Pioneer Valley Theatre News October 6, 2022

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser October 6 - 26, 2022 I work with many local theatre organizations, and one of my favorites is Play Incubation Collective. Over the course of this year, PIC has shepherded 3 works-in-progress arts salons (with 2 more on the way this fall), mini-residencies for “The Flame,” and “Invitation to the Dance,” online workshops for theater artists, and a creative arts summer program for youth. We will close the year with a reading in Holyoke this December of our 2022 play-in-residence, “Return to Abya Yala,” by Aria ‘Lune’ Acevedo, which has been developed over the course of this year with an ensemble of actors and creative advisors. I've been stage managing this development process and it has been an honor to be in the room with these artists. These projects have created paid opportunities for over 35 local theater artists and given their new work a supportive launchpad for future success. PIC is raising money now to continue to support local theatre artists. If you have a few extra dollars, you can make a tax deductible donation through Fractured Atlas or I can send you the mailing address.  The next issue will include events from October 13 - November 2. 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 Westfield Theatre Group presents Marvin's Room October 14-22 More information here. YOUR EVENT HERE $5 per week for your poster and ticket link in top billing! Email me to reserve your dates. Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Google Calendar Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Personnel Spreadsheet THIS WEEK IN THEATRE NEWS: from Howlround Rejecting Local and National Borders with La Carpa De La Frontera by Maria Patrice Amon From the article:  “Borders are set up to define the places that are safe and unsafe, to distinguish us from them. A border is a dividing line, a narrow strip along a steep edge.” ― Gloria E. Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com PERFORMANCES “MAMMA MIA!” TO OPEN MAJESTIC THEATER’S 25th SEASON   West Springfield’s Majestic Theater will kick off its 25th Season with Mamma Mia! which runs September 22 – October 16.  The beloved jukebox musical, with music and lyrics by Benny Anderson & Bjorn Ulvaeus, and book by Catherine Johnson, incorporates the music of pop group Abba in telling the story of Donna, a woman living a quiet life on a Greek island whose life is upended when her daughter Sophie becomes engaged.  Never knowing the identity of her father, Sophie invites the three men who may be her dad to the wedding.   Producing Director Danny Eaton is directing the play.  Associate Producing Director is Sue Dziura, Mitch Chakor is music director, and Stephen Petit is production stage manager.  The set was designed by Greg Trochlil, and Dawn McKay is costume designer.  Daniel Rist is lighting designer and Doug Wallace is sound designer.   Cast members include Cate Damon (Donna), Vivienne Damon (Sophie), Marty Bongfeldt (Tanya), Lori Efford (Rosie), Ben Ashley (Sam), Russell Garrett (Harry), Gene Choquette (Bill) and Sam Snyder (Sky).  Others cast members include Caelie Scott Flanagan, Natasha Ellis, Den Hernandez, Steven Sands and Michael Garcia.   Ticket prices range from $31 - $37 and can be obtained by visiting or calling the box office at (413) 747-7797 during hours of operation (Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)   Audience members are required to wear a mask while in the building unless actively eating or drinking in the café.  Doors to the theater will open one hour before the start of a show, which is also when the café opens.  For more information, visit www.majestictheater.com Means of Production Theater Co. Waiting for Lefty - A Benefit for the Pioneer Valley Workers Center 10/6 - 10/8 @ 7:30pm The Institute for the Musical Arts - Goshen At the height of the Great Depression, Clifford Odets' Waiting for Lefty rocked the class consciousness of America while setting a new standard for theatrical realism. Though it debuted in 1935, the play continues to resonate in light of increased unionization and labor activity across the country, as well as the general reevaluation of the culture of work brought on by COVID-19. In our 2022 production, a meeting of union truck drivers frames a series of vignettes that offer a glimpse into the lives and loves of union agitators. Why are they agitating? What do they deserve? What will they have to do to get it? Ticket sales will benefit the Pioneer Valley Workers Center, a social justice and immigrant rights organization that champions labor rights across Western Massachusetts. Additionally, the first three performances will be followed by panel discussions with local labor organizers. Performances will occur in the barn at the Institute for the Musical Arts, 165 Cape Street, Goshen, Massachusetts. We will ask that audience members wear masks for the duration of the show. https://waitingforlefty.brownpapertickets.com/ K and E Theater Group Invites You to THE WILD PARTY October 7-9 & 13-15 at Northampton Center for the Arts   K and E Theater Group returns with its final mainstage production of its supersized season two – a steamy prohibition tale, Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party, October 7-9 and October 13-15, 2022 at the Northampton Center for the Arts at 33 Hawley Street.   Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party is adapted from Joseph Moncure March’s epic 1928 poem of the same name, originally produced by the Manhattan Theater Club in New York City. The original production won the 2000 Outer Circle Critics Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical. Lippa also won the Drama Desk that year for Outstanding Music for one of the most exciting, pulse-racing scores ever written.   The Wild Party is the jazz age story of one tragic night in a Manhattan apartment shared by Queenie and her menacing lover Burrs. The couple decides to throw the party to end all parties, inviting a colorful slew of guests living life on the edge. It is during this night where Queenie meets a handsome stranger named Black who wants to take her away, sending Burrs into a tailspin.   K and E Theater Group's production of The Wild Party features Chelsea Derby as Queenie, Carina Savoie as Kate, Joshua Fernandez Garcia as Black, and Eddie Zitka as Burrs. Also featured are Julia Bussell as Nadine, Michael DeVito as Phil D’Armano, Christine Greene as Madelaine True, Jessica Glasser as Mae,  Andre Ruiz as Sam, Lauren Seslar as Featured Ensemble, Chris Webber as Oscar D'Armano,  David Webber as Max, Jami Wilson as Dolores, Jessica Winter as Jackie, and John Woytowicz as Eddie.    The K and E Theater production of The Wild Party is directed and choreographed by K and E Theater Group President and Artistic Director Eddie Zitka. The seven-piece band is led by Bill Martin.   Opening Night is Friday, October 7, 2022, at 7:30 PM.    Additional performances are: Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:00 PM Thursday, October 13, 2022 at 7:30 PM Friday, October 14, 2022 at 7:30 PM Saturday, October 15, 2022 at 2:00 PM. The closing performance is scheduled for Saturday, October 15, 2022 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are general admission for $27.00. There is no reserved seating.   This production contains mature themes, drug usage, explicit language, and strong sexual content. Stage effects include strobes and bright moving lights. Recommended for mature audiences only.   Proof of vaccination and face coverings that cover the nose and mouth will be required for entrance and while seated at the Northampton Center for the Arts.   Tickets and performance information for The Wild Party are available at www.KETG.org. HCC Alumni Players Phillips Festival 2022 October 8 at 7:30 PM Holyoke Community College Leslie Phillips Theater Holyoke, MA An evening of original, short plays written, directed, and staged in in 24 hours.   From Concept to Curtain ... IN ONE DAY The Festival is to benefit the Leslie Phillips Fund for the Arts and Arts Education at Holyoke Community College https://lesliephillipsfestival2022.brownpapertickets.com We are also celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the HCC Players, Holyoke Community's theater ensemble at the Festival. Happier Valley Comedy presents 2nd Saturdays Presents: Longform Improvisation October 8 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, MA) A cast of experienced improvisers dive into a variety of formats based on audience suggestions. Second Saturday of every month at 7pm at the Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, on rte.9). Tickets: $13 online and at the door. More information. Hispanic Heritage Month:  My Voice! An Evening with Carlos Uriona October 12 at 6 pm Presented by Bunker Hill Community College Political violence in Argentina, compelling storytelling and Art Justice with Double Edge Theatre, and beyond. Join Ensemble member and Co-Artistic Director of Double Edge Theatre, Carlos Uriona, as he discusses his lived experiences with the political turmoil and terrorism of Argentina, both historically and at present. The evening will include his performance excerpt The Mothers of the Plaza, or the Eruption of the Invisible from Double Edge’s Howling at the Moon (debut June 2021)—a recent theatrical experience that explores mythic tales and ancestral visions. Online Event Link Here Cadillac Crew by Tori Sampson Directed by taneisha duggan Featuring Cate Alston, MaConnia Chesser, Kyra Davis, and