Pioneer Valley Theatre News April 25, 2019

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser   April 25 - May 15, 2019 Summer is soooo close. Can't wait to share all the excited summer theatre events I know are coming up - send yours in if you know what they are already - it's never too early! And maybe you are hiring for a summer season? Check out the Pioneer Valley Theatre Personnel list - and add yourself if you haven't yet.  The next issue will include events through May 22. 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 YOUR EVENT HERE $5 per week for your poster and ticket link in top billing! Email me to reserve your dates. THIS WEEK IN THEATRE NEWS: from Howlround Queer Theatre Is Visionary Theatre by Rhiannon Collett From the article:  “We are in an imagination battle.” I wrote these words down last week while I was reading Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown. brown states that, as a queer Black woman, she often feels as if she is “trapped inside someone else’s imagination” and that she “must engage [her] own imagination to break free.” 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 ArtsBeat Radio and News Column Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Personnel Spreadsheet PERFORMANCES Smith College Department of Theatre presents AS YOU LIKE IT by William Shakespeare directed by Daniel Elihu Kramer April 25, 26, 27 at 7:30 PM in Theatre 14 The Smith College Department of Theatre presents AS YOU LIKE IT, by William Shakespeare April 19-20 and 25-27 at 7:30 PM in Theatre 14, directed by Daniel Elihu Kramer. A pastoral romantic comedy that features one of Shakespeare's most beloved heroines, AS YOU LIKE IT subverts the traditional rules of romance. Gender roles, nature and politics are confused in a play that reflects on how bewildering yet utterly pleasurable life can be. A girl named Rosalind is in love with a boy named Orlando, which is convenient because they’ve been banished to the same forest. Orlando is in love with Rosalind. Orlando is also very attracted to a boy named Ganymede. And what does it mean to be a girl or a boy anyway? Or to play one? Director Daniel Kramer says, "As You Like It explores love and freedom. In it, a young woman pretends to be a young man who is pretending to be a young woman, and she draws the attention of both a young man and a young woman. The play takes on new meaning in a time of more fluid gender identities." The Smith production will put the action, and the audience, on the Theatre 14 stage in a reworking of the theatre's classic proscenium space. Costumes are designed by Smith Professor, Kiki Smith. Priscilla Yichen Zhou and Lisa Mena are the student designers for sets and lighting. The script has been adapted for length by Smith Professor Kramer who adds, "It's a delight creating this comedy with a cast of fifteen students and wonderful student and faculty designers and crew."  General Admission: $10 Adults/$5 Students & Seniors Free for Smith Students with ID card To purchase tickets:  www.smith.edu/smitharts UMass Theater presents Baltimore, a play to spark a timely conversation Performances:  April 25 at 7:30 p.m. April 27 at 2 p.m. at New Africa House Free, open to all, reservations encouraged but not required Reserve your tickets through the Fine Arts Center Box Office   Baltimore, a new work by Kirsten Greenidge, examines what happens on a college campus in the aftermath of a racist incident. UMass Theater hopes audiences of both an abridged presentation of the play this spring, as well as those who see the fully-mounted production in the fall, will find that the play sparks productive conversations about difficult topics. April 17-27, the play will be presented to the community in an abridged format. The event, which is free and open to all, will consist of the performance, followed immediately by a conversation about the issues raised. The event, which is free and open to all, will consist of the performance, followed immediately by a conversation about the issues raised. While the incident in the play is different in scope than some of those experienced in our community recently, we hope that the event creates a space for community members to talk productively with each other. The presentations will be at New Africa House and seating will be free. Reservations are strongly encouraged but not required. More about Baltimore When a racist incident divides her first-year students, reluctant resident advisor Shelby finds herself in the middle of a conversation she does not want to have. As pressure to address the issue mounts from residents, the new dean, and even her best friend, Shelby must decide if she will enter the fray or watch her community come apart at the seams. Sharp, funny, and searing, Baltimore is about racism on college campuses and how we learn to talk to each other. This spring, we are producing a 30 minute cut of Baltimore, followed immediately by a postshow Q&A, to which the general public is welcomed. We are pleased to announce that these workshop presentations will be followed in Fall 2019 by a fully-staged production of Baltimore and post-show discussions. Check the UMass Theater website at www.umass.edu/theater for performance dates later this summer. This workshop is a collaboration with the Office for Equity & Inclusion. “TALES OF THE LOST FORMICANS” PLAYWRIGHT WILL ATTEND OPENING NIGHT OF SILVERTHORNE’S 2019 SEASON   Silverthorne Theater Company is honored to open our 2019 Season with Constance Congdon’s modern classic, Tales of the Lost Formicans The play opens Thursday, April 25 and runs through May 4 in The Perch at Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield.   