Pioneer Valley Theatre News October 24, 2019

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser October 24 - November 13, 2019 I'll be at three things this week: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Smith on Friday, Becca Blackwell's show at the Academy on Saturday, and Real Live Theatre's Athena on Sunday. Perhaps I'll see you at a few of these. And if not, there are plenty more excellent performances this week. TheatreTruck is hosting a Mother Artist Summit on Saturday - you can be a part of this conversation for change. The next issue will include events through November 20. 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 Tickets for Athena See the listing in the workshops section below for details. 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 What Our New Plays Really Look Like by Marshall Botvinick From the article:  The Purpose of This Study The goal of this study is to use data to capture trends in new play production at the seventy-five LORT (League of Resident Theatres) member theatres and the thirty-two NNPN (National New Play Network) core member theatres. In working, I set out to answer three questions: Who is being produced on our stages? What kinds of characters are appearing on our stages? And what do these plays look like in terms of form and thematic content? By measuring where new play production is currently at, I hope to create an awareness of not only what is happening on our stages but also what is missing from them. Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Google Calendar Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Personnel Spreadsheet PERFORMANCES Real Live Theatre presents Athena 10/24, 10/25, 10/26, 10/27 @7pm; 10/27 @1pm 33 Hawley Street (The Arts Trust Building) ATHENA by Gracie Gardner Directed by Ellen Morbyrne Starring Rachel Hall (Tilly in "She Kills Monsters" 2017 & 2018) and Syl Simmons (Natalie in "When Last We Flew" 2018) Stage managed by Ezekiel Baskin Two young fencers. One dedication to training. Endless opportunity for connection and collision. Mary Wallace and Athena are brave, and seventeen, and fencers, and training for Nationals. They practice together, they compete against each other, they spend their lives together. They wish they were friends. Lead sponsorship by Pioneer Valley Fencing Academy in Easthampton. https://rltathena.brownpapertickets.com/ SILVERTHORNE THEATER PRESENTS THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK Dates for the production are October 24, 25, and 26 at 7:30 pm. Each performance will be followed by facilitated audience discussion. Silverthorne Theater wraps up its 2019 season with a production of the classic play, The Diary of Anne Frank. Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett wrote this Pulitzer Prize-winning work which premiered on Broadway in 1955. Directed by Keith Langsdale, Silverthorne’s production opens Thursday, October 17 and runs through Saturday, October 26 in The Perch at Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield.    Here is a play that on its surface, looks back. Anne and her family are Jews in the Netherlands in 1942 during World War II.  Persecuted and stripped of their livelihood, they flee to the Annex of the father’s business for survival. In the world of the Third Reich, they are the Other. Against the background of impending death, the young Anne Frank wrote daily of her fears, longings and squabbles generated by eight people living in four small rooms over two years. Though she did not survive their discovery and deportation, Anne’s diary bears witness to the fate  and resonates with today’s stories of the hunted, the Other.   Tickets for Thursdays or Sunday are $20 general admission, $18 student/senior (65+). Tickets for Friday and Saturday night shows are $25 general admission, $20 student/senior (65+.) Tickets are available through Eventbrite.com or by calling the Box Office at 413-768-7514.   Director Keith Langsdale worked with Silverthorne Theater in 2018, staging the world premiere of Steve Henderson’s powerful piece, White, Black & Blue.  He brings an impressive set of prior productions here in the Valley, having directed for The Majestic in West Springfield, New Century Theatre in Northampton, and in theaters in Los Angeles and New Hampshire among others. He is also an accomplished actor and performed the solo role in STC’s production of The Tattooed Man Tells All.   The cast of The Diary of Anne Frank features Frank Aronson* (Whately) as Otto Frank and Stephanie Carlson* (Easthampton) as Mrs. Frank. Both actors starred in Silverthorne’s spring production of Tales of the Lost Formicans, and Carlson appeared as Bellamy in STC’s musical The Fantasticks in June. Samantha Choquette (Longmeadow) appears in the key role of Anne Frank, while Chris Demerski (West Springfield) plays Peter Van Daan. Molly MacLeod (Holyoke) plays Anne’s older sister, Margot. She appeared last spring in STC’s Tales of the Lost Formicans.   Michael Budnick of Easthampton appears as Mr. Van Daan, while Kimberly Salditt-Poulin plays his wife, Mrs. Van Daan. Salditt-Poulin returns to STC after her Fall 2018 performance in our Delectable Durang.  The role of Mr. Dussel will be performed by Stuart Gamble (Westfield); Mary Elizabeth Kearney appears as Mr. Frank’s employee Miep; and Ted Trobaugh (Amherst) plays Mr. Kraler, another employee. Trobaugh was Music Director for STC’s production of The Fantasticks, and performed in the 2018 season’s original musical, Tar2F!   (*Members of Actors Equity Association)   Carly DellaPenna (Westfield) joins Silverthorne for the first time as Stage Manager. STC’s invaluable Tech Director John Iverson designs and executes the sets and lighting. Kelly Culver of Newmarket NH will costume the show. Carmela Lanza-Weil (Shelburne Falls) and Rebecca Daniels (Turners Falls) are co-producers for the show.    Ticket and reservation information may be found on Silverthorne’s web site: https://silverthornetheater.org Tickets for all shows are currently available at Eventbrite.com (type in the name The Diary of Anne Frank), or by calling 413-768-7514. Patrons can use credit cards at the door or over the phone. “FOREVER PLAID” TAKES THE STAGE AT MAJESTIC THEATER OCT 24 – DEC 8  The Majestic Theater's 23rd Season continues with “Forever Plaid,” a musical that runs October 24 through December 8, according to Producing Director Danny Eaton. The play, by Stuart Ross, tells the tale of a semi-professional harmony group on their way to their first big gig at the Hilton airport cocktail bar, rehearsing their big finale, when they are slammed broadside by a school bus full of teenage girls on their way to witness the Beatles make their debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. While none of the girls are injured, the four harmony singers are killed instantly, but somehow manage to take the stage for one final gig. “Forever Plaid” is filled with great songs that audience members are sure to know and love, and has been described as “screamingly funny and entirely enchanting.” The cast includes Tomm Knightlee (Smudge), Bryan Austermann (Jinx), Brian Michael Henry (Sparky), and Chris Coffey (Francis). The play is directed by Ben Ashley, and Mitch Chakour is the music director. Set design is by Greg Trochlil, Dawn McKay is costume designer and the lighting design is by Dan Rist. Doug Wallace is sound engineer, and Stephen Petit is production stage manager. The band includes Chakour, Cliff Schofer and Don Rovero. Ticket prices range from $27 to $34 and can be purchased by calling the box office at (413) 747-7797 or visiting while the box office is open (Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm, and Saturday 10am – 1pm). Tickets for the other plays in the Majestic's 23rdSeason can also be purchased. Serious Play Theatre Ensemble presents CONVERSATIONS FOR OUR TIMES PUBLIC OPEN REHEARSALS of PHASE TWO of NEW DEVISED MOVING WATER THEATRE PROJECT- WADING IN When: October 25 and 26 6-7pm Where: Workroom Space APE@Hawley Northampton Community Arts Trust 33 Hawley St, Northampton MA. This time, water conditions, sound and movement, intertwine with some newly conceived characters and dialogue by playwright Eric Henry Sanders in collaboration with Serious Play director Sheryl Stoodley and ensemble actors: Gabriel CiFuentes, Kermit Dunkelberg, Abuzar Farrukh, Ximena Salmeron, Elizabeth Solomon, and Will Swyers. VERY LIMITED SPACE- SIGN UP NOW call 413-588-7439 or email: seriousplaytheatre@gmail.com Requesting a $15 donation at the door –cash or check- Toward furthering the development of this important and timely new work! An innovative hour of theatrical experimentation. We invite anyone 14yrs. and older to come and contribute to a theatre piece “in the process of becoming”. GOING FORWARD… MOVING WATER will consist of three stories, past, present, and future, that play out in overlapping and intertwining relation to one another. The symbolic centerpiece of the work concerns water scarcity and insecurity, and tells the stories of a scientist’s quest to discover the hidden source of cholera, several storm-tossed survivors of a flood, and an international waystation where exiles are hoping to migrate to safer harbors. Through highly visual staging, movement, music, and video, this poetic, absurdist, and surprisingly funny work will carry audiences into a deeper appreciation for and understanding of our fragile world. Smith College Department of Theatre presents THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME  Based on the novel by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens. Directed by Ellen W. Kaplan October 25, 26, 31, November 1, 2 at 7:30 PM in Theatre 14, Mendenhall Center for the Performance Arts Christopher is an autistic teen with remarkable curiosity, great courage, and an intense desire to solve the mystery of who murdered the neighbor’s dog with a garden rake.  Their “detective” work leads to an earth-shattering discovery, and to a thrilling journey that will change their life forever.   