Pioneer Valley Theatre News September 14, 2023

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser September 14 - October 4, 2023 There are a ton of auditions and job opportunities (not to mention classes and workshops!) in this week's newsletter. Make sure you scroll to the bottom! If you don't see the list of local theatres at the end, you may want to click to view the email in your browser so you can see the full listings!  The next issue will include events from September 21 - October 11. 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 Amherst Community Theatre Auditions for Seussical! September 15-17 Sign Up Here Easthampton Theatre Company Auditions for Torch Song  September 19 and 20, 6-9 PM More information  / sign up Junkyard Shakespeare presents As You Like it  Six Week Class (September 20-November 1) on Zoom Register 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   On Black and Indigenous Shared Kinship Futures by Kyle T. Mays and Amber Starks From the article:  In this conversation, Amber Starks (also known as Melanin Mvskoke) and Kyle T. Mays discuss the siloing of Afro-Indigenous identity, the opportunities and challenges of developing Black and Indigenous solidarity, and the potential to build a future more deeply rooted in kinship. Kyle T. Mays is an Afro-Indigenous (Saginaw Chippewa) scholar of urban studies, Afro-Indigenous studies, and contemporary popular culture, as well as the author of An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States and two other books. Amber Starks is an Afro-Indigenous (African American and Native American) advocate, decolonial theorist, and budding abolitionist whose activism seeks to affirm and uplift the multidimensional identities of Black and Native peoples through advocacy regarding anti-Blackness, abolishing blood quantum, Black liberation, and Indigenous sovereignty. This conversation is a contribution to the Black and Indigenous Futures series, which reflects on Black and Indigenous shared leadership, solidarity, kinship, identity, and artistic practice. Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com PERFORMANCES MAJESTIC THEATER PRESENTS “BRIGHT STAR” SEPTEMBER 14 – OCTOBER 15 Season-Opener Features Music by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell West Springfield’s Majestic Theater will launch its 26th season this Thursday, September 7 with the opening night of Bright Star, a musical featuring a bluegrass score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.  The play will run through October 15. Directed by the Majestic’s Associate Producing Director Sue Dziura, Bright Star is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is a tale of love, loss and redemption set in the 1920s and 1940s American South.  Literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, and he awakens her longing for the child she once lost.  Haunted by their connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past.  What she finds has the power to transform both of their lives.  The cast includes Chelsie Nectow, Michael Graham Morales, Emery Henderson, Michael Devito, Megan Mistretta, Parker Fisher, Christine Voytko, Gene Choquette, Ramsey Kurdi, Rob Clark and Max Weinberg.  Production stage manager is Stephen Petit, Aurora Ferraro is associate producing manager, and Josiah Durham is technical director.  Subscriptions to the five-play 2023-2024 season will be accepted through October 15, but single tickets are now being sold to all five plays over the phone or in person at the box office.  Prices for single tickets for the plays range from $31 - $37.  Box office hours are Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm, and Saturday 10am-1pm. The wearing of face masks in the theater is optional, but any patron feeling symptoms that may be related to COVID are requested not to attend their scheduled performance.  They may contact the box office at the Majestic Theater at (413) 747-7797 to reschedule their performance date or a full ticket refund will be provided. 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 Happier Valley Comedy The Final Happier Family Comedy Show! September 16 at 3:00 PM The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 W. Bay Rd., Amherst Happier Family Comedy Show Catch the final monthly performance of the Happier Family Comedy Show! 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. For more info. Happier Valley Comedy Presents Not In Charge September 16 The 3rd Saturday of every month at 7pm Happier Valley Comedy, 1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley HVC Presents: Not In Charge! 