Thursday, February 9, 2017

Pioneer Valley Theatre News February 9, 2017

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter
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February 9-March 1, 2017


Congratulations to Linda Tardif–the new managing director at the Shea Theater Arts Center! Read more about her in the Recorder.

The next issue will include events through March 8. Submit upcoming events via the link below or by emailing me before Tuesday at midnight. Any questions, comments or feedback? Email me at pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com

Submit Your Theatre Event
THIS WEEK IN THEATRE NEWS:
from Howlround
Theatre after Obama (or with Trump)
by Harvey Young
From the article: 

Several months ago on Halloween, three elementary school kids costumed as the Grim Reaper, Abraham Lincoln, and Donald Trump patrolled my Greater Chicago neighborhood. It was impossible not to try to find meaning in this odd grouping. Did the pairing of Abe and Donald imply that the then-presidential candidate, if elected, had the potential to achieve the greatness of Lincoln? If so, what role did Death play? Months later, that trio seems to have foreshadowed a rare moment of national mourning and widely felt anxiety or panic in which the unanticipated ascendancy of a controversial new president rivals the unexpected passing of another polarizing political figure who presided over a divided nation. Within arts communities, the inauguration of President Donald Trump has created a pall akin to a funeral cortege that keeps circling.

Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com
PERFORMANCES
Mount Holyoke College presents WIT
February 9 at 7:30 PM, February 10 at 7:30 pm, February 11 at 7:30 pm, February 12 at 2:00 pm
Rooke Theatre, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075

The Mount Holyoke College Department of Theatre Arts opens its Spring Season with Margaret Edson’s WIT. Directed by Maria Signorelli ‘17, the play follows Professor Vivian Bearing’s battle with terminal ovarian cancer. As she endures rigorous treatment, she reflects upon her life with wry humor, reflection, and the object of her life’s work, wit. 
The production includes set design by the department’s technical director, Shawn Hill, costume design by Rina Kim '17, and lighting and sound design by Lara Dubin.

Buy Tickets Now at: https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/theatre
For reservations:  (413) 538-2406 or email:  rookeboxoffice@gmail.com
Reserved tickets must be picked up ½ hour prior to the performance.
Tickets: $8 general | $5 students and senior citizens
The Majestic Theater presents AMADEUS
February 9-12
West Springfield

The Majestic Theater continues the celebration of its 20
th season of live theater with the presentation of “Amadeus,” the award-winning drama that profiles the lives of composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. 

Having been presented as both a stage play and a successful film, “Amadeus” reveals the bitter jealousy exhibited by Salieri, who spent years of his life coveting the success and genius with which Mozart was gifted. Masquerading as an ally, Salieri does his utmost to destroy Mozart's reputation and success. Written by Peter Shaffer, “Amadeus” won the 1981 Tony Award for Best Play, and was adapted by Shaffer to beome an Academy Award-winning movie in 1984.

Cast members include Keith Langsdale (Antonio Salieri), Stephen Petit (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), Kaytlyn Vendeloecht (Constanze Weber), Jack Grigoli (Venitcello 1), Rich Vaden (Venticello 2), Stuart Gamble (Emperor Joseph II), James Emery (Baron Von Swieten), George Lombardo (Count Orsini-Rosenberg) and William Wieliczka (Count Von Strack).

J. T. Waite will direct the play. Set design is by Greg Trochlil, and Dan Rist is lighting designer. Laura Gomez is stage manager, and production manager is Stephen Petit. Danny Eaton is the producing director.

Ticket for the play range from $25-$33 and are available by calling or visiting the box office during its hours of operation, which are Monday through Friday 10am – 5pm and Saturday 10am – 1pm. More information online.  
Westfield Theatre Group presents My Funny Valentine
February 10, and 11 at 7:30 PM
Westfield Woman's Club,
28 Court Street in Westfield.

Check the WTG website or call 413-572-6838 for ticket and reservation information. See event image (attached) for full details.
Six local directors come together to create this light-hearted romp.  (Please note: mature content addressed.)

Prelude To 35
Seth Kramer
Rae would rather endure nine hours at a train station in a snowstorm with no coat than spend one more minute at Jay's parents' house. Jay botches the job of running after Rae, and ends up with a bloody nose. All in all, a strange way to kick off an engagement…

Sure Thing
David Ives
Two people meet in a cafe and find their way through a conversational minefield as an offstage bell interrupts their false starts, gaffes, and faux pas on the way to falling in love.

