Thursday, May 21, 2020

Pioneer Valley Theatre News May 21, 2020

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter
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May 21 - June 10, 2020


I'm enjoying all this lovely spring weather - I hope you can all get outside for a little while over this weekend, even if you aren't hosting your annual memorial day bbq. Stay safe, everyone!

The next issue will include events through June 17. 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
Email to register - More details in the Classes section below!
YOUR EVENT HERE
$5 per week for your poster and ticket link in top billing!
Email me to reserve your dates.
THIS WEEK IN THEATRE NEWS:
from Howlround

Where the Wars of Self-Definition Are Fought
by Ted Witzel

From the article: 

When I retreated to my house after COVID-19 struck down the show I was supposed to open on 18 March, a show in many ways about the AIDS epidemic, the first thing I did was hunt down my volume of Czech writer Karel Čapek’s plays. He’s best known for coining the word “robot” in his play R.U.R., but I was looking for a lesser-known piece, The White Plague, a vicious skewering of a war-mongering authoritarian state during an outbreak of a deadly virus originating in China. It ended up being a bit too real for me so I settled, like many others, into an abyss of Tiger King and Drag Race.

Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com
Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Google Calendar
Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Personnel Spreadsheet
PERFORMANCES and COVID-19 RESOURCES
NOT THE LADIES ROOM, a one-act play by Haydenville playwright, Ellen Wittlinger, will be livestreamed in The Quarantine Series Friday, May 22 at 8 p.m. EDT as part of a double-bill of one-act plays. It will be followed by a talkback with the playwrights. The livestream is on YouTube on The Quarantine Series' channel, and will remain up for some time after the reading.
K and E Theater Group Presents Local Spotlight Series this Summer!

K and E Theater Group is excited to present its LOCAL SPOTLIGHT SERIES on Facebook, IGTV and YouTube celebrating Pioneer Valley’s theater artists. KETG Artistic Director Eddie Zitka hosts the summer series streaming online every Tuesday and Friday starting on May 26th and through the rest of the summer!

Stay tuned and check out our lineup by liking us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribing to our YouTube channel! See you in the spotlight!
Happier Valley Comedy LIVE!
Every night except Sundays at 8pm until we can open our theater again!
Safety of your own home! (YouTube Live Stream)

Come to our virtual theater! Each night, Pam and Scott will check in about their day, share how they're staying healthy and happy through all this social isolation, and then improvise for you, sometimes joined by surprise guests! We can also talk with you through the chat box, so come hang out, give suggestions, and join the fun! It's our way of opening our theater each night to bring people together through laughter and community.

YouTube Channel
MAJESTIC THEATER LAUNCHING ONLINE PROGRAMMING

West Springfield's Majestic Theater, which was temporarily closed on March 14 in response to COVID-19 safety guidelines, will present a series of programs online. Subscribers and single ticket patrons that did not see “The Pitch,” the play that was in mid-run at the time of the shutdown, will have the opportunity to watch an archival video of the production between May 3-17. Information about the video's availability can be found at majestictheater.com.

The first Majestic Theater online program is a weekly series called “Behind the Curtain at the Majestic,” which will be broadcast live online beginning Sunday, May 3 at 2:00 p.m. on majestictheater.com. Producing Director Danny Eaton will interview different guests who have been involved in iconic productions at the theater over the past 23 years, taking viewers behind the scenes to learn what goes into creating their favorite plays. The first guest is actor Ben Ashley who played the title role in “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” in all four of the Majestic's presentations of the musical that opened the theater, under Eaton's direction, in March 1997. Ashley's other credits include “Blood Brothers,” “Brimstone,” “La Cage Aux Folles” and “Miss Saigon.” All subsequent “Behind the Curtain at the Majestic” shows will be live online on Sundays at 2:00 p.m. For the upcoming schedule of planned guests and the plays that will be discussed, please visit majestictheater.com.

Of course we don't know at this point when we'll re-open, but we embrace optimism in the face of this,” Eaton stated. “The audience is just as important to a play as the story and the performers, and we can't wait to welcome them back to the Majestic. In the meantime, we're looking forward to bringing some terrific new programming to them in the safety of their homes, and we extend our wishes for their good health.”
Arts events, concerts, and productions have been cancelled in cities across the nation due to the effects of COVID-19. Artists, musicians, and performers whose livelihoods are dependent on these events  are facing insurmountable loses.

Now is the time to give back to the artists and performers who contribute so much to the quality, vibrancy, and enjoyability of our lives and culture.