Opening night for Tales, April 25, will be UNITED WAY NIGHT, with all tickets priced at $30, proceeds to benefit the United Way of Franklin County. Patrons will meet Playwright Constance Congdon at a special Pre-Show Reception at 7 pm in the theater. Congdon is considered “One of the best playwrights our country, and our language, has produced.” (Tony Kushner) “Congdon writes like a woman possessed.” (Nels Nelson, New York Daily News) Her work appears in many collections and continues to be produced worldwide.   The play explores the themes of adolescence, aging parents, fragile memory, lost love & divorce unfold in a collage of moving & hilarious encounters among family members, the people around them -- and the aliens who are studying them, trying to make sense of the complex dynamics of the family and its environment.   Tales Director and Amherst College Theater Professor Yagil Eliraz (Northamptong) is a colleague of playwright Congdon, Professor Emeritus of Playwriting.  A native of Israel, this is the first professional production Eliraz has directed in this country since coming here three years ago.   The cast includes Stephanie Carlson*(Easthampton) as Cathy, Frank Aronson* (West Whately) as her father Jim. (*Members of Actors Equity Association)  Polly Pillsbury (Petersham) plays Evelyn, Jim’s wife while Molly MacLeod (Holyoke) plays Cathy’s teenage daughter. Val Vaille (Gill) portrays Judy, Cathy’s best friend; Joe Cardozo (Amherst) plays another well-meaning friend. Michael Marceline (Greenfield) rounds out the cast as Alien/Actor #7.   Abigail Douglas (Amherst) will stage manage the productions; Mike Bullock will design the sound. John Iverson (Bernardston), Tech Director, designs the sets and lighting; and Reba-Jean Shaw-Pichette (Deerfield), Costume Designer, provides costuming.   Ticket and reservation information may be found on Silverthorne’s web site. Tickets for all shows are currently available at Eventbrite.com, or by calling 413-768-7514. Patrons can now use credit cards at the door or over the phone. “THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES” LIGHT UP MAJESTIC THEATER STAGE APRIL 25 – MAY 26 West Springfield's Majestic Theater will transport audiences back to the days of girl group pop music when it presents “The Marvelous Wonderettes” April 11 through May 26. The musical, by Roger Bean, is set in 1958 at Springfield High School. It's the Super Senior Prom, and the previously-booked Crooning Crabcakes can't perform. All hopes are pinned on the Wonderettes, an all-girl singing group that finished third in the State Song Leaders competition. Cindy Lou, Missy, Betty Jean and Suzy not only get the gig, they come back ten years later to perform at their reunion. Popular songs like “Dream Lover,” “Stupid Cupid,” “Lipstick on Your Collar” and other 50's and 60's favorites are featured in the play, which has been described as a "cotton candy musical trip down memory lane!" Majestic Theater Producing Director Danny Eaton will direct the play with Mitch Chakour serving as musical director. Greg Trochlil is set designer, Dawn McKay is costume designer, Dan Rist is lighting designer and production stage manager is Stephen Petit. Doug Wallace is sound engineer. Actors include Kait Rankins (Missy), Mollie Posnick (Suzy), Tina Sparkle (Betty Jean) and Kaytlyn Vaneloecht (Cindy Lou). The play closes out the Majestic's 22nd Season. Tickets for these shows range from $24-$34 and are now 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 www.majestictheater.com.  GCC presents SORRY by Richard Nelson Friday April 26 at 7:30, Saturday April 27 at 7:30pm, Sunday Matinee April 28 at 2pm Greenfield Community College, Sloan Theater, One College Drive, Greenfield MA Directed by Tom Geha, with the following cast: The Apple Family: Barbara -                 Tracy Grammer  Marian -       Madeleine Stark Jane -       Nora Cooper Richard -               Ben Johnson Benjamin -            Tim Holcomb From 2010 to 2013, Richard Nelson wrote and directed four plays centered around the Apple Family, a fictional household set in Rhinebeck, New York with each play focused on either an election or a significant historical anniversary. The main characters are three adult sisters, Barbara, Marian and Jane — called a "Chekhovian family pod" by the Variety reviewer. More information. Exit 7 Players present Avenue Q Exit 7 Theater, 37 Chestnut St, Ludlow, MA, 0156 April 26-May 12, Friday’s and Saturday’s at 8pm, Sunday’s at 2pm Winner of the Tony "Triple Crown" for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, Avenue Q is part flesh, part felt and packed with heart. The laugh-out-loud musical tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton, who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that, although