Alicia M.P. Nelson Thursdays – Sundays October 13-29, 2022 at Shakespeare & Company’s Tina Packer Playhouse Four female activists are working in a Virginia civil rights office on the day of a much anticipated speech by Rosa Parks. From the Civil Rights Movement to the present day, CADILLAC CREW illuminates forgotten leaders who blazed the trail for desegregation and women’s rights. With remarkable insight and unexpected humor, the play asks, what happens when Black women refuse to be written out of history. CADILLAC CREW is presented at Shakespeare & Company’s Tina Packer Playhouse, 70 Kemble St, Lenox, MA 01240. Run time 1 hour and 45 minutes. No intermission. Presented in special partnership with the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts. PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Thurs., Oct. 13 at 7pm –  Preview Fri., Oct. 14 at 7pm – Preview Sat., Oct. 15 at 7pm – Preview Sun., Oct. 16 at 2:30pm – OPENING Thurs. Oct. 20 at 2:30pm Fri., Oct. 21 at 7pm Sat., Oct. 22 at 7pm Sun., Oct. 23 at 2:30pm (child care performance) Thurs., Oct. 27 at 10am (live performance SOLD OUT, online tickets available) Fri., Oct 28 at 7pm (live and online) Sat., Oct. 29 at 2:30pm (live and online) Sat., Oct. 29 at 7pm (live and online) – CLOSING LEARN MORE Hampshire College Theatre "The Thin Place" 10/13/22 @ 8:00 PM, 10/14/22 @ 8:00 PM, 10/15/22 @ 2:00 PM, 10/15/22 @ 8:00 PM, 10/16/22 @ 2:00 PM Emily Dickinson Studio Theatre @ Hampshire College Hampshire College theater presents a production of Lucas Hnath’s “The Thin Place.” A story of ghosts, mediums, psychics, and the young woman who experiences them. Everyone who ever died is still here, just in a different part of here. Hilda can communicate with them. And if you believe, she can make you hear them, too — in The Thin Place, the fragile boundary between our world and the other one. Performances begin on Thursday, October 13th, in the Studio Theater at Emily Dickinson Hall. There will be three evening shows starting at 8:00 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with 2:00 matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets. Westfield Theatre Group, A Department of the Westfield Woman's Club Marvin's Room October 14, 15, 21, 22 at 7:30 PM and October 22 at 2:00PM Westfield Woman's Club, 28 Court Street, Westfield, MA Scott Pherson's Obie and Drama Desk award winning comedic drama Marvin's Room explores interpersonal relationships within a family experiencing a series of crises and life choices. Frank Rich of the New York Times called Marvin’s Room: “…one of the funniest plays of this year as well as one of the wisest and most moving” With resonant and timely themes, Marvin’s Room casts a sensitive but often darkly humorous light on caregiving, sibling relationships, teenage rebellion, abandonment, mental health and loss. The play evokes deep empathy and understanding, smiles of recognition, laughter and sympathy for our shared human condition. Audiences may alternately laugh and cry, but they will no doubt emerge having had a deeply affecting experience. Directed by Michael O. Budnick Produced by Eva Husson-Stockhamer and Sophie Stevenson Set Design by Eva Husson-Stockhamer with Robert Clark, Set Builder Costume Design by Theresa Allie Lighting Design by Frank Croke Publicity by Sally Memole Cast: Bessie: Tracy Grammer Lee: Gilana Chelimsky Hank: Joe Wilcox Ruth: Theresa Allie Dr. Wally: Jim Merlin Dr. Charlotte/Director: Nicole Calero Charlie: Calaeb Vertig Bob/Marvin: Jon Golden http://westfieldtheatregroup.com Mummenschanz: 50 Years Saturday, October 15, 3 p.m. Frederick C. Tillis Performance Hall Tickets Start at $20, Patrons Under 17 at $15 “Witty madness… dazzling and delightful!” - The New York Times UMass Amherst opens a season of family programming with an enduring favorite: Mummenschanz has been dazzling audiences of all ages in theaters across the globe for five decades. For the company's 50th anniversary production, the legendary visual theater troupe invites audiences on a journey through their history and into their future. Filled with imagination and poetry, the production features such legendary characters as the Clay Masks, the Toilet Paper Faces, the air-filled Giants, and the Pipe Creature, along with an abundance of other bizarre objects and shapes that spring to life on stage. The production also includes sketches featuring surprising new forms and characters that capture the signature Mummenschanz spirit of infinite possibility and delight. Happier Valley Comedy presents Happier Family Comedy Show October 15 at 3:00 PM The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (125 W. Bay Rd, Amherst, MA) A high-energy interactive improv comedy show, perfect for 5-13 year olds and their adults. Third Saturday of every