Pioneer Valley Theatre News June 15, 2017

Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser June 15-July 5, 2017 This Saturday: come see six plays that haven't even been written yet. The 24 Hour Theater Project performs at 7 and 9 - you never know what you're going to see, but it's a guaranteed good time. Tickets available online at the link in the description below or at the door. Also this weekend, New Century Theatre presents a staged reading of Where's Annie? a play by Eric Henry Sanders. Tickets are $5 online or at the door.  The next issue will include events through July 12. 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 THIS WEEK IN THEATRE NEWS: from New Yorker In Defense of the Trumpian "Julius Caesar" by Rebecca Mead From the article:  On Monday evening, this season’s free production of Shakespeare in the Park’s “Julius Caesar” will open to an unusual quantity of attention. As audiences beyond the Delacorte Theatre have already heard, the production, which is directed by Oskar Eustis, the longtime artistic director of the Public Theatre, presents Shakespeare’s interpretation of Roman history as a contemporary parable. The setting is one of political upheaval and extreme civil unrest. At the play’s opening, protesters dressed in costumes that suggest contemporary activists ranging from Black Lives Matter to Anonymous plaster political posters on the walls; Caesar, the ascendant leader of the Roman Republic, is presented as President Trump. Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com PERFORMANCES “MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET” GETS ENCORE PERFORMANCE AT MAJESTIC THEATER JUNE 15-25 The Majestic Theater has announced an encore performance of the musical “Million Dollar Quartet” which will run June 14-25 at the West Springfield venue. The rock and roll musical, written by Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott, tells about the real-life events of Tuesday afternoon, December 4, 1956 at Sun Records' Memphis studio. Rockabilly star Carl Perkins was there working on a revamped version of the blues song “Matchbox,” when fellow Sun recording artists Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley drifted into the studio, and the quartet took part in a loose jam session that producer Sam Phillips had the foresight to record. A local reporter who was called and sat in on the session headlined his newspaper article which ran the next day, “Million Dollar Quartet.” The play had a six-week run at the Majestic last fall to kick off the venue's 20th anniversary of live theater and is returning due to popular demand.  An audience favorite, "Million Dollar Quartet" was frequently sold out during that run and enthusiastic crowds rewarded the actors and musicians with a standing ovation at the end of each performance. Majestic subscribers will be able to purchase tickets for a special price of $22. Otherwise, tickets for the play range from $25-$33 and are available by calling or visiting the box office during its hours of operation, which are Monday through Friday 10am – 5pm and Saturday 10am – 1pm.  For additional information, visit the website.  TheatreTruck Fundraiser Concert at the 1794 Meetinghouse June 16 at 7:30 PM  1794 Meetinghouse, 26 S Main St, New Salem, MA Last fall, TheatreTruck's original production, The Water Project, drew over 300 audience members to New Salem for an immersive theater experience set to live music. This summer, the musicians of The Water Project come together for an evening of fabulous live performance in support of TheatreTruck. Concert at 7:30pm Adults: $15 | 13-17: $10 | 0-12: free BYO picnic with TheatreTruck artists at 6:00pm (wine available by donation) The concert includes performances by Mamma's Marmalade (Western-Mass new grass with old-time class), the devilishly infectious folk-pop of Northampton singer-songwriter  Carrie Ferguson and folk ballads howled without apology from Emma June. Proceeds from the evening benefit TheatreTruck and the upcoming original production, The Mill Project in Leeds, MA June 22-25! Tickets here.  Stageloft Repertory Theater, 450A Main Street, Sturbridge MA presents THE PRODUCERS.  This hit Broadway musical sensation is based on the 1968 film with a Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan and Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks.  Performances are June 16 through June 25, Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 2PM.  This production is directed by Kevin McGerigle, music direction by Leah Marley, choreography by Jackie McGerigle. Tickets are $18 adults, $16 seniors/students/military, $10 youth.  Groups rates available.  For tickets call 508-347-9005 or visit www.stageloft.org.   THE PRODUCERS once again sets the standard for modern, outrageous, in-your-face humor and winner of twelve Tony Awards! A down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, thereby bilking their backers out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes awry: the show is a smash hit!  