Thursday, April 4, 2024

Pioneer Valley Theatre News April 4, 2024

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter
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April 4 - 24, 2024


It's Pioneer Valley Ballet week at the Academy of Music! I'm in tech all week and loving being backstage - perhaps in a snowstorm? Anyway, come see Beauty and the Beast this Saturday and Sunday. Also this Sunday, WAM presents a reading of a new play - and if you can't make it out to Stockbridge, it will be streaming online April 13 and 14. 

The next issue will include events from April 11 - May 1. 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
WAM Theatre presents a staged reading of a new drama by Geetha Reddy
Cast includes Pioneer Valley actors - Streaming online April 13-14, 2024
More information & tickets
Pioneer Valley Ballet presents Beauty and the Beast
April 6 & 7 at the Academy of Music
Tickets and More Information
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:

On Teaching Difficult Material
conversation with Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder, Megan Gogerty, Darren Canady

From the article

Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder: Welcome to Teaching Theatre, a podcast about the practice and pedagogy of theatre education, produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons, a free and open platform for theatremakers worldwide. I’m your host, playwright and theatre professor Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder.

Have you read an interesting article about theatre recently? Send it to me! pioneervalleytheatre@gmail.com
PERFORMANCES
 

MONTAGUE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL PRESENTS: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM AT THE SHEA THEATER

Tickets: www.sheatheater.org

April 5 and 6 at 7:30PM

April 7 at 2:00PM

I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream—past the wit
of man to say what dream it was…
(Bottom, Act 4 Scene 1)

Dare to dream with us in a world beyond the wit of man. Join us for a journey into the extraordinary—where dreams and reality collide in our dystopian setting of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’

Under the brilliant direction of Fiona Ross, a renowned practitioner with over two decades of experience at the Royal Shakespeare Company, this production is set to be an immersive experience that will challenge and expand your perception of Shakespeare’s classic play.

In a dark and fragmented future, Shakespeare’s enchanting tale is reimagined in our dystopian vision of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ Our adaptation strips the original down to its core, creating a raw and intense experience that mirrors the chaos of a crumbling world.

Love becomes an act of rebellion, and laughter is a beacon of resilience in a world overshadowed by tyranny. Witness Athens transformed, where the union of Theseus and Hippolyta heralds a consolidation of power, not a celebration of love. Journey with our lovers, who embody the struggle against an oppressive family and regime, their quest for love mirroring the fight for freedom in a world that grants little or none.

Venture into a toxic wasteland where mutated fairies reign, reflecting nature’s wrath against human folly. Here, Oberon and Titania’s conflict transcends personal strife, echoing the more significant battle for control in a crumbling society. Find solace in the resilience of the Mechanicals, whose comedic endeavors shine as a testament to the enduring human spirit, even in the darkest times.

Join us for a night that mirrors our own world’s struggles and triumphs. Where shadows illuminate truths, laughter liberates, and dreams dare to defy the darkness. This isn’t just Shakespeare—it’s an invitation to witness the enduring power of love and resistance.

Reserve your journey into this transformative event. Be part of the dream that dares to defy the darkness.


Join Us at the Shea Theater Arts Center

Performances will be held on March 29 and 30 and April 5 and 6 at 7:30 PM.

Matinee performance will be held on SUN. APR 7, AT 2:00PM

Book your passage to this extraordinary world and rediscover ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ as an exploration of universal themes within a theatrical globe.

Tickets are available on the Shea website and at the box office on the evening of the show beginning one hour before the start of the show.

*For group bookings and inquiries, please reach out to
info@montagueshakespearefestival.com

Join us for a night that mirrors our own world’s struggles and triumphs. Where shadows illuminate truths, laughter liberates, and dreams dare to defy the darkness. This isn’t just Shakespeare—it’s an invitation to witness the enduring power of love and resistance.