the residents seem nice, it's clear that this is not your ordinary neighborhood. Together, Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates and their ever-elusive purpose in life. Filled with gut-busting humor and a delightfully catchy score, not to mention puppets, Avenue Q is a truly unique show that has quickly become a favorite for audiences everywhere. Although the show addresses humorous adult issues, it is similar to a beloved children's show; a place where puppets are friends, Monsters are good and life lessons are learned. Rated R for adult situations and content. Tickets On Sale Now! The Radical Interconnectedness Festival APRIL 26 AND 27, 2019 offering art of all kinds created by artists addressing the concerns of marginalized communities. Come experience theater, music, installation, dance, poetry, video, etc. all presented in downtown Turners Falls in a variety of alternative venues like storefronts, repurposed churches, the Discovery Center, the Shea Theatre - all in walking distance. Tickets at Eggtooth.org or at the Shea on Fest. weekend. One $20 ticket gets you into everything. See how much you can experience! We've invited art that engages issue of race, age, gender, religion, economic class, and aspects of cultural identity that have been suppressed. In addition, we will offer a conversation with the artists and humanist scholars to place the conversation in context on April 28, 2019 from noon til 3:30 pm in the Cohn Commons at Greenfield Community College. Supported by Mass Humanities, and the Mass Cultural Council Montague and Conway branches and Fostering Art and Culture and Turners Falls RiverCulture. The art: Ezekiel Baskin and Samuel Achilles Edwards- Queer Intimacies (working title); A short play exploring the complex beginnings of queer relationships through audience interaction. Great Falls Discover Center. 5:30 pm on rotation. Vital. Vibrant. Visible: Local Indigenous Identity Through Portraiture, photography by Sara K. Lyons curated by Rhonda Anderson. Great Falls Discovery Center. Ongoing. Julia Whalen, An immersive installation piece exploring childhood memory. Flourish. Ongoing. Katherine Adler, “Artifacts of the Ephemeral" and will have two components. First, physical objects with corresponding meditative writings. Second, a 30 hour durational performance at St. Anne's Church. 30 hours In the space will run FRI 26 @3pm-SAT 27 @9pm. Formerly incarcerated women of Voices from Inside, spoken word performance. Great Falls Discovery Center. 5:00 pM. Alex DeMelo, The United Arc Performing Arts Program presents theatrical performances by members of the United ARC, an organization that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in achieving the universal goals of inclusion, choice, and independence. Shea Theatre. 5:00 PM. Lori Holmes Clark, Cloudy, With a Chance of Fringe is a buoyant contemplation of Neurodiversity through Song and Dance by Broadway veteran and Local theatre maker, Lori Holmes Clark. Great Falls Discovery Center. 8 PM. Joe Dulude, In this installation piece, Joe is allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in the living room from his youth in the 1970s; exploring how his past has shaped the way he thinks about himself, who he is and where he came from. FAB 5-8 PM. Cynthia Snow with Kathy Steinem, A dance piece focusing on aging, dementia, and caregiving with poetry by Snow and Susie Patlove and the à Capella group Acapelagos. Shea Theatre. 6 PM Saturday only. Karen Werner, a live experimental radio documentary performance, Strange Radio: Live documentary transmission on the layers of time, sound, and memory in Jewish Vienna. Strange Radio will be released on CD with an accompanying booklet in 2019. Church of Pod. 7-8 PM. Terry Jenoure, Pelala is Terry Jenoure’s solo performance of music, storytelling and video that weaves a new fable for our day. Shea Theatre. 7 PM Saturday Only. St. Michael's Players A.C.T. present Shrek The Musical, Jr. April 26 and April 27 at 7:00 PM, April 28 at 2:00 PM St. Michael's Community Center, 53 Somers Road, East Longmeadow, MA An all-inclusive community theater (A.C.T.) experience for youth ages 7-21. Our special-needs actors are teamed up with shadow actors to allow youth of all ages to experience the thrill of the stage. More information. The Williston Northampton School presents Crazy For You 4/26-4/27 and 5/2-5/4 at 7:30 PM Williston Theatre A zany rich-boy-meets-hometown-girl romantic comedy, CRAZY FOR YOU tells the story of young New York banker Bobby Child, who is sent to Deadrock, Nevada, to foreclose on a rundown theatre. In Deadrock, Bobby falls for spunky Polly Baker, the theater owner’s daughter. But Polly takes an instant dislike to the city slicker, so Bobby vows – through cunning, razzmatazz, and a hilarious case of mistaken identity – to win Polly’s heart and save the theatre. Memorable Gershwin tunes from the score include “I Got Rhythm,” “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” “Embraceable You,” “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Originally produced on Broadway in 1992, CRAZY FOR YOU won the Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Choreography