Starring David Leslie as Max Bialystock, Isaac Swanson as Leo Bloom, Robyn Spain as Ulla, Josh Raymond as Franz Liebkind, and John Leslie as Roger Debris, along with an ensemble that includes Grace Leslie, mother of David and John, THE PRODUCERS marks the first time mother and sons (all veteran performers) have appeared together onstage! Happier Valley Comedy presents the Happier FAMILY Comedy Show  Saturday, June 17th at 4-5pm at the Community Room (Suite 160) Eastworks (116 Pleasant Street, Easthampton).  Monthly family-friendly improv comedy show, best for 5-12 year olds and their adults.  Tickets at the door: $10/Adults, $5/Kids, Free/3 yrs and under. For more info: www.happiervalley.com. The Northampton 24 Hour Theater Project Saturday, June 17 at 7:00 and 9:00 pm Theatre 14, Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts, Smith College Let the count-down begin to this spontaneous celebration of six freshly-written scrips come to life after only one day's rehearsal. Thanks to the focused efforts of actors, directors, stage managers, technicians, and crew, the project has been performed ten times before-- each drawing larger audiences of thrill-seekers to the immediacy and the sense of adventure built into these riveting short plays. The night before the show, a trigger line of dialogue is revealed to six playwrights, as well as a desciption--minus names--of actors who will participate in each play.  At 7 am on Saturday morning, the playwrights bring the scripts to their respective directors who have drawn names from a hat.  As directors and playwrights meet, the tech team arrives to begin identifying the various props, costumes, lighting and sound needs that each play requires.  And then, at 8:30 am, twenty-four actors arrive!  As the clock ticks on, each group heads off to rehearsal rooms where they stage these developing works.   Several of the projects most popular playwrights return this year: Meryl Cohn, Tom McCabe, and Phil O'Donoghue as well as the comic duo, Kelsey Flynn and Hilary Price.  To complement the returning authors, we welcome writers Trenda Loftin, who has performed in the show several times, and Tomàs Roche, who got his start in playwriting at HCC before branching out to venues in Holyoke and Springfield.  For audiences who have not seen the project before, the concept may be unusual. Oh, you mean like improvisation? is a typical response. In actuality, all texts spoken by the actors are entirely scripted. And yet the actors performances very much exude an impromptu energy. There is danger in the air! The audience essentially plays the part of a fully invested midwife to these newborn creations! Tickets available online. Facebook event here.  New Century Theatre presents a new staged reading series in June featuring two new plays by local authors.  Our staged reading series will take place in the sanctuary space at First Churches. The entrance is located on 129 Main Street, Northampton The accessible entrance is located on Center Street. WHERE'S ANNIE? by Eric Henry Sanders directed by Gina Kaufmann June 17 @ 7:30 PM and June 18 @ 2:00 PM Where's Annie? Who's Annie? And what have Jack and Birdie done with her? In this dark comedy, Sarah Bitts returns home to confront her estranged grandparents, only to discover that the eccentric pair hides a past more frightening than she imagined. Originally workshopped at the Lark Play Development Center in New York City. Tickets are $5 and available online or at the door.  TheatreTruck presents THE MILL PROJECT: an original new play exploring women's bodies in labor and resistance in the age of industrialization.  June 22-25 at 7:30pm Leeds Common across from the historic Nonotuck silk mill.  The audience is invited to bring a blanket or chair and a picnic in the tradition of outdoor Summer theatre.  This performance is recommended for ages 14 and up.  Parking is available in the Chartpak lot.  www.theTheatreTruck.com  The Mill Project deconstructs the historical record, re-membering & embodying women's experience of labor in the textile mills of 19th century New England through a performance-collage drawing on letters, newspapers, pamphlets and etiquette books. Woven in a tapestry of original music and movement, the play puts the mill girls of factory towns like Leeds and Lowell into relationship with the experience of American women today. The Mill Project invites the audience to place themselves in history while imagining our shared future.  The Mill Project was conceived by TheatreTruck cofounders Brianna Sloane and Elizabeth Pangburn and created by Sloane and Pangburn with Emily MacLeod, Emma Ayres, Christine Stevens, Jayme Winell, Robyn Sutton- Fernández, Maya Lapping Rivera and Julia Read.  This program is supported in part by a grant from the Northampton Arts Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and with support from the Leeds Civic Association and the Bement School. Tickets. In the event of heavy showers or storms, Rain Date Friday June 30. Silverthorne Theater Company’s second Season production goes out on a limb (literally) with Aaron Posner’s brilliant comedy, Stupid F***ing Bird, opening June 22, in the Company’s new space on the fourth floor of The Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center (formerly The Arts Block) in downtown Greenfield. Stupid F***ing Bird runs June 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 and July 1 with performances at 7:30 pm, and a 2 pm matinee on Saturday, July 1.  