Springfield College Theater
"Defying Gravity" by Jane Anderson

Friday 4/5 and Saturday 4/6 at 7:30 pm and Sunday 4/7 at 2:00 pm
Fuller Arts Center on Springfield College Campus

Defying Gravity By Jane Anderson Directed by Martin Shell DEFYING GRAVITY is a clever and uplifting play about the outer limits of human possibility that weaves together stories of the bystanders touched by the 1986 Challenger disaster. At the center is the teacher selected as the first civilian in space, who perishes with the shuttle explosion, and her daughter as both grown woman and child. Past, present, and future lives unfold in an impressionistic collage that affirms our impulse toward exploration, wonder, and astonishment, even in the face of great loss. Dramatic, comic, and deeply moving, Anderson’s play explores our need to reach beyond the boundaries of normal thinking, dare the universe, and "defy gravity." April 5, 6, and 7; Friday 7:30 pm, Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2:00 pm Suggested Donation: $5 Students & Seniors: FREE “Defying Gravity” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

https://springfield.edu/simpson
Pioneer Valley Ballet presents Beauty & the Beast
April 6 at 1:00 PM and 4:30 PM
April 7 at 1:00 PM
Academy of Music Theatre, Northampton

A moving ballet based on the French tale made famous by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont, Beauty and the Beast is full of whimsy and magic. PVB’s original ballet features choreography by Artistic Directors Thomas Vacanti and Maryanne Kodzis, with beloved characters dancing to the music of Czech composer Antonin Dvorak. This full-length ballet will showcase PVB dancers as well as over 70 community dancers and professional guest artists from around the region. Join us for this powerful story of a young woman who discovers the true meaning of love in an unexpected place.

Tickets and More Info. 
Self-Evident Education
Know the Ledge: Hiphop History Live!

Apr 6, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity

Join us for a multimedia performance using arts and storytelling to bring the audience on powerful journeys through history, which will feature performances from Marcia Gomes, Khalif Neville, Dutch ReBelle, the Perceptionists (Akrobatik and Mr. Lif) and more. These amazing artists will embody characters from history such as Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, Elizabeth "Mumbet" Freeman, and others. Know the Ledge: Hiphop History Live will be preceded by the premiere of "Freedom's Battle at Christiana" (click for a short preview), a film Self-Evident Education is producing for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Doors open at 6:30pm for a 7:30pm performance of “Know the Ledge: Hip Hop History Live!”.

https://bombyx.live/power-of-truths/
WAM Theatre Fresh Takes Play Reading Series
Far, Far Better Things
by Geetha Reddy, directed by Tatyana-Marie Carlo
featuring: Abuzar Farrukh, Isabel Sanchez, Hia Ghosh, Monica Lopez Orozco.

Sunday April 7, 2pm - The Foundry, West Stockbridge
April 13-14 - streaming online

Inspired by Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, this new play tells the tale of two women – Pilar, a Latina domestic worker, and Zoe, a young South Asian doctor – separated by class, race, and the unspoken rules of modern womanhood. The two women struggle to balance their responsibilities to their children, to themselves, and to each other. In the end, they must decide if they are on the same or opposing sides of the struggle.

“the play turns quiet domesticity into a fraught frontline…revealing the quiet desperation threading through the lives of its female protagonists…[and] the indignities of the everyday that command the audience’s attention.” – KQED

tickets & more information

Play Incubation Collective
PIC PIPS 
April 7
Paradise Wrought
by Jasmine Goodspeed

Paradise Wrought is a queer jab at the creation story of Adam & Eve with influences from Paradise Lost and the story of Lilith. In this telling, the characters of Lilith, Adam, Eve, and Satan battle with the destinies chosen for them and the ones that they would choose for themselves. This play contemplates human impulse, sin, innocence, and sexuality. Is it the fallen angel Lucifer now turned Satan who lead the lovers astray? Or, could is it simply in their nature to desire more? How much more? You can be the judge of that.

Featuring Featuring: Hia Gosh as Lilith, Caleb Koval as Adam, Kai-Kahlila Blackheart as Eve, Richard Parris Scott as Satan, and Steve Eldredge as God. Brianna Sloane as dramaturg, and Wynn MacKenzie as stage directions.

PIC PIPS is always free to attend.

Please use the downstairs doors at 33 Hawley Street, nearest to the courtyard. Outside doors will be open at 7:15 and will be locked at 7:45 so please arrive promptly.

Facebook event. 