month at 3pm at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (125 W. Bay Rd. Amherst). Tickets: $5/child, $10/adult, 4 and under/free. More information. Happier Valley Comedy presents HVC Presents: Not In Charge! October 15 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, MA) Join the talented group Not In Charge for a fast-paced improv show inspired by true stories from the cast! Third Saturday of every month at 7pm at the Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, on rte.9). Tickets: $13 online and at the door. More information. The Radical and The Revolutionary October 16 at 2-4 pm, meal 4-5 pm Stacy Klein, Founding Artistic Director of DE, and Baraka Sele, independent producer and consultant, will have a conversation titled The Radical and The Revolutionary on their experiences in theatre and life, followed by a meal in honor of DE’s 40th anniversary. Stacy Klein is a radical visionary who came to the realization that she could not find a place among institutionalized formalities or rigid identities to create her art. In 1982, Stacy Klein became the Founding Artistic Director of Double Edge in Boston, MA. She is also the founder of the Farm, DE’s center of Art, Living Culture and Art Justice. Over the 40 years of DE, Klein’s work with the Center has been written about in numerous publications and received awards, among them the prestigious Doris Duke Artist Award for artists who have transformed their field. Throughout her over thirty-five-year career in the arts, Baraka Sele has focused on collaborations and presentations with artists of diverse communities and cultures in order to build enduring partnerships and to facilitate inter-cultural exchange. Ms Sele was the Assistant Vice President of Programming at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, New Jersey from 2004-2011. From 1996 – 2011, Ms. Sele also served as the Curator/Producer of NJPAC’s Alternate Routes (formerly NJPAC World Festival), an international performing arts series. This event will be held at Double Edge Theatre and livestreamed via Howlround. Please write to tickets@doubleedgetheatre.org for both in-person and livestream information. Department of Film Media Theater at Mount Holyoke College The Sweet Science of Bruising 10/20 and 10/21 at 7:30pm, 10/22 at 7:30pm, 10/23 at 2:00pm Rooke Theater at Mount Holyoke College The Department of Film Media Theater at Mount Holyoke College is delighted to announce our first production of the season, Joy Wilkinson’s The Sweet Science of Bruising, a rambunctious new play about the underground world of Victorian female boxing. Four very different women are drawn from different walks of 19th century London and into the boxing ring, where their lives are intertwined through bouts of passion and a quest for freedom. In the end, only one can become world champion. “Wilkinson’s storytelling has an attractive briskness and clarity, which builds up engrossing details about female boxing...Each of the four main protagonists seeks the power to have some control over their lives, and this remains a radical goal today” - The Theater Times. Resplendent with the pugilistic arts, who else should direct this but our own stage combat expert, Assistant Professor Noah Tuleja. Sweet Science runs from October 20–23, 2022. Dates: Thursday, October 20 at 7:30 pm Friday, October 21 at 7:30 pm Saturday, October 22 at 7:30 pm Sunday, October 23at 2:00 pm Location: Rooke Theater at Mount Holyoke College Lower Lake Road, South Hadley, MA 01075 Tickets. A Happening: An Immersive Arts Festival Friday, October 21st (ticketed event) Entry 6pm/ Experience goes 7-10 pm  Saturday October 22nd (free admission, installations only) Tickets are $20 here: https://sheatheater.org/d/13826/Eggtooth-Productions-Presents-A-HAPPENING This time of year the veil grows thin. On October 21st experience what's on the other side.  After a successful inaugural year in October 2021, this multifaceted festival will be returning to the Shea Theater as an evolving community tradition. The collision of evocative art forms, including live music, dance, theater, sculpture, painting, and film with a “choose your own adventure” structure creates a uniquely powerful immersive experience for performers and audience alike, where the lines between witness and participant are disrupted and dissolved. A mainstay of this festival is the “Marketplace," which highlights vendors working across varied mediums. Featured Valley performers include actors from Eggtooth ensemble, musician Corey Laitman (Cloudbelly), DJ Mike Hanson (Father Hotep), and a collection of new and seasoned artists. Participants are invited into a strange and mysterious tale-- a whimsical myth in which the magic of music brings stories to life. Underscored by the sonic musings of SVIP, regional Valley artists collectively create multi-sensory installations for guests to explore. “A HAPPENING” is derived from the creative vision of Cloudgaze Productions as a culmination of Creative Laboratory sessions held throughout the past year. Join us for an evening of revelry through auditory and visual delights. *Please note that the audience may be asked to climb stairs and traverse dimly lit spaces. Audience may also experience art and encounters from the main level of the theater.