There will be a post-show talkback with the cast and dramaturg after the June 29 performance. The Hawks & Reed PAC is located at 289 Main Street on the Greenfield Common in the middle of the town’s Cultural District. It is air-conditioned and handicapped accessible.  Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 for students or seniors (65+) and may be purchased online at www.eventbrite.com. Full information and tickets available at www.silverthornetheater.org.  NOTE: the production contains strong language. Stupid F***ing Bird is rightly described as “a sort of adaptation of Chekhov’s classic play, The Seagull.” The familiar characters are there in all their tortured glory, even if the names are slightly modified. The themes of thwarted ambition and family conflict are played out in this thoroughly contemporary and achingly funny piece that leaves no doubt about the comedic genius of both Posner and his prototype.  THE CAST: The talented cast of seven, under the direction of Toby Vera Bercovici, includes Myka Plunkett as the young, vulnerable aspiring actress Nina. Michael Greehan’s Con is an idealistic young playwright who seeks to overturn conventional theater with a radical new ‘authentic’ voice. Con’s mother, Emma Arkadina, played by Lisa Abend*, is a highly successful actress but represents all that Con despises about conventional theater. Michael Schurter is Emma’s lover, Trigorin, himself a well-known writer. (*Member, Actors’ Equity Association) Con’s best friend Dev (played by Julian Findlay) is desperately in love with Mash (Linda Tardif), the household’s cook, who in turn is in love with Con who loves Nina.  Emma’s elder brother, Sorn, a doctor (played by Thom Griffin), takes the philosophical viewpoint of the passions and tensions that wrack this complex group of characters. Hampshire Shakespeare presents Hamlet by William Shakespeare June 22, 24, 30. July 2, 13, 15, 21, 23. August 3 & 5 at 7:00 PM Massachusetts Renaissance Center, Amherst MA Directed by Ingrid Oslund This contemporary production of William Shakespeare's Hamlet will use this classic text to explore the cycles of abuse at play within the story and how they manifest supernaturally. By employing immersive staging and utilizing the full potential of this outdoor space, this show will take the audience on a journey through the haunted halls of the decadent Danish court, examining the trials and tribulations of those who dwell there. From the traumatic effects of a murder that destroys a country to the behavior of the Prince himself, this play explores the affects of madness on both an intimate and political level. Tickets available here. Hampshire Shakespeare presents Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead  June 23, 25, 29. July 1, 14, 16, 20, 22. August 4, & 6 at 7:00 PM Massachusetts Renaissance Center, Amherst MA Directed by Calvin Atkinson Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is playwright Tom Stoppard's philosophical-comedic reaction piece to Shakespeare's greatest work. Through the eyes of two of Hamlet's minor characters, we see the story from another angle as the politically powerful step on everyone beneath them. This contemporary staging will get up close and personal, inviting the audience to laugh and ponder with our heroes as they explore identity, truth, and what might really be rotten in the state of Denmark.  Tickets available here. Perception June 23 and 24 at 7:30 PM Hess Theatre at Deerfield Academy Imagine. Imagine a living human gallery where Vincent Van Gogh becomes his own canvas. Imagine a pair of magical clowns guiding you through new dimensions of beauty as the regions’ finest dancers and choreographers tickle your perceptions.  We invite you to enter Fine House, a gallery of moving installations, where fine art and fun house collide. Experience new concert dance from the region’s finest choreographers. The Dance Co-operative explores its theme, Perception, through varied lenses; to challenge and delight you. Come, enjoy this multifaceted adventure!  The Dance Co-operative: Lori Holmes Clark, Christie Clovis, Hayley Descavich, Christina Maerlender, Verity Nichols, Rebecca Rideout, Stephanie A. Shumway, and Meg Van Dyck Contributing Artists: Emma Ayres, Joe Dulude II, and Jack Golden Tickets are $20 and $15 for senior/students available here. New Century Theatre presents a stage reading of  LEFTOVERS by Ellen Wittlinger directed by Sam Rush June 24 @ 7:30 PM and June 25 @ 2 PM First Churches, Northampton Our staged reading series will take place in the sanctuary space.  The entrance is located on 129 Main Street, Northampton The accessible entrance is located on Center Street. Edie's husband has been dead for thirty years, and now, to the frustration of her two grown daughters, she's moved into the basement of her house where he apparently lives. This Thanksgiving, her children and grandchildren gather to sort out the accumulated rubbish of Edie's life and somewhere between dinner and dessert family mysteries are are revealed. ALL SEATS: $5  Tickets available online or at the door. AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer, Intern or Apprentice with New Century Theatre Seeking backstage crew, ASMs, board ops, costume assistants, set and lighting assistants, and many more opportinuties for our 2017 season.  