Pioneer Valley Theatre News March 2, 2023

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser March 2 - 22, 2023 Closing weekend of My H8 Letter to the Gr8 American Theatre at Smith - there may still be a couple tickets for tonight, but the weekend is sold out. But go check out Aurash at UMass or Exit Strategy at Mount Holyoke.  Check out Max Hartshorne's review for the Glass Menagerie -  playing through April 2 at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield.   The next issue will include events from March 9 - 29. 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 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 Civic Imagination: The Urgency of Possibility by Michael Rohd From the article:  My father keeps forgetting that he already asked me to forgive him. His body and mind are failing him; he is slowly becoming someone else. If that which harmed you seeks forgiveness, but seems disconnected from the past that you recall, what are you forgiving? Who are you forgiving? How do you reconcile what was, what is, and what could be? Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com PERFORMANCES My H8 Letter to the Gr8 American Theatre by Diana Oh March 2, 3, 4 at 7:30 PM Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre 122 Green Street, Northampton, MA.  The Smith College Department of Theatre presents My H8 Letter to the Gr8 American Theatre by Diana Oh ’08 in Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre on February 24, 25, March 2, 3, 4 at 7:30 pm. NYC Queer Icon, Contemporary Artist and Musician Diana “Zaza” Oh returns to Smith to direct their new play-extravaganza that satirizes the Great American Theatre—the galas, diversity panels, white leads—using humor, A List of Things, music, and flamingos. My H8 Letter is a call for evolution crossed with a Queer dance club inspired by a kindergarten classroom hiding behind a stage reading. There is a "before" and an "after" My H8 Letter to the Gr8 American Theatre, and liberation is on the other side of it. Tickets online at smitharts.booktix.com.General Admission: Adults $10, Students/Seniors 65+: $5 FREE for Smith Students A Persian myth we can connect to: UMass Theater's Aurash is a story about an ordinary person's heroism March 2, 3, 4 at 7:30 p.m. The Curtain Theater, Bromery Center for the Arts $15 general admission, $5 students and seniors  Aurash is a Persian story of an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation, who found the spirit to carry out a heroic act that changed a country's future. In the months since Iranian director Behnam Alibakhshi proposed it for the 22-23 UMass Theater season, it has become ever more shatteringly relevant as a tribute to the courageous women and men fighting for freedom in his home country. This stage version of Aurash, presented Feb. 24-March 4, is an hour-long immersion in a foundational Persian myth. Graduate student Alibakhshi has created a production that draws richly on the theater and storytelling traditions he grew up with and blended them with western theater forms. Audience members will see a set and costumes that reflect color palettes common to Iran; they'll hear Persian music as they enter the space, and they'll see actors moving in ritualized ways. The story of Aurash the Archer (sometimes spelled Arash) began as an oral tradition in Persia (now known as Iran) and was written down over 1000 years ago. After a long and bloody war, an archer was charged with shooting an arrow that would determine the future boundaries of Persia, bringing a peaceful and prosperous age to the country. In the original telling he was a noble, but in this adaptation by Bahram Beyza’ie, one of Iran's leading playwrights, he is an ordinary man of modest background. Alibakhshi has cast a woman as one of the actors who portrays Aurash, something he had considered even before the current protests began. Woman have been a part of protests in the country for a long time, he noted, despite pushback from the regime and the tremendous risk to themselves and their loved ones. "I think they are the bravest women in the world," Alibakshi said. Iran has a long and rich cultural history. Alibakhshi noted that ancient Persian documents contain some of the first discussions of human rights. He is critical of the current government.  "Where are those cultural values right now?" he asked. The myth of Aurash "is reminding people of a glorious past that we have lost." Alibakhshi hopes audience members — and not just those from Iran — see something to inspire them in the story of this ordinary person who finds the spirit to act heroically. Purchase your tickets now! Tickets are available through the Fine Arts Center box office The Department of Film Media Theater at Mount Holyoke College is delighted to announce our third season production, Ike Holter’s Exit Strategy. At once funny, angry, warm, and sad, this timely and poignant drama deals with an inner-city public school on the brink of extinction. The fictional Chicago-based Tumbldn High School is severely underfunded and undermined. The impending closure thrusts its vice principal, teachers, and a student into a battle to save their beloved institution. Will the bonds forged in this battle be enough to rescue their school from extinction? “...Holter's beautifully written piece crackles with energy and passion - it hearkens back to those early British plays by Harold Brenton and David Hare in the way it combines issues and politics with emotion and personality.” - Stage Raw. Directed by Michael Ofori. Exit Strategy runs from March 2-5, 2023. Dates: Thursday, March 2 at 7:30 pm Friday, March 3 at 7:30 pm Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 pm Sunday, March 5 at 2:00 pm Location: Rooke Theater at Mount Holyoke College Lower Lake Road, South Hadley, MA 01075 Ticket prices:   $10 general admission, $8 students https://mhc.ludus.com/index.php THE GLASS MENAGERIE NEXT UP AT MAJESTIC THEATER MARCH 2 THROUGH APRIL 2   A classic American drama takes center stage at the Majestic Theater when The Glass Menagerie is presented February 23 through April 2.  