Purchase tickets online. Exit 7 Players present Legally Blonde October 25, 26 at 8pm; October 27 at 2pm Exit 7 Theater, 37 Chestnut Street, Ludlow, MA 01056 Based on the novel and the hit-movie of the same name, Legally Blonde: the Musical chronicles the journey of the famously perky Elle Woods, a fashion-savvy, UCLA sorority girl who finds her life turned upside down when she is dumped by her boyfriend Warner. In an effort to prove to Warner that she is more than just some blonde sorority girl, she follows him to Harvard Law, where she struggles to fit in and do well. Ultimately, she defies expectations and manages to stay true to her delightfully pink personality. Director: Meaghan Farrell Music Director: Dan Monte Choreographer: Marybeth Mizula Producers: Chris Climo, Kelly Fellows Stage Managers: Kelly Fellows, Jordan Gawron Exit7players.org Ghost Light Theater presents 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee October 25, 26 at 8pm Gateway City Arts, 92 Race Street, Holyoke, MA Join us for the Tony and Drama Desk award-winning 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Having charmed audiences across the country with its effortless wit and humor, featuring a fast-paced, wildly funny and touching book by Rachel Sheinkin and a truly fresh and vibrant score by William Finn, this bee is one unforgettable experience. We are excited for you to share in the riotous ride and delightful den of comedic genius, complete with audience participation.  An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming "ding" of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box. Performing October 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 at 8pm and October 29 at 2pm at Gateway City Arts, 92 Race Street, Holyoke. Tickets are $20 for evening performances and $15 for the matinee and can be purchased at ghostlightmass.ticketleap.com  Featuring the following cast: Chip Tolentino - Steven Williams Logainne Schwartzandgrubeniere (Schwartzy) - Jackie Mendonsa Leaf Coneybear - Andrew Blom William Barfee - Alan Dallmann Marcy Park - Jess Brand Olive Ostrovsky - Mimi Goodman Rona Lisa Peretti - Phoebe Hazzard Vice Principal Panch - Terry Adams Mitch Mahoney - Tiffany Rae Lesczcynski Directed by Kimberly Overtree Karlin Music Direction by Heather Williams Choreography by Sarah Devine Pauline Productions presents Whispering Bones: An Evening of Ghost Stories and Dancing October 25 at 7:00 PM First Congregational Church of Ashfield, 429 Main St. (Route 116), Ashfield, MA Join Dr. Betterov-Underhill and a bevy of talented performers for an evening of tales creepy and comic.  Come in costume, if you dare.  And after the tales, partake in a bit of dancing upstairs. Appropriate for Adults and teens. Pauline Productions brings Kelvin Keraga aka Dr. Betterov-Underhill to the area from Greenwich NY.  A celebrity in other realms, he has been curating and writing ghost stories for an eternity.  He brings along with himself, other storytellers from beyond.  A few local celebrities--Jeannine Haas, Nan Parati, Alice Barrett--will also tread the boards for a bit.  And the Honorables Richard Pree and Kare Marshall will spin the dancing tunes. Advanced Tickets at BrownPaperTickets.com and Ashfiield Hardware $15 or at the Door $20 (cash or check). Who: For more info: Paulinelive.com or Jeannine Haas 413-268-3850. "Creepy and chilling tales told by some of the region’s best storytellers... a great mix of classic legends, new stories and whispered folktales...spooky, eerie and fantastical” -Post Star For hundreds of years storytellers have taken us by the hand and led us into old houses filled with apparitions: phantoms woven from memories and dreams and the dark core of our humanity. These tales are explorations of our souls, where characters cross the line between life and death, caught in situations that often draw out their deepest feelings. The supernatural teaches us what is natural: frailty and strength, loss and recovery and the nurturing power of imagination. Staged readings of short plays on climate change at Great Falls International Word Festival in Turners Falls and multiple locations in Greenfield WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Oct. 26, , 1 p.m., Greenfield Gallery, 231 Main St., Greenfield (program repeats at 1:30 p.m.) Saturday, Nov. 2, 4 p.m., 12 Federal St., Greenfield Saturday, Dec. 7, 10:15 a.m., Racial Justice Rising, First Congregational Church, 43 Silver St., Greenfield https://www.facebook.com/cctagreenfield/  Greening Greenfield and Local Access are proud to present Climate Change Theatre Action Greenfield: Lighting the Way, a series of public readings and performances which will be held over several weekends this autumn.  The series debuts on Sunday, Oct. 13, 3 p.m., at the Great Falls International Word Festival, with short plays by playwrights from Australia, New Zealand, Jordan, Finland, Canada, Singapore, the Netherlands and the United States, read by Jan Maher, Trenda Loftin, Nina Gross and Doug Selwyn, with incidental music by Gross and Selwyn. An open mic on Monday, Oct. 14, 2 p.m. will include plays from Scotland and Croatia as well as poems and flash fiction from festival attendees. Subsequent performances in the series will be held on four Saturdays in October, November, and December at several locations in Greenfield. All Greenfield performances will be followed by a talk back session. Performances are free, with the exception of those that are part of the Great Falls International Word Festival. Admission to the Festival includes admission to the play readings and open mic. CCTA Greenfield is part of Climate Change Theatre Action, a worldwide series of readings and performances of short climate change plays presented biennially to coincide with the United Nations COP meetings. The Happier Valley Championship!  