Pioneer Valley Theatre News August 27, 2015

Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser August 27 - September 16, 2015 There are a ton of really amazing workshops and classes listed in this week's newsletter - don't forget to scroll all the way down (or open the email in a browser window to easily view the whole thing!) There's also a new page to like on Facebook: The Arty Party on WRSI - Every Tuesday on WRSI, Joan Holliday and Pam Victor host The Arty Party, talking about the week's highlights in the performing arts in The Pioneer Valley. Another great way to stay in touch with the theatre community.  The next issue will include events through September 23. Submit upcoming events via the link below or by emailing me. Any questions, comments or feedback? Email me at pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com Submit Your Theatre Event Want to see your event right up front? Contact me to reserve the featured event slot in a future newsletter. Your $5 goes right towards keeping this newsletter running! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com  THIS WEEK IN THEATRE NEWS: from HowlRound You Want a Diverse Theatre? Prove It. by Karenna Ingersoll and Deena Selenow From the article: The plates are shifting in America, and, unless we want to fall through the cracks into oblivion, our theatre culture needs to shift along with it. An equitable theatre that reflects the plurality and diversity of American culture is a relevant theatre. Let’s look at some stats: According to the US Census Bureau, by 2043 people of color will become the majority group in the United States. This will be the first time ever that non-Hispanic/Latino whites are not the majority in the US. By 2060, it is projected that 57 percent of the US population will be made up of people of color (roughly 241.3 million people). A recent US Census Bureau report shows that millennials—those born between 1982 and 2000—outnumber the baby boomers and “represent more than one quarter of the nation’s population.” Their numbers matter as “overall, millennials are more diverse than the generations that preceded them, with 44.2 percent being part of a minority race or ethnic group (that is, a group other than non-Hispanic, single-race white).”  PERFORMANCES Historic North Hall presents THE DUCK VARIATIONS by David Mamet directed by Kenneth Tigar North Hall, 40 Searle Road, Huntington Friday, August 28 at 8:00 PM, Saturday, August 29 at 2:00 and 8:00 PM, Sunday, August 30 at 2:00 PM  James Emery and Mitch Giannunzio will take the stage in the second David Mamet play presented by the North Hall Arts Festival this season. "Mamet is by far one of the finest and most influential American playwrights of this—or any—era,” said Tigar. “He has a profound gift for creating memorable characters and situations while keeping us laughing at the same time.” $15 at door; students FREE. Free refreshments. Wheelchair-accessible, air-conditioned. Second of “Mamet Times Two” All welcome. contact: 413- 667- 5543 / website The Seth Lepore Project presents The Seth Show, Season 2: A Year to Live Tuesday, September 1 at 7:00 PM Eastworks Event Space, Suite #160 116 Pleasant St. Easthampton, MA 01027 During Season 2 of The Seth Show, Lepore will explore the theme ‘A Year to Live’ on the first Tuesday of each month for a total of 9 shows. While exploring new material as if he has a short time left on Earth, Lepore will challenge himself and his audience anew, creating a framework for the inevitable part of life we all must face. TICKETS AND INFORMATION Tickets at the door are $8. Discounted season passes are available at sethums.com AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES CALLING ALL THEATRE ARTISTS! Real Live Theatre is looking to grow our company.  We're looking for all types of theatre artists-- actors, directors, choreographers, costume designers, sound designers, lighting designers, set designers, stage managers, playwrights, musicians.  Folks of all races, ages, genders, orientations, and life experiences are welcome. Because being a full company member is a committed, long-term relationship depending on consensus and absolute trust, the process of becoming one has three steps: an audition, a probationary period, and participation in a full production process.  Until invited to become a full company member, theatre artists join RLT as Associate Artists. The auditions (for all potential theatre artists) will take place on Sunday, August 30th, from 11:00am -3:00pm at the North Star building at 45 Amherst Rd, Sunderland, MA 01375. For more information, check with website. By August 25, please submit a paragraph of interest and theatrical resume to reallivetheatre@gmail.com. If you are a playwright, please also submit a sample of work.   