bach: The Transcendent Genius, an American Idyll, A Mystic in the Making (MeyerMedia), and The Orpheus of Amsterdam: Sweelinck and his Pupils (CALA Records).

Ms. Archer’s 2023 European tour took her to Italy, France, Austria, Germany and Poland. Highlights include St. Cyriakus R. C. Church, Krefeld, Germany, Basilica Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, Messina, Sicily, the Cathedral of Santa Maria, Alghero, Sardegna, the Church of Saint Bruno Les Chartreux, Lyon, France, and the Church of St. Vitali, Ravenna, Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its extraordinary mosaics.

Learn More: GailArcher.com

Sophia Subbayya Vastek

Pianist and composer Sophia Subbayya Vastek will present an immersive piano program that draws from her acclaimed genre-bending record In Our Softening (“demands to be heard...” -The Crack).

In each of her performances, Sophia creates experiential spaces for listening through intentional, carefully-crafted sound design in partnership with audio engineer Sam Torres. The result is a spacious performance that feels equal parts communal and intimate, grounded in emotional storytelling and care.

Sophia's music has been described as “heaven on earth” (Sun 13), "ghostly, delicate, elegant..." (Independent Clauses), and “vulnerable, exquisitely performed, and sensitive...” (I CARE IF YOU LISTEN).

Sophia developed an intuitive, dynamic playing style over the years that’s rooted in both improvisational exploration and her classical background.

Described as performing with "passion and profound tenderness” (Second Inversion) and “serene strokes and lyrical beauty” (Brooklyn Rail), pianist and songwriter Sophia Subbayya Vastek moves quietly between musical worlds. A musician since childhood - growing up with parents who were also pianists - she has developed an intuitive, dynamic playing style over the years that’s rooted in both improvisational exploration and her classical background. The resulting music is ethereal and cinematic, blossoming into neoclassical/ambient-inspired soundscapes that range from whisper-soft echoes to expressive cascades.

Independent Clauses has described her music as: "Ghostly, delicate, elegant..."

Her most recent LP, In Our Softening (2022), features nine beguiling piano compositions, each track a part of a thoughtfully woven tapestry. The album has been called “a tender and revelatory balm" by editors at I Care If You Listen, “heaven on earth” (Sun 13), and “one of the very best things I've heard all year” by longtime music journalist Steve Smith (Night After Night).

Her debut album, Histories (Innova Recordings, 2017) was produced by Grammy-winning engineer Adam Abeshouse, and described as “a beautiful mosaic of the larger cultural intersections of our world, and how we weave those histories together through music” (Second Inversion). She also released an EP of the complete solo piano works by composer Lili Boulanger (1893-1918), entitled Lili (2020, reissued 2023).

In 2022, Sophia was recognized as a composer by the New York State Council on the Arts and New York Foundation For the Arts (NYSCA/NYFA) as a Music/Sound Fellow, a statewide program focused on the evolution of contemporary art.

She is also a co-founder of Organ Colossal, a nonprofit that produces local musical events and community-oriented music projects in her hometown of Troy, NY, where she currently lives in a converted church with her husband and their two cats, MagnifiCAT and Bella (from Twilight).

Learn More: SophiaVastek.com

with special guest Nicholas Kopp

Nicholas Kopp (aka djdrummernk) is a musician, filmmaker, and educator based in the Saratoga Springs area. When not teaching music lessons or performing around the Capital Region, he can be found developing new work in his home studio with a wide-ranging collection of percussion instruments from around the world. Most recently, his piece titled "A Chaotic and Colorful Mind" was featured on WMHT as part of their series TVFilm. He is pleased to join Sophia for this performance, and to offer a program of his own music carefully crafted with the acoustics of Round Lake Auditorium in mind.

Listen: djdrummernk.bandcamp.com

Thomas Dressler is known for exciting, passionate performances on the organ.

Before the recital, join us for a historical presentation of the Auditorium at 3pm.

About Tom Dressler

Thomas Dressler is known for exciting, passionate performances on the organ and harpsichord which combine warm musicality with historic techniques. He has been performing for more than thirty years, often on historic instruments, including some of America's oldest and most historic organs.

He has appeared on local television in NY, the Poconos, and Philadelphia. His playing at the opening concert of the 150th anniversary celebration of the Round Lake organ was described by audience members as "riveting" and "stunningly elegant." In August of 2001 he recorded the 1847 Ferris organ at Round Lake, NY, and the CD was released in 2003; it received a feature review in The American Organist magazine. In 2012, he released a CD recorded on the Paul Fritts organ at Princeton Theological Seminary, which was featured on Pipedreams on National Public Radio. Officers of the Central New Jersey chapter of the American Guild of Organists have said, "Mr. Dressler is an organist with solid technique, well known for his exquisite rendering of Renaissance and Baroque music."