We are collecting donations to support artists in our community who have been directly impacted by this global heath crisis. The funds raised here will be distributed as relief grants to eligible artists and arts organizations.

We invite members of the community to donate to our artist relief fund via GoFundMe.
About the Movie:
Chickago is a feature-length, dark comedy motion picture written by Nora Kaye and Whitney Uland. It follows the journey of three twenty-somethings who attempt to cope with tragedy and disappointment by staging a local production of Chicago, the musical, in their hometown. It fails hilariously, forcing them to face their demons head on.

About me/ the creative team: 
Nora Kaye, who began her theatrical career doing plays at Northampton High School and New Century Theater, recently became an award-winning filmmaker and actor in the Entertainment industry with her writing partner Whitney Uland. Their original TV pilot, Hysterical Women, won awards and accolades at major film festivals around the nation, including Geena Davis’ Bentonville Film Festival and Shonda Rhimes’ Seriesfest. Her work has screened internationally at the Cannes Film Festival.

In the last push for their fundraiser, any and all donations or support helps! https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/chickago#story

To learn more about the project and our production company (Changito Perrito Productions LLC is a development and production company that creates stories by women, for women. Dedicated to inclusion and diversity, we strive to make films and commercials that are as complex, honest, weird, funny, dark and intricate as the women who make them.): https://www.changitoperrito.com/#/chickago/

If anyone has other questions Nora can also be reached at nora@changitoperrito.com


The creative team is also interested in partnering with a local theater company for possible shooting location, co-production, and premiering the movie when it is done. Reach out to Nora for more information.

National Theatre Live YouTube Channel

Streaming will begin at 2 PM EST. 

May 21 ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Tennessee Williams, starring Gillian Anderson. 

May 28 ‘This House’ by James Graham. 

June 4 ‘Coriolanus’ by William Shakespeare, starring Tom Hiddleston.

New musicals available streaming on YouTube every Friday for 48 hours!
From the New England New Play Alliance:

Virtual Theatre and Podcasts
 

Open Theatre Project presents
Community Write: Week 3
Streaming now

Playwright Nick Malakhow chose this week's themes: "(mis)communication" and "new rituals". To stream some of the creative writing this theme inspired, or to watch performances of writing from previous weeks, click here.

 

The Wilbury Theatre Group presents
Number 794 and Other Works
by Jayne Hannah
May 22

An evening of new works by Jayne Hannah, including a performance of her new play Number 794, new monologues, and an interview with the playwright. May 22 at 7:00 pm. Previous "Now Streaming" performances are archived and available for streaming, as well. Stream now.
 

The Quarantine Series presents
a reading of
Not the Ladies Room
by Ellen Wittinger
May 22

Four strangers meet in the bathroom of an old concert hall and reveal troubling or embarrassing secrets to each other before going their own ways again. Streaming live on May 22 at 8:00 pm, with a recording available on YouTube afterwards. Stream here.

 

Marblehead Little Theatre presents
Totally New Theatre Festival
May 23

MLT's annual new works festival is coming to you virtually! Featuring the best of TNT's one-act plays from the last ten years. Stream the festival.

 

Silverthorne Theater Company presents
Days of
Possibilities

by Rich Orloff
streaming now-June 4

Rich Orloff adapted Days of Possibilities from letters and interviews with students who attended Oberlin College in Ohio. The play explores the journey of one college's response to the Vietnam War, from small and polite demonstrations in 1964 to the  campus-wide response in 1970 when National Guardsmen killed our unarmed students during a demonstration at Kent State University. Along the way, we meet the full spectrum of students, including the radical, the cautious, the conservative, and the chronically undecided. Stream now.
 

Playing on Air presents
A Departure
by Andy Reynolds
directed by Michael Wilson

When a conservative father and his young gay son reconnect in the most unlikely of places, an airport terminal, they find that love can transcend a family's baggage. Listen to the podcast.

1) Applications for the first phase of the ECA Artist Grants Initiative are due this coming Friday May 22. All artists who live, work, or have ever shared their art with Easthampton (regardless of their current residence) are eligible to apply. A full program overview, eligibility requirements, timeline, and application can be found on our website.

2) We also launched a Go Fund Me page to raise additional funds toward this effort, beyond the $10,000 that ECA has contributed. And because River Valley Coop is generously matching all donations through this platform, up to $5,000, we have a tremendous opportunity to -- all together -- distribute a total of $20,000 to our community of artists in the months to come. We've raised $1,600+ so far through our Go Fund Me page -- and we still have a ways to go. Any assistance with sharing this link through your channels would be a wonderful help. There is also additional info in this Gazette article as well.  

