Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series welcomes the legendary 10,000 Maniacs May 28, 2025

May 28th at 7:00PM

Arts at the Armory welcomes the legendary 10,000 Maniacs to the Spotlight Series stage on May 28, 2025!

Celebrating their 40th Anniversary, 10,000 Maniacs has a lot in common with Jamestown, New York, the city that spawned them back in 1981. Both are honest and hardworking, a step outside the mainstream, and both possess a bit of magic. “It’s a city of blue-collar poetry,” says keyboardist Dennis Drew. “And that’s what we’re about, real-life stories. We’re a family, we do real work and we keep moving forward.”

The band has covered plenty of ground in its 40 years, from cult-stardom to international stardom, to their current status as a cornerstone alternative band. But the sound and spirit of 10,000 Maniacs remains consistent. The live shows embrace their entire catalog, and the lineup is still anchored by four of the six original members. Drew, guitarist John Lombardo, and bassist Steven Gustafson co-founded the band in 1981. Drummer Jerome Augustyniak joined in 1982, solidifying the rhythm section. And the two “new” members have long been part of the family: Mary Ramsey toured and recorded with the Maniacs as a viola player and backup singer beginning in 1991 before stepping into the front woman’s role 27 years ago. 

Experience 10,000 Maniacs live this spring at Arts at the Armory! Doors will open at 7:00pm, music will kick off at 8:00PM with an to-be-announced opening act.

Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents From Baghdad to Brooklyn by Michelle Azar

Sunday, March 16th at 5:00PM

From Baghdad to Brooklyn is Azar’s story of her ancestors’ immigrant journey charted in a map of music traditions and cultural celebrations.

Arts at the Armory’s Spotlight Series is thrilled to present Michelle Azar’s original one-woman show on March 16, 2025.  

With an angelic voice, deep sentiment and humor, Michelle tells a timely story of a family’s love and dysfunction set against an historical and redemptive background.

Azar describes the evolution of From Baghdad to Brooklyn since it’s inception in 2017: “The show has morphed and continues to do so. Sometimes the story is more about fear. Sometimes it is more about redemption. Sometimes the story tracks more my Ashkenazi background, and sometimes, more my Sephardic. Whatever the course this show takes, it is an ongoing discovery of what it still means to live in vague prejudice, in moments of hidden fears and intolerance as fueled by the historical backdrop that I never lived.”

Azar’s performance will be accompanied by Oud player Yonatan Battat and a soon-to-be announced pianist.

From Baghdad to Brooklyn is presented by Arts at the Armory in partnership with the Boston Festival of New Jewish Music. A special performance by a local Klezmer band will follow Azar’s play – stay tuned for more details!

Doors will open at 5:00pm, music will start at 5:30pm followed by the performance at 6:00pm.

Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents Welcome to Holland!? by Laura Sanchez

Saturday, June 28th at 7pm and Sunday, June 29th at 12:30pm

Welcome to Holland!?—”A Theatrical journey of Flamenco, Poetry and Humor exploring unspoken realities of Motherhood and caregiving,” is coming to Arts at the Armory’s Spotlight Series on June 28 and 29, 2025.

Join us for Laura Sanchez’ transformative 75-minute journey that beautifully intertwines flamenco, poetry, humor, and film, celebrating the incredible strength of caregivers. Experience the story of an immigrant mother as she navigates her unique “Holland!?”—a landscape reshaped by trauma. Everyday objects transform into powerful symbols of hope, guiding her through challenges and illuminating the path to belonging. Welcome to Holland?! challenges stereotypes about motherhood and disability, shedding light on the diverse experiences of caregivers and non-traditional families.

Audiences are saying: “I cried, smiled, laughed, and realized..the important things in life.” “This is a MUST-see show. The world [has] to see this.”

Laura Sanchez is an award-winning flamenco artist, creator, choreographer, and educator originally from Cadiz, Spain. Welcome to Holland!? is part of the evolving AFTER DARK series, a living autobiographical work that Sanchez began in 2020 as a dance film about motherhood and mental health. She developed the film into a live performance with support from the Boston Center for the Arts and Boston Dance Alliance in 2022 residency at Mills Gallery.

Don’t miss this immersive theatrical experience that invites you to reflect, connect, and celebrate a world where we all belong. Join us for another stellar Spotlight Series offering that highlights are local and international communities.

Tickets $35 in Advance, $40 Day-Of Show.

As part of Welcome to Holland?! there will be a Multisensory Playspace available for audience members to explore before the performance. The Multisensory Playspace promotes creative learning about disabilities and inclusive communication. For the June 28th performance, doors open at 7pm, and for the June 29th performance, doors open at 12:30pm. The June 29th performance is a family-friendly event. Please email info@artsatthearmory.org to RSVP for professional childcare that will be available at ROOTED Armory Café (set up as the Multisensory Playspace) while the performance is taking place.