Pioneer Valley Theatre News April 23, 2020

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser April 23 - May 13, 2020 Hope you are all doing well - physically, emotionally, mentally... be kind to yourself. Get some rest if you can. As every other email you are getting now says - this is an unprecedented time for most of us.  The next issue will include events through May 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 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 The Power of Transcripts by Lee Sunday Evans From the article:  In July 2019, I sat down with a few people at the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School to discuss the possibility of bringing a performance of The Courtroom: a re-enactment of one woman’s deportation proceedings—a production by the New York City–based theatre company Waterwell, where I’m artistic director—to their campus. Fast forward thirty minutes and Elora Mukherjee—the director of the clinic, an immigration lawyer and professor—had our attention focused in a different direction. 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 COVID-19 RESOURCES Happier Valley Comedy LIVE! Every night except Sundays at 8pm until we can open our theater again! Safety of your own home! (YouTube Live Stream) Come to our virtual theater! Each night, Pam and Scott will check in about their day, share how they're staying healthy and happy through all this social isolation, and then improvise for you, sometimes joined by surprise guests! We can also talk with you through the chat box, so come hang out, give suggestions, and join the fun! It's our way of opening our theater each night to bring people together through laughter and community. YouTube Channel Valley Voices Story Slam, a collaboration  between Academy of Music Theatre and New England Public Radio,  presents Around the Dinner Table, a new digital storytelling series! How it Works? Pioneer Valley storytellers will share six stories over six nights in video format, beginning Monday, April 20th, and we will wrap it all up with a digital voting poll. Where to Watch and Vote? Starting on Monday, April 20, storyteller videos will be posted on BOTH the Academy of Music Theatre and New England Public Radio Facebook Pages at 6PM (EST) for six nights. On Sunday, April 26 the digital voting poll will be posted on the Facebook pages (AOM & NEPR) and sent out via email to our list. Come, sit, listen and connect! So many free online theatre streaming listings here. National Theatre Live YouTube Channel This week's offering is Twelfth Night. Streaming will begin Thursday at 2 PM EST.  Western-Mass Low Income Freelancer Relief CLICK HERE TO DONATE CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR WESTERN-MASS LOW-INCOME ARTIST/FREELANCER RELIEF FUND APPLICATION LINK New musicals available streaming on YouTube every Friday for 48 hours! The IOTF: The International Online Theatre Festival is back! Join us from 15 April to 15 May in celebrating theatre-making from across the world. Wherever you are, you will be able to see a range of work from global artists and companies, as well renowned filmmakers who have turned to theatre as a mode through which to explore process, craftsmanship and performativity. This year’s festival features 25 productions from leading international companies including Reckless Sleepers, TR Warszawa, Stanislavsky Electrotheatre and the Schaubühne. Details here. In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Playwrights’ Center is taking action to connect people with their communities and create income streams for theater artists who are out of work. We're pleased to announce an entirely new, online Spring 2020 Season. This spring, Playwrights' Center will feature regular weekly programming of new play readings; seminars, classes, and workshops taught by playwrights; two weekly feature articles written by playwrights; open conversations and panels with playwrights and theater practitioners; Member Open Play events, where writers read each other's plays aloud and respond with constructive feedback; New Plays On Campus sessions for educators and students interested in playwriting; Writing Room Lunch Breaks where playwrights can come together to work; and open office hours with Playwrights’ Center Artistic and Membership staff, giving people a chance to connect, ask questions, and discuss best practices. The schedule and links to events from UMass Arts Extension Services   New Funding Resources Available Remember weeks ago when events hadn’t been canceled or postponed worldwide? Your arts program may have been at the top of your to-do list however today, we are all searching for new ways to keep our arts organizations afloat during this time of uncertainty. We are here for you!  Arts Extension Service has put together a list of resources that includes funding and grant opportunities for artists and arts organizations. In this rapidly changing landscape, check in often, as we update this list daily.  If you are delving into the grant writing process for the first time or feel you need to refresh your skills, check out the Arts Extension Service's online Grantwriting for the Arts course offered this summer!  Class starts July 6, and registration is now open! from A.P.E. (full newsletter) Stay Engaged: Links to news and arts The Forgotten Art of Assembly by Nicholas Berger ON AIR: Dramatists Play Service 12 Places to Watch Dance Online   by Siobhan Burke Open Streaming during Lockdown:  Watch RAIN by Anna Teresa De Keersmaeker Dear Diary, The World is Burning New Yorker Five thinkers weigh moral choices in a crisis. New York Times Magazine Why COVID-19 Might Be Our Chance to Reimagine the Arts Frieze Links from last few weeks: More excellent resources for freelance artists This article has links to great free online trainings for theatre technology More Digital Arts and Culture Resources List of Arts Resources During the COVID-19 Outbreak Stay At Home Fest: Online Entertainment Calendar Join the New Performing Artists Network, created by Seth Lepore UMass Arts Extension Services List of Resources Live Puppet Theatre Online - from the Jim Henson Foundation Even More Things to Stream While Broadway Is Shut Down AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Belchertown Cultural Council presents Sing to Mama Audition Performers of all ages are invited to participate in Belchertown Cultural Council's live stream cabaret "Sing to Mama!" We'll be live-streaming pre-recorded videos on YouTube (to take advantage of their existing negotiated licensing rights) on Saturday, May 9th at 1pm. It's Mother's Day that weekend so the theme is "Sing to Mama," songs by, for, and about mothers/mother figures/motherhood. We are being VERY loose with the theme! To participate, those interested should email gretchen@gretchenduhaime.com with their song choice, and a short video of them singing (optional). Please send submissions