A night of film and music at The Stissing Center

On Saturday, Nov. 15, the Stissing Center in Pine Plains will be host to the Hudson Valley premiere of the award-winning music documentary “Coming Home: The Guggenheim Grotto Back in Ireland.” The screening will be followed by an intimate acoustic set from Mick Lynch, one half of the beloved Irish folk duo The Guggenheim Grotto.

The film’s director, Will Chase, is an accomplished and recognizable actor with leading and supporting roles in “Law & Order,” “The Good Wife,” “Rescue Me,” “Nashville,” “The Deuce,” “Stranger Things” and “Dopesick.” After decades of acting on television and on Broadway, Chase decided to take the plunge into directing his own short films and documentaries.

In “Coming Home,” Chase follows one of his favorite bands, The Guggenheim Grotto, on a reunion tour in Ireland. Founding members Mick Lynch and Kevin May have not played together in more than a decade, and the reunion may also serve as a farewell tour for the band. The film captures not just the music, but the friendship and shared history between Lynch and May, set against the homeland that shaped their songs.

“I’m just a huge fan,” Chase said. “It’s a big 45-minute love letter to the guys. They really dive into why they didn’t make it as a band, whatever that means,” noting that many acclaimed musicians struggle to find mainstream recognition. “I look at them and they’re very successful. They were on television shows, they won some awards, but it also makes people go ‘Oh, right. There are other bands out there other than the ones that I just read about.’ There are all these wonderful artists that we don’t necessarily know about.”

Over the years, The Guggenheim Grotto earned major critical acclaim. Their 2005 debut album “Waltzing Alone” was hailed as “one of the most beautiful records of the year” by LA’s KCRW. An Independent Music Award followed in 2007 for best folk song/songwriting. The band grew quite popular in their native Ireland, but Lynch eventually moved to New York while May remained in Ireland. Though the band’s future seemed uncertain, there was always hope for a reunion of some kind.

Reflecting on his collaboration with the band, Chase said, “I was very fortunate and thanked them profusely for being so open and honest in the documentary. No one had done this with them before, and thank God they’re just affable, funny, great guys. They really love the piece. I think it touched them in very different ways.”

Immediately following the screening, Mick Lynch — one half of The Guggenheim Grotto and current Hudson Valley resident — will take the stage for an intimate acoustic set. The documentary, coupled with the live performance, offers a rare chance to see and hear what goes into the making of great music, art, and film.

Tickets are available at thestissingcenter.org