Tennessee Williams’ play about family and the fragility of memory is part of the Majestic’s 25th Anniversary Season of theater and live performances at the West Springfield venue.   The Glass Menagerie tells the tale of Amanda Wingfield, the faded Southern Belle, who is desperate to marry off ailing daughter Laura, and worries about wayward son Tom.  Saddled with the obligations left to him by his absent father, Tom, who also acts as the play’s narrator, arranges for an acquaintance, a gentleman caller, to pay a visit to Laura and sets off not only her own, but her mother’s hopes for a romantic future.  This memorable play is set in St. Louis during the Great Depression and is widely considered to be one of the most significant plays of the 20th century.   Danny Eaton is producing director, while Rand Foerster is directing the play.  Associate Producing Director/Stage Manager is Sue Dziura, and Stephen Petit is production manager.  Aurora Ferraro is associate production manager, and Josiah Durham is technical director/set designer.  Dawn McKay is costume designer, and Daniel Rist is lighting designer.  Scenic Artist is Bev Stevens Browne.   Cast members include Robbie Simpson (Tom), Cate Damon (Amanda), Abigail Milnor-Sweetser (Laura), Tosh Foerster (Jim) and Ann-Marie Messbauer (Musician).  Understudies include Chris Rojas (Tom/Jim), Myka Plunkett (Amanda) and Caelie Scott Flanagan (Laura).   Ticket prices range from $29 - $35 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 Smith College Department of Theatre New Play Reading Series  This Is Not Real written by James Tanner Echols MFA '24 Thursday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. Acting Studio 1 This short work explores how the masks you wear define who you are.   Free and open to the public. Masks welcome. This joyful drama about Esther, a Black seamstress whose patrons range from wealthy white women to prostitutes, is set in New York in 1905. While receiving beautiful letters from a handsome Caribbean man named George, Esther’s heart is drawn to the Hasidic shopkeeper from whom she buys cloth—and from there, Esther's stable life begins to unravel. Directed by Boston-based guest artist Jasmine Brooks.  Featuring Tahmie Der as Esther, the cast is rounded out by seasoned Valley actors Kyle Boatwright, Colby Chandler, Alika Hope*, Gabriel Levey, and Linda Tardif. March 10 – 18, 2023 Evening shows 7:30 pm Matinees 3:00 pm at Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center 289 Main Street, Greenfield, MA Tickets on sale JaDuke Theater 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee 3/10/23 at 7:00pm, 3/11/23 @ 7pm; 3/12/23 @ 2pm JaDuke Theater, 110 Industrial Boulevard, Turners Falls, MA 01376 An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming "ding" of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves a champion! At least the losers get a juice box. Tickets and more information.  The Drama Studio Reunion (After the End of the World) by Will Quam Friday, March 10 at 7:30pm, Saturday, March 11th at 4:30pm Sunday, March 12th at 6:30pm Friday, March 17th at 7:30pm  Saturday, March 18th at 7:30pm Sunday, March 19th at 3:00pm The Drama Studio, 41 Oakland St, Springfield MA. After The Event that wiped out civilization as we know it, a group of students walled themselves in their former school to build a new society, free from the past. But when a group of outside kids comes looking for something buried in the school, the past and present reunite in a play about memory, loss, and what it means to be a kid in extraordinary circumstances. Tickets are on sale February 24th! Northampton High School Rock of Ages 3/16 at 8pm, 3/17 at 8pm, 3/18 at 8pm, 3/19 at 2pm Northampton High School Main Auditorium In 1987 on the Sunset Strip, a small town girl met a big city rocker and in LA’s most famous rock club, they fell in love to the greatest songs of the 80s!  An arena-rock love story told through the hits of Journey, Night Ranger, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and many more. Don’t miss this awesomely good time about dreaming big, playing loud and partying on! www.nhsmusical.com AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Directing 2 auditions for UMass Theater are on Friday March 3. Here is the link for sign-ups. We are auditioning for 6 one act plays (plays are approx. 30 minutes each). We are looking to fill 18-20 roles (all bodies, all genders, all identities welcome!) so auditioners have a great chance of getting cast.  