* HVC’s Fun Fridays: Storytelling Standup Showcase October 21 at 5:30 PM Happier Valley Comedy's Next Door Lounge (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, MA) Watch Happier Valley Comedy talent try out their latest material, laugh together, raise a glass, and support up-and-coming standup comedians. Doors open at 5:30. Showcase starts at 7pm. More information.  Silverthorne Theater Company presents The Taming 10/21 at 7:30 pm, 10/22 (3:00 & 7:30 pm); 10/23 (3:00 pm); 10/27 (7:30pm); 10/28 (7:30 pm); 10/29 (3:00 & 7:30 pm) Hawks & Reed PAC With a burst of patriotic song and covered in American flags, Miss Katherine Chelsea Hartford from the gorgeous state of Georgia vows to become the next Miss America and make her momma proud. Silverthorne Theater’s production of Lauren Gunderson’s The Taming promises audiences a hilarious romp through the contemporary, past and future corridors of power. Under the direction of Mary Corinne Miller, The Taming opens on Friday October 21, in The Perch at Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center, 289 Main Street, Greenfield MA. Evening performances at 7:30 pm are scheduled for October 21, 22, 27, 28 & 29, with 3:00 pm matinees on October 22, 23, and 29. Tickets are on sale at EventBrite.com. The venue is handicapped accessible. In keeping with now standard live theater practice, audience members are asked to wear masks to prevent the spread of the Covid 19 virus. Tickets. Happier Valley Comedy presents The Happier Valley Championship October 22 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, MA) In this competitive comedy show, two teams of improvisers face off through scenes and games to see who can win the ultimate prize: your laughter! Fourth Saturday of every month at 7pm at the Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, on rte.9). Tickets: $13 online and at the door. More information. The Performance Project "Mother Tongue" by First Generation Ensemble 10/22/22 @ 7:30 PM, 10/23/22 @ 3pm, 10/29 @ 7:30pm 33 Hawley St, Northampton, MA “Mother Tongue” is a 90 minute original multilingual physical theater performance, created by Springfield-based First Generation Ensemble. The piece is inspired by events and family stories from Congo/Tanzania, Bhutan/Nepal, South Sudan, Holyoke, and Springfield. “Mother Tongue” incorporates movement, music, dance, and text in Arabic, Swahili, Nepali, and English. More information. Facebook event link AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Come make a meaningful impact on our students and in our community  and submit your application for the  Assistant Technical Director position. This person will provide support for both the theatre and dance departments on campus. They will take appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment. They will also supervise the scenic design and technical aspects of all Dance performances; assist with the daily operation of equipment and spaces; manage student workers, mentor and teach beginning and advanced students.  Smith College is committed to the values of diversity, inclusion, and equity and the work it takes to enact them and we hope that  you will  join us in that commitment. Additionally, we offer exceptional benefits, many available starting on the first day of employment! Blue Cross Blue Shield affordable, low-deductible medical insurance  Low to no-cost Dental, Vision and Life Insurance options Generous Paid Holidays and time off A Retirement Plan with a 9% Employer Funded annual contribution Tuition Benefits with family offerings Essential functions Production Support Assist with the preparation of all theatre and dance productions. Examples of this support include, but are not limited to: Maintaining and modeling safe practices during the production process Scenic planning and execution Ordering and budgeting supplies Drafting, Design consultation, Engineering, Furniture repair and construction Properties creation Rigging, painting, and stage preparation Problem solve for technical needs as necessary during dance performances  Research and learn new practices, equipment, and materials used in theatre and dance production and design work Attend rehearsals, performances, production and scheduling meetings as needed Student Supervising Supervise, instruct, and