The Comical Mystery Tour is a Franklin County based Murder Mystery Dinner Theater group. We have been performing year round for over 20 years. We do 5 or 6 different shows per year each show lasting approximately 2 months. We are always looking for actors and actresses of various ages. The minimum age is 18 as there is, quite often, flirting in our shows. If you would like to try your hand at improve and breaking the 4th wall while trying to stay with the script, or if you are old hat at this sort of thing, please contact us for an audition and if a part comes up in one of our shows that we feel you would be good for, we will contact you to see if you are free for the shows we have booked. A car and license are necessary as we travel all over MA, mostly Western MA, but depending on the numbers, we will go further. It is a paid gig. It doesn’t pay a lot, but it is more than Community Theater and you get food. You can contact us at (413) 774-9844 or through Facebook. Silverthorne Theater Company is looking for an actor for our entry into the Double Take Fringe Festival. Seeking a 20-ish Latino male actor - or at least one who is fluent in Spanish - for the key role of Esteban (sensitive, romantic) in our production of "Lynette At 3:00 A.M." - goes up October 16 & 17 in Greenfield. Contact director David Rowland ASAP at drowland@nmhschool.org or phone (413 863-5583). Black Cat Theater of S. Hadley is looking for 2-3 men, ages 20s-30s, for their fall production of the musical Hello, Dolly! If interested, please email the director at agilbertlaw@gmail.com Alt Shakespeare Company is hosting a Meet and Greet and Auditions for ASC's first show, Shakespeare After Dark. It'll be an uncensored romp through Shakespeare's raunchier scenes. If that doesn't sound like your thing, come anyway! We're looking to build an ensemble for this and future shows.  This is an opportunity for us to meet you and you to meet us. It's an informal get-together at one of the producer's houses. (Please email for directions.) There will be food and drinks, feel free to contribute if you wish. 6:00 to 7:00 - Mingling and hanging out 7:00 onward - Reading some Shakes Any questions? Send an email  WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Starlight Youth Theatre presents Acting Classes September 12 - December 6  Maple Ridge Community Center, Sunderland grades 2-3 Seussical Storybook Theatre grades 4-5 Phantom Tollbooth grades 6-7 Neil Simon scene work grades 8-12  David Ives "All In the Timing" Please visit the website for more information. Short Form Improv Fun Time with Laura Patrick (For Beginning and Intermediate Improvisers) Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, 3:00-5:00pm (two hours) 104 Russell St. (Rt. 9 at West Street)/Downstairs, Hadley Class fee: $25 (plus you receive $6 OFF that night’s Happier Valley Comedy Show ticket) Have you ever watched “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” on TV or seen improvisers play those “games” onstage and wished you could give them a try? Have you done a little improv and want to learn more basic short form games to solidify your foundation? Would you like get a deeper understanding of the games we’re playing at the monthly improv jam at the Sunday Improv Fun Time? Just want to get together and improvise with a group of cool people? This workshop is for you! Learn the how-to’s and insider tricks for a bounteous selection of short form games in a very supportive, positive environment. We’re all about the love and fun of improv! This workshop is open to beginning and intermediate players. About your teacher: Laura Patrick has been performing improv since 2003 with The Ha-Ha’s (formerly The Ha-Ha Sisterhood). She began her improv journey with classes taught by Cathy McNally and Kelsey Flynn of The Villa Jidiots. Born into a theater family, she started acting as a child, and spent years in New York as an actor/bartender/limo driver/bike messenger/house painter & paralegal.  After moving to the Happy Valley in 2002, she fell in love with improv from the start, and leapt into the comedy pond with both feet. She has been having a blast ever since, and SO CAN YOU! To register or for more information, email info@happiervalley.com. New Century Theatre presents Fall Acting Classes Whether you dream of the bright lights of Broadway, want to have some fun in your life, or just want to be more comfortable expressing how you feel, make an investment in yourself and take an acting class at New Century Theatre. Enrollments are limited to 10 in each class.   Acting for Non-Actors  Instructor - Sam Rush  Ages 18 and up (or by instructor permission)  Tuesdays, 5:15-7:15 p.m. Mendenhall Center, Green Street Northampton, MA  September 15 - November 10 (No class October 13)  Always wanted to try performing but were afraid to act? Now’s your chance. With NCT Producing Director Sam Rush, you’ll have a chance to explore your inner ham in a fun and supportive environment. Using improv, text and original source material, you’ll learn fundamental acting techniques that may just serve you the rest of your life - on stage and off.  