October 26th at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley 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, October 26th at 7pm at the Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, on rte.9). Tickets: $13 online and at the door. For more info: www.happiervalley.com. The Academy of Music Theatre presents  They, Themself and Schmerm created and performed by Becca Blackwell October 26, 2019 @ 8pm Sponsored by Easthampton Savings Bank Part classic standup comedy special, part teen zine vomit confessional, They, Themself and Schmerm is Becca Blackwell's disturbingly hilarious personal tale of being adopted into a Midwestern religious family, trained to be a girl, molested, and plagued by the question, “How do I become a man and do I even want that?” Becca engages in loving confrontation with the audience, asking what it truly means to be authentic in these meat carcasses.  Age recommendation: 16+ Becca Blackwell is a NYC based trans actor, performer and writer. Existing between genders, and preferring the pronoun “they,” Blackwell works collaboratively with playwrights and directors to expand our sense of personhood and the body through performance.  Becca most recently appeared as the title role in the Off-Broadway production of Hurricane Diane by Pulitzer Prize finalist Madeleine George. Some of their other collaborations have been with Young Jean Lee, Half Straddle, Jennifer Miller’s Circus Amok, Richard Maxwell, Erin Markey, Sharon Hayes, Theater of the Two Headed Calf and Lisa D’Amour. Film/TV includes: Untitled Noah Baumbach Project, Shameless, Deadman’s Barstool, and Jack in the Box. Becca is a recipient of the Doris Duke Impact Artist Award. Tickets. The Shea Presents: Artemisia's Intent Saturday, October 26, 7:30 pm  New York City based The Anthropologists stop at the Shea to perform ONE NIGHT ONLY Winner of “Best Solo Drama” (FRIGID Festival 2018), Artemisia’s Intent delivers a captivating physical performance to unearth the life, work and words of 17th century painter Artemisia Gentileschi. Inspired by every proclamation of ‘me too,’ The Anthropologists craft a startling portrait of a woman caught at the intersection of power, assault, and art. “As Artemisia, [Mariah Freda] exudes a charismatic sense of fun and independence.” (Culture Catch) "Artemisia’s Intent is a solid, timely piece" (Theatre is Easy) "a strong performance by Mariah Freda, an excellent script and directing effort by Melissa Moschitto"(Hi! Drama) "The Anthropologists charge forward with humor, intensity, and the madness of the moment." (The Theatre Times) ABOUT The Anthropologists: New York City based The Anthropologists is dedicated to the collaborative creation of investigative theatre that inspires action. Celebrating their 11th year, their work has been described as “eerie and weird in the DOORS at 7PM/Show at 7:30pm TICKETS: www.showclix.com/event/artemisia-s-intent- RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes, no intermission ADVISORIES: sexual assault, adult content TRAILER: http://bit.ly/ArtemisiaTrailer #GETTOTHESHEA Ntozake Shange: A Celebration Oct. 27, 4-7 p.m. New Africa House Theater, Room 03 New Africa House UMass Free On the afternoon of October 27th, 2019 the UMass Department of Theater and W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies will present a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Ntozake Shange. We welcome you to join us as we commemorate Ntozake’s work through music, poetry, performance, and lecture. We as interdepartmental collaborators, aspire to bring together a collective of voices who seek to commemorate Ntozake Shange through any and all artistic/academic mediums. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tatiana Rodriguez at tmrodriguez@umass.edu. High Note presents Cabaret Dinner Theater October 30 at 6:00 PM Brewmaster's Tavern Dinner Theater Cabaret Revue Show - starring Le Cabaret and special guests!! Dinner @ 6- show to follow -Reservations- 413 268 7741 Medea  by Euripides, in a version by Ben Power October 31-November 2 8PM, Kirby Theater The Department of Theater and Dance presents Medea by Euripides, in a version by Ben Power. This new production blurs the lines between theater, film, and reality. Conceived by Maki Ybarra-Young -- who plays the title role -- and director Ron Bashford, the show imagines Medea as one of the strong and dangerous women of the Golden Age of Hollywood. But is she who she seems? Or the more vulnerable actor underneath? Come explore the iconic Greek character as she navigates her role as a woman and an immigrant through the "cinematic lens" of our own history. Starring an all student cast: Grace Davenport, Nicholas Govus, Rory Hartblay, Sam Hood, Sterling Kee, Aylin Kim, Navie Kim, Lena Lamer, Sylvie Mahoro, Eli Maierson, Rowan Muzzy, Teo Ruskov, Lorelle Sang, Julian Schauffler, and Maki Ybarra-Young. Scenic design by Lauren Thompson, costume design by Lorelei Dietz '20, lighting design by Sophina Flores '20, sound design by Alistair Edwards '22.  