mentor the THE 200 and DAN 200 student production crews, the interns and scene shop work study for the theatre and dance departments Actively assist in the development of a learning ethos in the scene shop that encourages beginning and experienced students to develop skills, confidence, inclusiveness, autonomy and leadership  Co-instructor for the scene shop focus on THE 200  Facility Maintenance Assist in maintenance of the performance and classroom spaces in the Mendenhall performing arts complex  Work with the Five College Dance Production Manager and students to maintain equipment and provide technical supervision of the Scott Dance Studio Maintain records of shop inventories, maintenance schedules, and safety checks Safety Ensure a safe and hazard-free environment for all workers  Train students and staff on the safe use of the power tools and machinery in the shop and stage spaces  Have knowledge of, model and manage safe practices for students, staff and faculty when working at height and using the tools and machinery in the shop and stage spaces  Minimum Qualifications Knowledge and demonstrated experience with scenic and property construction techniques; knowledge and demonstrated experience with wood and metal working tools; knowledge and demonstrated experience with rigging, drafting, tool maintenance and repair. Must be able to work standing for long periods of time, lift up to 50 lbs. Demonstrated knowledge of safety protocols used in construction, rigging and production.  We will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education and experience to meet the needs required of the position.   If you are someone who has the  technical skills to do the job and a desire to work directly with students, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and submit an application for the position! Skills The ability to organize and prioritize work in order to meet an assigned deadline. Ability to multitask, pay consistent attention to detail, respond effectively to various work styles and communicate effectively with faculty, students and staff. Preferred Qualifications Experience teaching, leading and working collaboratively with diverse constituencies, especially college students. Knowledge of Q-lab and Vectorworks programs. Basic knowledge of sound and lighting equipment. Knowledge of, or interest in, automation practices for the performing arts. Additional Information  Applications will be accepted until position is filled. We seek to pay competitively and equitably based on factors such as the position and individual qualifications.  While actual pay will vary based on these factors, target pay is generally around $22 - $27/hour. Apply Here. HCC Alumni Players Phillips Festival 2022 October 7 at 6:30 PM through Performance October 8 at 7:30 PM Holyoke Community College Leslie Phillips Theater Holyoke, MA Looking for Actors, Directors, and Stage Crew to be a part of the Phillips Festival 2022, an evening of original short plays celebrating the 50th anniversary of the HCC Players and benefitting the Leslie Phillips Fund to support Arts and Arts Education at HCC https://forms.gle/wyWm1S1jJYpxh7Tr7 This is how the Phillips Festival process works.  People who are interested in participating sign up to either act, direct, write or stage manage. On Friday Oct 7th, all participants meet and the actors audition with a provided piece.   Then the writers are assigned actors, props, and other play elements by random draw.  Then they have until 6 AM on Saturday to write a 10-minute play.  Early Saturday morning, October 8th, the participants meet back at Holyoke Community where the directors are given their plays, again by random drawing.  The actors and directors rehearse all day and perform the finished product at 7:30 Saturday night. Rooke Theatre at Mount Holyoke College The first all-neurodivergent production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime October 13 at 6:00 PM Callbacks will be 10/15/22 from 2pm-5pm. Art 222 in the art building at Mount Holyoke College Auditions for the world's first all-neurodivergent production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time! Open to anybody from any background who identifies as neurodivergent and would like to be a part of this groundbreaking project. Please note that we are using the original definition of neurodivergence which does include anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental illnesses. This will be a movement heavy show, but all movement will be taught accessibly to everyone's comfort level. Theatre can and should be made accessible to everybody, and we intend to prove it with this show. No resume or prepared monologue is required, the audition will be reading sides from the script that we will provide in