UMass Theater faculty invite local theater artists to a symposium featuring leading Latinx theater scholars

A major compendium of Latinx theater scholarship, The Routledge Companion to Latine Theatre and Performance, has just been published. To celebrate the book as it deserves, on April 8 & 9, two UMass Theater faculty members are presenting Building Bridges As We Walk: A Latinx Theater Symposium, which will feature many of the book's contributors. The symposium is free and open to to anyone interested in Latine theater.
Among the guests at the event, will be noted Latine Theater scholar, artist, and educator Dr. Jorge Huerta (pictured), who will deliver the keynote address the morning of April 8, as well as leading a post-show talk-back the evening of April 9.
The symposium, which will take place in various locations on the UMass campus, is free and open to registrants on a first come, first serve basis, and folks can register here.
UMass Theater Professors Elisa Gonzales and Dr. Priscilla Page are among fifty contributors to The Routledge Companion to Latine Theatre and Performance, edited by Noe Montez and Olga Sanchez Saltveit. The volume features  "interdisciplinary contributions written by some of the leading Latine theatre and performance scholars and practitioners in the United States to highlight evolving and recurring strategies of world making, activism, and resistance taken by Latine culture makers to gain political agency on and off the stage."
"It is an encyclopedic resource," says Dr. Page, who described the book as having a "briliant and encompassing vision."
She and Prof. Gonzales hatched the idea for the symposium as "a celebration and expression of gratitude" for the work done by editors Montez and Sanchez Saltveit. They invited the book's contributors to participate on April 8 in a day of panel discussions about Latine/x theater, as well as asking Montez and Sanchez Saltveit to lead a round table discussion. There will be a reading of selections from several plays by contributors. In addition, on April 9, participants are invited to a staged reading of a new play by MFA student Pedro Eiras, followed by a post-show talk-back by Dr. Huerta.
You can visit our website for the full listing of events.
Both Page and Gonzales are thrilled that Dr. Huerta will be kicking off the event with his keynote. "He's somebody that Elisa and I have been looking to for scholarship on Chicano and Latinx theater," Dr. Page explains. See below for his biography.
This event is open to theater students and faculty in the Five Colleges, as well as community members. Registration is first come, first serve, and free.
In a closed event, Dr. Huerta will also teach a workshop for UMass Theater students.
Join UMass Theater for this exciting free event as we examine the scope of Latine theater; register now!
Holyoke Community College Theater
The Great Gatsby

Apr 11, 2024 7:30 PM April 12th 7:30pm, April 13th 2:00pm, April 13th 7:30pm
Leslie Phillips Theater

The Holyoke Community College Theater Department will present The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, adapted for the stage by Simon Levy. This show is appropriate for audience members 13 years of age and older. Contains violence and adult themes. Performance Dates: Thursday April 11th 7:30pm Friday April 12th 7:30pm (ASL Interpreted) Saturday April 13th 2:00pm Saturday April 13th 7:30pm All performances will be in the Leslie Phillips Theater on the campus of Holyoke Community College 303 Homestead Ave. Holyoke MA, 01040 [Fine and Performing Arts Building, 2nd floor] Running Time: Approximately 2 hours with one intermission Tickets: HCC Students Staff and Faculty $5.00 General Admission $10.00 Seniors $8.00 Tickets available 1 hour before show, at the Leslie Phillips Box Office, or by calling 413 552 2528 to reserve tickets. Having come east, to learn the bond trade, Nick Caraway finds himself immersed in the roar of the jazz age. It's not long before his enigmatic neighbor, Jay Gatsby, enlists NIck in a plot to reconnect with his lost love. That lost love is Nick’s married cousin Daisy Buchanan. But just as they find each other again, tragedy arrives with the unbearable heat of August.

facebook.com/hcctheater/
South Hadley Players
Mary Poppins
April 12th and 13th @ 7pm, April 14th @ 1pm
South Hadley High School

South Hadley Players brings together years of experience from an artistic staff that has over 50 years experience working in musical theatre and collectively have produced over 100 productions. Come support their first production featuring your community!

https://southhadleyplayers.ludus.com/

MARY POPPINS is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Northeast Regional Tour of Shakespeare Presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream April 17 – 20

Shakespeare & Company has announced a series of four open-captioned performances of the Northeast Regional Tour of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, staged from April 17 through 20 to coincide with Massachusetts and New York States’ April vacation week.