Tickets are free and open to the public. For reservations, call (413) 542-2277. On Saturday, November 2nd at 7:00PM, the Shea Theater (71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA) is featuring an original play written by the writers of Voices from Inside in collaboration with local playwright Trenda Loftin. This play, What Our Voices Carry, is written in celebration of the 20th year anniversary of the organization and is funded by Mass Humanities, National Endowment for the Humanities, Montague Cultural Council, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Voices From Inside provides writing workshops for women incarcerated in Hampden County and Franklin and those formerly incarcerated and/ or in addictions recovery at sites in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. What Our Voices Carry weaves the individual experiences of women into the larger picture of incarceration, addiction, and mental health systems. It is about how people without a voice in our society suffer and how society suffers from not hearing them, as well as the joy and power of finding one’s voice and being heard. Audience members will be given the opportunity to reflect on their possible roles in breaking down barriers to full acceptance of incarcerated women upon re-entry into their communities. Other local organizations dedicated to addressing criminal justice reform, the opioid crisis, post-incarceration support in Western Massachusetts’ communities will be tabling at the event.  This event will highlight the creativity, strength, courage, and hope of women seeking against formidable barriers to understand and take control of their lives. Come out to support Voices From Inside and the women who write with them! For more information: sheatheater.org www.voicesfrominside.org Facebook: Voices From Inside Valley Light Opera presents Camelot! 11/2, 11/8, 11/9 7:30 PM, 11/3, 11/10 2:00 PM Academy of Music “If Ever I would Leave You,” it wouldn’t be in November.  That is when the Valley Light Opera is bringing you Lerner and Loewe’s beloved Camelot at The Academy of Music. Valley Light Opera’s Camelot, will meld the beauty of the old with the energy and opportunities of the new. Set in the 15th century of knights and maidens, treachery vs trust, Camelot is an evolving state, where “Right is Might” and the Round Table come into being.  It lends itself to whispers of today’s politics with the promise that the strength of human goodness overcomes evil and unites the decent in a common cause. Our Camelot is a Utopian state, timeless, yet stuck in time. The story and musical accompaniment of a full orchestra should be enough to bring you to the Academy for an entertaining evening or matinee. But Valley Light Opera, known for its beautiful sets, costumes and props, adds another dimension to Camelot. Video enhancements and other computerized special effects will bring a new aspect to our sets. This presentation will celebrate Valley Light Opera’s 45th year of production.  Having lost our Founding Father, William Venman, this spring, we will do our best to honor his legacy. http://www.aomtheatre.com UMass Amherst presents THE BACCHAE OF EURIPIDES by Wole Soyinka directed by Judyie Al-Bilali Performance Details Nov. 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 at 7:30 Nov. 9 & 16 at 2 Curtain Theater Tickets $5 students and seniors, $15 general admission. Call 1-800-999-UMAS or  reserve your tickets through the Fine Arts Center Box Office Content Advisory This production includes: Simulated Violence Euripides’ 2400-year old play, The Bacchae, bursts into the modern day at UMass Theater’s Curtain Theater this November. As envisioned by Director and Professor Judyie Al-Bilali, the Bacchae’s earthy dancing becomes a call for renewal in times of oppression. Dionysus, the god of theater, wine, and fertility, goes head to head with the repressive regime of King Pentheus of Thebes, who refuses to recognize the god. Dionysus incites his followers, the Bacchae, into a state of frenzy with violent consequences for Pentheus and his family. Through their wild dances, the Bacchae embody revolution and make art our call for societal change.  Al-Bilali is using Nobel Prize-winning Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka’s adaptation, The Bacchae of Euripides: A Communal Rite, which he wrote in response to the civil war in his country in the 1970s. She has set her version in 2020, just a few months into our future, in Gaia, the Greek word for Mother Earth.  Although the play is classified as a tragedy, Al-Bilali has a more complicated, ultimately hope-filled, view of the message it carries today. In Thebes, there is conflict between two opposing forces: Dionsyus’ natural, sensual world and Pentheus’ society of law and order. A world—not unlike our own—has gone out of balance. And it is through a communal rite, as Soyinka suggests, and grave sacrifices that we strive to restore balance to an unjust world. "Culture and art are what drives social change,” says Al-Bilali. Come be a part of the change. The Bacchae runs at the Curtain Theater from Nov. 7 to 16 — get tickets today! *** More about the Department of Theater: umass.edu/theater To purchase tickets, call 1-800-999-UMAS or visit the Fine Arts Center Box Office online. $15 single tickets; $5 single tickets for students/seniors Greenfield Community College present FUDDY MEERS by David Lindsay-Abaire, Directed by Tom Geha Nov 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 at 7:30pm, Nov 10 at 2pm matinee Greenfield Community College, Sloan Theater, One College Drive, Greenfield MA “Dark, sweet and thoroughly engaging comedy… the production is willfully silly and grotesque, yet there’s a cool, satisfying strategy in its piecing together of its jigsaw puzzle of a plot.” — The New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Lindsay-Abaire traces one woman’s attempt to regain her memory while surrounded by a curio-cabinet of alarmingly bizarre characters, including her chipper husband, her