EC-CHAP Film Series: 2026 MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival

Tickets 15.00+Fees in Advance (ONLINE) / $20.00 at the Door

Doors: 6:30pm / Screening: 7:00pm

You Are The Judge!

(These Films are not rated. Brief nudity and language. Parental Guidance suggested)

SPECIAL NOTE: We are excited to serve as a screening venue for the MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival at The Packing House! Over 100,000 film lovers in over 500 cities across six continents gather for one purpose...to view and vote on the Finalists' Films in the 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival.

Attendees get to view ten (10) short films and vote for their favorite. Many past Finalists from MANHATTAN SHORT have been nominated for an Oscar! Your vote counts - so join us for one of our screenings on Friday, September 25th or Sunday, September 27th!

MANHATTAN SHORT is not a touring Festival; rather, it is an instantaneous celebration that occurs simultaneously across the globe, bringing great films to great venues and allowing the audiences to select their favorites. This year, the MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival takes place from September 24 to October 4, 2026.

If the Film Festival experience truly is about getting great works in front of as many eyes as possible, MANHATTAN SHORT offers the ultimate platform -- one that sees its films screened in Sydney, Mumbai, Moscow, Vienna, Cape Town to cinemas in all fifty states of the United States and beyond.

YOU’RE THE JUDGE!

As part of a worldwide audience - the Judges of the Finalists' Films are YOU! Cinema-goers across the United States and around the globe become instant film critics.

Upon entry at The Packing House, attendees are handed a Voting Card and an Official Program and asked to vote for the ONE Film and Actor they feel should win. MANHATTAN SHORT is the ultimate audience award that salutes the creative talents of both directors behind the camera and actors in front of it. Votes are tallied by each host venue then emailed to our NYC headquarters.

WINNERS

The winners of MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival will be announced on the home page at ManhattanShort.com and in the winners link on Monday October 5th, 2026.

MANHATTAN SHORT FILMS HAVE BEEN TO THE OSCARS!

Many past Finalists from MANHATTAN SHORT have been nominated for an Oscar. In 2024 from our ten selected finalist, FOUR Films were Oscar Short-Listed and TWO Films Oscar Nominated, including the eventual winner for 'Live Action Short" "I'm Not a Robot". Our audiences and cinemas love nothing more than seeing a film they voted for at MANHATTAN SHORT at the Oscars. Once a nominee is announced, our partnering cinemas and loyal audiences champion those films and filmmakers through social media all the way to the podium! In the last five years at least one film from the MANHATTAN SHORT's Award Qualifying Screenings has gone on to be nominated and even win the Oscar.

Join us for one of our screenings of the 2026 MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival! This program is hosted by the "Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance" (EC-CHAP). Doors 6:300pm / Screening 7:00pm. Tickets $15.00+Fees in advance online / $20.00 at the door.

Soft drinks and snacks available. We are pleased to offer our exclusive "BYOB&F" TM model - Bring Your Own Beverage & Food (Wine & Beer Only - I.D. Required).  You can also bring your paid ticket to Willington Pizza House (or WP Too) for eat-in or take-out the night of the show and receive 15% off your meal purchase. Ask for "The Packing House" pizza! Click HERE for secret recipe. 

 For more information, please call 518-791-9474.

EC-CHAP Acoustic Artist Series: An Intimate Evening with David Wilcox (Folk)

Tickets 35.00+Fees in Advance (ONLINE) / $40.00 at the Door

Doors: 6:30pm / Performance: 7:30pm

EC-CHAP MEMBER DISCOUNTS & FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM AVAILABLE

SPECIAL NOTE: We are pleased to present David Wilcox ‘s debut performance at The Packing House! Wilcox has been sharing his gift of music for more than three decades. As personal fans of this seasoned singer/songwriter, we embrace his lyrics, musical style and unique sound. This is a show not to miss!

There are songwriters who chronicle life, and then there’s DAVID WILCOX—an artist who metabolizes it. He has long been a quiet force in American folk music; a musician’s musician, a writer’s writer, and a seeker whose gift lies in making the personal feel universal.

Wilcox’s career began in earnest in the late 1980s, when his self-released debut The Nightshift Watchman caught the attention of A&M Records. His major-label debut, How Did You Find Me Here (1989), became an unexpected hit, selling over 100,000 copies largely by word of mouth and live shows alone—an unheard-of feat for a debut folk record. Critics took note of his deft guitar work and emotional clarity, but it was the unassuming wisdom threaded through his lyrics that truly set him apart. Rolling Stone praised his “soulful insight,” while The New York Times called his music “a kind of open-hearted therapy.”