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Playwrights’ Center is taking action to connect people with their communities and create income streams for theater artists who are out of work. We're pleased to announce an entirely new, online Spring 2020 Season.

This spring, Playwrights' Center will feature regular weekly programming of new play readings; seminars, classes, and workshops taught by playwrights; two weekly feature articles written by playwrights; open conversations and panels with playwrights and theater practitioners; Member Open Play events, where writers read each other's plays aloud and respond with constructive feedback; New Plays On Campus sessions for educators and students interested in playwriting; Writing Room Lunch Breaks where playwrights can come together to work; and open office hours with Playwrights’ Center Artistic and Membership staff, giving people a chance to connect, ask questions, and discuss best practices.

The schedule and links to events

from UMass Arts Extension Services
 
New Funding Resources Available

Remember weeks ago when events hadn’t been canceled or postponed worldwide? Your arts program may have been at the top of your to-do list however today, we are all searching for new ways to keep our arts organizations afloat during this time of uncertainty. We are here for you!  Arts Extension Service has put together a list of resources that includes funding and grant opportunities for artists and arts organizations. In this rapidly changing landscape, check in often, as we update this list daily. 

If you are delving into the grant writing process for the first time or feel you need to refresh your skills, check out the Arts Extension Service's online Grantwriting for the Arts course offered this summer!  Class starts July 6, and registration is now open!

Updated list of Resources from the Valley Arts Newsletter:

Here is the most recent resources list:

Links from last few weeks:
More excellent resources for freelance artists

This article has links to great free online trainings for theatre technology

More Digital Arts and Culture Resources


List of Arts Resources During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Stay At Home Fest: Online Entertainment Calendar

Join the New Performing Artists Network, created by Seth Lepore

UMass Arts Extension Services List of Resources

Live Puppet Theatre Online - from the Jim Henson Foundation


Even More Things to Stream While Broadway Is Shut Down

So many free online theatre streaming listings here.

AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES
As part of "How We Are Responding" to the current health pandemic and the impact it's having on our beloved theatre community, we at TCG are extending complimentary postings of temporary / flexible / tele-commuting positions (artistic AND non-artistic) on ARTSEARCH®. 

This opportunity is open to ALL, in support of theatre-makers looking for immediate temporary work to alleviate the financial crisis that has resulted from the spread of the virus. 

http://artsearch.tcg.org/home
The Play Reading Co-op is currently seeking submissions of full length plays from New England writers for a monthly, ongoing reading series. The mission of the co-op is simply for local theater makers to have a chance to get in a room together to work on high quality material for our own learning, enjoyment, and camaraderie. It's also a great way to learn about new works and writers. The reading is intended to be informal and without an audience other than other co-op “members” and potentially a friend or colleague(s) of the writer. If the writer is looking for a discussion or feedback afterward, we are happy to make space for that as well. We are ideally looking for plays with at least 2 female identifying roles. 

http://www.rachelfhirsch.com/play-reading-co-op
Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts

We understand the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting nonprofits in many ways, including increased demand for their services, lost revenue due to closures and cancellations, as well as other challenges. We are happy to announce the COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley. With local businesses partnering to help raise over $1 million, this fund will provide flexible resources to organizations that are working with communities at the intersection of being most vulnerable to the virus and most impacted by inequity. http://bit.ly/C19RFund
The Northampton Arts Council is now accepting performer applications for First Night Northampton 2021.


On Thursday December 31, 2020 the Northampton Arts Council will present the 36th annual community New Year’s Eve celebration and festival of performing arts. Since 1985, First Night Northampton has filled the Paradise City with a 12-hour family-friendly festival of the arts, culminating in a traditional ball-raising from the roof of the Hotel Northampton. Proceeds from First Night Northampton will benefit local artists and community arts activities. 

We look forward to receiving many proposals and to creating a diverse, exciting, family-friendly event. Complete and submit the application no later than August 31, 2020. Proposals are reviewed as they are received, so early applications are recommended. Please submit separate applications for each proposal. Proposals without support materials will not be reviewed. We will be notifying applicants at the end of September. To apply to perform at First Night Northampton please complete the online application which can be found here.

Contact: Steve Sanderson, Events Producer, 413-587-1247, arts@northamptonma.gov

Photo Credit: Steven E Nanton

WORKSHOPS & CLASSES

THE PIONEER VALLEY LAUGHING CLUB

Saturdays from 1-2pm, starting May 9th

Completely Ridiculous Productions and The Northampton Center for the Arts would like to welcome you to the Pioneer Valley’s one and only Laughing Club!

