Uptown Theatre for Creative Arts

10/24/2024

🎃Spend your spooky Saturday in our probably haunted theater. Party starts at 8 with
🎧music from DJs .fresco315, &
👻costume contest
📸 Photo Booth

10/23/2024

Been meaning to check out what this improv thing is all about? Tonight is your chance! Come on down to The Uptown tonight @ 7:30 PM to see our Level One Improv graduates put on theirFREE class show! Stick around at 8 to watch or play in an open improv jam with the — no experience necessary! Hope to see you there!

10/18/2024

Get down to the Uptown tonight for Friday Night Improv with shows from our Level 4 class (Faafo) / Deep Dish / Bus Stop Robot. We’re buzzing with post-festival energy, it’s gonna be lit!
8 PM
Doors & Bar @ 7:30
$8 online presale / $10 @ door
UptownUtica.org

10/17/2024

Ready to unleash your creativity? Join us for a fun-filled drop-in improv class tonight at 7 PM at the Uptown Theatre! No experience or sign-up needed—just bring your sense of humor and a willingness to play! Don’t miss out on a night of spontaneity and laughter. See you there!

10/14/2024

SATURDAY OCT 19 | Doors at 7 | Music at 8 | Tickets at uptownutica.org
Home or Hell is a pop-punk trio from Central New York, bringing you a healthy dose of original songs about life, love, and proper showering practices.
Quantifier is a burgeoning post-progressive metal powerhouse from upstate New York, showcasing its technical prowess in resonating with the region’s vibrant post, sludge, doom, and progressive metal scenes.
Life Is A Party is a slacker punk duo from Utica NY— and we are excited to welcome them back to the Uptown!

10/12/2024

Last chance to catch performances of Uptown Improv Festival is night 3 (Saturday). Shows from 6pm to 11pm. Tickets at uptownimprovfestival.com.

10/11/2024

Welcome committee working late night on an airport run to pick up a team from LA. We’re excited to have so many performers joining us in Utica from all over the country for Uptown Improv Festival. Grab your ticket for Friday or Saturday (or both) and see what they can do! uptownimprovfestival.com.

10/11/2024

If you only see one improvised 1990s teen drama set in 1890s Russia... make sure it’s Chekhov High School 📓
Oct 11 and 12 at 9pm Part of Uptown Improv Festival

Coming to the Uptown stage all the way from Los Angeles, this all-star team of seasoned improvisers brings you a show unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Long before Joey kissed Dawson or Imogen Heap fiercely asked, “Whatcha sayyyy?” a group of teens were falling in love, growing up too quickly and finding their footing in late 19th century Russia. High School’s tough. Russia’s tougher! Marry the two and you have a (completely improvised) teen drama from the 90’s... the 1890’s.

Tix uptownimprovfestival.com.

Tickets for Friday and Saturday are good for all shows throughout the night including Chekhov High School. Or get the weekend pass and come for as many shows as you want!

Photo borrowed from

10/04/2024

Friday Night Improv! October dates: 10/4, 10/18, 10/25. Uptown Improv Company’s (almost) weekly improv show features unscripted, unplanned, unexpected comedy. Don’t miss it because it won’t happen twice! TICKETS uptownutica.org

09/30/2024

Get your *discounted* presale tickets now for Uptown Improv Festival presented by Bank of Utica. Top tier teams and talented teachers are coming in from across the country. Check out some of the featured lineup (pictured, from the top):

NYTEShift Comedy (Philadelphia, PA) Composed of all hilarious comedians of color, NYTEShift brings their unique voice into a high-energy comedy show, taking pride in being a beacon for representation within the improv community.

Chekhov High School (Los Angeles, CA) A group of teens falling in love, growing up too quickly and finding their footing in late 19th century Russia. High School’s tough. Russia’s tougher! Marry the two and you have a (completely improvised) teen drama from the 90’s... the 1890’s.

Bingewatch (San Francisco, CA) Bingewatch takes two of the shows you’re binge watching, and mixes them together to give you something wholly new yet delightfully familiar.

Head to uptownimprovfestival.com to see the full schedule, get tickets, and sign up for workshops.

Uptown Improv Festival is sponsored by:
Bank of Utica
Fred F. Collis & Sons
Leatherstocking Abstract
Paul Chapman Insurance Agency
Rust Belt Startup
McGrogan Design
The Green Onion Pub
92.7 The Drive

09/20/2024

We just need paint! Hard to believe, but after 6 years of hard work, fundraising, and a long list of updates and renovations, the Uptown auditorium is ready to re-open. Well, almost ready. Due to climbing costs, we had to put off some parts of the project, including the finishing touches like painting.

