Community Calendar

MR. MARMALADE

Noah Haidle’s "Mr. Marmalade" is a darkly comic and wildly imaginative play that explores the grown-up world through the eyes of a four-year-old girl named Lucy. Her imaginary friend, Mr. Marmalade, is anything but innocent; complete with an abusive streak, a cocaine habit, and a very busy schedule. Blending satire with surrealism, this bold and twisted tale offers a sharp look at childhood, loneliness, and the things we learn too soon.

Directed by Tanner Efinger

- Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 2 p.m.

Location: Dowd Fine Arts, Lab Theater

PICNIC
By William Inge | Directed by Ralph Zito | Feb 20 - Mar 1 | Opening Night: Feb 21

An elegant drama from an American master.

“I've always had the feeling, if I just had the chance, I could set the whole world on fire.” As a small Kansas town prepares for the annual Labor Day picnic, handsome young drifter Hal stirs up long dormant feelings amongst a group of repressed women, including Madge, a beauty queen who yearns for another life whenever she hears the train whistle blow. Disappointments, resentments, and rivalries simmer with the late summer swelter in William Inge’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic about the power of attraction and the perils of unfulfilled desire.

The FOCUS Greater Syracuse, Inc. Citizens Academy Alumni Network invites you to a Mix & Mingle on Wednesday, March 4, designed to foster conversation, connection, and civic engagement. This special evening is hosted in one of downtown Syracuse's most iconic spaces, the Landmark Theatre.

The program features a presentation by Robert Searing, curator of history at the Onondaga Historical Association, offering insight into the Landmark’s storied past and its role in our community.

Main Event: Mix & Mingle

• Date: Wednesday, March 4
• Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Doors open at 5:15 p.m.)
• Cost: Free and open to the public.
• Details: Includes Searing’s historical presentation, networking opportunities, and fundraising in support of FOCUS.
• Refreshments: Snacks and beverages available for purchase.

Optional: Pre-Event Historic Theatre Tours

• Times: 4:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. (Tour doors open at 4:15 p.m.)
• Cost: $12 per person (Advance registration required).
• Details: A guided, one-hour behind-the-scenes look at the architecture and restoration of the theatre.
• Note: Tours are limited to 20 participants each. Tickets are non-refundable.

Whether you are a Citizens Academy graduate, a longtime supporter, or new to FOCUS, all are welcome to join us for an evening celebrating local history and community-powered giving.

When Alice chases the White Rabbit down a rabbit hole, she tumbles into a curious world with a zany cast of characters, including the Mad Hatter, a grinning Cheshire Cat, a mischievous Caterpillar, and the imperious Queen of Hearts. This musical adaptation of the timeless classic celebrates the wonder of imagination!

In her show, "Makin’ Cake," Dasha Kelly Hamilton slices into American history, exploring race, culture, and class in a refreshing and fun way. It is storytelling in layers, filled with "aha" moments, poignant vignettes, and digital media, featuring a supporting cast of two on-stage bakers.

The show serves up a conversation about equity in America. Part history lesson and part social science revelation, "Makin’ Cake" is a short story about America's sweet tooth and its pathway to salvation. The experience leaves room for dessert and dialogue with a cake reception immediately following the performance.

"Makin’ Cake" was initially commissioned by the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and included Hamilton facilitating arts-based conversations on race and class. She continues to develop the work to pursue dialogues about human and social wellness.

Event Details:

• Performers: Dasha Kelly Hamilton and a supporting cast of two on-stage bakers.
• Admission: Free, but tickets are required.
• Reception: A cake reception open to all attendees will follow the performance.
• Partnership: Presented in partnership with the "I Am Oz" Diversity Speaker Series at SUNY Oswego.

A REBEL PRAYER
ACADEMIC WORLD PREMIERE

Book and Lyrics by Eloise T. Govedare | Music by Aleksandra M. Weil | Directed by Kathleen Wrinn | Music Direction by Brian Cimmet | Choreography by Bradley Stone | Mar 27 - Apr 5 | Opening Night: Mar 28

A searing new musical about protest, loss, and the power of art.