Tuition: $275.00 for 8 week course  Playing the Moment  Instructor - Sam Rush  Ages 18 and up (or by instructor permission)  Wednesdays, 5:15-7:15 p.m. Mendenhall Center, Green Street Northampton, MA  September 16 - November 11 (No class on October 14)  This class is designed to strengthen the skills of actors with previous experience and for students who have taken the Acting for NonActors course and wish to continue their study of the actor’s craft. We’ll focus on scene study work and excercises that explore the theatrical moment. The class may work on a final peformance project.  Tuition: $275.00 for 8 week course More information available online. Happier Valley Comedy presents Zen of Improv 1 at Holyoke Community College (Adult Ed) Six Wednesdays at 6:30pm  Starting Sept. 16 Would you like to play and laugh for two hours every week? Do you want to get better at thinking on your feet? Could you use some practice in mindfulness and staying in the moment? turning off your judgmental mind? being brave? Would you like to become more confident speaking in public? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, “The Zen of Improv Comedy” would be an ever so lovely way to spend a couple hours every week. Pam Victor offers this series of classes for adults who want to try something fun, rewarding, and, quite possibly, mind-expanding. You’ll learn a very gentle, very easy approach to improv comedy in an incredibly positive and accepting atmosphere that will get you up on your feet and out of your head. Through exercises, improv games, and scene work, you’ll practice the vital improvisation skills of paying attention acutely, accepting other people’s ideas, redefining and disempowering failure, staying in the moment, reacting honestly to the reality of the here and now, and much more. No experience necessary. Being funny is not required! You can do this. Want to stretch your wings for a couple hours every week and laugh yourself silly in in the process? The first step is saying, "Yes, and..." Register online. Registration currently open for Zen of Improv 1 at GREENFIELD COMMUNITY COLLEGE (Continuing Ed) also! Six Thursdays starting Oct. 8. More info online. Two Classes from instructor Toby Vera Bercovici of Real Live Theatre:   Adult Acting Workshop Mondays 6pm - 9pm,  September 21-December 7, North Star, 45 Amherst Road, Sunderland Acting is not about becoming a character, or even about being oneself on stage, but is, in fact, the art of becoming more fully present and open within each moment than one is able to be in ordinary life. Acting students will have the opportunity to perform in and receive coaching on a variety of exercises and scenes, working on, amongst other things, voice, presence, objectives, and authenticity. Excellent for both beginning, intermediate, and advanced practitioners of theatre, as well as for folks looking to deepen the connection between mind and body, self and other.   Acting & Directing Workshop Wednesdays 6pm - 9pm,  September 23-December 9, Northampton Location TBD In this course, we will navigate the extraordinary, intimate relationship that exists between a director and a performer. We will uncover together what language is most effective for communication, as director toward actor, as actor toward director, and as audience toward practitioner. We will explore ensemble-building through different theatrical traditions, learning the wide variety of techniques that exist with which to create a community of engaged actors who feel joy, trust, and agency in the process. We will stretch our creative muscles in myriad ways, learning to tell stories with our bodies, our breath, our voices, elements of time and space, music, props, and text.  Cost for each class is $450. Email reallivetheatre@gmail.com for more info and to reserve a spot! THEATER IMPROV FOR CHILDREN Theater improvisation increases spontaneity, creativity and self-confidence. We work on tuning into one’s scene partners, creating bold characters and developing skits with each other. The students will have opportunities to perform in the community, for family and friends 5th -8th Grade Group~ Weds. 3:00-5:00 K-4th Grade Group~ Thurs. 3:30-5:00 10 WEEK SESSIONS FROM SEPT-JUNE At the Florence Civic Center (Next to the Lilly Library) TO REGISTER CALL: Heidi Haas 584-5562 Or email at Heidi_Haas@comcast.net Check out my website at www.heidihaasimprov.com Instructor: Heidi Haas I have been teaching theater to children since 1996. I co-created and organized the afterschool drama program at the Leeds Elementary School in Northampton. I also offer theater and anti-bullying workshops at elementary schools. I coach the NHS Improv  Troupes FUNKTONLUST and direct the theater education company, Caught Off Guard at NHS.  In addition to the theater work, I have been a clinical social worker for 30 years with a specialty in child/family concerns. 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