advance. There is no pressure to rehearse those sides, cold reads are welcome (and expected!) Sign Up to Audition If you are not a MHC student, please indicate that on the google form and we will be in contact with you to ensure you have directions to the audition location and entry into the building. We also have a visual story available to help you know what to expect in advance. If you would like to be a part of this production but not in the cast, please email us. We are currently looking for a sound designer and a filmographer, and are keeping a list of people who want to be involved that we currently don't have a job for. Assistant or Associate Professor of Theatre Smith College Department of Theatre The Department of Theatre at Smith College invites applications for a tenure-track position in playwriting at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, to begin July 1, 2023. Teaching responsibilities for this position will center on playwriting. We seek an artist whose work as a writer engages with Black, Indigenous, and people of color  (BIPOC) experience, and who can teach other BIPOC playwrights' work past and present. Additional skills might include teaching screenwriting and/or directing student productions. The course load is 2/2. Candidates should have college teaching experience; and significant professional experience as a playwright. Candidates should have a demonstrated commitment to developing an inclusive approach to teaching a diverse student body, and to the role of theatre in a liberal arts education. M.F.A. in playwriting or a relevant field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, is expected by the time of appointment. Candidates from groups underrepresented in theatre are encouraged to apply. Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is the largest women’s college in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars and artists interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. Smith College offers opportunities to foster faculty success at every career stage, such as those listed here: https://www.smith.edu/about-smith/provost/faculty-development. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges. Details about the Department of Theatre may be found at https://www.smith.edu/academics/theatre. Diversity and a culture of equity and inclusion among students, staff, faculty, and administration are crucial to the mission and values of Smith College. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or veteran status in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, and the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by all applicable laws and regulations. Women, historically underrepresented minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Application Instructions Submit application at http://apply.interfolio.com/114993 with a cover letter, curriculum vitae, diversity/inclusion statement, a statement about teaching theatre in a liberal arts college, two produced scripts, and three confidential letters of recommendation. Finalists may be asked for additional materials.  Review of applications will begin on November 1. Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Individuals Mass Cultural Council’s Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Individuals offers unrestricted grants of $5,000 to creatives and gig workers to support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and set a path for growth. Application Process Submit it before the application deadline on November 1, 2022, at 11:59pm (ET). UMass Fine Arts Center Job Opening: Performing Arts Programming Office Support Since its founding in 1975, the UMass Fine Arts Center has been a central force in the cultural, social, and academic life of the University, the Five College campuses, and the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. The Fine Arts Center's combination of educational, visual, and performing arts programs not only makes us unique, but it also secures a very vital and necessary position for us to meet the diverse needs of scholars, faculty, students, alumni, and the broader community. Job Summary The Clerical Assistant provides administrative and coordination support to the performing arts department in the areas of contracting, purchasing, timekeeping, budgeting, artist services, funding, and marketing. https://careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-us/job/515508/clerical-assistant UMass Fine Arts Center Job Opening: Performing Arts Asst. Curator Since its founding in 1975, the UMass Fine Arts Center has been a central force in the cultural, social, and academic life of the University, the Five College campuses, and the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. The Fine Arts Center's combination of