The Wedding Story
Julianne Homokay
The audience just wants a happy fairytale, and the Storyteller wants to oblige, but the bride and groom aren’t the perfect cake-topper they seem to be. Will we hear a bedtime story, or will we hear the real story?

Dead Giveaway
Daniel Guyton
It’s Valentine’s day and Robert has gotten Denise the perfect gift, or so he thinks. This examination of the hilarity in the phrase “til death do us part” has this husband and wife taking cracks at each other and splitting conversational hairs.

Sniffing The Pickup
Barbara Lindsay
It’s all about the timing at happy hour when Brad takes brother, Howard, to the bar to teach him a few things about meeting women. Clearly Julie has a lot to learn about making a love connection from friend Ruth. Will a hook-up, or a love connection be made?

It’s A Stretch
Donna Warfield
When you are looking for love in all the wrong places you don’t expect Mr.Right to pop into your yoga class. When Martin does just that (wearing half a Doorman’s uniform, half basketball shorts) Joan is forced to actually notice him, will she give him a second glance?

Post-its® (Notes on a Marriage)
Paul Dooley and Winnie Holzman
In this homage to Love Letters, an actor and actress read the Post-it® Notes between a couple that span the duration of their lives together. Hilarious and moving, Post-its® explores the ups and downs of a relationship that were unexpectedly captured on scraps of paper.
Sinai Temple presents CHILDREN OF EDEN
February 10 at 7:30 PM
February 11 at 2:00 and 7:30 PM
February 12 at 2:00 PM
1100 Dickinson Street, Springfield, MA 01108

Children of Eden is a two-act musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The musical is based on the Book of Genesis. Act I tells the story of Adam and Eve, Cain, and Abel, and Act II deals with Noah and the Flood. Though it had a short run on London's West End in the Prince Edward Theatre and has never played Broadway, the show is popular in community theatres worldwide.

Sinai Temple's cast is multi-generational and multi-talented.  Come see this timeless Biblical story of love, heavenly and earthly guidance, the expanse of humanity, family dynamics and forgiveness.

More information online.
Exit 7 Players presents
STEEL MAGNOLIAS

Feb 10, 11, 17, 18 @ 8pm; 
Feb 12, 19 @ 2pm
Exit 7 theater, 37 Chestnut Street Ludlow, MA

Directed by: Joe Van Allen
Produced by: Christina Climo, Stephanie Gilbert and Megan Hoy

Cast list:
    Truvy - Christine Voytko 
    Annelle - Steph Magillivary
    M'Lynn - Becca Greene-Van Horn
    Shelby - Carina Savoie
    Clairee - Janet Crosier
    Ouiser - Theresa Allie

Starting off on Shelby's wedding day, Steel Magnolias follows six women from different generations and backgrounds as they move through their lives, facing challenges and triumphs while finding support in each others company. Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, Steel Magnolias witnesses the characters undergo the sudden realization of how their mortality affects the others. The strength and love of the women make them truly touching, funny and marvelously amiable company in good times and bad.

Tickets available online.
LOVE walks into the room, and you never know what's going to happen next! Don't miss MAKING UP LOVE - a unique collaboration between New Century Theatre and Happier Valley Comedy on February 12th at Northampton's Academy of Music.

When: Sunday, February 12  – 2:00PM, Doors Open at 1:30PM

Where: Academy of Music Theatre, 274 Main Street Northampton, MA 01060

Ticket Outlet: Academy of Music Theatre Box Office 


Six NCT actors will set the stage by performing three scripted scenes with a LOVE theme. Then six Happier Valley Comedy improvisers leap into the same scene for the first time, performing their parts out of thin air. 

Based on Happier Valley Comedy's immensely popular SCRIPTED/UNSCRIPTED show, this unique event aims to captures that great lover's leap into the unknown. Will they swipe left or right? Make a love match or wind up in divorce court? Nobody knows how these love 'em or leave 'em stories are going to turn out until the lights go up. The scripted actors meet eyes with the unscripted improvisers, and the sparks fly. One thing is for sure, Shakespeare had it right when he wrote, "The course of true love never did run smooth." But it does run hilariously in MAKING UP LOVE.

