Pioneer Valley Theatre News August 25, 2022

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser August 25 - September 14, 2022 Looking for some way to get your kids involved in theatre this fall? Take a look at the fall opportunities for 6-18 year olds at the Drama Studio. And now is the time to sign up to audition for Amherst Community Theater's January production of The Little Mermaid. There are a handful of jobs available - at the Academy of Music, the Majestic Theater, and it's now time to submit your application for First Night Northampton! The next issue will include events from September 1 - 21. 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 Join our theatre conservatory this fall for in-person classes. We offer acting programs for ages 6-18, where young people come to grow as artists, leaders, and individuals. For more information, visit www.dramastudio.org/drama-studio-classes Amherst Community Theater Auditions for The Little Mermaid September 9-11 Sign up here. 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 Howlround Intimacy and Equity: A Balancing Act by Ann James From the article:  The intimacy industry is under pressure. While many creatives and artistic leaders see the benefits of intimacy direction and coordination as specific care and technical support for actors, the industry itself has not yet created an equitable and inclusive training process for marginalized people. Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com PERFORMANCES New play reading series at The LAVA Center, featuring local playwrights and friends of LAVA Some Thursdays and Saturdays in August and September; see schedule below The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., Greenfield In August and September, The LAVA Center is presenting a series of new play readings by local playwrights and friends of LAVA. For many of these readings, actors are invited to perform in an unpaid cold reading of the play in a casual atmosphere. The schedule for the playwrights is as follows: Thursday, Aug. 25, 5:30 p.m.: Christine Benvenuto Thursday, Sept. 8, 5:30 p.m.: Alfonso Neal Actors are invited to jump in on cold readings on Thursday, Sept. 8. For more information, visit our website at https://localaccess.org.  Ja'Duke Theater "Proof" by David Auburn 8/26 at 7:00pm, 8/27 at 7:00pm, 8/28 at 2:00pm Ja'Duke Performing Arts Center, Industrial Blvd, Turners Falls MA "Proof" is a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning drama, written by David Auburn.  The show explores the grey area between genius and madness, through the relationships of the four characters. It's about loss, love, betrayal and family. Tickets Happier Valley Comedy The Happier Valley Championship August 27 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy's Next Door Lounge (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: your laughter! Fourth Saturday of every month at 7pm at the Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, on rte.9). Tickets: $13 online and at the door. More information. Catalyst 22 presents Mira and the Liminal Dimension August 27 at 7:00 PM and September 3 at 7:00 PM The LAVA Center, 324 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301 "I ask you, as we head into the abyss, the in-between place where we tell our story: What is the half-life of human thought and action on a space?" We invite you to join us for a premiere performance of our play, "Mira and the Liminal Dimension"! This is a collaboratively created show based on the concept of liminal space, and is our own modern mythical tale! The show is a one-act performance with no intermission. We will be performing at the LAVA Center in Greenfield! Directed by Kevin Van Develde Devising Company: Steph Reyes, Amanda Bowman, Kelly Tierney, Zee Shepherd, Angie Parker, and Biddy Remick. Facebook event Happier Valley Comedy The Understudies: An Improvised Musical September 3 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, MA) Be part of the fun as these brave improvisers and their trusty musician create an entire musical from scratch. First Saturday of every month 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. Tickets Happier Valley Comedy 2nd Saturdays Presents: Longform Improvisation September 10 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, MA) A cast of experienced improvisers dive into a variety of formats based on audience suggestions. Second Saturday of every month 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. Tickets Happier Valley Comedy HVC's Fun Fridays: Storytelling Standup Showcase September 16 at 5:30 PM Happier Valley Comedy's Next Door Lounge (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, MA) Watch Happier Valley Comedy talent try out their latest material, laugh together, raise a glass, and support up-and-coming standup comedians. Doors open at 5:30. Showcase starts at 7pm. Free! Tickets Happier Valley Comedy HVC Presents: Not In Charge! September 17 at 7:00 PM Happier Valley Comedy Theater (1 Mill Valley Rd, Hadley, MA) A cast of experienced improvisers dive into a variety of formats based on audience suggestions. Second Saturday of every month 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. Tickets Happier Valley Comedy The Happier Valley Championship September 24 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: your laughter! Fourth Saturday of every month 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. Tickets MIFA Victory Theatre Angela Davis, A History of the United States 9/30 at 7:30 PM, 10/1/22 at 7:30PM & 10/2/22 Matinee at 2PM Rooke Theater, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA 01075 MIFA Victory Theatre presents French theater company Compagnie L'Héliotrope in "Angela Davis, A History of the United States" The play, mixing narration, speeches, video, and rap music, tells the story of Angela Davis, American Black activist, professor and author, who faced a turbulent life during the civil rights movement