Pioneer Valley Theatre News July 13, 2017

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser July 13-August 2, 2017 Only three more chances to catch THE FOREIGNER at New Century Theatre in South Hadley. You can also catch the final performance of THE WIZARD OF OZ this morning or one of the two plays performing in rep at Hampshire Shakespeare: HAMLET and ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD. If you haven't seen those two back to back, don't miss this golden opportunity.  Speaking of Shakespeare, Real Live Theatre is presenting their brand new Shakespeare play THE LIFE AND DEATH OF QUEEN MARGARET in a few weeks at the Drama Studio and at the Shea Theatre. Check out the listing or click the link in the photo below to purchase tickets.  The next issue will include events through August 9. 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 Real Live Theatre presents The Life and Death of Queen Margaret  More information in the listings. For Tickets: July 28 in Springfield Tickets // July 29 in Turners Falls THIS WEEK IN THEATRE NEWS: from Howlround Who Designs and Directs in LORT Theatres by Gender: Phase Three by Porsche McGovern From the article:  The third phase of this study is almost identical to phase two. I continued to research the gender of designers, directors, and artistic directors at the League of Resident Theatre members. Collection and confirmation methods remained the same. For example, in cases where theatres run their seasons yearly, the 2013 season was combined with the 2012-13 season for statistical purposes, and so forth. I collected data and then sent what I found to the theatres themselves for confirmation. Only lead designers, no assistants or associates, were counted. In cases where multiple designers worked as co-designers, they each got partial credit. For example, Joe and Jane were the co-scenic designers of a production, so they each received 0.5 in the designer counting. Furthermore, correlation does not equal causation. Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com PERFORMANCES PaintBox Theatre presents  The Wizard of Oz Weekday Performances for Camps, Groups and the Public Thursday, July 13 at 10:30 a.m. The Shea Theater The classic story, beloved by children for generations. Can PaintBox do it with just a cast of three? Oh, we’ve lined up great actors: Jasmine Jiles (Grace in Grace for President), Connor Paradis (Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island), and Linda Tardif (Raggedy in Raggedy Anne), but how are they ever going to play all of the characters. Jasmine is playing Dorothy—that will keep her busy the whole show. So, Linda and Connor are planning share all of the rest including the Cowardly Lion, Tinnie, Scarecrow, the Wizard, Glenda, the Wicked Witch, and Auntie Em, not to mention Toto, winged monkeys, and all those munchkins. How will we do it? The way we do everything at PaintBox—with creativity, cleverness, and, lots of help from the audience, who will, of course, play the munchkins. How will we drop a house from the sky? You’ll have to come and see. Shea Theater, 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls Tickets: $10, Free for children under 2 Season Pass: $24 Groups (12+): $7 each, email paintboxtheatre@gmail.com Tickets at the door or BrownPaperTickets.com   413-923-7159 paintboxtheatre@gmail.com paintboxtheatre.com   New Century Theatre presents THE FOREIGNER by Larry Shue directed by Jack Neary July 13, 14, 15 at 7:30 PM Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter High School 15 Mulligan Drive, South Hadley, MA New Century Theatre opens its 27th season with an inspired comic romp that feels more timely now than when it was written. Froggy, a British military demolitions expert on loan to the US Army, brings his friend Charlie, a socially awkward and painfully shy civilian, to a remote fishing lodge in Georgia. In a well-meaning attempt to cheer up his friend to ease his fear of conversing with strangers, Froggy tells everyone that Charlie is a foreigner who doesn’t speak a word of English. This one simple premise has made THE FOREIGNER one of the sweetest and most celebrated comedies of all time. The New Yorker said, "I laughed start to finish at one comic surprise after another." PVPA Performance Times: All evening performances are at 7:30 PM Sunday: Matinee at 2:00pm and 7:30 PM (PIZZA  and a  PLAY) No performance on Monday. Tickets available online or by calling 413-587-3933. Chester Theatre Company presents SKELETON CREW by Dominique Morisseau 7/13 at 2pm, 7/13 8pm, 7/14 2pm, 7/15 8pm, 7/16 2pm, 7/19 8pm, 7/20 2 & 8pm. 7/21 2pm, 7/22 8pm, 7/23 