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: $15 online and at the door. More Information New work by Pulitzer Prize-winner Donald Margulies features Karen Allen and Reed Birney New dates have been announced for Shakespeare & Company’s World Premiere  of Lunar Eclipse by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies, starring Karen Allen and Reed Birney, and directed by James Warwick. Staged September 15 through October 22 at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, five, new Thursday evening performances have been added through the course of the run: Thursday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 5 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 19 at 7:30 p.m. On a summer night, in the middle of a field on their midwest farm, a long-married couple sits on folding chairs to observe the seven stages of a lunar eclipse. While watching the celestial phenomenon unfold, the two sip bourbon and reflect on land and legacy, on children and dogs, and the accelerating passage of time. Lunar Eclipse is a new work by Margulies (Dinner With Friends, Time Stands Still, Collected Stories). Generously sponsored by Deb and Bill Ryan, Lunar Eclipse will be staged indoors at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre on the Shakespeare & Company grounds. Tickets range from $22 for students to $62, and are available at shakespeare.org or by calling the Box Office at (413) 637-3353. Preview shows on Friday, Sept. 15 and Saturday, Sept 16 are $10 less. Opening performance is Sunday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m.  The Happier Valley Championship Show September 23 at 7:00 PM The 4th Saturday of every month at 7pm Happier Valley Comedy, 1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley The Happier Valley Championship! 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: $15 online and at the door. More information Registration Now Open for PIC Kids Fall Fest We are pleased to share that registration is now officially open for PIC Kids Fall Fest- an all-ages weekend empowering creativity! Saturday September 30th, 2-3pm Park Hill Orchard All Ages Salon: a sharing of new original works created and performed by youth and adult artists in an iconic outdoor setting. Free to attend. Rain date: October 1st, 10-11am &  Sunday October 1st, 2-5pm Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity Build Your World: a sneak peek of new inclusive kids’ TV show, All Together Now! by Sunny Allis, followed by hands-on arts workshops. Presented in collaboration with High Five Books and Sunny Allis. $10/person Learn more about our artists, collaborators, and the awesome workshops offered, and REGISTER TO ATTEND by clicking here Learn More and Register Happier Valley Comedy Presents Scripted/ Unscripted September 30 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy, 1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley A thrilling mashup of theater and improv! One scripted actor sticking to their lines. One improviser with no idea what scene they're in. One unique, messy, beautifully wild ride! Come see one of our all-time audience favorite shows, be surprised and delighted by the artful chaos, and support a local nonprofit at the same time! Inspired by the original show Gravid Water. Tickets: $15 online or at the door. More information AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Real Live Theatre seeks a grant writer and/or co-producer for our Summer 2024 premier of When The Mind’s Free, an original dance-theatre piece which lifts language, ideas, and story from Shakespeare’s King Lear and places them in a contemporary context, that of a lesbian family dealing with the early onset Alzheimer’s of their matriarch and the opioid addiction of their  youngest daughter.   We are looking for someone with grant-writing/producing experience who has a particular interest in supporting projects relating to one or more of the following: theatre, dance, LGBTQ  issues, community engagement, Alzheimer’s education, and opioid addiction education.  The ideal candidate: -is connected to a variety of funding sources -is willing to think both in and out of the box about creative funding and presenting opportunities -has excellent communication skills -enjoys being part of a team, while also working independently -will find personal fulfillment in being actively involved in bringing this project to life The language in the piece is mainly contemporary and has emerged out of improvisations  outlined and shaped by the director and performed by the ensemble, as well as in consultation  with memory care organizations, caretakers, families, and individuals dealing with memory loss. In When The Mind’s Free, the epic arc of King Lear is condensed into one day in the life of this  family. Scenes of caregiving, some of which blossom into imaginative play, others of which devolve into frustration and tears, are interspersed with dances which take the audience outside of that repetitive reality, into the inner thoughts and emotions of the characters.  