Pioneer Valley Theatre News December 27, 2018

*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*

Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser  December 27 - January 16, 2018 Hello from probably very rainy Seattle! I'm here for the week, but you still get a newsletter. If you missed the deadline for this week (which was last Friday) but submitted something, your event will be listed starting next Thursday, January 3. Happy New Year! The next issue will include events through January 23. 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 Howlround A Call for Exciting Trans Theatre by Nitsan Scharf From the article:  I’ve noticed a troubling trend in the world of transgender theatre. When I hear about a show with a trans character, even starring a trans actor, I rush to see it, wondering, What new frontiers of gender and identity will we be exploring tonight? And, almost very time, the answer is: None.  Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com Want to know even more about events in the Pioneer Valley and beyond, including reviews, interviews, and previews? In the Spotlight, Inc. Berkshire on Stage Stagestruck Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Personnel Spreadsheet PERFORMANCES WELCOME TO FIRST NIGHT NORTHAMPTON 2019 Happy New Year! You’re invited to attend First Night—Northampton’s most beloved signature event. On Monday, December 31st, the Northampton Arts Council and PeoplesBank welcome you to the 34th edition of our city-wide New Year’s Eve party. Since 1985, First Night Northampton has filled the Paradise City with a 12-hour, family-friendly festival of the arts culminating in a traditional ball-raising from the roof of the Hotel Northampton. Gather with friends, neighbors and visitors at over 20 terrific downtown venues for an astounding array of entertainment presented by hundreds of talented performers. Our efforts are supported by generous local sponsors and dedicated volunteers. One hundred percent of proceeds benefit community arts. More information. Drama Studio Open House! January 2 at 6:00 PM 41 Oakland St. Springfield Ma Join The Drama Studio on January 2nd from 6-8PM for an exciting behind-the-scenes experience and learn all about our conservatory-style theatre training program. Meet our staff, chat with current students, get a behind-the-scenes look at our classrooms and black box theatre, and get a jumpstart on your education with a FREE CLASS for ages 9-12. *Registration not required to attend About Us: Founded in 1987, Drama Studio provides a conservatory-style acting training program for young people in the Pioneer Valley region. Currently serving over 300 students ages 6-18, the Studio operates year-round in its space at 41 Oakland Street, Springfield. Visit our website. Happier Valley Comedy presents The Understudies: An Improvised Musical January 5 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater, 1 Mill Rd, Hadley, MA It's the opening night of a brand new Broadway musical! Unfortunately, the entire cast is unavailable. This is the moment we've been training for. Be part of the fun as four determined Understudies create an entire musical from scratch, with a little help from the audience. Saturday, January 5th at 7pm at the new Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, on rte.9). And stick around after for the 9pm showcase and open improv jam! Tickets: $10 online and at the door. For more info: www.happiervalley.com. Ghost Light Theater January's Wednesday Workshop January 9 at 7:00 PM Gateway City Arts This month we are featuring two plays by Charles Schoenfeld, The Dueling Master and Truth In Fiction.  The Dueling Master: In post-revolutionary Virginia, dueling over matters of honor is a common custom—until the gunsmith Edward Boone introduces a new way of dueling that allows honor to be served without loss of life. But even in this changed culture, Boone discovers there is still a price to be paid when strong-willed people come into conflict. Truth in Fiction: A father and daughter are reading bedtime stories together. Their night takes an unusual turn when the character they’re reading about, trying to escape a misunderstanding with the police, climbs in through their apartment window. The book continues to tell the story, even after the readers have become part of it. Wednesday Workshop is a monthly reading series hosted by Ghost Light Theater and Gateway City Arts, presenting staged readings of local and new works to showcase the broad range of creative theatrical talents in the Valley. As well as a performance, the intention is to make Wednesday Workshop an opportunity for artists from our many communities to come together to meet and socialize. In the interest of making the event financially accessible, the series runs on a pay-what-you-will model with a suggested donation of $5. The donations will be split between Ghost Light and each month's featured author(s). Please also consider coming early to order dinner from The Bistro, to support our generous venue; food and drink from The Bistro can also be brought into the performance. After the show, The Bistro will be open for food, drinks, and socializing. Facebook Event. Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater presents Peter Pan Thursday, January 10 at 7:30 pm (general admission); Friday, January 11 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, January 12 at 1:00 pm (matinee); Sunday, January 13 at 1:00 pm (matinee); Thursday, January 17 at 7:30 pm; Friday, January 18 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, January 19 at 1:00 pm (matinee); Saturday, January 19 at 7:30 pm; Sunday, January 20 at 1:00 pm (matinee) Bowker Auditorium, Stockbridge Hall, UMass This January, come with us where dreams are born and time is never planned! PETER PAN arrives on the Bowker Auditorium stage set in a newly imagined Neverland, with the illustrious Peter and his pack of lost boys, the ingenious Tiger and her runaways, surly pirates of all ages, the Darling family, a truly amazing Crocodile, and of course the nefarious Captain Hook– all with an extra special helping of fairy dust! PETER PAN comes to Bowker Auditorium at UMass, Amherst, MA • January 10-13 and 17-20, 2019. This full-scale, live production brings lavish sets and costumes, a full live orchestra, and a remarkable cast together in a gorgeous singing, dancing extravaganza! See www.alsct.org for tickets and more info, or call 413-259-3065. http://alsct.org/buy_tickets/index.html Happier Valley Comedy presents The Ha-Ha's & Friends: From Justin To Kelly January 12 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater, 1 Mill Rd, Hadley, MA Longtime local favorites The Ha-Ha's perform a completely improvised comedy show on the second Saturday of every month! Each show has a new special guest - this month we welcome prolific touring and teaching duo From Justin To Kelly from NYC! Saturday, January 12th at 7pm at the new Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, on rte.9). And stick around after for the 9pm showcase and open improv jam! Tickets: $13 online and at the door. For more info: www.happiervalley.com. AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Ghost Light Theater's Auditions for Significant Other by Joshua Harmon January 2 and 3 at 6:30 PM Chi Omega House - 47 Olympia Drive in Amherst Ghost Light Theater announces auditions for their May 2019 production of Significant Other, by Joshua Harmon. Directed by Megan Healey. Auditions will take place January 2nd & 3rd 2019 at 6:30 PM at Chi Omega House, 47 Olympia Drive, Amherst. Callbacks, if necessary, will be by invitation only. Please familiarize yourself with the script before auditions. Please prepare a 1 to 3 minute contemporary monologue. You may be asked to read sides from the play.  Link to fill out audition form in advance. (we will also have some on hand at auditions). Jordan Berman would love to be in love, but that’s easier said than done. So until he meets Mr. Right, he wards off lonely nights with his trio of close girlfriends. But as singles’ nights turn into bachelorette parties, Jordan discovers that the only thing harder than finding love is supporting the loved ones around you when they do. From the critically acclaimed writer who brought you Bad Jews. Performances are May 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 & 12 at Gateway City Arts in Holyoke. AVAILABLE ROLES: Jordan: Male, 25-30 neurotic, but extremely lovable and incredibly loyal; he's a talker; prone to loneliness, he likes to be around other people; left to his own devices, he can be a mess; Jewish. A great comedic actor. ETHNICITY: All Ethnicities Laura: Female, 25-30 the epitome of the best friend; warm and caring; vibrant in her own right, but thinks of herself as more suited to friendship than romantic love. ETHNICITY: All Ethnicities Vanessa: Female, 25-30 very salty; tends to see the glass half-empty until she unexpectedly finds love; with love comes all the things she swore she never wanted in life, like marriage. A great comedic actress. ETHNICITY: All Ethnicities Kiki: Female, 25-30 a no-filter girl; relishes her role as the audacious one of the group; Jewish. A stellar comedic role that requires the right balance of intelligence and warmth. ETHNICITY: All Ethnicities Will/Conrad/Tony: Male, 25-30 plays either the love interest or obsession of several characters in the play. All the characters are very handsome and smart. A versatile actor who is great with comedy. ETHNICITY: All Ethnicities Gideon/Evan/Roger: Male, 25-30 a great character actor who is adept at playing multiple roles. Plays both the chatty, gay coworker and the straight love interests. ETHNICITY: All Ethnicities Significant Other is presented with permission from Samuel French, Inc. #GLTSO Facebook event. Sex and Power Looking for Lighting Designer and Stage Manager! Performances will be in early spring at the Northampton Arts Trust. Small stipend available.  