putting Susan Stroman, of THE PRODUCERS fame, on the map. More info. Serious Play Theatre Ensemble Conversations for Our Times: Glass Music Don't miss this show, coming up at the end of the month! Cindertalk is the musical work of Jonny Rodgers, whose performances are unique and compelling. His primary instrument is an array of tuned wine glasses, called a "glass harp," which, along with guitar, keyboard, and loop pedal, allow him to submerge his audience in beautiful, layered soundscapes. Jonny is one of 4 artist collaborators on upcoming Serious Play New devised Ensemble theatre piece Moving Water. This project begins its year long process this July 6-13 at APE@Hawley. Learn more atwww.cindertalk.com Happier Valley Comedy presents The Happier Valley World Open Cup Grand Prix Series Derby Bowl Championship! April 27 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater, 1 Mill Rd, Hadley, MA In this competitive comedy show, two teams of improvisers face off through scenes and games to see who can win the ultimate prize: an old trophy we found in someone's attic. Saturday, April 27th 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. Smith College Department of Theatre presents THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE by David Ives and the I Sing Earth class presentation. Wednesday and Thursday, May 1 and 2 at 7:30 PM Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre   THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE Written by David Ives, directed by Cathy Kennedy ’20 in a double bill with a performance by students in I Sing Earth a course taught by Andrea Hairston and guest artist, Pan Morigan. Free and open to the public. Springfield Technical Community College presents Motherhood Out Loud May 2 at 11:00 AM, May 3 and 4 at 7:00 PM Scibelli Hall Theater, STCC, One Armory Square, Springfield, MA 01102 The STCC's College Theater Workshop will bring to the stage "Motherhood Out Loud", Written by various leading playwrights.  This play is a collection of short scenes and monologues that explores the joys and challenges of raising children. — $5.00... Students/Faculty/Staff/Seniors — $8.00... General Admission at the door As described in the "Motherhood Out Loud" website, the play "shatters traditional notions about parenthood, unveils its inherent comedy and celebrates the deeply personal truths that span and unite generations." When entrusting the subject of motherhood to such a dazzling collection of celebrated American writers, what results is a joyous, moving, hilarious, and altogether thrilling theatrical play. Utterly unpredictable, Motherhood Out Loud shatters traditional notions about parenthood, unveils its inherent comedy and celebrates the deeply personal truths that span and unite generations. Motherhood Out Loud reveals with illuminating insight the humor, raw emotions and rocky roads we experience in life.  Tickets. Greenfield Community College Theater presents  Locally Grown III Thursday May 2, Friday May 3, Saturday May 4 at 7:30pm Greenfield Community College, Sloan Theater, One College Drive, Greenfield MA "Locally Grown III" one-acts written by local playwrights and directed by GCC student-directors. GENUINE COUSIN OF PEARL a comedy by Jonathan Caws-Elwitt directed by James Sykes Pearl..................................Alex Jewett Frances/Grandma..............Isabella Lagoy-Stowell Hector/Silas Drainpipe.......Marley Bernard HIDDEN a drama by Jonathan J. Wickman directed by Jayse Matrishon David.................................Luca Balboni Lucy...................................Yadira Roman Noah..................................Chris Sheperd Richard..............................Bill Wieliczka Susan................................Kimberley Morin Megan...............................Anani Eisenstein-Bond Performances run May 2, 3, & 4 at 7:30pm at GCC. More info. MIFA Victory Theatre presents Around the World in 80 Days May 3 at 7:00 PM William R. Peck School, 1916 Northampton Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 Join the National Players, America’s longest-running touring company, as they travel by boat, train, and elephant in Jules Verne’s epic adventure. Full of daring rescues, brash duels, and unexpected romance. Around the World in 80 Days is a trip you won’t soon forget. More information. Ghost Light Theater Presents Significant Other by Joshua Harmon 5/3, 5/4, 5/9, 5/10 & 5/11 @ 8 & 5/5 at 2 Gateway City Arts, 92 Race Street in Holyoke Ghost Light Theater Presents: Significant Other, by Joshua Harmon Directed by Megan Healey 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 for Significant Other are May 3, 4, 9, 10 & 11 at 8:00 PM and May 5 at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $15 for evening performances and $10 for the matinee and can be purchased at the door or online. Significant Other is presented with permission from Samuel French, Inc. #GLTSO UMass Dept. of Theater Echo Chamber Art Installation May 4 and 5, 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM UMass Fine Arts Center, Room 204 Echo Chamber is an interactive sound art installation about what it is like to live with an anxiety disorder. Through immersive soundscapes