We are guided in our work not only by our study of the text of King Lear, but also by these big questions: What does it mean to have accurate memories, and why do we need them? Separated from our memories, who are we? Can we maintain intimate relationships without shared memories? How can the Buddhist principle of non-attachment help us in caring for those with memory loss and those who struggle with addiction? And finally, how do we bring levity and  light into our darkest hours? A core component of this project is direct community engagement; each performance of the  piece will be accompanied by a facilitated space for discussion. We hope to give audience members time to reflect on their experiences of caregiving and being cared for, to share stories  and resonances, and to connect with local resources and with one another. From our own experiences, we know how lonely caregiving can be, and we hope to provide space to foster community connectedness.  Part-time; contract terms negotiable. Salary $30-$50 per hour commensurate with experience. Please send a letter of interest and resume to reallivetheatre@gmail.com. The Majestic Theater Searching for a Tech. Director The Theater Project, inc., dba Majestic Theater, located in West Springfield, Massachusetts is seeking an immediate hire for a Theater Carpenter / Technical Director. The Majestic is a year-round 229 seat professional theater operating under and SPT6 contract with Actors Equity Association. We produce a five play subscription season September to June, in July and August a three production Children’s Theater, and musical concerts over the Summer. More at: majestictheater.com This is a full time position which requires a number of years of hands-on experience in live theater and a skill set that includes carpentry, welding, and rigging. The Technical Director should also be versed in both stage lighting and sound design. They are responsible for maintaining the scene shop in good working order with a focus always on safety. Additionally, from time to time, there may be repair and/or maintenance projects at the theater itself for which the TD is responsible. Interested candidates should send an email to Business Manager, Regina Diemand with cover letter and current professional resume. Holyoke Community College seeks a Videographer and a Costume Designer for its fall production of A Bright New Boise Costume Designer will be responsible for procuring all costume pieces and conducting fittings prior to the start of tech. Designer will be responsible for cleaning sorting and returning any rental items at the conclusion of the run. Performance dates November 16-19. Flat fee $800 Email Resume / portfolio to mwhiton@hcc.edu Videographer: will be responsible for filming original content, as well as procuring stock footage, and programing video cues in Qlab during tech process. Flat fee $1200. Email resume / portfolio to mwhiton@hcc.edu The Performance Project, a non-profit arts organization based in Springfield MA, is seeking a Booking Agent and/or Tour Coordinator to help plan a local and regional tour of First Generation Ensemble’s Mother Tongue, a 90 minute multilingual physical theater piece. We have funding for a position averaging 20 hours a month.  We’ve received a grant from the NEA specifically to tour Mother Tongue, and although we have extensive experience performing in our area (Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Massachusetts counties), we need to hire someone with experience who can help to broaden the reach of our tour to other areas in MA and other nearby states.   We hope to find someone who can jump in ASAP and begin to connect with venues, reach out to new presenting partners, and develop our tour schedule for 2023-2024.  As a starting point, we already have a list of potential venues, some with already existing relationships and connections.  Contact: Julie Lichtenburg info@performanceproject.org and Gayle Hudson gaylehudson1@gmail.com The Performance Project’s First Generation is a multilingual physical theater ensemble based in Springfield Massachusetts. Members participate in artistic and leadership training, community building, social justice dialogues, and intergenerational mentoring. First Generation creates multilingual physical theater performances inspired by their own life experiences, and the experiences of their families and communities. Their work touches upon themes such as diaspora, language, culture, xenophobia, transphobia, hypermasculinity, racism, the power of youth voice, liberation, and revolution. Amherst Community Theater SEUSSICAL Auditions! September 15-17 at 6:00 PM Bangs Community Center, Amherst Amherst Community Theater announces auditions for Seussical! Sept. 15-17, 2023, callbacks 9/18, Bangs Community Center, Amherst. Appointments: go to amherstacts.org (contact Producer for alternative dates to Rosh Hashana). Dr. Seuss’s whimsical brilliance comes to life in this musical extravaganza! With lavish sets and costumes and a full orchestra, this show will transport audiences of all ages with its unforgettable characters and heartwarming story of loyalty and acceptance. Nine performances, January 2024 at the 600-seat Bowker Auditorium, UMass. Calling actors, singers, and dancers ages 7-107! More information, including character descriptions and audition music, posted 8/1: www.amherstacts.org/auditions or contact producer@amherstacts.org Facebook event Easthampton Theater Company Auditions: Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song September 19 6-9 