Performances are at PVPA in South Hadley and the Academy of Music in Northampton. Internships run June 20-August 20, and can be designed for the whole time or for select shows and dates. Apprenticeships are for high school aged students, Internships are for college aged students and can also be tailored for community members of any age!  For more information, see the description and applications on the website or send an email.    Back Stage,  Run Crew, and Front of the House Volunteer Opportunities Hampshire Shakespeare Company is seeking  volunteers interested in assisting in the production of  our 2017 summer season of “Shakespeare Under the Stars,” which will include productions of Hamletand Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead in repertory.  Opportunities are available as run crew, sound and light board operators, and costume and front of the house assistants. The positions start immediately and run through late-August.  Interested applicants should send an email stating their availability and interests to  Jessica Thompson, Producer, at  hampshire.shakespeare.company@gmail.com. AUDITIONS FOR NUNSENSE II: THE SECOND COMING   Black Cat Theater is preparing for their fall production of Nunsense II: The Second Coming directed by Dawn Larder with Dick Matteson as Music Director. This multi-generational show is open to all genders ages 10 and up. Auditions are scheduled as follows:    Named role auditions are complete. Those wishing to audition for the adult or youth ensemble should come to auditions on Monday, June 19th at 6:00 pm, also at South Hadley High School.   Ensemble may sing a Broadway song of their choice; a cappella is also acceptable. For character list and song list see www.blackcattheater.pbworks.com, the Black Cat Facebook page or email blackcattheater@gmail.com.   All candidates under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Applicants should bring a short write-up of previous theater experience with them.   Nunsense II is expected to be produced at South Hadley High School in mid-November. Rehearsals are primarily on Monday and Thursdayevenings (with occasional Wednesdays) starting September 11th. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES SPECIAL FREE CLASS:   Audience members interested in acquiring special insight into STC’s production of Stupid F***ing Bird can take part in a FREE two-session enrichment experience led by Silverthorne Theater Company's dramaturg Josh Platt. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about this play’s link to Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece The Seagull and then to read The Seagull together as a group before attending a performance of SFB.    The class will meet June 17 and 24 from 1-4 pm in The Green Fields Market meeting room (off the Mezzanine) 144 Main St, Greenfield. The group will have a special private conversation with director Toby Vera Bercovici after the July 1 matinee performance. Discount tickets will be available for class members at this or any other performance of SFB. Support for this production is provided by The Valley Avdvocate/Preview, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and The Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center. Ms Abend’s performance is sponsored by Teddy Bear Pools. Creating Worlds: A Physical Theatre Workshop Hosted by Serious Play Theatre Ensemble  Studio #233 Eastworks, Easthampton, MA Taught by Til Lalezar Theatre Ages 16+ June 24-25 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. $120   This two-day workshop, taught by international troupe Til Lalezar, is an   investigation of theatrical "worlds" employing character, design, plot, and objective to invoke the mystery and poetry of an imaginative realm.   On the first day we will introduce and develop tools of world-building; the second will be mini-laboratory with each participant constructing, creating, and birthing a piece of the world they dream of in theatrical form. No experience necessary.  Artists of all mediums encouraged to attend. Register by e-mailing tillalezartheatre@gmail.com or calling 413-824-9883.  More information at  http://www.tillalezartheatre.com        ------------------------------- Til Lalezar Theatre creates comic, character-driven physical performance. Founders (seen below in order) Tone Haldrup Lorenzen (DK), Vida Taybati (IR), and Grace Booth (USA) met in California when training together at Dell'Arte International's MFA program. Their cultural differences and creative similarities make for combustible, exciting collaboration.   Lalezar Street was the "Broadway of Iran," full of music and cabaret in the early twentieth century.  Inspired by the Champs-Élysées of Paris, Lalezar was a street of cultural intersection, performance, and intellectualism before the revolution.  Today, Lalezar Street is a line of commercial storefronts and abandoned theaters.  "Til," meaning "to" in Danish, is our direction.  Til Lalezar!  This is our dream: to re-create places where cultures meet through the arts. Youth Drama Programs taught by Becca Greene-Van Horn through LSSE in Amherst this Summer.  