Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

The music world’s first and greatest supergroup (Eagles schmeagles, we always say) are back on the road for the “Freedom of Speech ’06” tour, the group’s first outing together in four years. It’s their third tour of the new millennium; prior to that, they hadn’t performed together in a quarter-century. Why all the action of late? Well, we all know the trio (Crosby, Stills, and Nash) only become a quartet when old man Young says so, and Young has new product to push, so what the hey: CSNY will perform Young’s critically lauded, politically blunt Living With War album in its entirety. (Start learning the words to “Let’s Impeach the President” now.) The group also promise to dig into their back catalog for some “politically charged” classics, which by our watch must mean “Ohio,” maybe “Woodstock,” and possibly Young’s Flight 93 ode “Let’s Roll.” But really, is it too soon?

CSNY will perform at Saratoga Performing Arts Center this Saturday (Aug. 19) at 7:30 PM. Inside seats are—wait for it—$86 and $176; lawn tickets are $36. (A lawn-ticket four-pack is available for $99.) For tickets or more information, call the box office at 587-3330.

Saratoga Choral Festival

The Philadelphia Orchestra have packed up and headed south, leaving the Saratoga classical-music scene to the talented locals. And the singers have been rehearsing for three weeks, getting ready for Saturday night’s show: Yes, it’s time again for the Saratoga Choral Festival.

The sixth edition of this concert has moved to the Spa Little Theater this year. The program is a nice balance of French and German, the yin and yang of the European musical tradition. The Germans are represented by Johannes Brahms’ Vier Gesange, a piece for harp, horn and women’s chorus; the French by two works of Gabriel Faure, the Cantique de Jean Racine and the complete Requiem.

The Saratoga Choral Festival will present their sixth annual concert Saturday (Aug. 19) at 8 PM at the Spa Little Theater (Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs). Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 seniors and students. For more info, call 587-3330.

Dog Stories

Stageworks/Hudson will host the world professional premiere of Keith Huff’s Dog Stories this week. This gentle comedy is the story of an elderly man, recently widowed, who takes his sick dog on a cross-country trip to Disneyland. Director Laura Margolis describes the show as “both an irreverent and intelligent comic twist on man and man’s best friend . . . a touching and hilarious exploration of of life’s true meaning, seen through the eyes of a man, dog and the cavalcade of exotic characters they encounter, each with an extraordinary canine story of their own.”

Pictured are (l-r) Frank Liotti and Paula Boyd.

Dog Stories opens with previews on Wednesday (Aug. 23) and Aug. 24 at 7:30 PM at Stageworks/Hudson (41A Cross St., Hudson). The official opening night is Aug. 25, and the play continues through Sept. 10. Showtimes are Wednesday-Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday-Saturday at 8 PM; and Sunday matinees at 2 PM. Tickets are $16 for previews; $22 for Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday; and $27 for Friday and Saturday. For more info, call 822-9667.