PM September 20 6-9 PM St. Philip's Church Parish Hall Easthampton, MA Audition Announcement for Easthampton Theater Company's Production of Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song When: Tuesday Sept.19th and Wednesday Sept.20th from 6pm to 9pm with callbacks Sept. 27th 6-9PM. Location: St. Philips Church Parish Hall, 126 Main Street, Easthampton, MA Script/Version: This is the 2-act 2018 Broadway revival titled simply Torch Song (not the Trilogy) and the script is available from Concord Theatricals as well as other on-line sources. The two act version is very faithful to the original. All roles are open, actors must be 18+ prior to first rehearsal. Description: The life of Arnold Beckoff, a torch song-singing, Jewish drag queen living in New York City, is dramatized over the span of the late 1970s and 1980s. Told with a likable, human voice and considerable humor, Torch Song follows Arnold’s odyssey to find happiness in New York. All he wants is a husband, a child, and a pair of bunny slippers that fit, but a visit from his overbearing mother reminds him that he needs one thing more: respect. Directed by Edward Ryan Produced by Michael O. Budnick and Jason Rose-Langston Rehearsals are scheduled to begin in early November in Easthampton with performances in late January and early February, 2024. Please go to to the following link for detailed information and sign-up instructions. Easthampton Theater Company Happier Valley Comedy Open Auditions at Happier Valley Comedy September 23 at 11:00 AM Happier Valley Comedy, 1 Mille Valley Rd, Hadley Do you have experience making it all up on the spot? Come play on our stage! We strive to make our auditions full of joy and not tied to results. You'll step onstage with a random group of other players and be given simple prompts for scenes and games. The audience will be a supportive crowd of your fellow auditioners. We're all rooting for each other! Come see how we make the Happy Valley HAPPIER! https://www.happiervalley.com/auditions.html Off Book Antics Auditions September 27 at 5:00 PM Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity We're looking for passionate actors ages 14-18 to audition for our teen theatre company! https://www.offbookantics.org/ WORKSHOPS & CLASSES MAJESTIC THEATER OFFERING “NEW WORDS – A PLAYWRITING WORKSHOP” SEPTEMBER 18 – NOVEMBER 6 Producing Director Danny Eaton Presenting 8-Week Program for Beginning Playwrights Danny Eaton, Producing Director and Founder of the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, has announced the creation of an eight-week, in-person playwriting workshop that he will be presenting on Monday evenings at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield from 6:30pm – 8:30pm from September 18 to November 6.  Geared for beginners, “New Words – A Playwriting Workshop” will be open to the first 12 registrants.  The workshop will focus on character creation and storytelling for the stage, and will conclude with a representative presentation of each participant’s work by a core group of Majestic Theater actors before a live audience.  The fee for the workshop is $300.  To register, contact Danny Eaton at (413) 747-7797 Mon-Fri 10am-5pm/Sat 10am-1pm, or via email at DannyE@majestictheater.com Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training is offering a six-session, online class  titled Linklater Voice: The Progression II. Beginning Tuesday, Sept.19, classes are held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST on Tuesdays through October 24. Using the techniques set forth in Kristin Linklater’s practical approach to voice training, including from her book Freeing the Natural Voice, participants explore the potential of voice as an actor or public speaker by creating connections between thoughts, body, and voice. This class reinforces the relaxation, and generous vibration, explored in the first half of the Progression, and investigates how the voice can be strengthened by isolating and then blending the different resonators, expanding breath capacity, and finding an easy and efficient articulation.  The class will be led by actor, teacher, and director Tom Giordano, a designated Linklater Voice teacher and Shakespeare & Company artist. As the class focuses on the second half of the Progression, some experience with Linklater Voice is recommended. Tuition is $250, and scholarships are available for BIPOC artists. Discounts are also available for training alumni as well as members of acting unions and the Shakespeare Theatre Association. For more information or to apply, visit shakespeare.org or call (413) 637-1199, ext. 114. Junkyard Shakespeare As You Like It: a six-week deep dive Wednesdays 7-9pm, Sept 20-Nov 1 (no class Oct 4) On Zoom Join actors and collaborators, Joe Cardozo and Hilary Dennis, for Junkyard Shakespeare's first class: a 6-week deep dive into Shakespeare's As You Like It! This is the perfect course for: -the Shakespeare expert who has never practiced reading aloud or doesn't think they know how to "act" -the Shakespeare newbie who doesn't know where to start -the experienced actor who wants to work through the study of a play methodically in good company -the aspiring actor looking for a chance to play. We will practice speaking Shakespeare's words aloud while studying As You Like It in depth, combining analysis and discussion with reading and playing on our feet in a low stakes, low-pressure environment. You will learn tools you can apply to any Shakespeare text while immersing yourself in the Forest of Arden. There will be something for everyone, regardless of background, experience, or expertise. This is also an excellent companion study for Junkyard Shakespeare's upcoming production of As You Like It in Northampton, MA in November, which participants are invited to attend.  