so-called-brother, a dimwitted thug with a foul-mouthed hand puppet, and her perpetually stoned son. It’s one harrowing and hilarious turn after another on this rollercoaster ride through the day of an amnesiac trying to decipher her fractured life. Tickets. AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Auditions for LAS 5 MUJERES DE CAGUAX Fri 11.1.19 4PM-7PM Sat 11.2.19 9AM-12PM 380 Dwight St | Holyoke, MA CASTING ROLES Puerto Rican women preferred/Latinas welcome Abuelita - Female - Playing age of 60 to 70 Abuela - Female - Playing age of 70 to 80 Mami - Female - Playing age of 40 to 50 Titi - Female - Playing age of 40 to 50 Hija - Female - Playing age of 20 to 25 Performance will be predominantly in English with frequent Spanglish lines Must be available to rehearse for at least 4 days from Nov 14-17th or Nov 21-24th. Performance dates December 7th, December 14th and February 22nd in Western Mass. Additional rehearsals TBA. ABOUT RECLAIMPR INITIATIVE Reclaim Puerto Rico is supporting entrepreneurship across the island by awarding mini-grants that empower the Puerto Rican community. Tickets sales will go towards supporting this initiative. Smith College Department of Theatre Auditions for Peter and the Starcatcher A play by Rick Elice, based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson; directed by Cathy Kennedy ‘20 A young orphan and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They know nothing of the mysterious trunk in the captain’s cabin, which contains a precious, otherworldly cargo. At sea, the boys are discovered by a precocious young girl named Molly, a Starcatcher-in-training who realizes that the trunk’s precious cargo is starstuff, a celestial substance so powerful that it must never fall into the wrong hands. When the ship is taken over by pirates – led by the fearsome Black Stache, a villain determined to claim the trunk and its treasure for his own – the journey quickly becomes a thrilling adventure. Auditions Sunday, November 3, 7–9 p.m., Acting Studio 1 Monday, November 4, 7–9 p.m., Acting Studio 1 Callbacks on Wednesday, November 6, 7–9 p.m., Acting Studio 1 Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts, Smith College Performances February 28, 29, March 5, 6, 7 at 7:30 p.m., Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre, Mendenhall Center Casting Breakdown 9 Actors (looking for actor-musicians as well to play piano and strings) Audition Prep Sides will be provided from the script. No monologues or appointments necessary. Contact/Questions Production Manager, Nikki Beck, ncbeck@smith.edu or ext. 3222 Scripts Perusal scripts available in Josten Library, Mendenhall Center, Smith College Exit Seven Players Ltd. presents Auditions: Noises Off! November 4, 5 Exit 7 Theater, 37 Chestnut Street, Ludlow, MA 01056 Exit 7 will be holding auditions for its February play, NOISES OFF on Monday, November 4 and Tuesday, November 5 from 7-10pm. Those auditioning must be at least 18 years of age, no exceptions.  Performances will be February 14, 15, 21, 22 at 8pm and February 16, 23 at 2pm Directed by: Bruce Torrey Produced by: Chris Climo and Jami Wilson Full audition information, including character descriptions, may be found here. Synopsis: Michael Frayn's Noises Off takes a fond look at the follies of theatre folk, whose susceptibility to out-of-control egos, memory loss, and passionate affairs turn every performance into a high-risk adventure. This play-within-a-play captures a touring theatre troupe’s production of Nothing On in three stages: dress rehearsal, the opening performance, and a performance towards the end of a debilitating run. Frayne gives us a window into the inner workings of theatre behind the scenes, progressing from flubbed lines and missed cues in the dress rehearsal to mounting friction between cast members in the final performance. Brimming with slapstick comedy, Noises Off is a delightful backstage farce, complete with slamming doors, falling trousers, and -- of course -- flying sardines! Auditions for MISS YOU LIKE HELL Auditions November 4 6:30 - 9:00 PM Callbacks November 5 at 6:30 PM Academy of Music Theatre, Northampton The Academy of Music Theatre Announces Auditions for the musical Miss You Like Hell, book and lyrics by Quira Alegria Hudes, and music and lyrics by Erin McKeown. Performances on March 27 & 28, 2020 at the Academy of Music Theatre, 274 Main Street, Northampton, MA. All auditions and call backs to be held at the Academy of Music Theatre. You do not need to make an appointment to attend. Please see audition dates and times below.  