What followed was a string of acclaimed albums—Big Horizon (1994), Turning Point (1997), What You Whispered (2000)—each one refining his reputation as a songwriter who knows how to say hard things in soft, lasting ways. Over the years, he’s shared stages and collaborations with artists like Shawn Colvin, Patty Larkin, Pierce Pettis, and John Gorka—fellow craftspeople committed to song over spectacle. But Wilcox has never followed the current. He’s followed the work, and in 2018 Wilcox won top honors in the 23rd annual USA Songwriting for his effervescent “We Make the Way by Walking” from his album, The View From the Edge.

That work has earned him quiet but enduring respect. His songs have been covered by k.d. lang and Tony Rice; his guitar work studied by those who understand that precision, when rooted in care, becomes its own kind of virtuosity. His influence runs deep, especially among younger artists trying to build something real in a world obsessed with surface.

Wilcox’s music still resonates, especially now, because it doesn’t try to outpace the moment. It meets it. In his world, craft is a form of care. Introspection is a public offering. And staying soft in a hard world isn’t a liability—it’s a kind of leadership.

The music he’s creating now comes from a place that can’t be faked. In recent years, Wilcox’s life has been shaped by his wife’s Parkinson’s diagnosis—a shift that reordered his priorities and redefined his sense of time, love, and presence. But rather than retreat, Wilcox leaned in. “Times get tough, and music gets good,” he says, and means it. These songs don’t dramatize. They don’t resolve neatly. They sit in the complexity of living—open-eyed, unafraid, quietly brave.

With the release of The Way I Tell the Story (2025), Wilcox proves, yet again, that resilience isn’t just a survival skill—it’s an art form. The record shimmers with musical sophistication but leaves just enough space for the listener to feel what Wilcox has always done best: tell the truth, gently but without apology.

For audiences seeking something more than noise, more than nostalgia, Wilcox’s songs remain a rare kind of company. Not flashy. Not loud. Just deeply, generously alive.

Join us for an evening of original music and stories with David Wilcox This program is hosted by the "Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance" (EC-CHAP). Doors 6:300pm / Show 7:30pm. Tickets $35.00 in advance online / $40.00 at the door.

Soft drinks and snacks available. We are pleased to offer our exclusive "BYOB&F" TM model - Bring Your Own Beverage & Food (Wine & Beer Only - I.D. Required).  You can also bring your paid ticket to Willington Pizza House (or WP Too) for eat-in or take-out the night of the show and receive 15% off your meal purchase. Ask for "The Packing House" pizza! Click HERE for secret recipe. 

 For more information, please call 518-791-9474.

EC-CHAP Film Series: 2026 MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival

Tickets 15.00+Fees in Advance (ONLINE) / $20.00 at the Door

Doors: 4:00pm / Screening: 4:30pm

You Are The Judge!

(These Films are not rated. Brief nudity and language. Parental Guidance suggested)

SPECIAL NOTE: We are excited to serve as a screening venue for the MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival at The Packing House! Over 100,000 film lovers in over 500 cities across six continents gather for one purpose...to view and vote on the Finalists' Films in the 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival.

Attendees get to view ten (10) short films and vote for their favorite. Many past Finalists from MANHATTAN SHORT have been nominated for an Oscar! Your vote counts - so join us for one of our screenings on Friday, September 25th or Sunday, September 27th!

MANHATTAN SHORT is not a touring Festival; rather, it is an instantaneous celebration that occurs simultaneously across the globe, bringing great films to great venues and allowing the audiences to select their favorites. This year, the MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival takes place from September 24 to October 4, 2026.

If the Film Festival experience truly is about getting great works in front of as many eyes as possible, MANHATTAN SHORT offers the ultimate platform -- one that sees its films screened in Sydney, Mumbai, Moscow, Vienna, Cape Town to cinemas in all fifty states of the United States and beyond.

YOU’RE THE JUDGE!

As part of a worldwide audience - the Judges of the Finalists' Films are YOU! Cinema-goers across the United States and around the globe become instant film critics.

Upon entry at The Packing House, attendees are handed a Voting Card and an Official Program and asked to vote for the ONE Film and Actor they feel should win. MANHATTAN SHORT is the ultimate audience award that salutes the creative talents of both directors behind the camera and actors in front of it. Votes are tallied by each host venue then emailed to our NYC headquarters.

WINNERS

The winners of MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival will be announced on the home page at ManhattanShort.com and in the winners link on Monday October 5th, 2026.