Featuring:
Lisa Abend, Sandra Blaney, Stephanie Carlson, Cate Damon, Sam Rush, Sam Samuels

Along with Happier Valley Comedy:
Laura Patrick, Christine Stevens, Scott Braidman, Maureen McElligott, Maile Shoul, Pam Victor
Eggtooth Productions is proud to present TIL LALEZAR THEATRE COMPANY'S  HAPPYLAND & we try it out on February 17 & 18 at 7:30 pm at the Shea Theatre, 71 Ave. A, Turners Falls.

THE NEW TIL LALEZAR THEATRE COMPANY'S OUTRAGEOUS NIGHT OF FUN!

What happens when three young women from around the world meet up to create a resonant work of theatre that is visceral, athletic, & engages the mystery underlying all experience?

HAPPYLAND pits the Poet against the Dictator in the wild world of a Wrestling Match. Tickets are $15 available at eggtooth.org & at People’s Pint on Federal Street in Greenfield.

HAPPYLAND was born at the Dell’Arte International School where Vida Tayebati from Iran, Grace Booth from Gill, MA, & Tone Haldrup Lorenzen from Denmark met & joined Danish director/dramaturg Linn Haldrup Lorenzen. You sure don't want to miss this one!
Xfinity Theater presents #TheFlagWeLove
February 17 at 7:30 PM
The Student Union Art Gallery at 326 Student Union, UMass-Amherst, 01003.

With the backdrop of our current political climate, recent flag protests at Hampshire College, and the recent election's nationalist surge, Patrick Gaughan debuts his installation and performance, #TheFlagWeLove. 

Drawing on figures from Buzz Aldrin to Colin Kaepernick, the performance collages anthems, recordings of speeches, patriotic YouTube clips, the children's book "The Flag We Love," and historical research to explore what is essentially America’s logo, in all its forms, examining how all of these nationalist reminders signify tentative community & aestheticize control. 

The installation, which includes video, photography, sound collage, and consumer flag objects, will be on view from February 6-17, 2017, Monday-Friday, from 10-5pm, with a closing night reception from 6-8pm on February 17 (performance at 7:30pm).
More info here.

Happier FAMILY Comedy Show:
Monthly family-friendly improv comedy show, best for 5-12 year olds and their adults. 
Saturday, February 18 at 4-5pm at the Community Room (Suite 160,)
Eastworks (116 Pleasant Street, Easthampton).
Tickets: $10/Adults, $5/Kids, Free/3 yrs and under, $30/Family Max. For more info:www.happiervalley.com.
Facebook event here. Tickets available online.
Come for a night of painting benefiting Ghost Light Theater at Gateway City Arts!!!  

A little nervous to paint? Don't be! No talent or experience is necessary. Wine & Canvas's talented instructors will guide you step-by-step! You will be amazed at your very own work of ART!

Tickets are $40 and available through the Wine and Canvas website.

Food and drink are available for purchase (please see menu in discussion posts). This event is in the Mark Landy Party Hall.

Facebook event here.
AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES
CALL FOR DIRECTORS
Silverthorne Theater Company is seeking experienced directors for its 2017 Season shows. Paid position. All performances at The Arts Block in downtown Greenfield. To set up an interview, contact Lucinda Kidder at 413-768-7514 or write to silverthornetheater@gmail.com.

Auditions will be held March 10-12; show dates STUPID FUCKING BIRD, by Aaron Posner June 22 - July 1; CHAPATTI, by Christopher O'Reilly July 20-29; GREATER TUNA, by Ed Howard, Joe Sears and Jaston Williams October 5-14.

Once more proving our versatility, Silverthorne opens the season with a musical! Full of edgy passion and poignant humorJacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris will take full advantage of our new performance space. It will be April in Paris when the actor/singers create a sophisticated cabaret atmosphere as performers and as servers with attitude.  Jacques Brel runs April 20-22, 27-29.
 
The Company’s second season production goes out on a limb (literally). Stupid F***ing Bird is rightly described by playwright Aaron Posner as “a sort of adaptation of Chekhov’s The Sea Gull.” The familiar characters are there in all their tortured glory, even if the names are slightly modified. The themes of thwarted ambition and family conflict are played out in this thoroughly contemporary and achingly funny piece that leaves no doubt about the comedic genius of both Posner and his Russian prototype. June 22-24, 29 - July 1.
 