Open-captioned shows, accessible to Deaf or hard-of-hearing audience members, feature projection screens above and to the sides of the stage that display the actors' text via “supertitles.” These shows are family-friendly and patrons of all ages are welcome to attend.

Two matinees and two evening performances are planned on Wednesday, April 17 at 2 p.m.; Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m.; Friday, April 19 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 20 at 2 p.m., which will be followed by a post-show birthday celebration for William Shakespeare.

These special performances are a part of our annual educational tour that sends productions of Shakespeare's plays, along with a variety of related workshops, into middle and high schools, colleges, community centers, and other venues from February through May. The Northeast Regional Tour of Shakespeare reaches more than 20,000 students, teachers, and audience members each year, and has been part of Shakespeare & Company's repertoire since 1982.

The open-captioned performance has been supported by a grant from the GKV Foundation. Tickets are $20, or $10 for students. $5 Card to Culture tickets are also available for participants of the EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare programs. For more information, visit shakespeare.org, or call the Box Office at (413) 637-3353.

Double Edge Theatre
SUGA

4/18, 4/19, 4/20, 4/21 at 7:30 PM
948 Conway Rd. Ashfield, MA 01330

SUGA is conceived, created, and performed by Double Edge co-artistic director Travis Coe and directed by Stacy Klein. Travis began working on SUGA in 2016 as he explored the Afro-Caribbean/Latinx history of his family, and their native lands spanning Belize, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico. Klein, DE’s Founder and Artistic Director, watched some of Travis’ early creative process and began working in dialogue. It is an investigation of freedom, and the bounds—personal, artistic, societal, and political—one must break through to achieve that end. As a caretaker of a museum of memory, Coe touches/reveals/remixes all the aspects of himself—as Queer, Black, Latinx, and American, to find the path to sing, fly, run – toward Freedom.

https://doubleedgetheatre.org/event/suga/
Box office opens March 20th (March 6th for Double Edge Members)
Greenfield Community College
Angels in America, Parts 1 & 2

Apr 18, 2024 - 5:00 PM
Friday April 19 – 6-10pm – Part 2: Perestroika Saturday April 20 – 1-4pm – Part 1: Millennium Approaches Saturday April 20 – Dinner & Shows – 1-10pm – (Part 1 1-4pm, dinner 4-6pm, Part 2 6-10pm) Saturday April 20 – 1-4pm – Part 1: Millennium Approaches Thursday April 25 – 6pm – Part 2: Perestroika Friday April 26 – 6pm – Part 2: Perestroika Saturday April 27 – 1-4pm – Part 1: Millennium Approaches Saturday April 27 – Dinner & Shows – 1-10pm – (Part 1 1-4pm, dinner 4-6pm, Part 2 6-10pm) Saturday April 27 – 6-10pm – Part 2: Perestroika

Sloan Theater at GCC

GCC's spring theater performance of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, a complex, often metaphorical and at times symbolic examination of AIDS and homosexuality in the United States in the 1980s. Directed by Tom Geha with a cast and crew of students, staff and community members. While Part 1: Millennium Approaches was staged in the fall, this spring offers performances of both part 1 and Part 2: Perestroika on select days, including a double feature and dinner package on Saturdays! Please note the schedule and runtime of shows. Seating is limited, tickets must be purchased in advance online; $15/$5 (general/students) or $40/$25 (general/student dinner package).

gccfor.me/angels2

Angels in America, Part Two Week 1 Thu Apr 18 (ArtsNight - Selected Scenes) 5:00pm Fri Apr 19 (Opening Night) 6pm Sat Apr 20 Both Parts Dinner Package - Part One at 1pm, Dinner on Campus 4-6pm, Part Two at 6pm Week 2 Thu Apr 25 6pm Fri Apr 26 6pm Sat Apr 27 (Closing Day) Both Parts Dinner Package - Part One at 1pm, Dinner on Campus 4-6pm, then Part Two at 6pm Admission: - $15 General and $5 Students/Seniors - Dinner Package for Both Parts: $40 for General Admission and $25 for Students/Seniors (includes Parts 1 & 2 with Dinner in between) Length of Plays: Part One: 3 hours Part Two: 4 hours Seating Capacity: 85

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG TO CLOSE OUT MAJESTIC’S 26th SEASON APRIL 18 – JUNE 2

The Play That Goes Wrong, a contemporary farce by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields and Jonathan Sayer, will be onstage at West Springfield’s Majestic Theater April 18 through June 2. 