Prepare a song of approximately 36 bars, a cappella or with backtrack. Auditions will include sides and dance and movement. Callbacks will be held November 5 from 6:30-9pm. ROLE INFORMATION: 3 female and 3 male featured roles. Olivia: half-Latina, sixteen Beatriz: Mexican-American, late thirties to early forties Pearl: African-American, sixteen Mo: Southern, in retirement Higgins: also Southern, also in retirement Manuel: Peruvian, a day laborer, thirties to fifties Ensemble of singers who step into the story as a lawyer, an officer, a legal clerk, a guy at a motel desk, an ICE official: any gender For questions, please email Executive Director Debra J’Anthony at djanthony@aomtheatre.com. Exit Seven Players Ltd. presents Auditions: The Who's Tommy November 10, 12, 17 Exit 7 Theater, 37 Chestnut Street, Ludlow, MA 01056 Based on the iconic 1969 rock concept album, The Who's Tommy is an exhilarating story of hope, healing and the human spirit. The story of the pinball-playing, “deaf, dumb and blind boy” who triumphs over his adversities has inspired, amazed and puzzled audiences for more than 50 years. This five-time Tony Award-winning musical was translated to the stage by theatrical wizard, Des McAnuff, and is a high-energy, one-of-a-kind theatrical event. Directed by Michael O. Budnick Music and Sound Supervised by George Garber Jr. Choreography by Janeen Connor Instrumental Accompaniment by Cadre Prime Produced by Adam Malmborg and Drew Gilbert Full audition information, including character descriptions, vocal selections and other information may be found athttp://www.exit7players.org/auditions/the-whos-tommy-auditions/ Audition Dates November 10 3-5pm: All adults and teens, vocal and dance, principals, supporting principals and ensemble, followed by 5-6:30pm: Adult/teen principals/supporting principals, vocal and acting OR November 12 6-8pm: All adults and teens, vocal and dance, principals, supporting principals and ensemble, followed by 8-9:30pm: Adult/teen principals, supporting principals, vocal and acting Adult/Teen auditionees will not need to attend both dates.  ALSO: November 17 3-5pm: All children followed by principal callbacks by appointment 5-7pm (if necessary.) Children will be called in the order of arrival and may leave after their audition. Please try to arrive at least 10 minutes before start time. Not all auditionees will need to stay for the entire session. To make auditions run more smoothly please fill out the audition form (attached) in advance and bring it with you. Also, please bring a current headshot, if you have one. Rehearsal and Production Dates Rehearsals are scheduled to start in late January on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoon or evenings (depending on other show schedules) in Ludlow, MA. Not all actors may be required for all rehearsals. There may be some meetings with principals prior to rehearsal start.   Tech week starts April 19 and actors must be available all week in the evenings. Performances are April 24-26, May 1-3, 8-10 at 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2pm on Sundays. More Information. Hatfield Public Schools seeks an Assistant Director for the upcoming spring musical production in April 2020. The position involves working with the director, music director, and co-producers to ensure completion of a successful musical performance and provide a positive, engaging experience for students in grades 5-12. It may include a combination of blocking, scene work, choreography, and liaising with producers regarding logistics, sets, props, costumes, lighting, sound and more. The successful candidate should have experience working with students in this age range, a theater background, and be able to provide their own transportation. Rehearsals are held on Saturday afternoons from February through mid-April. Tech rehearsals are on April 20, 21, and 22. The show dates are the evenings of April 23 & 24 and the afternoon of April 25. The candidate should plan to attend most rehearsals, although the schedule will offer some flexibility (with the exception of show dates, when availability is required). There is a stipend of $500, with the possibility of additional compensation based on experience and skills. To apply, please email a statement of interest to hatfieldpsmusical@gmail.com. Priority application deadline is Friday, October 18, 2019. Information here. The Play Reading Co-op is currently seeking submissions of full length plays from New England writers for a monthly, ongoing reading series. The mission of the co-op is simply for local theater makers to have a chance to get in a room together to work on high quality material for our own learning, enjoyment, and camaraderie. It's also a great way to learn about new works and writers. The reading is intended to be informal and without an audience other than other co-op “members” and potentially a friend or colleague(s) of the writer. If the writer is looking for a discussion or feedback afterward, we are happy to make space for that as well. We are ideally looking for plays with at least 2 female identifying roles.  http://www.rachelfhirsch.com/play-reading-co-op Seeking FOUR African-American actors: TWO women: (18-30), (40-60). TWO men: (18-30), (35-50) for Dominque Morriseau's SKELETON CREW.  Northampton Center for the Arts: May 14-17, 2020.  Actors will be paid.  For information and scripts contact Robert Freedman. 413-531-4164 - rpf1012@comcast.net WORKSHOPS & CLASSES TheatreTruck presents The Mother/Artist Summit October 26 at 9:00 AM 33 Hawley St., Northampton MA The Mother/Artist Summit : A community of mother/artists will summit in an act of creative, generative conversation on topics of motherhoods' impact on their personal and artistic journeys.  Presented by TheatreTruck, the Pioneer Valley’s mother-powered, woman-owned producing collaborative, The Mother/Artist Summit aims to create an empowering space for women/people who are mothering while working in the performing arts in Western Massachusetts and regionally.  Join us for a day of celebration and conversations for change. Thanks to a generous match-grant from the Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL), childcare will be provided for young children of participants.  