of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Actress Astrid Bayiha alone on stage exudes rage at injustice and discrimination through the power of words and music with the help of musician-composer Balde AliMbaye. Don't miss Astrid Bayiha in Angela Davis' fierce journey! Face Masks Required Free parking at Gorse Lot, 27 Morgan St., South Hadley, MA. Show Dates/Times: Friday, September 30, 2022, at 7:30 pm - In French with English supertitles, FREE Student Performance (Student I.D. Required unless under age 13), Non-Student General Admission $20 Saturday, October 1, 2022, at  7:30 pm  - In English with French supertitles General Admission $20, Students $15 Sunday, October 2, 2022, at 2:00 pm Matinee - In English with French supertitles General Admission $20, Students $15 https://www.mifafestival.org/events AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES The Academy of Music Theatre, an 816-seat historic performing arts venue in the lovely New England college town of Northampton, Massachusetts, seeks a full-time Technical Director. Responsibilities include organizing all technical aspects of performances and supervision of union stage crews. Knowledge of sound, lighting, set installations and rigging systems plus excellent communication and organizational skills required. A qualified candidate will have a minimum of a BA or BFA in technical theatre or equivalent with professional experience. Applications must be received by August 29th.  Send résumé to: djanthony@aomtheatre.com For a full job description, please email djanthony@aomtheatre.com.   The Academy of Music Theatre provides live performing arts year-round: dance, theater, music, spoken word and multimedia. In addition, we provide educational programs year-round with one fully staged musical theater youth production. We serve over 62,000 patrons and are a destination site for visitors from the Connecticut Valley and New York City areas. We offer on average 130 performances annually.   The salary is $56-58K. Scenic Artist/Painter – MAJESTIC THEATER 131 Elm St West Springfield, MA 01089 About the Company The Majestic Theater has been bringing locally-produced live, professional theater to the Pioneer Valley since 1997. Every season at the Majestic consists of five productions, including at least one musical, which typically run for six weeks. In addition to the subscription season, the summer includes children's theater, concerts, plays, improvisational comedy shows, and more. Job Description The Scenic Artist works closely with the Scenic Designer in accomplishing all texture and painted effects of a production.  The scenic artist will oversee painting crews as needed.  Candidate should have a working knowledge of painting techniques such as marbling, wood grain, etc., and understand paint mixing and stenciling.   Experience in a professional or collegiate theatrical shop would be helpful. Work schedule based upon productions: five season productions (August – April), children’s theater (May – June), additional productions as scheduled. Hourly compensation based upon experience.   Hourly range $20 to $25.  Benefits to be determined. Interested applicants should email sue@majestictheater.com with cover letter and current professional resume. Silverthorne Theater Company will hold open auditions for the role of PATRICIA in its 2022-23 Season opener, Lauren Gunderson’s The Taming, will be held from 7 - 9 pm on Sunday, August 28, at the LAVA Center, 324 Main Street, Greenfield.  Virtual callbacks will be held on Monday, August 29, beginning at 4 pm. The show runs from October 21-29, 2022. Rehearsals begin in early September. To reserve a slot, call 413-768-7514 or send your request to silverthornetheater@gmail.com. Auditioners are asked to submit recent headshots and current resumes to silverthornetheater@gmail.com. Video submissions will be considered if received by August 28, but anyone submitting a video would need to be available for the Monday callbacks. Proof of vaccination against Covid-19 is required for all auditioners.  Call 413-7678-7514 or go to silverthornetheater.org for more details. PATRICIA is a conservative aide to Georgia’s Senator Peter Baxter. Also plays James Madison in 1787. The cast is comprised of three roles, with each role portraying two to three characters. All roles are described as being in their 20s-30s and female-identifying. As per the playwright: “Actors need not be white”. Actors of all races, ethnicities, abilities, genders, ages and political leanings are strongly encouraged to audition. All roles are paid. The Taming by Lauren Gunderson is a raucous, all-female political comedy inspired by Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. When two political opponents wake up to discover themselves locked in a hotel room with a beauty queen hell-bent on revolutionizing the American government, they are forced to face the vast political divide in order to find a way to save both themselves and our great democracy. Born out of frustration over the partisan grid-lock holding our country hostage, this play tackles the role of women in contemporary American government, the vision and biases of the founding fathers, feminism and beauty pageants, political extremism, Liberal angst and the GOP, through the startling humor of three wildly different, and richly developed women who might just be political geniuses.  