2pm Town Hall Theatre, 15 Middlefield Rd., Chester, MA In this "deeply moral and deeply American play" (The New York Times), Reggie has worked his way up to supervisor at a faltering auto factory. Now he has to decide whether he owes his loyalty to himself, to his bosses, or to long-time family friend Faye and the younger workers on the line, Dez and Shanita. In the spirit of August Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle, this third play from Morisseau's Detroit Trilogy explores the hard choices facing Americans barely squeezing by. It was named by the New York Times as "one of six plays that reckon with an anxious America." Directed by Awoye Timpo. All performances will take place in the intimate setting of Chester's Historic Town Hall. Individual ticket prices are $37.50. Chester residents may purchase $10 tickets with valid i.d. at the door or by calling the box office. Student Rush $10 tickets are available day of show. Single tickets, season subscriptions, and flex passes may be purchased online, or by phone at 413.354.7771. Special rates for groups of 10 or more are available. Many performances are followed by Talkbacks, Cast Conversations, and Panel Discussions. More information online. Chester Theatre Company, a professional theatre company located between the Berkshires and the Pioneer Valley--and convenient to both--is known for presenting high-quality productions with top-notch actors, directors, and designers from across the country since 1990. Founded by former Artistic Director of Dublin's Abbey Theatre, Vincent Dowling, CTC is now in its 28th season, and produces four thought-provoking plays each summer in the intimate setting of the Town Hall Theatre. Hampshire Shakespeare presents Hamlet by William Shakespeare July 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  July 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. Silverthorne Theater Company’s third show of the season, Chapatti, by Christian O’Reilly opens July 20, on the fourth floor of The Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center (formerly The Arts Block) in downtown Greenfield. Chapatti runs July 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 with performances at 7:30 pm, and a 2 pm matinee on Saturday, July 29.  There will be a post-show conversation with the director and cast after the July 27th 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. No, this is not a play about Indian food! The only thing preventing Dan (played by Nick Simms of Amherst) from committing suicide is his dog, Chapatti. His faithful companion cannot fill the hole in his life caused by the death of his life-long companion. In this little-known piece full of sharp humor and prickly compassion, playwright Christian O’Reilly introduces Betty (played by Jane Barish of Ashfield), a similarly lost soul, with unpredictable consequences. The play is directed by Jeannine Haas, founder and director of Pauline Productions and a Goshen resident. An unexpected spark begins this warm and gentle story, set in Dublin, that mixes humor & despair to explore what happens when chance brings together two lost souls. “A mix of zesty self-narration and beautifully limned scene work... leaves you cheering for these two characters’ hard-won moments of happiness." Chicago Sun-Times Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 for students or seniors (65+) and may be purchased online. Full information and tickets available at the website.   Support for this production is provided by The Valley Advocate/Preview, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and The Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center. JA’DUKE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS  FOOTLOOSE the Musical July 21, 2017 @ 7pm, July 22, 2017 @ 7pm, July 23, 2017 @ 2pm Greenfield High School, 21 Barr Avenue Greenfield , MA 01301 FOOTLOOSE explodes onto the stage with classic 80s anthems including Holding Out For A Hero, Almost Paradise, Let’s Hear It For The Boy, and of course the title track, FOOTLOOSE. Life in small-town Bomont is peaceful until City boy, Ren, arrives. Breaking every taboo, Ren brings dance back to the heart of a town held back by the memory of a tragedy. Based on the hit 80s movie, FOOTLOOSE has become a stage musical phenomenon. FOOTLOOSE is packed full of energetic dance routines, guaranteed to get you to your feet. Dancing is not a crime; to miss FOOTLOOSE would be!  