Main Street News

On Saturday January 20, 2024, Stissing Center in Pine Plains, NY, hosted a beautiful evening entitled “Fire & Ice”. It was dubbed “a signature cocktail event celebrating our new branding, and the exclusive unveiling of our 2024 season!” – and unveil they did. 

Upon arrival there was an entire welcome committee to greet guests, complete with champagne. Entering the great hall is always a beautiful and joyous moment, and on this cold Saturday evening it was no different. The hall had been transformed into a magical space with guests mingling all around it. Delicious hors d’oeuvres were offered by the staff of The Farmer’s Wife that circled around the room while neighbors and friends, both old and new, caught up and discussed all things Pine Plains. 

Before long, the evening’s events got underway with VIP Master of Ceremonies Grace Angela Henry who presented speakers and performers alike. We were treated to the absolutely transformative music of Nathan Meltzer and Sophia Zhou; followed by Nolan Montgomery and Ross Patterson; Mary Rotella, Hunter Booth, Gianna Marie Torres and Ross Patterson; as well as Mary Rotella and Ross Patterson. Stissing Center’s very own board member Heather Dell’Amore brought levity to the evening with her one-woman standup act – giving us a glimpse of what to expect from her upcoming show at the Center. 

The new brand and presenting the 2024 schedule

Both Brett Bernardini (the executive director) and Patrick Trettenero (president of the board of directors) spoke of the Stissing Center’s place in Pine Plains. They shared the unveiling of the new brand identity – how it will now be referred to just as Stissing Center, no more pesky “the”, and its full title will be “Stissing Center for Arts & Culture”. The new brand pays homage to Pine Plains, fine hand lettering to be found all around the town, Stissing Mountain, and even the colors of the brand are a nod to paint colors found in a back hallway in the Center. 

After presenting the new branding, they launched into presenting us with a chock-full roster of events for the 2024 season and goodness gracious! They sure will keep Pine Plains busy with these various performances. I recommend going to their website for a full schedule and to get your tickets now.

Coupled with presenting this year’s schedule they discussed the importance of this building and of this center in the town – what it has meant in the past and what it can mean for the future. Brett used the terminology of “transformational impact” and that resonated, because when you have such dedicated people as all of the staff – volunteer or not – behind an organization like this in addition to the patrons of Pine Plains like the Bannings, big things can happen. And Brett’s term of transformational change spoke volumes because if they achieve their goals they will forever be making an impact in our small community of Pine Plains.

Getting down to the dollars and cents

But, and there’s always a but. In order to continue with their work, funding is of course needed. As we’ve all noticed in the last

however many years, the Stissing Center has been undergoing renovations. Much needed renovations, mind you. But their work is not complete. And that is another aspect of this Saturday night’s agenda: to discuss their capital campaign and the funds that they will be working to raise.

The figure? Nine-point-six million dollars.

Those funds will be going towards such things as replacing the roof of the building, which is much needed, as well as numerous other features that need updating and some TLC. They reiterated that every single dollar will count and will help them to achieve the Center’s goals in making a transformational impact on the Center itself, as well as the town, but perhaps most importantly, on the people who will walk through its doors to be wowed by the performances there.

To learn more about the Stissing Center, its 2024 schedule, and capital campaign visit their website https://www.thestissingcenter.org