MANHATTAN SHORT FILMS HAVE BEEN TO THE OSCARS!

Many past Finalists from MANHATTAN SHORT have been nominated for an Oscar. In 2024 from our ten selected finalist, FOUR Films were Oscar Short-Listed and TWO Films Oscar Nominated, including the eventual winner for 'Live Action Short" "I'm Not a Robot". Our audiences and cinemas love nothing more than seeing a film they voted for at MANHATTAN SHORT at the Oscars. Once a nominee is announced, our partnering cinemas and loyal audiences champion those films and filmmakers through social media all the way to the podium! In the last five years at least one film from the MANHATTAN SHORT's Award Qualifying Screenings has gone on to be nominated and even win the Oscar.

Join us for one of our screenings of the 2026 MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival! This program is hosted by the "Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance" (EC-CHAP). Doors 6:300pm / Screening 7:00pm. Tickets $15.00+Fees in advance online / $20.00 at the door.

Soft drinks and snacks available. We are pleased to offer our exclusive "BYOB&F" TM model - Bring Your Own Beverage & Food (Wine & Beer Only - I.D. Required).  You can also bring your paid ticket to Willington Pizza House (or WP Too) for eat-in or take-out the night of the show and receive 15% off your meal purchase. Ask for "The Packing House" pizza! Click HERE for secret recipe. 

 For more information, please call 518-791-9474.

EC-CHAP Acoustic Artist Series: SIRSY (Indie/Rock-Pop)

Tickets $25.00+Fees in Advance (ONLINE) / $30.00 at the Door

EC-CHAP MEMBER DISCOUNTS & FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM AVAILABLE

Click for more about SIRSY

SPECIAL NOTE: After a SOLD OUT show in April, we are excited to have SIRSY return to The Packing House stage! Melanie & Rich bring lots of soul and loads of heart to the stage. Hailing from my part of the world in Upstate NY, we can't wait to get them in front of you again! Please join us for an evening of great music, storytelling, nerdy jokes, laughter and tears. TB

It's hard to imagine a sound this big coming from two people. The Boston Globe calls Sirsy "The little band with the big sound." Fans call them "the little band with a big heart." Hailing from NY, SIRSY plays compelling singer-songwriter rock and pop with a charming intensity, a bit of sass, lots of soul, and loads of heart. They write honest, engaging songs that are instantly relatable and catchy.

The Times Union says "Sirsy's clever, smart songs have more hooks than a tackle box". Sirsy's passionate and down to earth live shows also include storytelling and even some nerdy jokes. They can somehow make an audience sing along, dance, laugh, and cry – all at the same show.

Join us for an evening of original music with SIRSY! This program is hosted by the "Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance" (EC-CHAP). Doors 6:30pm / Show 7:30pm. Tickets $25.00+Fees in advance online / $30.00 at the door.

Soft drinks and snacks available. We are pleased to offer our exclusive "BYOB&F" TM model - Bring Your Own Beverage & Food (Wine & Beer Only - I.D. Required).  You can also bring your paid ticket to Willington Pizza House (or WP Too) for eat-in or take-out the night of the show and receive 15% off your meal purchase. Ask for "The Packing House" pizza! Click HERE for secret recipe. 

 For more information, please call 518-791-9474.

EC-CHAP Film Series: "Beautifully Broken" - A Documentary by Local Film Maker Daniel Herzog

Tickets 15.00+Fees in Advance (ONLINE) / $20.00 at the Door

Doors: 6300pm / Screening: 7:00pm

A personal story of resilience through the lens of ultra-endurance running

SPECIAL NOTE: We are pleased to screen this powerful documentary by local film maker Daniel Herzog. “Beautifully Broken” tells a personal story of resilience by a Connecticut family through the lens of ultra-endurance running.

BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN is a feature-length mental health and suicide prevention documentary that explores PTSD, trauma recovery, and resilience through the lens of ultra-endurance running.

At the center of the film is Jared Buchanan, who takes on the Cocodona 250 — a 250-mile ultramarathon across theArizona desert — on the 10-year anniversary of his father's death by suicide. His father, a dedicated police officer, leftbehind a final message: "Make my death an issue so you can help others like me."

Determined to honor that request, Jared channels grief into purpose. Through extreme endurance challenges, heconfronts trauma, mental health stigma, and the silent struggles affecting law enforcement officers, veterans,families, and communities nationwide. Ultra running becomes more than a sport — it becomes a framework forhealing, awareness, and advocacy.