The comedy takes place on opening night of the Cornley University Drama Society’s latest production, The Murder at Haversham Manor, and things begin to spiral out of control.  An exasperated detective, a corpse who can’t play dead, an unconscious leading lady and other embattled and eccentric characters must overcome technical issues, forgotten lines and unreliable scenery in order to make it to the final curtain call.  The Play That Goes Wrong has been described as “part Monty Python, part Marx Brothers, part Sherlock Holmes, and all mayhem.”  The show has played to sold out audiences all over the world, and will be the final production of the Majestic Theater’s 26th season.  Its new season will debut in September.

Cast members include Jack Grigoli (Chris), Scott Renzoni (Max), Shaun O’Keefe (Robert), Elizabeth Pietrangelo (Sandra), Josh Karam (Dennis), Mariko Iwasa (Annie), Liv Cunha (Trevor) and Weston Pytel (Jonathan).  Danny Eaton is producing director of the play, and Sue Dziura is associate producing director.  Stephen Petit is the director and production manager for the show.  Associate production manager is Aurora Ferraro, and stage manager is Hope Rose Kelly.  Dan Rist is lighting designer, and costumer designer is Dawn McKay.

 Tickets are now available for The Play that Goes Wrong, and range from $31 - $37.  They are available either in-person at the box office or by calling (413) 747-7797.  Box office hours are Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm, and Saturday 10am-1pm.   The wearing of face masks in the theater is optional.

Doors to the theater will open one hour before the start of a show, which is also when the café opens.  For more information, visit www.majestictheater.com

The Magid Ensemble
Shterna and The Lost Voice: A New Yiddish Folktale
April 21, 2024 at 3:00 PM
The Parlor Room: 32 Masonic Street Northampton, Massachusetts 01060

Shterna and The Lost Voice: A New Yiddish Folktale at The Parlor Room Sunday, April 21st SHOW: 3:00pm / DOORS: 2:30pm ADV TIX: $20 GA / $18 MEMBERS DOS TIX: $25 GA / $23 MEMBERS Join us! – for Shterna and the Lost Voice: a musical crankie storytelling adventure! This new folktale by A. C. Weaver is inspired by mythical stories of Elyahu Hanovi and traditional Yiddish folklore. Shterna and the Lost Voice follows a young woman’s quest from the realms of the dead to the celestial gardens of the immortal – all to restore her friend's lost voice. Shterna’s epic adventure is accompanied by live original klezmer music while the narrative unfolds through a papercut crankie. This dynamic performance is geared towards audiences of all ages! Shterna and the Lost Voice is presented by The Magid Ensemble (magid, meaning “storyteller” in Yiddish) – a new collaboration featuring award-winning klezmer musicians and composers Mattias Kaufmann, Raffi Boden, and Rachel Leader, Yiddishist storyteller A. C. Weaver, and visual artist Kiah Raymond. The Magid Ensemble explores the interplay of sound, story, light, and shadow to create expressive and immersive storytelling landscapes. What is a crankie? A crankie is a long scroll wound onto two spools that illustrates a story as it unwinds. Kiah Raymond's original crankie incorporates shadow puppetry inspired by Jewish papercut art. Learn More! acweaver.weebly.com/ youtube.com/watch?v=6Anan7mkc9U mamaligaband.com The Parlor Room is a BYOB venue. Tickets are non-refundable. The Parlor Room is located at 32 Masonic Street Northampton, MA 01060


Tickets

New “Open Stage” series to take place at The LAVA Center

every 4th Thursday starting April 25, 6:30 p.m. signup and 7 p.m. showtime

The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., Greenfield

https://thelavacenter.org/events/very-open-mic-2024-04-25/

https://www.facebook.com/events/906347257500838/ 

The LAVA Center is proud to present a new performance series, the Open Stage, which will take place every fourth Thursday evening starting April 25. Signups will start at 6:30 p.m. and the show will start at 7 p.m.