Priority will be given to actors who can rehearse Fridays between 10:10-1:10 but there may be flexibility depending on the role. They should come ready to read sides and play, and should sign up for a group audition time (up to six people per time slot). They must be available Sunday May 7th in the afternoon and evening for the showcase. We're hiring! Silverthorne is looking to hire a costume & backstage assistant immediately for our upcoming production of Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel. If you have some costume experience under your belt and are interested in being part of our team, we'd love to hear from you! The ideal candidate would be available for all shows and tech week. The performances are on March 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, at 7:30 p.m., and March 11, 12, at 3 p.m. March 4th marks the start of Tech Week. All performances and tech week will take place at Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield. You would work alongside our costume designer during Tech and on your own during the shows. A stipend will be provided to the right candidate. If you or someone you know might be a good fit, please reach out to us with a brief introduction and any relevant experience. We're excited to hear from you! Thanks, Intimate Apparel production team Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts Capacity Grant for Individual Artists until April 7th CALLING ARTISTS NEW TO VALLEYCREATES! Designed with the support of our ValleyCreates Community Advisors, the Capacity Grant (formerly known as the ValleyCreates Working Capital Grant) is a capacity-building and sustainability initiative for artists who currently live or have studio space in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties in Massachusetts. This program pairs a $2,000 grant with coaching, workshops, and artist community-building. The Capacity Grant program has been designed so that each artist determines what they need from a broad array of opportunities. Interested? Apply Today! Interested in performing at a Play Incubation Salon this year? We are seeking artists who are interested in sharing 10 minutes or less of a work in progress that has the potential to spark civic dialogue, and for which they desire feedback/input from an audience primarily comprised of other artists. Use this link to our salon submission form where, in addition to sharing information about what you’d like to present, you will be prompted to submit the questions they would like to pose to the audience in advance. The audience will be guided through 10 minutes of feedback where they aim to only answer and address the questions that the presenting artists has asked. There is more detailed information about this on the salon registration page. You can access a video with more details about the salon, as well as a link to the registration form for info about feedback, at www.playincubation.org/salon. If you’d like to view a sample salon, you can do so here! What can you share in 10 minutes? Here are some examples: 2-3 new songs 1-3 poems A chapter or partial chapter of a novel A monologue A 10 minute scene from a play A 10 minute scene from a video piece A dance piece or a 10 minute portion of a dance piece WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Registration opens on Monday, February 6th for PIC Kids Summer! At PIC Kids Summer, young artists (ages 7-11) will go on an adventure through the creative process as they explore theater, movement, and music. Each week follows a different theme, and all weeks will culminate in a sharing of the young artists' original work on Fridays at 2:30. We are pleased to announce that we've added an additional week!  JULY 17-21       Make 'Em Laugh JULY 24-28      Growl and Groove JULY 31-AUG 4   Soundscapes and Sorcery AUGUST 7-11     Five Day Play 9am-3pm each day  $325/week Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, 130 Pine St, Florence​ Registration opens Monday, February 6th! Learn more. By popular demand, WAM Theatre is thrilled to announce the return of its acclaimed Elder and Teen Ensembles. This Spring,  WAM invites Berkshire-based women over 65 and teens ages 13-18 to join the company on a  journey of empowerment through creativity, teamwork, and devised theatre. WAM’s Elder Ensemble launched with a Meet & Greet in December; WAM is currently accepting applications for its 2023 Teen Ensemble now through March 10. WAM Elder Ensemble Devised Theatre and Creative Collaboration for Women over 65 years Led by WAM Teaching Artists Kaia Jackson and Co-facilitator TBC March 14 - April 25, 2023 At The WAM Theatre Creative Hub, 55 Main Street, Lenox, MA WAM Teen Ensemble  A paid theatre workshop for young people aged 13-18 Led by WAM Teaching Artists Kaia Jackson and Maizy Scarpa. April 18-21, 2023 at The WAM Theatre Hub, 55 Main Street, Lenox, MA Apply online at: https://forms.gle/CWaqrwuKMavzAwpe9.  Application deadline: March 10, 2023 Tuesdays | 3-5pm PST / 6-8pm EST / 11-1am GMT | February 28th - April 5th | On Zoom | Open to 8 Participants Sundays | 11-1pm PST / 2-4pm EST / 7-9pm GMT | March 5th - April 9th | On Zoom | Open to 8 Participants $295 A Very Special Writing Class (or Claire’s Writing Cult), is a playful and challenging class with weekly exercises and writing prompts — that run the gamut from surreal to straightforward, very deep to very dumb — will encourage you to get out of your head, delve into your unconscious, and develop your authentic voice, leading to vulnerable, funny, fierce, strange, and surprising work. Each week, we’ll subvert elements of memoir, theater, fiction, and other genres to help inspire creativity, with a curriculum that’s designed for artists of all kinds: writers, comedians, performers, filmmakers, visual artists, and non-artists interested in exploring creative expression. Dropouts, shut-ins and people picked last in gym class are welcome!* *Jocks, geniuses and the well-adjusted are also welcome. This is an inclusive class. Sign Up! 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 Easthampton Theater Company 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 Local Theater Critic Max Hartshorne 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|*