Through intimate interviews with mental health professionals, endurance athletes, and survivors, Beautifully Broken examines PTSD, depression, and suicide prevention with honesty and urgency. The film highlights both the depth of loss and the strength required to keep moving forward.

Beautifully Broken is more than a documentary about ultra running. It is a call to action — a mental health awareness film designed to spark dialogue, reduce stigma, and encourage communities to address suicide prevention openly and directly.

Join filmmaker Daniel Herzog and film subject Jared Buchanan for a post-screening Q&A exploring the making of Beautifully Broken, the real-life story behind the documentary, and the film's themes of loss, resilience, and mental health. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from both the filmmaker and the person at the heart of the story.

This program is hosted by the "Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance" (EC-CHAP). Doors 6:30pm / Screening 7:00pm. Tickets $15.00+Fees in advance online / $20.00 at the door.

Soft drinks and snacks available. We are pleased to offer our exclusive "BYOB&F" TM model - Bring Your Own Beverage & Food (Wine & Beer Only - I.D. Required).  You can also bring your paid ticket to Willington Pizza House (or WP Too) for eat-in or take-out the night of the show and receive 15% off your meal purchase. Ask for "The Packing House" pizza! Click HERE for secret recipe. 

 For more information, please call 518-791-9474.

EC-CHAP Acoustic Artist Series: Singer/Songwriter & Season 8 Winner of "The Voice" - Sawyer Fredericks in Concert (Folk/Blues)

Tickets 35.00+Fees in Advance (ONLINE) / $40.00 at the Door

Doors: 6:30pm / Performance: 7:30pm

EC-CHAP MEMBER DISCOUNTS & FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM AVAILABLE

SPECIAL NOTE: We are pleased to present Singer/Songwriter Sawyer Fredericks debut performance at The Packing House! Fredericks gained national recognition at 16 when he won Season 8 of “The Voice”. Fredericks continues to evolve as an artist, blending folk, rock, and blues influences to create music that is authentic. This intimate performance will have you wanting more!

Americana singer-songwriter, SAWYER FREDERICKS, hailing from a farm in central New York, began playing local farmers markets, open mics, and iconic New York venues at the age of 13. With his deep, beyond-his-years original lyrics and melodies, soulful vocals, and powerful live performances, Sawyer seemed an unlikely match for reality tv, but he won over audiences to win season 8 of NBC's The Voice.

Fredericks released his major label debut, A Good Storm, with Republic Records, an impressive blend of soulful Folk, blues, and rock, entirely self or co-written. He chose to go independent for Hide Your Ghost (2018). Fully written and produced by Fredericks, HYG sheds the high gloss major label treatment and stays true to his honest stripped-down style.

With premieres in People Magazine, American Songwriter and Billboard, Fredericks released his 4th album, Flowers For You in May 2020. Two songs from Flowers For You won top awards from the 18th annual Independent Music Awards, "Born" in the Folk/Singer-Songwriter category and "Amen" the Vox Pop award in the Social Action Song category. “Born” was in rotation on SiriusXM’s Coffee House channel and included in Amazon Music's editorial 'Fresh Folk and Americana' playlist.

Fredericks continues to evolve as an artist, blending folk, rock, and blues influences to create music that is authentic. He’s been featured in People Magazine, American Songwriter, and Billboard, and has showcased at Folk Alliance, SxSW, Americana Fest and BMI Island Hopper Songwriter Fest.

In January 2021, Sawyer released his rendition of the iconic “What A Wonderful World” with an accompanying animated video.

Sawyer released The Golden Tree EP in March 2023, featuring his band and Sav Buist and Katie Larson of The Accidentals. On Earth Day 2025, Sawyer released his folk-rock album, No Need To Wonder, that explores themes of home, environmental responsibility and social change. His fourth independent album reflects his deep connection to nature and personal storytelling.

Whether performing solo or with his band, Sawyer remains committed to creating music that resonates deeply with listeners.

Join us for an evening of original music and stories with Sawyer Fredericks! This program is hosted by the "Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance" (EC-CHAP). Doors 6:300pm / Show 7:30pm. Tickets $35.00 in advance online / $40.00 at the door.

Soft drinks and snacks available. We are pleased to offer our exclusive "BYOB&F" TM model - Bring Your Own Beverage & Food (Wine & Beer Only - I.D. Required).  You can also bring your paid ticket to Willington Pizza House (or WP Too) for eat-in or take-out the night of the show and receive 15% off your meal purchase. Ask for "The Packing House" pizza! Click HERE for secret recipe. 

 For more information, please call 518-791-9474.

More Videos of Sawyer Fredericks journey on The Voice…