and technology-driven interactive elements, this piece will represent various mental and physical states, from relative calm to outright panic. Echo Chamber was created by Alexander Blaustein, as his CHC Honors Project in sound design. Register to attend here. Loving WOMEN Cabaret May 4 at 7:00 PM Northampton Center for the Arts Join six singers for a musical celebration of women loving women, highlighting the loves, passions, and struggles of the gay and women's liberation movements of the 1970s featuring all original songs by the women who lived it and loved it. Tix $15 in advance; $20 at door. Tickets Happier Valley Comedy presents The Understudies: An Improvised Musical Be part of the fun as four improvisers create an entire musical from scratch. Saturday, May 4th 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. Northampton High School Theater presents Snow Angel by David Lindsay-Abaire, directed by Stephen Eldredge 5/9/19 at 7:00 pm, 5/10/2019 7:00 pm, 5/11/2019 2:00 pm, 5/11/2019 7:00 pm Northampton High School When the quiet town of Deerpoint, Vermont is hit by the biggest blizzard in 107 years, a mysterious girl named Eva steps out of a snow bank and into the lives of 15 confused teenagers who are asked to help her in her search. What Eva's searching for -- and who she truly is -- becomes a mystery that baffles, divides, and energizes the teens of Deerpoint. Told through journal entries and interactions among the students over the course of a single snow storm, Snow Angel is a funny and eerie tale of teen angst, discovery, and the power of believing. Tickets. Happier Valley Comedy presents The Ha-Ha's & Friends: Kornfeld & Andrews! Local favorites The Ha-Ha's are joined by renowned NYC Improv Duo Kornfeld & Andrews. Saturday, May 11th 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. SILVERTHORNE THEATER ANNOUNCES NEW PLAY READING SERIES   An integral part of Silverthorne Theater Company’s mission is to promote the development of new work, especially by Western Massachusetts and New England playwrights. In 2018, we staged the world premieres of three new works, two of which were from such writers.   In 2019 we offer a series of free rehearsed readings of new or new to us plays, , called Theater Thursdays, followed by audience discussions. These will be held in different locations in the region. Complete information for each reading may be found at https://silverthornetheater.org.   The purpose of the readings is to give a platform for new work to be heard, and when possible, to be able to give playwrights direct audience feedback.  It also gives Silverthorne a look at plays that we might consider fully producing in future seasons.   Thursday, May 16               RESTORATION ROOM, by Harley Erdman                                                 Directed by Chris Rohmann                                                7 pm               UMass Theater Department, Room 204 Two academics, each married to someone else, struggle to resist the power of their mutual intellectual & physical attraction.   Thursday, June 13               DEAR GALILEO, by Claire Willett                                                 Directed by Rebecca Daniels                                                 7 pm   170 Main Street, Greenfield Three women in three different times wrestle with their identity, the conflict between science and religion, and what it means to be their fathers' daughters…. As the three stories move toward their point of convergence, the destinies of each become inextricably bound with the others, linked through time by love, family, grief, the search for identity and the wonder of the stars.   Thursday, September 12               CAMPUS UNREST, by Talya Kingston                                                             Directed by Trenda Loftin                                                             7 pm   Location TBA Complex choices face an inter-racial British academic couple newly arrived on the campus of a troubled American college.   Sunday, October 13                         VERITAS, by Betty Shamieh                                                             Director TBA                                                             3 pm   Deerfield Community Center In the 1660s Harvard College’s governors insisted that Native American youths be trained at the College as Christian ministers to be able to convert their tribes to Christianity.  This play explores the lives of the first four of these early converts and the attitudes at the time toward them. Post-show discussion led by historians & members of local Native American communities.   