But he does not only specialize in "early" music. He also spends much time exploring performance practices of the 19th century, trying to uncover possible modern misconceptions about this music and present it in a manner the composers would have recognized. As a teenager, Mr. Dressler studied organ with James Boeringer and practiced on an 1894 Felgemaker organ. During this time he developed a strong interest in historic "tracker action" organs. He also began to have an interest in historic performing practices (using the information available in old treatises to attempt to play music in a way similar to how the composers may have originally heard it.) When historic fingerings and articulations are matched with the music being played, it is possible to infuse it with a degree of emotion and excitement not possible using purely modern techniques. He pursued these techniques throughout his college years, earning a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance, cum laude, from Susquehanna University, and a Master of Music in Performance, with honors, from Westminster Choir College. At Westminster, he studied organ with Mark Brombaugh and Joan Lippincott.

Mr. Dressler has held large church positions in Philadelphia and New Jersey. He has also been a featured lecturer in various venues in addition to lecturing at Warren County Community College (NJ), speaking on topics such as Performance Practices of the Baroque Era, various topics in music history and appreciation, and Music and Holistic Health. His special abilities to communicate, both as a speaker and performer, are combined in his performances, where he discusses much of the music he performs. Audiences respond enthusiastically. A reporter from a local newspaper in Pennsylvania has said, "Dressler interacts with the audience on a very personal level, appealing to young and old alike. One comes away from each program knowing they have learned something."

Watch Tom Dressler’s 2020 Organ Recital

Will Kempe’s Players

Midsummer Madness

Will Kempe’s Players’ adaptation of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream is a collaborative creation that comes from a deep love for and knowledge of the story.

Will Kempe’s Players is a regional theater cooperative from Troy, NY that produces a wide range of theatrical performance utilizing the methods used by William Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Our aim is to create quality experiences by promoting an inclusive creative environment and making Shakespeare’s works engaging and accessible to modern audiences while retaining historical authenticity.

This summer, the Capital Region is in for a theatrical treat as Will Kempe’s Players (WKP) introduce Midsummer Madness: A Shakesperience, an interactive twist on Shakespeare’s beloved A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Our innovative Summer production promises an electrifying blend of traditional Shakespearean comedy mixed with modern audience-engaging performance art.

In Midsummer Madness, both the cast and audience will collaboratively create the show each night, ensuring that no two shows are the same. At the start of each performance the cast list will be created live on stage. Actors will be swapping scripts, speed-designing their costumes, and choosing their props in a race against the clock as the show will be set to begin ve minutes after each actor receives their script for that evening's performance. This process, reminiscent of the spontaneous and collaborative nature of Elizabethan theatre, oers a fresh take on Shakespearean performance for the Capital Region.

Key Features of Midsummer Madness:
- Partially Devised Performance: A blend of traditional Shakespeare and contemporary devised theatre practices, ensuring each performance is a unique creation.

- Interactive Audience Participation: Audiences can engage at their comfort level, from responding to cue cards, to selecting cast members, and even singing a group lullaby.

- Exploration of Original Practices: Emulating Renaissance theatre by eliminating directors and traditional production teams, this approach relies on actors’ creativity and ensemble synergy.

Production Concept:
WKP’s approach aims to replicate the spontaneous spirit of Elizabethan theatre. In Shakespeare’s time, actors made swift and creative decisions without always having had extensive rehearsals. By embracing this method, WKP plans to showcase the uidity and playfulness inherent in Shakespearean performance and directly share that joy with our audiences.

Responses to Common Questions:
“Is this a read-through?”
Absolutely not. While scripts are present on stage, actors are breathing life into the text with spontaneous choices, inventive props, and lively performances that will create a dynamic and immersive experience for all involved.

“Why don’t you have a Director?”

Mirroring Elizabethan practices, we forego a director to highlight the actors' autonomy and collaborative creativity. This method emphasizes the ensemble’s adaptability and the unique nature of each performance.

“How does this process resemble Elizabethan Theatre Practices?”

Elizabethan theatre thrived on actor-driven performances with minimal directorial oversight. Audience interaction was a key component, fostering a communal theatrical experience. WKP’s method is aimed at reviving these principles while promoting spontaneity and collective engagement.

“What is Devised Theatre?”

Devised theatre is a collaborative creation process where the ensemble shapes the performance, bringing in their shared ideas and skills to craft a dynamic show.