educational, visual, and performing arts programs not only makes us unique, but it also secures a very vital and necessary position for us to meet the diverse needs of scholars, faculty, students, alumni, and the broader community. Job Summary The Performing Arts Assistant Curator works with the Performing Arts Curator to manage the performing arts department during the 2022-2023 season and devise a 2023-2024 season that reinforces the identity and goals of the Fine Arts Center (FAC). The position supports a coherent, innovative, and socially relevant performing arts and culture season featuring artists, projects, and outreach and engagement activities from across disciplines, genres, and cultures, including music, dance, theatre, family shows, international, and more. This is a temporary position. https://careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-us/job/515779/temporary-professionalperforming-arts-assistant-curator WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Anyone who organizes or attends auditions or is involved in casting for the theatre, is recommended to take 30 minutes to listen to this conversation between casting director Victor Vazquez and dramaturg/performer Tatiana Godfrey.  Part of WAM Theatre's Spotlight Series, they talk about some of the problems that we run into in the traditional casting process, especially in terms of racial or gender stereotyping, and some of the opportunities and suggestions he has for better ways of placing actors in roles.  https://www.wamtheatre.com/spotlight-series-with-casting-director-victor-vazquez/ Dramaturg Tatiana Godfrey is offering an online workshop on Black Theatre Aesthetic on October 9 & 30. Participants will attend two 90-minutes workshops and WAM Theatre's production of Cadillac Crew (either live or streamed). Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks famously asked “What is a Black play?” This two-session workshop will attempt to answer this question by exploring excerpts of texts by Contemporary American Black writers, asking critical questions of them, and using our in-class analyses to frame the cultural heritage of Cadillac Crew. From this class students will take away a greater knowledge of Black playwrights, will be able to identify themes and motifs that recur in the Black aesthetic, and will be able to articulate the importance of representing this aesthetic. This workshop is offered on a Pay-What-You-Can basis, but participation is limited to 12. More information and registration here: https://www.wamtheatre.com/workshops/ completely ridiculous productions The Fun of Failure, a Clown Class with Gabriel Levey 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10 Pine Box Studio 122 Pine Street In this class, through games, original song writing, improvisation and a series of fundamental Clown exercises, you will strengthen your ability to listen; to play without shame; to be generous with yourself and others; and to be courageous and vulnerable enough to fail, fail again and then fail better. Over the 8 weeks the class will investigate a series of group and solo exercises, warming you up for the introduction of the Red Nose (the tiniest mask win the world!) and the glorious triumphs and epic disasters to follow. There will be tricks, costumes, maybe even a little show that you'll put on for all of us! No matter what you're going to have fun, like a lot of fun, maybe too much and then a little more. And laughter, lots and lots of laughter - all in pursuit of unfettered joy, radical acceptance and Empathic Vulnerability: the willingness to fully see an other, while being fully seen by an other, all while staying open to the possibility of transformation. More information 1-4pm EST | In Person $275 | Open to 12 participants. Submit your workshop, class, audition, performance, or any other theatre opportunity here! Pioneer Valley Theatre Companies Academy of Music Theatre Amherst Community Theater Arena Civic Theatre A.C.T. Youth 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 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 Mount Holyoke College Rooke Theatre No Theater Northampton Community Arts Trust Northampton Playwrights Lab PaintBox Theatre Panopera Pauline Productions Performance Project Phantom Sheep Players Play Incubation Collective 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 Theater Between Addresses TheatreTruck Turbulent Times Theater UMass Department of Theater UMass Theatre Guild Unity House Players Valley Light Opera Ware Community Theatre Westfield Theatre Group Wilbraham United Players World and Eye 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 TV/Radio and News Column Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences  *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*