Further details at www.silverthornetheater.org  or call 413-768-7514. AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Strident Theatre will be holding open non-Equity auditions for its production of The Final Say by Meryl Cohn. Auditions will take place on Saturday, April 27th, from 10am to noon at the Northampton Center for the Arts at 33 Hawley. The company is seeking one male-identified actor, 35-45, to play the role of Phil, an artistic director of a theatre company. The auditions will consist of cold readings. Please bring a headshot and resume. To schedule an appointment or for more information, please email Kyle at kyle@stridenttheatre.com. Walk-ins will be seen as time permits. Auditions for Baltimore by Kirsten Greenidge   Actors on campus and from the community are invited to audition for our mainstage production of Baltimore, to be produced this coming October in the Rand Theater! (This production will be the full play, fully produced, and is not to be confused with our current, abridged presentation.) When a racist incident divides her first-year students, reluctant resident advisor Shelby finds herself in the middle of a conversation she does not want to have. As pressure to address the issue mounts from residents, the new dean, and even her best friend, Shelby must decide if she will enter the fray or watch her community come apart at the seams. Sharp, funny, and searing, Baltimore is about racism on college campuses and how we learn to talk to each other. This production is a collaboration with the Office for Equity & Inclusion and Student Affairs & Campus Life Audition Information We will be holding auditions on the evenings of Monday, April 29 and Tuesday, April 30 from 6:30-10:30 pm. Callbacks will be held on Thursday, May 2 from 5-9 pm.  All auditions and callbacks will be on the Rand Theater in the Fine Arts Center. This production will have an intensive rehearsal period Aug. 28-30; the University will provide housing for student actors.  Performance dates are Oct. 10-12, 17-19. Actors will be asked to read sides from the play. You can access sides and sign for slots on Sign Up Genius or get a character breakdown and other information on the UMass website: https://www.umass.edu/theater/auditions Hampshire Shakespeare Company seeks actor for 5 person production of Henry V This will be a highly physicalized production, with each ensemble member playing multiple roles, fighting and creating the scenes primarily through actor physicalization.  In order to accomplish this style, the cast and director will be spending time working on text, movement and stage combat work as a company. A fair portion of rehearsal will be dedicated to training, before approaching staging in a more traditional way. Due to the ensemble nature of this production, all cast members will be called for all rehearsals unless otherwise noted. Performances are June 26-30 and July 3-7. This will be unpaid. Rehearsals begin May 6. If folks are interested, they should contact the director, Noah Tuleja, at ntuleja@mtholyoke.edu by Monday, April 29. Hampshire Shakespeare Company seeking a Technical Director/Audio Technician and a Costume/Props Designer! Hampshire Shakespeare Company is currently seeking a Technical Director/Audio Technician and a Costume/Props Designer for the 2019 summer season of Henry V and The *Annotated* Taming, and the Young Company production of Measure for Measure. Applications are due May 1st. Please see here for more information on how to apply! The Vintage Cellar East We are a large vintage mall in The Keystone Mill in Easthampton, MA.  Check us out if you are a local playhouse or theatre looking to rent props or even buy props for period pieces that can be reused. Please feel free to email or call 413 977 1978.  WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Serious Play Theatre Ensemble presents Moving Water- Exploratory Workshops April 27th, 11AM to 2PM Serious Play Studio #233, Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton, MA Join Serious Play Artistic Director, Sheryl Stoodley, and Visual Artist Rosalyn Driscoll in a collaborative exploration of water in word, movement, sound, and text.    Our last workshop on April 6th was a wonderful success! Thank you to all who attended! If you couldn't make it, doon't miss your opportunity to attend our FINAL workshop in the Moving Water series- a workshop involving movement and exploration. Join us to unlock our relationship to water and share a personal water story. This is source work for our new devised ensemble theatre project- Moving Water- which begins this July. To register, contact Serious Play (seriousplaytheatre@gmail.com)  Be sure to include your name, phone number, and e-mail address Dress for movement  Make, find, or bring a vessel to hold water Participants 20+, limited enrollment  Fee $20, pay at the door Happier Valley Comedy presents Move It!: Using Physicality To Create Emotionally Authentic Comedy Saturday, April 27, 2:30pm-5:00pm (2.5 hours) Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd in Hadley) $40 Prerequisite: Completion of Zen of Improv 3 or the equivalent at another comedy school Scenes that come from an authentic emotional place are fun to watch and thrilling to perform. One of the quickest ways to stop overthinking your scene is to move your body. If you love to tap into your physicality, you will love this workshop. If you DON'T love moving or don't feel comfortable being physical on stage, this workshop is especially for you!  In this workshop, you will learn new tools and techniques to tap into your emotional authenticity and practice using them in a safe, supportive environment. This workshop will be accessible to all levels of physical abilities and limitations. Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes. https://www.happiervalley.com/moveit-workshop.html Happier Valley Comedy presents Happier Kids Intro to Improv comedy 8 consecutive Sundays 12-2pm, starting April 28 Happier Valley Comedy Theater, 1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley Join long-time improviser Kelsey Flynn for eight weeks of improv comedy fun. Each week, we’ll focus on a different improv comedy structure such as guessing games like “Late for Work” and character games like “Emotional Rollercoaster” and many, many more! We’ll learn how to play the games and then have lots of time for everyone to get a chance to try it and feel good about trying. And before we get started, we’ll warm-up with zany circle games that will help us connect as friends and be ready to support and laugh with one another. Whether you’re brand new to improv or have played a bunch already, you are guaranteed to have fun because that’s what improv is all about. More info. Real Live Theatre presents Choreographing Intimacy 04-28-2019 10:00 AM Real Live Theatre, Sunderland, MA Real Live Theatre presents an expanded version of our popular workshop led by Toby Vera Bercovici and Ellen Morbyrne. “Intimacy Choreography” is a relatively new concept, having emerged out of a need to protect actors from unsafe working conditions and blurred boundaries. It is an important practice not only for the mental, physical, and emotional health of actors, but also for the experience of the audience: the more safe and grounded the performers, the more electric the scene. Utilizing techniques from multiple disciplines, including yoga, dance, and theater, Ellen and Toby will guide participants through a safe and specific process to develop choreography that feels motivated and appropriate for characters and situation, as well as authentic and dynamic in terms of external behaviors. This workshop is useful and relevant to all theater practitioners and administrators:  •As a performer, the take away will include language with which to speak to your director and co-actors and tools to create safe working conditions when there aren’t any.  •As a director, teacher, or choreographer, you will learn how to build a safe environment, lead exercises to create trust within that environment, and utilize specific skills for analyzing and staging intimate moments. •As an arts administrator, you will learn best practices for ensuring safe working conditions for your employees. More information. Phantom Sheep Productions presents LaughCrafters: Comedy Improv Spring Session Mondays at 7:00 PM for six weeks, beginning April 29 Springfield Jewish Community Center All levels 6 week course filled with developing characters, exploring the game, quick thinking drills, creative collaboration, and living in the present moment finding the funny.  Everyone challenged at their own pace in a very encouraging and supportive environment.  Great for actors, writers, or anyone who loves to laugh!  Taught by local troupe Phantom Sheep Players, a proud partner of the JCC with over 20 years of professional experience. Facebook event. Email improv@phantomsheep.com to register. Mention you read about this in Pioneer Valley Theatre News and get "Early Bird" pricing saving 10% off GP tuition! Happier Valley Comedy presents Healing Anxiety Through Laughter May 5 at 2:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater, 1 Mill Rd, Hadley, MA A personal growth workshop with Kayla Solomon, LICW, and Pam Victor, Head of Happiness at HVC. Sunday, May 5th, 2pm-5pm Happier Valley Comedy Theater 1 Mill Valley Rd. (Suite B), Hadley, MA $50 Open to All - No Experience Necessary! A recent pilot study published in the Journal of Mental Health found that even brief intervention using improv exercises may provide "a strong and efficient treatment for patients with anxiety and depression." This experiential and fun-forward personal growth workshop uses easy-to-learn improv exercises to provide you with an opportunity to learn and practice a new vocabulary to kick to the curb the darn voices of fear, doubt, and judgement inside all of us. Using a series of accessible, non-performance improv exercises, we will sharpen the tools of insight, reframing negative thoughts, disempowering fear, and choosing laughter and play to shift from anxiety towards discovering the positive in everything. All exercises are voluntary and performed in a circle or pairs; participants are never “on stage.” Your facilitators are pros at making sure all people along the introvert-extrovert spectrum feel successful, learn a lot, and have a blast with this THROUGH LAUGHTER workshop. Side effects of participation may include giggles, guffaws, internal delight, joy, and ease.  