Let's dive in! JOSEPH CARDOZO is an actor and musician based in Los Angeles, CA and Amherst, MA. He has performed on stages across the U.S. in addition to appearing in films, commercials and shorts. Favorite acting roles include Othello (Othello), Don Pedro (Much Ado About Nothing), Banquo (Macbeth), Miles (She Kills Monsters), and Baba Mati Singh (The Fabulous Lipitones). He is a longtime meditator and practitioner of Kriya Yoga since 2007. HILARY DENNIS is an actor and producer based out of Northampton, MA and NYC. After graduating from the Tom Todoroff Studio Conservatory in 2019, she co-founded Elsewhere Shakespeare, a punk Shakespeare theatre company. She began self-producing in 2021 and has raised over $30,000 to support productions of Macbeth (Northampton Center for the Arts) and Hamlet (La MaMa ETC). She has a BA in Environmental Studies and Spanish from NYU and worked for some time as an organic farmer before pursuing the stage. https://tinyurl.com/junkyardshakespeare WAM Theatre Invites Artists and Community Members to Free “Devised Theater” Workshops Introduction to Devised Theatre with Priscilla Kane Hellweg Saturday September 23rd, 1:30-4pm In-person at the WAM Hub in downtown Lenox Priscilla will guide the group through devised theatre exercises to share ideas and together imagine a better tomorrow.  We will draw upon our collective ideas, hopes, experiences, and practices to create a distilled performance of theater, dance, and rhythm as a final sharing, just for us! “Telling stories is the way we all connect with each other; you can fall in love with a fellow human in an instant,” said Teaching Artist Priscilla Miller. “I think teaching is like that; people in a room together get a chance to feel our collective humanity. We're all here to tell some story that's burning a hole in our pocket, and at some point or another, we're all scared or stuck, but we persist. I respect the desire in all of us to create. I'm thrilled to partner with WAM. The work and the mission of this company are aligned with social justice and storytelling.”  Devising Theatre Online with Nicole Orabona Saturday, September 30, 2023, 2-4pm On-line over zoom Curious about expanding your artistic practice and connecting digitally with a greater sphere of collaborators? Using improvisation and collaboration, participants in this workshop will explore the process of creating art and connecting using digital platforms. While this workshop will be taught through the lens of theater, creative artists of other disciplines––as well as anyone ready to discover their creativity––are welcome and encouraged to participate.  “As a theatre maker and activist, I am such a huge fan of WAMs mission and absolutely chuffed to present this workshop!” says Teaching Artist Nicole Orabona. “My theatre practice thrives in a collaborative environment. During the early isolating days of the pandemic, I was lucky enough to find ways to make art virtually that could fill me with the same satisfaction of rolling around on the floor in a studio. I'm excited to share these practices with the WAMily!” Community Story Circle with Maizy Scarpa Saturday October 7, 2023, 2-4pm In-person at the WAM Hub in downtown Lenox This third workshop (not currently open for public enrollment) invites participants to give voice to challenges, dreams, fears and desires present in their communities today. Through a story exchange facilitated by WAM Director of Community Engagement Maizy Scarpa, Community Story Circle aims to create a space where we imagine—and begin to build—a future where WAM more fully meets the needs and aspirations of our neighbors, in an ever-changing world. What do you need to feel welcomed? And what do you hope to find once you’re here?  “As long as humans have had fire to gather around, we’ve met in circles to unpack our fears and dreams through storytelling. This is a powerful act; in the process we combat isolation, understand ourselves and our neighbors better, and build community. Sharing stories, real or imagined, is also a crucial step towards creating intentional and positive change.” Free to all participants. Donations to WAM Theatre’s Community Engagement programs welcome. Visit  www.wamtheatre.com/workshops/ asap to reserve your spot or to learn more 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|*