An open stage is similar to an open mic, but more inclusive to all types of the performing arts. Artists are encouraged to sign up to perform theater, dance, music, literature, spoken word, magic, puppetry, circus, sideshow, comedy, improv — any form of art or entertainment that can be staged, in any stage of development.

The Open Stage will have rotating hosts: local artists Nisse Greenberg, Nina Gross, Ezra Prior and Vanessa Query.

Signup starts at 6:30, show starts at 7. There will be a five-minute limit for each act. Artists can plug into our sound system if they’d like audio to backup your act; plugin using 1/8″ mic jack input, please bring adapter if needed. Questions? Email info@thelavacenter.org

There is an optional $5 suggested donation ($1 Card to Culture) for this show.

Music, magic, love, and dragonsUMass Theater's Twelfth Night will take you on an enchanted journey

The Rand Theater, Bromery Center for the Arts
April 26 & 27, May 2, 3 & 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Matinee May 4 at 2 p.m.

 
When Shakespeare’s Viola lands on the shores of Illyria, she discovers a topsy-turvy world of rebellious revelry and swirling magic, enabling fever-pitch romantic passions and unlikely lovestruck pairings, while family bonds are restored. 
UMass Theater professor Milan Dragicevich's adventurous production of Twelfth Night braids Shakespeare’s Elizabethan spirit and style with contemporary playful pop-arty sensibilities, infused with the live music of Grammy-nominated Tim Eriksen (Cordelia’s Dad band, Cold Mountain soundtrack) and choreography of Antonia Araya Budnik. Tickets are on sale now for our production, which opens on April 26 in the Rand Theater.
Twelfth Night marks the second collaboration between Dragicevich as a director and Eriksen as music director/composer. They previously worked together on the New England premiere and international tour of Dragicevich's Refugee (2016-18).  
Twelfth Night is Shakespeare at his comedic peak, weaving a plot of mistaken identities and misunderstandings. Twins Viola and Sebastian get separated and think each other are dead. Viola decides to solve this problem by dressing as her brother. Soon, she's working for Count Orsino, with whom she falls in love, while helping him court Olivia — who falls for Viola instead. It's all set against the backdrop of Illyria, a wondrous land of festive, unabashed revelry which surely resonated with Shakespeare's boisterous London audiences, perhaps the greatest playgoing public in Western history.
In our own century, come join us for a “12th Night” revival of spirit and comedic hope (‘comedy’ being the language of hope) and prepare for a fantastical journey into Illyria!

Get your tickets now!
This event is part of the UMass Amherst 2024 Spring Arts Festival. Learn more about the festival on the website.
***
Recommended for audiences age 12 and up; some raucous humor and gags.

***

Tickets:
$17 — general admission
$5 — for students, youth, and senior patrons, as well as Card to Culture patrons

Tickets on sale through the UMass Fine Arts Center Box Office (call 1-800-999-UMAS or visit the box office website) as well as at the door on the night of the show.
The UMass Department of Theater is pleased to participate in the Card to Culture program. For details, please visit our Card to Culture page.
AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES
AUDITION

Spindrift Theatre presents MY MAMA AND THE FULL SCALE INVASION by Sasha Denisova. Directed by Robert Freedman. Performances August 22,23,24, 25 at the Workroom Theater. Northampton Center for the Arts. 33 Hawley Street, Northampton

STORY Sasha returns to Kiev at the outset of the current war to get her mother Olga to leave Ukraine. Olga refuses to leave and is ready to take on Putin herself. A surreal comic drama with fantasy and reality. The heart of the play is the complicated relationship between mother and daughter through the years and the ongoing war.

Needed: One female actor and one very versatile male actor. Age range for both 35-45. Stipend.