by April 29 Hello, I am writing to share a new, quarantine-inspired idea and invite you to participate. The Center for the Arts will be producing four episodes of what we are calling “Hawley Street,” a cross between Sesame Street and an online variety show. We want to keep our artists and other community members connected, and are excited to give this a try for the next two months! Each 20-minutes episode (geared towards children and families but hopefully entertaining for all ages!) will incorporate performances, tutorials, dance parties, and more, and we hope you will join us by submitting content! Please email a high quality 2-5 minute video (smartphones are fine) filmed in landscape/horizontal mode of your original, arts-related content. The content must belong to you or not be copyrighted, but doesn’t have to be new. Some suggestions include: --performances (music, dance, spoken word, skits, puppets, etc) --storytelling --tutorials/instructional videos --jokes --magic tricks --mini-documentaries --animated shorts --stop motion --dance party (you/your family dancing to fun music in your house or yard - this will be edited together into a collective dance party sequence) --videos of you/your family laughing! --cute videos of your pets! Please send any contextual information (for explanation and credits) via email. We are accepting submissions throughout the month of April, but hope to get our first episode out by mid-month so please send videos soon! We are also welcoming music (mp3s or links to downloadable original music) to use for the crowd-sourced dance parties, background music, and transitional moments. "Hawley Street" will be available for free, but we hope people will consider making a donation to the Center. As a small nonprofit committed to serving our community, the Northampton Center for the Arts needs help so that we can continue to provide affordable space for artists, performers, and educators after this crisis is over. We will be inviting people to make a donation of any amount through our website or Venmo @Northampton-CenterForTheArts at the end of each episode. Please let us know if you have any questions, and we can’t wait to see and share your art! All the best, Kelly Virtual Pride Video Campaign - Call to Participate While the in-person annual Northampton Pride Parade and Festival has been canceled—Noho Pride will go on—virtually! Be part of Northampton Radio Group and Noho Pride’s Virtual Pride Parade—an exciting video project capturing the energy, artistry and enthusiasm of Noho Pride, and celebrating the only way we can this year—online, but together! The video will be streamed on Facebook on May 2nd, 2020. Be a part of it! A message from Amy Rist: Good afternoon my friends from area non-profit arts facilities (dance/music/acting is etc.). I am an experienced grant writer, primary investigator and researcher. I have helped non-profits successfully obtain grants up to 500K federal and state and can help anyone interested in obtaining a grant at this site below or many other funding opportunities. This includes other funding available for nonprofit arts organizations etc. Please message me if interested. I’m happy to forward you proof and examples of my work. I am also a political consultant and able to obtain local political support is wherever necessary. Grant and Political references available upon request.  EMERGENCY FUNDING AVAILABLE FROM MASS CULTURAL COUNCIL: ATTENTION MUSICIANS ACTORS DANCERS FACULTY ETC. https://artsake.massculturalcouncil.org/covid-19-funding-for-artists/ Please contact me at amymrist@gmail.com. Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts We understand the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting nonprofits in many ways, including increased demand for their services, lost revenue due to closures and cancellations, as well as other challenges. We are happy to announce the COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley. With local businesses partnering to help raise over $1 million, this fund will provide flexible resources to organizations that are working with communities at the intersection of being most vulnerable to the virus and most impacted by inequity. http://bit.ly/C19RFund Go to www.localaccess.org  Click on the link when it goes live tomorrow and enjoy! Or go to the Silverthorne or LAVA Center Facebook pages for the link. AND...  Get in touch with LAVA to reserve your spot for the next ONLINE OPEN MICs -- Tuesday nights: April 28   The Northampton Arts Council is now accepting performer applications for First Night Northampton 2021. On Thursday December 31, 2020 the Northampton Arts Council will present the 36th annual community New Year’s Eve celebration and festival of performing arts. 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. Proceeds from First Night Northampton will benefit local artists and community arts activities.  We look forward to receiving many proposals and to creating a diverse, exciting, family-friendly event. Complete and submit the application no later than August 31, 2020. Proposals are reviewed as they are received, so early applications are recommended. Please submit separate applications for each proposal. Proposals without support materials will not be reviewed. We will be notifying applicants at the end of September. To apply to perform at First Night Northampton please complete the online application which can be found here. Contact: Steve Sanderson, Events Producer, 413-587-1247, arts@northamptonma.gov Photo Credit: Steven E Nanton 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 WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Happier Valley Comedy presents Let's Get Happier! April 25 at 7:00 PM As the Head of Happiness of Happier Valley Comedy, happiness is literally Pam Victor's title and business. It's also her life practice. Yes, happiness is more than something that just magically lands on us. Happiness is a muscle we can build and develop. In this fun and informative personal empowerment remote interactive presentation, Pam shares immediately-applicable techniques and tips to make happiness a habit in your life. Using improv-based exercises and amusing stories, we actively experience, explore, and expand on the practices of happiness, gratitude, and play. By the end of our time together, you’ll create your own personalized happiness plan, get practice with a bunch of happiness-enhancing techniques, and make connections with like-minded folks through remote interactive activities and discussions. Join us to harness the power of happiness in this laughter- and skills-building interactive remote presentation. https://www.happiervalley.com/virtual-through-laughter.html 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 Completely Ridiculous Productions 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 Department of 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|*