In the third show of the season, Chapattithe only thing preventing Dan from committing suicide is his dog, Chapatti. His faithful companion cannot fill the hole in his life caused by the death of his life-long companion.  In this little-known piece full of humor and compassion, playwright Christopher O’Reilly introduces Betty, a similarly lost soul, with unpredictable consequences. July 20-22, 27-29.

The season wraps with an all-time comic favorite, Greater Tuna, by Ed Howard, Joe Sears and Jaston Williams. Silverthorne’s production re-visits this send-up of small town life in rural Texas to look at what makes us so incurably and endlessly obsessed with each other’s personal foibles.  GT is a truly hilarious antidote for depression in these complicated times. October 5-7, 12-14.
Interviews for directors are currently underway, and open season auditions will be held in March.


Audition information to come in February!
WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
In partnership with J-ART, Phantom Sheep presents LaughCrafters:Comedy Improv Classes! 
Adults & Teens (Ages 15+) WINTER SESSION!
The fun continues! All levels welcomed!

Six Mondays 7-9PM Starting February 13th!
Springfield Jewish Community Center

Sharpen quick thinking!
Unleash creativity and characters!
Build confidence in your own talents!
Enjoy the power of collaboration!
Improve acting and stage presence!
Relax and laugh! (a lot)!
All levels welcomed and challenged at own pace.
Taught in a very fun, encouraging, and constructive atmosphere.

6 weeks!
Tuition: $90 General Public
*Discounts available for JCC and JART Members. 

Class size is limited! 
Register Today! 
413-739-4715 
improv@phantomsheep.com
Facebook event here.
Acting Classes with New Century Theatre

NCT Producing Director Sam Rush teaches two courses beginning Tuesday, February 14, 2017. Cost for the eight-week course is $275. All Classes will be held at the Northampton Senior Center - 67 Conz Street.

To register, send an email to Sam Rush (srush@newcenturytheatre.org) or call413-587-3933 to hold a spot. You can Click on this link to download the PDF information and registration form.  
Acting for Non-Actors - Instructor, Sam Rush 
Ages 18 and up (or by instructor permission) 
Tuesdays, 5:15-7:15 p.m. 

February 14 - April 11 (no class on March 14)

Course Description:
The perfect course if you have never taken an acting class before but have always wanted to try or had a class once way back when and want to try again. With NCT Producing Director Sam Rush, you'll have a chance to explore your inner ham in a fun, relaxed and supportive environment. Using improvisation, text and original source material, you'll learn fundamental acting techniques that may just serve you the rest of your life - on stage or off.  


Scene Study Intensive - Instructor, Sam Rush 
Ages 18 and up (or by instructor permission) 
Wednesdays, 5:15-7:15 p.m. 
February 15 - April 12 (no class on March 15)

Course Description: 
This class is for actors with previous experience and for students who have taken the Acting for Non-Actors course and wish to continue their study of the actor's craft. We'll start right away with scene study work and exercises that support the rehearsal process. 
Creating Characters Through Physical Theatre
Til Lalezar’s workshop explores the development of theatrical character through physicality, voice, image, games, and the concept of costume/mask. This workshop is taught by all three company members and includes discussion/exercises in ensemble-based work.

Saturday, February 25
10 am to 1 pm
At the TL Studio, 12 Federal Street in downtown Greenfield
Cost: Pay what you can (suggested $20-35) - cash or check only please
REGISTER NOW at silverthornetheater@gmail.com or call 413-768-7514.

Til Lalezar Theatre creates comic, character-driven physical performance. Founders Tone Haldrup Lorenzen (Denmark), Vida Tayebati (Iran), and Grace Booth (U.S.A.) met in California when training together at Dell’Arte International’s MFA Program. The Dell’Arte training is a “dynamic contemporary acting approach in which body, voice, and point of view celebrate the work of the actor/ creator.” It is based in ensemble creation and investigations into the territories of clown, mask, tragedy, and melodrama. Til Lalezar’s work and teaching combine this training with their own absurd, gender- bending, cross-cultural perspective.
Til Lalezar is currently in residence in Greenfield, MA developing their production “Happyland” which premieres February 17 – 18 at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls.
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