Fantabulous Fairy Tales- June 26-June 30 Ages 5-8 (Grades K-2) 9:30-12:30. Wicked Witches, Magical Genies, Fairy Godmothers, Scary Beasts and Wily Wizards are just some of the wonderful characters children will have a chance to inhabit in this creative drama approach to fairy tales. In addition to acting out the stories, children will hone their creative and imaginative skills and build confidence through drama games, improvisation and role play. They will have a chance to explore different parts of themselves through the roles they are playing, be it Cinderella, Aladdin, Belle or Peter Pan. They will make masks and puppets of their favorite characters. On the last day, we will invite the parents for an informal demonstration. Fort River School Gods, Goddesses and Percy Jackson: For 3-5 Grades. July 10-14: 9:30-12:30. Come join us on Mount Olympus as we “try on” the characters of those fun and fascinating Greek Gods. What would it be like to be Zeus, Hera, Hades, Athena, Poseidon or Aphrodite? What about Hercules, Perseus, or Prometheus? We will also explore the characters of the Percy Jackson novels, integrating the ancient with the modern. Through drama games, improvisation, scene work, storytelling and monologues, participants will gave a chance to learn about and explore the mythical world of heroes, gods, goddesses and beasts. Art activities will also be included. Fort River School. MPROV EXTRAVAGANZA:  For ages 11-18 (6-12 grade). July 17-21, 10-1 PM. This fun week is jam-packed with Improv!!!!  Inspired by the popular “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” show, this program will give participants an opportunity to hone their improvisational skills in a humorous, playful, nonjudgmental, and supportive setting. The acting exercises, drama games and scene work are designed to encourage young actors to take creative risks, while increasing their improvisational comfort level and self-confidence. Participants will increase their listening and collaborative skills, as well as verbal and physical confidence on stage. Fort River School. SING OUT! Musical Theater Audition and Performance Workshop. For ages 10-18 (5-12 grade). July 24-28, 1-4:30 PM. Come learn how to not only do your best at an audition, but how to perform a musical theater song! The Valley offers so many wonderful opportunities for young performers to audition for various children’s theaters, and local community theaters. Auditioning can be very challenging to even the most seasoned performer. It has to be approached in a very specific way. Once cast in a show, there are specific tips on how best to “sell” your song. Taught by former professional actress and “experienced auditioner”, Becca Greene-Van Horn, participants will work on performance songs/scenes, audition songs, learn basic audition technique, and practice performing in front of the group. Dealing with performance anxiety, stage fright and the disappointment of not being cast will also be addressed in this class. Participants will learn relaxation techniques and suggestions on how to maintain a positive attitude during the performance/audition process. Fort River School. CURTAIN UP: SUMMER ACTING WORKSHOP. For ages 11-18+ (6-12 grade). August 7-11, 2-5:30. Do you love to act? Are you longing to feel more confident and comfortable on stage? Want to practice your acting skills and learn new ones? Improve your comfort with improvisation and physical theatre. Learn audition skills and methods to help manage audition anxiety and stage fright. For all levels of experience, and taught by former professional actress and experienced drama teacher, Becca Greene-Van Horn. The acting exercises, drama games and scene work are designed to encourage young actors to take creative risks, while increasing their improvisational comfort level and self-confidence. Participants will increase their listening and collaborative skills, as well as verbal and physical confidence on stage. Fort River School. To register, call LSSE: 413-259-3065 or to www.lsse.org  to register for summer drama programs. Agawam Library presents Teen Improv Workshop June 27 at 6:00 PM Agawam Public Libary Local professional comedy troupe “Phantom Sheep” returns to Agawam Library on Tuesday June 27th starting at 6PM to present their popular Improv Workshop for teens. Students will learn and play theater games that teach skills used by improvisers, actors, and comedians. This event is free for students ages 12-18. Interested participants should contact the youth service librarians at 413-789-1550 ext. 3 to reserve their spot. Phantom Sheep has been performing and teaching improvisation together for over 17 years with work seen at Six Flags, and several schools, libraries, and theaters around New England. Since 2014, they have been a partner of the Jewish Community Center offering classes in improv, acting, and puppetry for youth students (K-4) all the way up to the J-Art adult theater group.   Facebook event here. Ko Festival of Performance presents Telling Tales with Crankies Mon July 3 - Sat July 8; 10am-4pm Webster Hall, Amherst Colleg, Amherst MA Ines Zeller Bass of Sandglass Theater leads this 6-day workshop exploring a storytelling form that uses illustrated, rolling scrolls.  