Pioneer Valley Theatre News November 11, 2021

*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*

Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser November 11 - December 1, 2021 This week: Silverthorne presents a reading of Ellen Kaplan's Someone is Sure to Come, catch Don't Dress for Dinner at the Majestic, it's the final weekend to catch VLO's Pirates of Penzance at the Academy of Music and the opening weekend of Cabaret presented by K & E Theater Group. And a few other gems below as well. Read about a few of them in Chris Rohmann's column this week.  The next issue will include events from November 18 - December 8. 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. Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Google Calendar Click to Access: Pioneer Valley Theatre Personnel Spreadsheet THIS WEEK IN THEATRE NEWS: from American Theatre Broadway May Be Back, But Who Is It For? by Kelundra Smith From the article:  When will Broadway return? This question loomed over theatre workers and fans alike for more than a year. As the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted inequities in systems beyond healthcare, and Black Lives Matter demonstrations sprang up around the world, it became clear that business as usual would no longer do. What many assumed would be a six-week hiatus turned into an 18-month pause for reflection and redirection. In the last decade, by my count, there have only been 20 shows produced on Broadway written by Black writers. During this season and the 2022-23 season, there are slated to be at least 12. What a difference a year makes.  Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com LIVE PERFORMANCES Someone is Sure to Come by Ellen W. Kaplan directed by Hilary Dennis November 11, 2021 7:30 p.m. The LAVA Center 324 Main Street, Greenfield, MA A play by Ellen W. Kaplan and incarcerated men and women across the U.S.  Monologues and poetry written by people currently on Death Row or serving Life Without Parole, many of whom have been in solitary confinement for decades. Their words are woven into a lyrical play that looks at life ‘inside’ and ‘out.’ Fantasy, humor and poetry combine to create a kaleidoscopic vision of serving hard time, and to question the responsibility we have when society imprisons people and ‘throws away the key.’ https://silverthornetheater.org/event/someone-is-sure-to-come/ DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER AT THE MAJESTIC THEATER NOVEMBER 11 – DECEMBER 5   The second show of the Majestic’s 24th Season opens this Thursday.  Don’t Dress for Dinner, a madcap French farce written by Marc Camoletti (who wrote Boeing Boeing, a recent Majestic production) runs through December 5.   The comedy is set in renovated French farmhouse two hours from Paris.  Bernard is hoping to send his wife Jacqueline off to her mother’s place for the weekend so that he can romance his mistress Suzanne, a Parisian model. He’s also hired a Cordon Bleu cook, Suzette, as an alibi, and he’s invited his friend Robert to dinner. Jacqueline, though, is becoming suspicious, and in a phone conversation with Robert it’s revealed that they, too, are also having an affair. Suzette, the caterer, arrives, and Robert introduces her as his mistress. Bernard is furious because of the mix-up, and Jacqueline feels betrayed because she thought she was Robert’s only mistress. Suzette is convinced, for a little extra money, to go along with the deception — but then Suzanne arrives and she now has to pretend she’s the cook!   The cast includes Jack Grigoli (Bernard), Scott Renzoni (Robert), Bethany Fitzgerald (Jaqueline), Elizabeth Pietrangelo (Suzette), Alexandra O’Halloran (Suzanne) and Shaun O’Keefe (George).  Danny Eaton is producing director, Stephen Petit is the director/production manager and Greg Trochlil is set designer.  Costume designer is Dawn McKay, stage manager/associate producing director is Sue Dziura, and Dan Rist is lighting designer.   In accordance with regulations from the Actors' Equity Association, an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance, the Majestic Theater requires all attendees to wear masks at all times (except when eating and drinking), to be fully vaccinated against COVID, and to present their vaccination card (or a photo of it on their cell phone) upon arrival.  At this time, no food or drink may be brought into the theater, and needs to be consumed in the Majestic Café. Tickets range in price from $31 - $37 per show, and are available for sale at the box office in person Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm, Saturday 10am – 1pm; or on the phone at (413) 747-7797.  Pirates of Penzance plays the first 2 weekends in November at the Academy of Music, Northampton.  One of the most-loved of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas and subtitled, “The Slave of Duty,” it tells a story about Frederic, who, on turning 21, is released from his apprenticeship indentures with a band of tender-hearted pirates. Frederic aims to live blamelessly henceforth and falls in love with Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley. Of course, an obstacle to love appears when Frederic learns that he was born on February 29 — in a leap year — so, technically, he has a birthday only once every four years. Since his indentures specify that he remain apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday, not his 21st year, he must serve the pirates for another 63 years. Mabel agrees to wait for him, and then a hidden truth revealed by Ruth brings all to a happy conclusion.     