Ja'Duke Theater Little Shop of Horrors Auditions August 29 at 7pm Ja'Duke Theater The meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant he names "Audrey II" - after his coworker crush. This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to the down and out Krelborn as long as he keeps feeding it, BLOOD. Over time, though, Seymour discovers Audrey II's out of this world origins and intent towards global domination! Rating: PG-13 Run Time: 2 Hours and 15 Minutes (one intermission) More information. the Drama Studio Open House August 30th at 6 pm, for ages 6-8 and August 31st at 6 pm for ages 9-18 41 OAKLAND STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA, 01108 Join us for our 2022 Open House to learn about our acting classes and Conservatory program! Come and visit the Drama Studio on Tuesday, August 30th, at 6 pm for ages 6-8, and on Wednesday, August 31st, at 6 pm for ages 9-18. Register here. Amherst Community Theater Auditions for The Little Mermaid 9/9 beginning at 6 PM, 9/10 beginning at 10 AM, 9/11 beginning at 10 AM Bangs Community Center, Amherst AUDITIONS are almost here for Amherst Community Theater’s production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid! 9 performances in the 600-seat UMass Bowker Auditorium, January, 2023. Irresistible songs, lavish sets and costumes, and a full live orchestra. Actors, singers, and dancers ages 7-107 are encouraged to audition! For more info, including character descriptions, audition music, and readings, visit www.amherstacts.org/auditions or contact producer@amherstacts.org. Facebook event Grant Application Opens: August 1st, 2022 Grant Application Closes: September 16th, 2022, at 11:59 pm EST Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts  Flexible Funding We are excited to announce 2022’s round of Flexible Funding, which will provide general operating support to nonprofits that benefit our region. As part of the Foundation’s strategic vision, preference will be given to organizations, who missions are in the following areas: Diversity, equity and inclusion in workplaces and institutions, prioritizing racial equity. A strong start for all children though high-quality early education and care. Accessible and more affordable post-secondary education and training, providing pathways to completion and employment. A vibrant and local arts and creativity ecosystem to support self-expression, economic vitality and connection. Preference will also be given to organizations where leadership is racially diverse. Learn More Here https://communityfoundation.org/nonprofits/flexible-funding-cfwm Sign Up Now for Your Flamingo! UMass Theater seeks participants from on-campus and the community for FLAMINGO MURMURATION, an outdoor performance piece created by designer Anya Klepikov. Participants will wear a flamingo pool float and perform simple choreography. The event is scheduled for Sept. 17 from 2-4:30, with rain dates Sept. 24 or Oct. 1. No theater or dance experience is required!! Email Anya Klepikov at aklepikov@umass.edu to reserve your flamingo float for this kick-off event for the 2022-2023 season. Interested in being a group leader for the performance? Open Call for the “Alpha Flamingos” (the AFs) Would commit to going to a 90 minute workshop on Saturday September 10th and serve as group leaders at the performance on Saturday, September 17th (in the event of rain the performance will be rescheduled to September 24th or October 1st). Be willing to participate in Flamingo Foto-ops throughout the week that will be scheduled at that first workshop based on performer availability. Email Rudy Ramirez at arramirez@umass.edu to sign up. The Northampton Arts Council is now accepting performer applications for First Night Northampton 2023 On December 31, 2022 the Northampton Arts Council will present the 38th annual community New Year’s Eve celebration and festival of performing arts. Since 1985, First Night Northampton has filled our 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, 2022. 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 October. To apply to perform at First Night Northampton please complete the online application which can be found here: https://www.firstnightnorthampton.org/apply-to-perform WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Anyone who organizes or attends auditions or is involved in casting for the theatre, is recommended to take 30 minutes to listen to this conversation between casting director Victor Vazquez and dramaturg/performer Tatiana Godfrey.  Part of WAM Theatre's Spotlight Series, they talk about some of the problems that we run into in the traditional casting process, especially in terms of racial or gender stereotyping, and some of the opportunities and suggestions he has for better ways of placing actors in roles.  https://www.wamtheatre.com/spotlight-series-with-casting-director-victor-vazquez/ Serious Play Theatre Ensemble presents A Very Special Writing Workshop with Claire Titelman Dates:  Saturday September 24th and Sunday September 25th Place:   Blue Barn at Bramble Hill Farm, 593 South Pleasant St, Amherst MA Time:  11am-4pm each day, which includes an hour long lunch break on the farm; (bring your own lunch & cold drink) water bottles available. Price: $175 More info:  Email Claire Titeman at claireprompts@gmail.com to see if there's a spot left and she will give you info on payment, etc. Limited enrollment.  Feel free to reach out with any questions! Covid protocol:  The class will be masked and you must be able to show proof of vaccination. About the class: This is a playful and challenging class with exercises and writing prompts that run the gamut from surreal to straightforward, from very deep to very dumb. They will encourage you to get out of your head, delve into your unconscious, and develop your authentic voice, leading to vulnerable, funny, fierce, strange, and surprising work. We will subvert elements of memoir, theater, fiction, and other genres to help inspire creativity-- all with a curriculum that’s designed for artists of all kinds: writers, comedians, performers, filmmakers, visual artists, and non-artists interested in exploring creative expression. Dropouts, shut-ins and people picked last in gym class are welcome!* *Jocks, geniuses and the well-adjusted also welcome. This is an inclusive class.  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 Theater Between Addresses 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 World and Eye 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|*