No improv (or any other) experience necessary. Despite what your inner critic may be whispering, YOU CAN DO THIS! All you have to do is register, show up, and get ready to learn some powerful tools to Heal Anxiety THROUGH LAUGHTER. Register. Real Live Theatre presents Exploring the Expressive Voice & Its Extremes 7-10pm on 5/10 and 10am-5pm on May 11 Real Live Theatre, Sunderland, MA Tune in to find your voice Discover the universe of sound that is inside you Experience your boundless voice Explore song and text Create space and time with sound We’ll begin with discovering and exploring the voice “as it is,” then work toward less familiar vocal areas. Through this process participants will increase awareness of centers of resonance in the body, developing a personal vocabulary unifying sound, sensation, image, and emotion. We will explore the voice in relation to simple song and spoken text. We will deepen the relationship to unknown vocal territories regarding pitch, timbre, resonance and dynamics. We will discover the world of vocal soundscapes and our connection to sound as an expression of space and time. Liz Stanton is a New York City-based, multifaceted theatre artist, who has studied with a variety of teachers from the Roy Hart Theatre: primarily Richard Armstrong, Ethie Friend and Jonathan Hart Makwaia. She has incorporated the Roy Hart voice work into her teaching for nearly 20 years. She creates award-winning devised theatre pieces, composes music for theatrical sound scores, and she’s written an opera - The Bacchae: In Song and Vocal Extremes. She is the theatrical development producer of Convergences Theatre Collective in New York City. Liz is an adjunct instructor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in the Experimental Theatre Wing and New York Film Academy. https://reallivetheatre.net/classesworkshops Announcing the Easthampton Futures Project!   Easthampton City Arts & the City of Easthampton's Planning Department, working in partnership with Dpict, are thrilled to announce the Easthampton Futures Project, a series of facilitated community workshops that will invite members of our community to envision and articulate the future of Arts & Culture for the City of Easthampton. The information generated in these public sessions will provide the foundation for the next iteration of the Arts & Culture chapter of the City of Easthampton’s Master Plan. Save the dates! May 18 // June 1 // June 22  All sessions run from 10am - 4pm Food will generously be provided by Galaxy Learn more about how you can participate! Upcoming Training Programs at Double Edge Theatre  Double Edge Theatre was founded by Stacy Klein to research the role of actors’ training in the development of performance creation. Training is the heart and vitality of Double Edge’s creative process. Since 1982, when it was first developed by Klein based on her work with Rena Mirecka, Grotowski’s founding actor, it has grown to include work with large objects, developed by Klein and David Flaxman from 1985, and then outdoor work and spectacle developed with Carlos Uriona since 1996. Since 2011 Matthew Glassman has been leading the development of training at Double Edge. The unique, holistic methodology engages the actor’s full potential – physical, vocal, emotional, and imaginative – to drive individual exploration, ensemble collaboration, and performance creation. Open Training: May 19 @ 11 am Summer Intensive: May 31 - June 14 Spectacle Immersion: May 31 - Aug 24 Fall Immersion: Sept 15 - Dec 8 Summer THEATER Program for Children at beautiful Eaglebrook School  Eggtooth Productions offers A two week sessions of summer theater for children ages 8-13. Click here for our registration form: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17pPyFukqAeMsOx7IK1cST9U3IX-mJoCb4zQWkvxV8TE/edit?usp=sharing July 29 - August 9, 2019 THEATER with Bill Stewart  Learn about stage play and combat, comic bits, delightful language and the joy that play can bring all while relishing the language of the Bard. Children create their own devised production that will be presented at the end of the session! The cost is $590 with a limit of 15 children in each section. A check may be made to: Eggtooth Productions 102 Highland Ave., Greenfield, MA 01301. Founded in 1922, Eaglebrook School is located on 750 acres on the Pocumtuck Ridge in Deerfield, MA just off Routes 5 & 10. To learn more about Eaglebrook School or for directions visit: eaglebrook.org  Camp runs 9 AM to 3 PM with mornings devoted to creation and rehearsal. Lunch will be provided in the beautiful Gibbs Dining Hall. Activities including swimming in the Schwab Pool, playing on the fields, and more. Bill Stewart teaches in the Leverett Elementary School and has taught theater workshops for young actors since 1995.  He has played the roles of writer, director, Ultimate Frisbee Player, archaeologist, and especially actor, where he has performed as princes, monsters,  & cowboys. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Playwrighting/Performance and a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts. 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 Cold Spring Community Theatre The Country Players Drama Studio Double Edge Theatre Eggtooth Productions Exit 7 Players Ghost Light Theater Greenfield Community College's Theater Department 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 No Theater PaintBox Theatre Panopera Pauline Productions Real Live Theatre Red Thread Theater Royal Frog Ballet Serious Play Theatre Ensemble Silverthorne Theater Smith College Department of Theatre St. Michael's Players Starlight's Youth Theatre, Inc. Strident Theatre 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|*