Pirates of Penzance will be performed at the Academy of Music in Northampton on November 6, 12, and 13 at 8:00 p.m. and on November 7 and 14 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale at aomtheatre.org. In typical VLO style, all audience members can expect wonderful music, costumes, sets, and dancing! K and E Theater Group Presents CABARET   Leave your troubles outside – life is beautiful at Cabaret!  John Kander, Fred Ebb and Joe Masteroff’s Tony®-winning musical is about following your heart while the world loses its way. K and E Theater Group will continue its supersized season with the timeless “masterpiece of musical theatre” (Chicago Tribune) Cabaret onstage, live at Northampton Center for the Arts, 33 Hawley Street, in Northampton, November 12-14 and 18-20, 2021.   In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920's draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the cabaret. With the Emcee's bawdy songs as wry commentary, Cabaret explores the dark, heady, and tumultuous life of Berlin's natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Cliff, a young American writer newly arrived in Berlin, is immediately taken with English singer Sally Bowles. Meanwhile, Fräulein Schneider, proprietor of Cliff and Sally's boarding house, tentatively begins a romance with Herr Schultz, a mild-mannered fruit seller who happens to be Jewish. Cabaret has some of the most memorable songs in theatre history, including “Cabaret,” “Willkommen” and “Maybe This Time.”   K and E Theater Group's production of Cabaret features Eddie Zitka as the Emcee and Myka Plunkett as Sally Bowles, Christopher Marcus as Clifford Bradshaw, Becca Greene-Van Horn as Fraulein Schneider, Gene Choquette as Herr Schultz, Jay Torres as Ernst Ludwig, and Carina Savoie as Fraulein Kost. Cabaret also features Brenden Bartlett, David Cavallin, Kelsey Collis, Natasha Ellis, Dominique Libera, Hannah McCluskey, Andre Ruiz, Beth Siegling, David Webber, and Jami Wilson.    Bill Martin is the Musical Director leading a band of eight musicians. Chris Webber serves as Stage Manager. K and E Theater Group Artistic Director Eddie Zitka is the Director and Choreographer.   Tickets are general admission for $27.00. There is no reserved seating. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit KETG.org/cabaret.   * This production includes strong sexual content, smoking, and depictions of violence. Strobe lighting will be used. Parental guidance is suggested. ** Proof of vaccination and face coverings that cover the nose and mouth will be required for entrance and while seated at the Northampton Center for the Arts. UMass Theater's presents Dance Nation, a play about dance, ambition, and growing up Dance Nation  by Clare Barron Directed by Dawn Monique Williams '11G Nov. 12, 13, 18, 19 at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at 2 p.m.  The Rand Theater, Bromery Center for the Arts (formerly the Fine Arts Center), UMass Tickets sold through the Fine Arts Center Box Office and  at the door. Prices: $15 general admission, $5 youth, students, and seniors   Being thirteen feels like being between two worlds: playing with toys on the one hand, and burning up in the heat of a first crush on the other. In Clare Barron's Dance Nation, competitive dance becomes a backdrop and a metaphor for the internal complexities and contradictions of young teenager-hood. "What I love about the play is its honesty; it exposes the complexity and vulnerability of girlhood. The humor is an added bonus," said Dawn Monique Williams '11G, who is Associate Artistic Director of Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley, CA, and whom we are thrilled to welcome back to campus to direct this production.  The story centers on a dance troupe, their coach, and their parents, as they gear up to present their newest number. The dancers, an ensemble of different races, ethnicities, body types, and gender presentations, navigate conflict, negotiate the demands of their own ambitions and confront the challenges of growing up. "It's shockingly and darkly funny, touching and vulnerable, and so lovely," said production dramaturg Bianca Dillard, a student in our MFA program.  Meanwhile, the casting adds a layer of meaning, as none of the actors playing the dancers are actually 13, but are all in fact well past pubescence. "The actors' older bodies are haunting these thirteen-year-old characters," Dillard said — and vice versa — making this a sort of ghost play, in Barron's terms. The result is a play that, like its subjects, is by turns compelling, hilarious, ferocious, and touching — and a must-see event. This is a dance party you won't want to miss. Get your tickets today! Content Advisory: Gore, coarse language, depictions of self-harm, simulated masturbation and descriptions of masturbation, sex and sexual violence Ja'Duke Theater presents All Together Now! November 13 at 6:00 PM and November 14 at 2:00 PM Ja'Duke Theater Join us for a night of community and live theater! This review show is sure to be a night to remember. We will make our way through Broadway favorites as we raise