Drawing from lived experience and personal narrative, the Summit aims to hold an empowering space to connect mothers, raise visibility and participate in (inter)national conversations about family-supportive policy in the performing arts.  We will explore the culture of the performing arts locally and nationally through the lense of working intersectional motherhood and use our experience to envision a more inclusive, supportive workplace.  We invite you to gather with us and tell your stories. We will weave connections, build community, and investigate how motherhood is impacting the working artists in our community and in our industry.  The Mother/Artist Summit: Conversations for Change October 26, 2019, 33 Hawley St, 9-2pm. $25 including lunch Bring your stories! Register. Real Live Theatre presents Foundational Acting Techniques Workshop October 28 at 6:30 PM Real Live Theatre This four-week workshop series taught by RLT members Toby Vera Bercovici & Jeannine Haas will explore the use of the body, voice, emotion, and intellect to create theatrical moments. It is designed both for actors and non-actors, and will encourage creative agency, risk-taking, choice-making, and a new perspective on oneself, both alone and in relationship to others. It will utilize techniques from improvisation and clown, as well as from practitioners Konstantin Stanislavski, Anne Bogart, Michael Chekhov, and others. This workshop series is most powerful when all four parts are taken, but each part can be taken individually - sign up for one, two, three, or all four dates!  Mondays in October, 6:30pm-9:30pm. Cost is $100 per class. Payment plans & scholarships available. Email reallivetheatre@gmail.com for more info and to register. More information. Phantom Sheep Productions in association with Unity House Players LaughCrafters: Comedy Improv Class Fall Session Mondays for 6 weeks starting November 4 Unitarian Universalist Society of Greater Springfield, 245 Porter Lake Drive, Springfield, MA Western MA’s own professional comedy troupe “Phantom Sheep Productions” is proud to be offering a weekly “LaughCrafters: Comedy Improv” class at UUSGS for ages 15-adult starting Nov 4th .  This is a great creative outlet to boost confidence in stage presence, sharpen quick thinking, collaborate with others, and of course laugh! All levels are welcome and challenged at their own pace.  We invite you to get a taste of the program with a free improv jam workshop on Oct. 21st 7-9PM.  More information can be found at fb.com/phntmsheep. Facebook event. Piti Theatre Company presents Valley Playwright Mentoring (VPM) is an afterschool theatre program for teens ages 13 and up. No previous theatre experience is required!  Open to the public! Starts Tuesday, Nov. 5 Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Franklin County 16 Court Square, Greenfield (above the Second Congregational Church) The production is for young people with stories to tell and things to share. Participants will create a performance based on stories from their lives that will be performed at a local high school and for the public. Teens who complete the program will receive a stipend. Space is limited to 12 participants per group. Happier Valley Comedy presents Zen of Improv 1 November 13 at 5:00 PM Repeats weekly until January 22nd Happier Valley Comedy Theater, 1 Mill Rd, Hadley, MA Would you like to play and laugh in a supportive community every week? Do you want to get better at thinking on your feet? Could you use some practice in mindfulness? turning off your judgmental mind? being brave? Would you like to become more confident speaking in public? Curious about how this whole improv comedy thing works? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, Zen of Improv 1 would be an ever so lovely way to spend some time every week. Happier Valley Comedy's Founder and Head of Happiness Pam Victor offers this weekly for adults who want to try something fun, rewarding, and, quite possibly, mind-expanding. You'll learn a very gentle, very easy, patient approach to improv comedy in an incredibly positive and accepting atmosphere that will get you up on your feet and out of your head. Through improv exercises,  games, and scenework, you'll practice the vital improvisation skills of paying attention acutely, accepting other peoples ideas, redefining and disempowering failure, staying in the moment, quieting your critical voice to invite more joy and ease into your work, and much more. More info. 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 CitySpace Cold Spring Community Theatre Drama Studio Double Edge Theatre Eggtooth Productions Exit 7 Players Franklin County Youth Theater 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 Northampton Community Arts Trust Northampton Playwrights Lab PaintBox Theatre Panopera Pauline Productions Real Live Theatre Red Thread Theater Royal Frog Ballet Serious Play Theatre Ensemble Shakespeare Stage Shea Theater Arts Center 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 Want to know even more about events in the Pioneer Valley and beyond, including reviews, interviews, and previews? Pioneer Valley Theatre Google Calendar In the Spotlight, Inc. Berkshire on Stage Stagestruck ArtsBeat Radio and News Column 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|*