In this weekly meetup we will gather together for an hour on zoom, introduce ourselves, warm up our bodies, have some fun and laugh ‘til it hurts.

Why? 

Because we believe it is important to remind ourselves that it's ok to live in a happy body and laugh uproariously, especially in such crazy and chaotic times.

But seriously, Why?

Because laughter is a necessary survival skill, that's why.  Also, super serious people like Doctors, Ministers and Therapists all around the world say that laughter strengthens the immune system, purges toxins, burns calories, works as a natural anti-depressant and keeps us resilient, happy and healthy! Laughter is the Best Medicine after all - and it's FREE!! 

The PVLC is open to any and everyone, and just like going to the gym or taking a yoga class, there is nothing performative about it. However, a sense of humor will most certainly help - so be sure to bring yours along!

Each session is $15 suggested donation benefitting both the NCFA and Completely Ridiculous Productions. To sign up, please email

What in the what is Completely Ridiculous Productions?

CRP is a performance laboratory/training center dedicated to professional actor training, developing and producing new works of physical comedy, and strengthening each individual’s Empathic Vulnerability - the willingness to fully see and be seen by an other, while staying open to the possibility of being changed. For more information visit the website.

And who the heck is running this thing anyway?

Professional Laugher since birth, Gabe Levey is an actor/theatre maker who recently moved back to Northampton. In addition to running workshops and producing shows in the valley, Gabe teaches Physical Acting, Clown, Clown to Text and Shakespeare Performance at NYU, Tisch School of the Arts. Founding Artistic Director, Completely Ridiculous Productions. MFA, Yale School of Drama.

AN EXCLUSIVE ONLINE MASTERCLASS IN SCENE STUDY

LED BY TOBY VERA BERCOVICI

SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2-4PM

ONLY 1 SPOT REMAINING!

In this two-hour class (offered via the Zoom online meeting platform), Bercovici will work with just four actors on two different approaches to scene-work. The first scene will be grounded in given circumstances, actions and objectives, as well as in situation-based improvisation. The second scene will be approached with Michael Chekhov’s “psychological gesture,” a kinesthetic approach to scene analysis. There will be a group warm up, approximately 45 minutes of work per scene, and time at the end for questions. When not working, each pair of actors will observe the other pair.

Email us at reallivetheatre@gmail.com to register.

Cost is $35 and your spot will be held upon successful registration and payment. We regret any inconvenience, but at this time we cannot accept cash or check payments. Payment can be made through our secure donation portal via PayPal or credit/debit card. Please note in the memo that your payment is for Toby’s Scene Study Masterclass.

A limited number of non-participatory observers are welcome! Please make a donation of any amount (no minimum/maximum!) and email us at reallivetheatre@gmail.com to sign up for an observer spot.

Pioneer Valley Theatre Companies
Is your theatre company missing? Email me!
Academy of Music Theatre

Arena Civic Theatre

Black Cat Theater

Chester Theatre Company

CitySpace

Cold Spring Community Theatre

Completely Ridiculous Productions

Drama Studio

Double Edge Theatre

Eggtooth Productions

Exit 7 Players

Franklin County Youth Theater

Ghost Light Theater

Greenfield Community College's Theater Department

Hampshire Shakespeare Company

Happier Valley Comedy

Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center

Ja'Duke Center for the Performing Arts

K and E Theater Group

Ko Theater Works/Ko Festival of Performance

Majestic Theater

New Century Theatre

No Theater
Northampton Community Arts Trust

Northampton Playwrights Lab


PaintBox Theatre

Panopera

Pauline Productions

Real Live Theatre

Red Thread Theater

Royal Frog Ballet

Serious Play Theatre Ensemble

Shakespeare Stage

Shea Theater Arts Center

Silverthorne Theater

Smith College Department of Theatre

St. Michael's Players

Starlight's Youth Theatre, Inc.

Strident Theatre

TheatreTruck

Turbulent Times Theater

UMass Department of Theater

UMass Theatre Guild

Valley Light Opera

Westfield Theatre Group

Wilbraham United Players
Want to know even more about events in the Pioneer Valley and beyond,
including reviews, interviews, and previews?
Pioneer Valley Theatre Google Calendar
In the Spotlight, Inc.

Berkshire on Stage
Stagestruck
ArtsBeat Radio and News Column
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