money for the Children's Advocacy Center. This event will feature many special guests from our beautiful community and is underwritten by Greenfield Savings Bank. Ticket Prices General Admission (Adult) - $15 Children (12 and under) - $12 Senior Citizen (65 and over) - $12 All Star (General + Donation) - $25 https://www.jaduketheater.com/ Black Cat Theater presents Play On! South Hadley High School, 153 Newton St, South Hadley, MA 01075 November 18, 2021 @ 7pm; November 19, 2021 @ 7pm; November 20, 2021 @ 7pm; November 21, 2021 @2pm. Produced by Black Cat Theater, Inc., Play On! by Rick Abbot is the hilarious story of one plucky community theatre group trying desperately to put on a play in spite of maddening interference from a haughty author who keeps revising the script. Act I is a rehearsal of the dreadful show, Act II is the near disastrous dress rehearsal, and the final act is the actual performance, in which anything that can go wrong, does. Play On! is a hilarious love letter to community theatre. https://fb.me/e/47Gbelvdg Note for Attendees: Masks will be required while inside South Hadley High School and throughout the performance. If you have any questions regarding Black Cat Theater's Covid-19 safety precautions, please contact blackcattheater@gmail.com or 413-351-9411. Testimonies by Ellen W. Kaplan directed by Hilary Dennis November 18, 2021 7:30 p.m. The LAVA Center 324, Main Street, Greenfield, MA Testimonies is based on interviews with Ezidi (Yezidi) women in camps in Northern Iraq, in 2019. The Ezidi are a Kurdish-speaking religious minority who trace their roots back to ancient Mesopotamia. They practice a pre-Islamic religion, that draws inspiration from Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Traditionally, Ezidi are farmers and shepherds, but in the mid-seventies Saddam Husain had Ezidi villages destroyed and their inhabitants transferred to collective settlements. In August 2014, the Ezidi (Yezidi) people were subjected to genocide: thousands were massacred, kidnapped, enslaved, raped and tortured by the Islamic State (ISIS).  https://silverthornetheater.org/event/testimonies/ VIRTUAL PERFORMANCES From the New England New Play Alliance Virtual Theatre   Jakespeare Virtual Theatre Company presents Down the Park by Greg Hovanesian November 12-14 directed by Jake Lewis Donny sits on a park bench, waiting for his friend to show up. There he meets Miriam, who may have recently returned to the city but has never felt more outside of it. Together, the two share their personal stories of loss in the hopes of finding a way to heal. Tickets: free. Depot for New Play Readings presents a reading of Sons of Liberty by Cris Eli Blak November 14 directed by Anne Flammang In 2005, on the porch of a small country house in America’s Dixieland, we meet the Bradley Brothers: George, a haunted soldier, injured in combat, and his brother, Barry, an ambitious worker at a less-than-impressive job. When an old friend from George’s past arrives and Barry brings home a mysterious woman, the men are forced to confront issues of family and of brotherhood in this moving story that considers what it means to be Black in America, what it means to be a veteran in America, and what it means to struggle with addiction and mental illness in America. Tickets: free. AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES LAVA Arts Center The Bridge of Her Nose December 12 at 1:00 PM, December 19, 5-7 PM Greenfield, MA Mature teens and adults are warmly invited to audition for a play about Israel/Palestine to be staged as three dramatic readings the evening of February 26 and the afternoon and evening of February 27 at the LAVA Art Center in Greenfield. Collaborating with LAVA and area theater artists, Temple Israel Greenfield will present a play in two parts, one a work of fiction, the other drawn from the transcripts of Compassionate Listening sessions conducted in the West Bank and Israel. We aim to increase understanding and empathy, and promote positive dialogue about the Middle East while considering our own urgent need for effective communication here at home. Performances will be followed by facilitated conversation with the audience. People of all backgrounds, communities and identities urged to audition as we strive to create a multicultural, multigenerational ensemble cast. Assistant or Associate Professor of Acting  The Department of Theatre at Smith College invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, to begin July, 2022. Teaching responsibilities for this position will regularly include beginning acting courses and a range of other acting classes, as well as directing students in one theatre production annually. Other courses may be taught depending upon the candidate’s field of specialization. The course load is 2/2, and directing a student production counts as a course. Candidates should have a strong foundation in Black, Indigenous, or Latinx theatre; college teaching experience; and significant professional acting experience. Candidates should have a demonstrated commitment to developing an inclusive approach to teaching a diverse student body, and to the role of theatre in a liberal arts education. M.F.A. in acting or a relevant field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, is expected by the time of appointment. Candidates from groups underrepresented in theatre are encouraged to apply. Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is the largest women’s college in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars and artists interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. Smith College offers opportunities to foster faculty success at every career stage, such as those listed here: https://www.smith.edu/about-smith/provost/faculty-development. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges. Details about the Department of Theatre may be found at https://www.smith.edu/academics/theatre.  Submit application at https://apply.interfolio.com/95269 with a cover letter, curriculum vitae, diversity/inclusion statement, sample syllabus, links to any acting sample and/or reviews of acting work, and three confidential letters of recommendation. Finalists may be asked for additional materials. Review of applications will begin on October 31.  Diversity and a culture of equity and inclusion among students, staff, faculty, and administration are crucial to the mission and values of Smith College. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or veteran status in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, and the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by all applicable laws and regulations. Women, historically underrepresented minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.  CASTING UNTITLED ANNIE BAKER FILM Written and directed by Annie Baker, originally from Amherst, Massachusetts, and Pulitzer-Prize-winning playwright of The Flick. Produced by Dan Janvey - Academy-Award-winning producer of Nomadland and Beasts of the Southern Wild - and BBC Films. The film follows 11 year old Lacy, her mother Janet, and the three people who come into their lives over one summer in 1991. CASTING LACY - 8-12 years old, any ethnicity. She is herself. Curious, observant, straightforward. Solid in her uniqueness, lives in her imagination. Odd birds welcome. PIANO TEACHER - female piano teacher, 50-75 years old, any ethnicity. She teaches the Suzuki method to the main character, Lacy (8-12 years old). ALSO SEEKING EXTRAS of all ages! Acting experience is not necessary. FILMING BEGINS SUMMER 2022 in Western Massachusetts. Casting directors Eléonore Hendricks and Abby Harri are teaming up for their third film together in search of the young lead for Untitled Annie Baker Film. They specialize in street casting, finding non-professional actors, and discovering new talent. TO APPLY / CONTACT For more information and/or if you’re interested in you or your child being considered for the film, please apply at: untitledanniebakerfilm.com password: Lacy For any questions, contact Eléonore and Abby at: anniebakerfilmcasting@gmail.com WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Apply Now to the Completely Ridiculous Conservatory! Winter Session January 10th - March 5th, 2022 Spring Session April 4th - May 28th, 2022 Starting in January, and then again in April, a dynamic ensemble of Completely Ridiculous students will have the opportunity to engage in globally minded professional actor training, all from the comfort of home! The CRC is a one of a kind program, in that it was built entirely for Zoom, AND each faculty member not only has extensive training in their individual discipline of actor training, but also a strong foundation in the world of clown, games, play, and physical acting - having all trained with Master Clown and Commedia Teacher Christopher Bayes at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, and/or The Pandemonium Studio. At the end of the 8 weeks, Completely Ridiculous students will walk away with: •A greater sense of direction, as well as concrete and actionable next steps for each individuals career. •A more enthusiastic and curious body. •A larger capacity to dream and dream big. •A greater comfort with spontaneity, freedom and play. Students will also gain a deeper understanding of who they are as unique, individual artists and what they bring to an ensemble, as well as a whole new set of skills and professional contacts to apply to their career and/or ongoing education. Don’t miss your chance to work with our ever expanding community of international artists and apply today! Click the link below for all of the info and COME PLAY! Apply Now! Submit your workshop, class, audition, performance, or any other theatre opportunity here! Pioneer Valley Theatre Companies Academy of Music Theatre Amherst Community Theater Arena Civic Theatre A.C.T. Youth 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 Ghost Light Theater Greenfield Community College's Theater Department Hampshire Shakespeare Company Happier Valley Comedy Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center Ja'Duke Center for the Performing Arts K and E Theater Group Ko Theater Works/Ko Festival of Performance Majestic Theater Mount Holyoke College Rooke Theatre No Theater Northampton Community Arts Trust Northampton Playwrights Lab PaintBox Theatre Panopera Pauline Productions Performance Project Phantom Sheep Players Play Incubation Collective 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 Unity House Players Valley Light Opera Ware Community Theatre 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 TV/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|*