Actor, dancer, interfaith minister Joanna Rush girlsplains the complexities of Sex and Power in our culture. Enduring date rape and gang rape in real life she went on to a career in movies and on stage playing various species of seductress, which, by the way, exposed her to misogyny as practiced internationally throughout history. Covering ground that ranges from evolutionary biology to Greek mythology, the invention of masculinity, our socio-economic systems, and anecdotes from her own acting career, she provides insights that can help us heal today’s sorry state of sexual affairs. Rush’s creative, nontraditional outlook offers hope and a road map for how we can progress and ride the #MeToo movement into a healthier sexual landscape for all. More information here. Contact Joanna with questions. Looking for directors! Hampshire Shakespeare Company is still looking for directors to help shape our summer 2019 season of Shakespeare Under the Stars! We are specifically seeking proposals for the eight plays below and will select our season based on the proposals we receive. The plays in consideration are: Henry V Love’s Labor’s Lost Measure for Measure Richard III The Taming of the Shrew Timon of Athens The Tempest The Winter’s Tale The Director is the creator and enactor of the artistic vision of the production they direct and will be a collaborative center point for the success of the play. We want a director who is passionate about their work, so choose plays that really excite you! Interested in multiple plays? Feel free to submit proposals for up to three plays. Have a dream to direct something not on this list? Submit your proposal for it anyway! We will consider every proposal we receive. What’s in a proposal? A proposal by any other name would smell as sweet. What we want is to hear your vision for the show and why this play speaks to you. Just a few paragraphs will do. Have some drawings? We’ll look at those, too! While the priority deadline has passed, we are still accepting proposals on a rolling basis until 12/31. Send your proposal to hampshire.shakespeare.company@gmail.com. While we are a community theatre, we do offer a small stipend to most staff. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES 10 week acting class for children ages 9-12 Starting January 9th Wednesdays 6:30-7:30pm Performance at the end!  $150 due at first class At the Northampton Center for the Arts  Taught by Carissa Dagenais  Help your child build confidence, embrace spontaneity, practice teamwork, rehearse emotional regulation, make new  friendships, and laugh! This ten week theater class will cover the basics of improvisation, storytelling, and ensemble work.  Carissa Dagenais has been working with children as a teacher, director, drama therapist, and actor for almost ten years. She has been teaching theater to elementary school kiddos with Hampshire Shakespeare's Educational Workshops for the last five summers at the Williston Northampton school. Carissa holds her BA in theater from Smith and MA in drama therapy from New York University. Testimonies!  "Carissa has an easy going and yet completely engaged manner that made my daughter feel comfortable being herself and taking risks. Carissa is also creative, empathetic and knowledgeable; she attunes well to the kids, their abilities and their needs. My daughter says every year that doing drama with Carissa is her favorite camp!" contact carissadagenais@gmail.com for more info https://goo.gl/forms/NBx23bGjsqYDcBaP2 New Century Theatre presents Acting Classes Classes are held at the Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz Street in Northampton, MA. To register, send an email to Sam Rush (srush@newcenturytheatre.org) or call/text 413-626-3238 to hold your spot.  Acting for Non-Actors - Instructor, Sam Rush   Ages 18 and up (or by instructor permission)   Mondays, 5:15-7:15 p.m.   Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz Street, Northampton, MA January 14 - March 4 Cost: $285 Course Description: This is the perfect course if you have never taken an acting class before. This is also the perfect class if you studied years ago but told yourself you'd get back to it someday. With NCT Producing Director Sam Rush, you'll have a chance to explore your inner ham in a fun, relaxed and supportive environment. Using improvisation, text and original source material, you'll learn a solid base of fundamental acting techniques that may serve you the rest of your life - on stage or off.   Exploring the Craft - Instructor - Sam Rush Ages 18 and up (or by instructor permission) Wednesdays, 5:15-7:15 p.m. Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz Street, Northampton, MA January 16 - March 6 Cost: $285 Course Description: If you are an actor with any amount of performance experience you know that staying present and relaxed on stage is necessary for honest and truthful work. Finding that right balance of "being in the moment" and actor awareness is something actors continue to seek out. In this class, designed for actors with previous experience, we'll use in-depth scene work, text analysis and exercises to shed an actors bag-of-tricks and instead deepen your true craft as an actor. Submit your workshop or class or audition or performance or job or any other theatre opportunity here! Pioneer Valley Theatre Companies Is your theatre company missing? Email me! Academy of Music Theatre Arena Civic Theatre Black Cat Theater Chester Theatre Company The Country Players Eggtooth Productions Exit 7 Players Ghost Light Theater Hampshire Shakespeare Company Happier Valley Comedy Ja'Duke Center for the Performing Arts K and E Theater Group Ko Theater Works/Ko Festival of Performance Majestic Theater New Century Theatre PaintBox Theatre Panopera Pauline Productions Real Live Theatre Red Thread Theater Serious Play Theatre Ensemble Silverthorne Theater Smith College Department of Theatre St. Michael's Players Starlight's Youth Theatre, Inc. TheatreTruck Turbulent Times Theater UMass Theatre Guild Valley Light Opera Westfield Theatre Group Wilbraham United Players 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|*