We've gotten this far thanks to your support. Will you make a gift to help us wrap this up and reopen? https://www.givemv.org/organizations/uptown-theatre-for-creative-arts

The walls have been patched to repair the extensive water damage, and the original, historic window niches and plaster basins along the walls have been rebuilt. The roof has been replaced, the space is updated with new lighting, there are accessibility and safety upgrades throughout, there is a new sound booth, a new boiler system — but without a fresh coat of paint to top it all off, you can't appreciate the time, love, and care that went into this effort.

I’m ready to support Uptown Theatre for Creative Arts on September 20, 2024 during Mohawk Valley Gives. Learn more about Uptown Theatre for Creative Arts and all the other organizations participating in Mohawk Valley Gives.

09/19/2024

We’re doing a lot now. With your help we can do even more.
🎁 Support Uptown Theater during Mohawk Valley Gives givemv.org — we need to raise $$ now to paint the auditorium so we can get this show on the road.
🤩 Come see what we’re doing right now and how we’ve been building a creative community already.
➡️ Friday Night Improv Fri at 8, original unscripted comedy from
➡️ Riff Night Sunday at 4, heavy music showcase all ages

09/13/2024

Friday 9/13 - celebrate 10 years of White Noise Workshop. Doors and bar at 7. Music at 8.

09/06/2024

Friday Night Improv returns tonight @ 8PM!

Get down to the Uptown for a night of completely original, totally improvised live comedy from house ensemble Post Modern Family with special opening act Deep Dish!

Upcoming show dates: Sept. 6, 20 & 27

8pm in the Uptown Studio

Tickets $8 online or $10 at the door.

Doors & Bar @ 7:30PM

09/03/2024

Back to school isn’t just for the kids! Fall’s here, and it’s the perfect time to try something new! 🍁 Why not jump into an improv class and add a little laughter to your week? Whether you’re looking to boost your confidence, meet new people, or just have some fun, our classes have got you covered. Say “yes” and sign up now at uptownutica.org and let’s make this season one to remember! 🪑 🪑

UTCA’S PROGRAMMING is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

08/22/2024

Next Friday AUG 30 Live music from , a folk rock group from the foothills of Central New York, with special guest . Tickets online at uptownutica.org or at the door. All ages welcome. Doors at 7.

08/05/2024

Don’t miss your chance to submit to this year’s Uptoown Improv Festival! We’ve got some incredible teachers and performers lined up with more on the way! Get your application in by 8/16 to be part of the fun!

08/02/2024

Surprise birthday edition of Friday Night Improv tonight 8/2 at 8pm. (There are actually two birthdays and the surprise is that you won’t know who we’re celebrating until you get there.) (one is in this photo)

07/31/2024

Our Wednesday comedy open mic is taking a much needed vacation. We’ll be back in the fall. Stay cool. Stay cool forever.

07/19/2024

Riff Night TOMORROW July 20
Doors & Bar at 6, Music at 7 | $10 at the door | All Ages

Excited to be the first show for the summer tour of Sunflo’er (Potsdam Artpunk) and Jealous Mind (Connecticut Hardcore Punk), plus performances from Stone Thrower (Real NY Hardcore) and Scorched Mind (Penn. Powerviolence). Heavy music lovers have been turning out for every Riff Night— let’s do it again!

07/16/2024

Our teen improv team Iced Grandpa joined the lineup for tonight’s . Thanks for letting us come play!

07/13/2024

Boilerfaker 2024! Biggest one yet and already looking forward to next year. Thank you!
beer.hub

07/12/2024

Stick around tonight after the Boilerfaker 2024 for stand-up comedy from Karen Rontowski at 8 and Uptown Improv Co. at 8;30!!

07/11/2024

Don't miss Uptown Improv Co. teen improv ensemble ICED GRANDPA performing this coming Monday, July 15th at Levitt AMP Utica Music Series!!!

Week 5 headliner is The Mallett Brothers Band - an independent, rock & roll / Americana country band coming from Maine. With a style ranging from alt-country to Americana, country, jam & roos rock, they're described as a "musical melting pot."

Learn more: malletbrothersband.com

Opening for The Mallett Brothers Band will be Smith Acoustic. Monday's concert will actually be their first LIVE performance as a band!

Concerts are FREE at Kopernik Park - 317 Genesee Street! Street parking. We will have food trucks and art for the kids. Bring chair or blankets. Rain date location will be inside Delta Hotels by Marriott (if there are changes, you will see a post by 1pm on Monday).

Intermission act: Iced Grandpa, Uptown Improv Co.

Presented by Levitt Foundation

Lead Sponsors:
The Community Foundation
M&T Bank PartnersTrust Bank Charitable Fund

Season Sponsors:
Bank of Utica
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield
The Fountainhead Group, Inc.

Partners:
Utica Monday Nite
Rust2Green Utica, Inc.
The City of Utica, NY
DeSales Center
Munson
Delta Hotels by Marriott Utica

Media Sponsors:
Sentinel Media Company
WKTV NEWSChannel 2
CNYhomepage WUTR