“Look the beast in the eyes, and stare. Say a rebel prayer.” When a politically provocative play costs her father his life, 16-year-old Nikita and her mother are forced to flee Moscow for Domikov, a remote Russian town where tyrannical headmistress Ludmilla Mukhina rules the local school with an iron fist. Mired in grief and desperate to return home, Nikita is visited by the spirits of Pussy Riot, the real-life punk-protest collective imprisoned for their art. But when they offer Nikita one of their masks to carry on her father’s legacy, Nikita is faced with a dangerous choice: submit, or rebel?

A REBEL PRAYER
ACADEMIC WORLD PREMIERE

Book and Lyrics by Eloise T. Govedare | Music by Aleksandra M. Weil | Directed by Kathleen Wrinn | Music Direction by Brian Cimmet | Choreography by Bradley Stone | Mar 27 - Apr 5 | Opening Night: Mar 28

A searing new musical about protest, loss, and the power of art.

“Look the beast in the eyes, and stare. Say a rebel prayer.” When a politically provocative play costs her father his life, 16-year-old Nikita and her mother are forced to flee Moscow for Domikov, a remote Russian town where tyrannical headmistress Ludmilla Mukhina rules the local school with an iron fist. Mired in grief and desperate to return home, Nikita is visited by the spirits of Pussy Riot, the real-life punk-protest collective imprisoned for their art. But when they offer Nikita one of their masks to carry on her father’s legacy, Nikita is faced with a dangerous choice: submit, or rebel?

A REBEL PRAYER
ACADEMIC WORLD PREMIERE

Book and Lyrics by Eloise T. Govedare | Music by Aleksandra M. Weil | Directed by Kathleen Wrinn | Music Direction by Brian Cimmet | Choreography by Bradley Stone | Mar 27 - Apr 5 | Opening Night: Mar 28

A searing new musical about protest, loss, and the power of art.

“Look the beast in the eyes, and stare. Say a rebel prayer.” When a politically provocative play costs her father his life, 16-year-old Nikita and her mother are forced to flee Moscow for Domikov, a remote Russian town where tyrannical headmistress Ludmilla Mukhina rules the local school with an iron fist. Mired in grief and desperate to return home, Nikita is visited by the spirits of Pussy Riot, the real-life punk-protest collective imprisoned for their art. But when they offer Nikita one of their masks to carry on her father’s legacy, Nikita is faced with a dangerous choice: submit, or rebel?

A REBEL PRAYER
ACADEMIC WORLD PREMIERE

Book and Lyrics by Eloise T. Govedare | Music by Aleksandra M. Weil | Directed by Kathleen Wrinn | Music Direction by Brian Cimmet | Choreography by Bradley Stone | Mar 27 - Apr 5 | Opening Night: Mar 28

A searing new musical about protest, loss, and the power of art.

“Look the beast in the eyes, and stare. Say a rebel prayer.” When a politically provocative play costs her father his life, 16-year-old Nikita and her mother are forced to flee Moscow for Domikov, a remote Russian town where tyrannical headmistress Ludmilla Mukhina rules the local school with an iron fist. Mired in grief and desperate to return home, Nikita is visited by the spirits of Pussy Riot, the real-life punk-protest collective imprisoned for their art. But when they offer Nikita one of their masks to carry on her father’s legacy, Nikita is faced with a dangerous choice: submit, or rebel?

A REBEL PRAYER
ACADEMIC WORLD PREMIERE

Book and Lyrics by Eloise T. Govedare | Music by Aleksandra M. Weil | Directed by Kathleen Wrinn | Music Direction by Brian Cimmet | Choreography by Bradley Stone | Mar 27 - Apr 5 | Opening Night: Mar 28

A searing new musical about protest, loss, and the power of art.

“Look the beast in the eyes, and stare. Say a rebel prayer.” When a politically provocative play costs her father his life, 16-year-old Nikita and her mother are forced to flee Moscow for Domikov, a remote Russian town where tyrannical headmistress Ludmilla Mukhina rules the local school with an iron fist. Mired in grief and desperate to return home, Nikita is visited by the spirits of Pussy Riot, the real-life punk-protest collective imprisoned for their art. But when they offer Nikita one of their masks to carry on her father’s legacy, Nikita is faced with a dangerous choice: submit, or rebel?