Show Title: Midsummer Madness: A Shakesperience

Performance Ensemble (Listed in alphabetical order)

- Ash Visker
- Cameron Richardson - Devin Trager
- Imzak Mohamed
- Jack Ellis
- Melissa Colasessano
- Michael Sinkora
- Phillip Beattie
- Syl Simmons

The casting will vary nightly, ensuring fresh and unpredictable performances each time.

While WKP has temporarily dissolved traditional production roles for our 2024 Summer show Midsummer Madness, we are using that newfound space to empower the ensemble to take collective responsibility for all aspects of the show, thereby removing one more barrier between performer and audience.

Learn More: willkempesplayers.com

Thursdays in June & August

Meet at the Auditorium for a tour, a sip of tea, and an organ demonstration on the Davis-Ferris Tracker Organ, a National Historic Landmark. There even may be a peek at the pipes!

Round Lake Fire Department

Past & Present

In our engaging lecture series, we delve into topics of culture, history, health, and art.

From humble beginnings with wagons and a small firehouse to modern fire trucks and a new station. Fred Sievers will present how the Fire Department has served the community since 1886.

Craig S. Williams is the West Point Organist and Choirmaster

Before the recital, join us for a historical presentation of the Auditorium at 3pm.

About Craig Williams

Craig S. Williams is Craig S. Williams is Organist and Choirmaster of the Cadet Chapel, United States Military Academy West Point, where he plays the world’s largest church all-pipe organ and directs the Cadet Chapel Choir. He is only the fourth organist to hold that position since the present Cadet Chapel building was erected in 1910.

At West Point, Mr. Williams oversees the music programs of five chapels, in which are given well over 400 services, concerts and various other functions annually.  Personally, Mr. Williams performs at approximately 200 of these chapel functions, including worship services, weddings, funerals, class reunion memorial services, recitals, choir concerts and VIP organ demonstrations performing for royalty, cabinet members, generals, members of Congress and many other international government and military figures.  He has been featured on television numerous times including his recent appearance on Fox News’ West Point Holiday Special which received over 2,000,000 views, and he also appears as organist on the West Point Glee Club’s DVD Stand Ye Steady.

Mr. Williams has performed on both organ and piano for over 40 years and continues to perform nationwide. His organ credits include performances at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, several appearances at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, and at Segerstrom Hall in Orange County, CA with the Pacific Chorale.  His most recent appearance at Segerstrom Hall was in a concert, Superstar Organ Virtuosos, where he shared the stage with Paul Jacobs, Frederick Swann, Christoph Bull and members of the Pacific Symphony.  Mr. Williams has also played on the summer series at the Riverside Church in New York, the Crystal Cathedral, and Ocean Grove Auditorium; and he continues to give numerous recitals and workshops for prominent cathedrals and churches on both coasts.  In 2021, he played a recital in Usurbil, Spain, as guest artist in the Quincena Musical de San Sebastián.  In 2023, he performed two recitals in Italy, at the Pantheon in Rome, and at the Basilica of San Gaudenzio in Novara.

Mr. Williams is an Associate of the American Guild of Organists and served as dean of the Central Hudson Valley chapter from 2012 to 2016.  In the early 90’s, he served as dean of the Brooklyn Chapter. Also, he has been a featured performer for conventions held by the AGO and the American Institute of Organbuilders.

Mr. Williams received the masters in organ performance from Westminster Choir College where he was one of three of the first Currin Scholars, a full graduate level scholarship, studying with Eugene Roan. His piano performance degrees include the masters from the Juilliard School, studying with Martin Canin, where he performed with the Juilliard Symphony at Lincoln Center; and the bachelors from the University of Southern California, studying with Daniel Pollack.

In addition to his duties at West Point, he served as adjunct professor of organ at Nyack College (Nyack, NY) and conservatory faculty at Westminster Choir College (Princeton, NJ) for 19 years. Mr. Williams performs under the management of Seven Eight Artists.

Learn More: Youtube | Facebook

Watch

Craig Williams at the Round Lake Auditorium in 2018

Perform at our Open Mic nights!

Show off your talent! Prepare and perform a 5min act. If you are a musician, bring your instrument to plug in or mic up to our sound system. Poets, we want to hear what you have written! If you are a dance crew, we can cue up a song for your act.

Plan to arrive early to sign-up. Your order in the show will be determined by the time you arrive.

All ages are welcome to perform!

Hosted by Scott Rigney | srigney721@yahoo.com

Thursdays in June & August

Meet at the Auditorium for a tour, a sip of tea, and an organ demonstration on the Davis-Ferris Tracker Organ, a National Historic Landmark. There even may be a peek at the pipes!