A crankie is an old storytelling art form that has recently become hot again. Workshops are geared for participants of all levels of experience, whose ages have run from 18-85. Learn more and register online https://kofest.com/product/telling-tales-with-crankies-2/ Ko Festival of Performance presents Compassionate Creativity with Kali Quinn Mon July 10 - Sat July 15; 10am-4pm Webster Hall, Amherst Colleg, Amherst MA Kali Quinn teaches this 6-day workshop on how to jump-start your creative process and reconnect to the things you value most through a variety of access points including movement, visualization, writing, visual art, meditation, making music, nature time, and storytelling. Learn how to facilitate group play and hone your own daily practice of artistic expression and mindfulness. Workshops are geared for participants of all levels of experience, whose ages have run from 18-85. Workshops will meet from 10 am – 4 pm, Monday through Saturday, in Studio II of Webster Hall on the Amherst College campus in Amherst, MA. More information or registration. https://kofest.com/product/compassionate-creativity/ Announcing a new Real Live Theatre Workshop: DEVISING AND DECONSTRUCTION FRIDAY JULY 14th 6:30-9:30pm AND SATURDAY JULY 15th 10:00-5:00pm with a lunch break AND SUNDAY July 16th 10:00-5:00pm with a lunch break; sharing at 3:00pm In this workshop, theatre artists and RLT members Dan Morbyrne and Toby Bercovici (who recently collaborated on the “new” Shakespeare play The Life and Death of Queen Margaret) lead you through the process of deconstructing a classic text. Using Shakespeare’s King Lear, participants will spend three days engaging with exercises in improvisation, creative composition, gesture work, writing, moving, and more, to take apart and then put back together this dynamic text. The workshop will culminate in a sharing for family and friends. Open to actors, writers, directors, dancers, and folks interested in expanding their creative repertoire. For ages 18 and up. Location: North Star building, 45 Amherst Road, Sunderland, MA 01375 Cost: $150-$300 sliding scale, scholarships available Email us at reallivetheatre@gmail.com for more information or to reserve a spot! More information here. Ko Festival of Performance presents First Person - Crafting your Story for Performance with Gerard Stropnicky Mon July 17 - Sat July 22; 10am-4pm Webster Hall, Amherst College, Amherst MA Gerard Stropnicky teaches this 6-day workshop. Come with a story. (Or two. Or three.) Leave with a performance. (Or two. Or three.) Come without a story, and by the end of Day One, you’ll discover more compelling material than you’d ever think possible. “After all,” says theatre artist Gerard Stropnicky, “people are simply wonderful walking story anthologies.” Workshops are geared for participants of all levels of experience, whose ages have run from 18-85. Workshops will meet from 10 am – 4 pm, Monday through Saturday, in Studio II of Webster Hall on the Amherst College campus in Amherst, MA. More information and registration here. https://kofest.com/product/first-person-crafting-your-story-for-performance/ UMassTheater presents The Summer Theater and Performance Intensive Beginning July 23, 2017  UMass Theater, Fine Arts Center Find your voice as an actor and as a theater artist! Experience life on a college campus! Find your voice as an actor and as a theater artist at UMass this summer! From July 23 to August 5, the UMass Department of Theater will offer its first-ever Summer Theater and Performance Intensive, a 2-week theater-making course open to all high school students with a passion for performance, theater-making, and changing the world through theater. The intensive is designed for students with all levels of theater experience, since the nature of devised theater allows seasoned actors as well as novices to work at the level that challenges them creatively. Participants in the intensive will devise (co-create) and mount a new theater piece that reflects their concerns, hopes and ideas about their communities and the world. All students will perform in the piece, which will be presented publicly at the close of the session. The students will become an ensemble through rehearsal, impassioned discussions, theater games, acting exercises, and the unifying process of creating a new work of theater. The course will be taught by UMass Department of Theater faculty member Lena Cuomo and director Jen Onopa. Both Lena and Jen are committed to nurturing a new generation of theater practitioners and are incredibly excited to launch this new program. “We are so excited to offer a program that will give each individual student a chance to develop their own essential and unique voice ,” said Cuomo. In addition to the main theater program, members of the intensive will get a taste of college life. During their two weeks at UMass, students will live in UMass dorms, eat at the dining halls, and participate in optional evening social events and college prep sessions. The Department of Theater welcomes students of all races, ethnic origins, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identifications to apply. Some need-based scholarships will be available to students who may not otherwise be able to afford the program tuition. 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