FOOTLOOSE is underwritten by Greenfield Savings Bank. TICKETS: $12.00 Adults - $10.00 12 and under - $10.00 65 and over PURCHASE TICKETS AT THE DOOR OR ONLINE PaintBox Theatre presents How I Became a Pirate Friday, July 21: 7:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 22 and 23: 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Williston Theatre Weekday Performances for Camps, Groups and the Public Wednesday July 26 and Thursday July 27 at 10:30 a.m. The Shea Theater Last fall, a teacher handed Tom McCabe a copy of the picture book How I became a Pirate, by Melinda Long and David Shannon. “You have to turn this into a play,” she insisted. “My kids love the story and it is perfect for PaintBox.” She was right, so we secured permission from the author and we’re ready to go. Jeremy Jacobs dreams of becoming a pirate, so he joins a pirate crew and learns their ways. By the time the show is done, everyone in the audience will be pirates. Callum LaFrance (Comet in Reindeer to the Rescue) is J.J. The pirate captain is Troy David Mercier (Peter in Peter Pan). The rest of the pirates are played by Kelsey Flynn (Hare in Great Race of the Tortoise and the Hare) and Myka Plunkett (Baby Bacon Bits in The Three Pigs). Special announcement: We have declared July 22 Pirate’s Day! Along with two performances of How I Became a Pirate, we’ll offer special programs: How to Talk like a Pirate, Pirate Jokes, and a Pirate Picnic. We’ll be making merry from 9 – 4. Williston Theatre, 18 Payson Avenue, Easthampton Shea Theater, 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls Tickets: $10, Free for children under 2 Season Pass: $24 Groups (12+): $7 each, email paintboxtheatre@gmail.com Tickets at the door or BrownPaperTickets.com 413-923-7159 paintboxtheatre@gmail.com paintboxtheatre.com Phantom Sheep with J-Art presents LaughCrafters: Comedy Improv Summer Celebration Show July 27 at 7:00 PM Springfield Jewish Community Center Celebrate summer as Western MA's own comedy troupe Phantom Sheep returns to the JCC stage with their "LaughCrafters:Comedy Improv!" performing games and original scenes all created on the spot based on suggestions from the audience in a fast paced hilarious show! Always original, unique, and full of laughs! In this J-ART Cafe presentation, drinks and desserts will also be available to purchase. Tickets New Century Theatre presents HOLD THESE TRUTHS by Jeanne Sakata July 27, 28, 29, 30, August 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Evenings at 7:30 PM Sunday matinee July 30 at 2:00 PM Sunday evening July 30 at 7:30 PM Pizza and a Play Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School 15 Mulligan Drive, South Hadley, MA Directed by Sheila Siragusa Starring Greg Watanabe The forced relocation of Japanese-Americans into internment camps through executive action by the President during World War II remains one of the most flagrant violations of civil liberties in American history. HOLD THESE TRUTHS is inspired by the true story of civil rights pioneer Gordon Hirabayashi, an American sociology student who fought against the violation of his family’s constitutional rights. His story is a 50-year journey of standing up for U.S. Constitution and confronting a culture of fear and prejudice. Tickets at 413-587-3933 or online. Real Live Theatre presents The Life and Death of Queen Margaret co-created by Toby Vera Bercovici and Dan Morbyrne based on the Shakespeare and presented by Real Live Theatre During the 100 Years’ War between England and France, just after the time of Joan of Arc, a young French princess is torn from her home and sent to a foreign land to become its queen. Surrounded by powerful men who resent her for her gender and origins, and coupled with a king both weak-willed and prone to madness, she forms an alliance with her new lover to take down critics and seize control of the kingdom. When battle lines are drawn, can she lead the country in war and protect the crown for herself, her king, and her heirs? The Life and Death of Queen Margaret follows the story of Margaret of Anjou, a fierce, strong-willed, and independent woman who was both a historical figure and also one of Shakespeare's greatest characters. Her rise to leadership and subsequent downfall, portrayed through bitingly relevant and alarmingly prescient 400-year-old texts, hold a necessary mirror up to our modern society. In a time when women's rights have been under attack by those in positions of supreme power, Real Live Theatre brings you this 'new' Shakespeare play which examines what really goes on when women rise to power inside patriarchal systems. Cast: Myka Plunkett, Linda Tardif, Jeannine Haas*, Lisa Abend*, Kate Hare, Ellen Morbyrne, Annelise Nielsen, Emily Tanch Direction: Toby Vera Bercovici Stage Management/Lighting Design: Ezekiel Baskin Choreography: Annelise Nielsen Costume Design: Julia Vincenza Whalen & Rich Vaden Sound Design: Catherine McCurry Staff Design: Michael Humphries Dramaturgy: Josh Platt Stage Combat: Dan Morbyrne with an Original Song by: Cynthia Zaitz, Ph.D. *Member of Actor's Equity Association Friday July 28th 7:30 PM The Drama Studio 41 Oakland St., Springfield, MA TICKETS Saturday July 29th 7:30 PM The Shea Theater 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA TICKETS Thursday August 10th - Sunday August 13th Thursday August 17th - Sunday August 20th Thurs - Sat 8 PM, Sun 3 PM both weekends Theater for the New City 155 1st Ave and E 10th St, New York, NY TICKETS Happier Valley Comedy presents Speak Your Truth Comedy Show July 29 at 6:00 PM Northampton Senior Center, Northampton, MA On Saturday, July 29th, Happier Valley Comedy improvisers create comedy on the spot inspired by short stories told by the Speak Your Truth THROUGH LAUGHTER Retreat participants. This special improv comedy show is open to all as a public celebration of the Retreat.  Audiences can look forward to an evening of comic entertainment rated PG-13 in this handicapped-accessible space. Tickets: $5 for public. Free for Retreat participants and their two guests. More information here. Tickets available at the door. Show lasts 1 hour. 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. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Youth Drama Programs taught by Becca Greene-Van Horn through LSSE in Amherst this Summer.  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. Happier Valley Comedy presents Playing With Ease: Improv and the Alexander Technique July 16 at 1:0 PM The Pilates Studio, 104 Russell St, Hadley, MA 01035 Want to play with greater ease?  Learn how to manage anxiety that creeps in when you're improvising? Improve your listening skills? Have we got a workshop for you. An introduction to the basic principles of the Alexander Technique - an educational method for reducing stress and improving coordination (both mental and physical!) combined with its direct application to improv games.  Don't worry, it will all make sense eventually. Just sign up. If you want to know more about the AT, go to this website.  . More information and registration.  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. More information.  Happier Valley Comedy presents Speak Your Truth THROUGH LAUGHTER Retreat July 29 at 10 am Northampton Senior Center, Northampton, MA Speak Your Truth THROUGH LAUGHTER  A “Females Unleashing Courage, Knowledge, Individuality & Truth” Retreat  With Pam Victor, Head of Happiness of Happier Valley Comedy Tired of being silenced by others and especially by your own inner critic? Ready to disregard the hogwash that’s holding you back? Want to get better at bravely standing up to authority and authentically speaking your mind? Would you like to connect mindfully with a group of supportive women who are on (and by) your side?  Do you need more play in your life? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then treat yourself to a day of self-care and empowerment on Saturday, July 29th! Speak Your Truth THROUGH LAUGHTER Retreat is whole day and evening packed with learning and laughter, community and connection, mindfulness and manifesting, trust and truth. This retreat helps you learn and practice game-changing tools to bolster these skills in a supportive, judgment-free community of women using fun and active improv exercises to help you gain courage to stand up and speak your truth while trusting that You Are Enough.  This THROUGH LAUGHTER retreat facilitates powerful learning experiences through easy-to-learn, non-performance improv training exercises. Most improv exercises are completed in a circle or pairs; participants are never forced to be “on stage.” Pam Victor's superpower is making sure all people along the introvert-extrovert spectrum feel successful and have a blast with the THROUGH LAUGHTER workshops. Throughout the retreat, you'll have opportunities for both private reflection and focused sharing of your experiences and knowledge in a positive, judgment-free community of women who are there to lift each other up. Let's grow stronger together! And let's do it all using the exclusive "F.U.C.K. I.T." approach to personal growth.   Healthy lunch provided by James Beard Award-Winning Chef Sanford D'Amato of Good Stock Farm, plus two complimentary tickets to the Speak Your Truth Comedy Show! This retreat is open to all who identify as women ages 21+. No improv (or other) experience necessary. More info and registration here. 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|*