AUDITION: Saturday April 6. 12:15-3:15. Forbes Library Northampton. Community Room. CALLBACKS, Monday April 8     6-8 pm, Forbes Library, Watson Room, 2nd floor.

For script and all other information call 413-531-4164 or email rpf1012@comcast.net
K AND E THEATER GROUP IS CASTING OUR FALL MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
PROMISES, PROMISES
 
It's 1968 in New York City, and Chuck Baxter is finding it difficult to climb the corporate ladder--that is, until he agrees to lend his apartment to his co-workers for their extramarital affairs. As he finds himself in the middle of a scheme he never intended to start, Chuck struggles to find love and connection in a world that grows more impersonal and transactional each day.

Based on the classic film The Apartment from Billy Wilder, Promises, Promises sets this heartfelt romantic comedy to the lively music of Burt Bacharach.
 
Book by Neil Simon, Music by Burt Bachrach, and Lyrics by Hal David

----
IN-PERSON AUDITION DATES AND TIMES
Saturday, April 6, 2024 - 2-5 PM

CALLBACKS DATE AND TIME
Saturday, April 27, 2024 

LOCATION - AUDITIONS AND CALLBACKS
First Congregational Church of Southampton
212 College Highway
Southampton, MA 01073

SEEKING strong actors, singers and movers to play featured and ensemble roles in our production. Please visit KETG.org/auditions for cast breakdown of available roles.

Please prepare a pop song in the style of the show that shows off your acting and vocal range. Please bring your book in case we need to hear additional material. If you have a headshot and resume please bring it.
 
To audition and perform, all performers and production team members must be fully vaccinated, and have also received their first booster against COVID-19. Masks are optional during in-person auditions, callbacks, and rehearsals.

If you have a headshot and resume please bring it. A small stipend will be provided at the end of production. If you have any questions, please email auditions.ketg@gmail.com.

SIGN UP FOR AUDITION SLOT TIME at www.tinyurl.com/ketgauditions.

PRODUCTION DETAILS
First rehearsal – July 2024, with rehearsals on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Show run – October 11-13 & 17-19, 2024 (8 Performances) at Northampton Center for the Arts in Northampton
Directed by Eddie Zitka
Music Director by Liz Monte
Please visit KETG.org and follow us on FacebookInstagramYouTube, and TikTok!

The Academy of Music Theatre seeks a classroom/rehearsal assistant for youth Summer Musical Theatre Workshops. Applicants should be at least 16 years of age with an interest and experience in working with young kids in an artistic environment. Experience in theatre arts is not necessary, but applicants should at least be comfortable with youth social skills and behavior management to engage with and help children both as a group and individually to support safety, inclusion, and productivity in activities that are led by the theater instructors. 

The Summer Musical Theatre Workshops are 1 or 2 weeks for young artists of any and all experience levels to practice their skills in Musical Theatre. Students will learn songs and dances to 4-7 numbers (depending on the workshop) that are performed in a showcase at the end of the session. Students also participate in theatre games and exercises throughout the week to further engage them with creativity and social collaboration in the performing arts. 

https://www.aomtheatre.com/youth-programs/summer-mt-workshops/

Dates & Hours 

  • June 24th - 28th, 2024 (1 week)

    • Monday through Friday 9:00am - 3:00pm

    • 20 youth participants Ages 6 - 8 years old 

  • July 1st - July 12th (2 weeks) 

    • Monday through Friday 9:00am - 3:00pm

    • 30 youth participants Ages 9 - 11 years old 

  • July 29th - August 2nd (1 week)

    • Monday through Friday  9:00am - 3:00pm 

    • 20 youth participants Ages 6 - 8 years old 

Location 

  • All workshops take place at the Academy of Music Theatre at 274 Main Street in Northampton, MA 01060. 

  • Activities will take place on the main stage in the Academy of Music, or outside at the neighboring Pulaski Park. 

Financial Compensation

  • $15 - $20 an hour depending on experience.  

Responsibilities / Previous Experience

  • Experience in engagement and behavior management of young children ages 6-11 in large group settings.

  • Create a social connection with the kids participating in the workshop by interacting with them during transitions and social periods like lunch, establishing an environment of warmth and inclusion for all. 

  • Assist theater instructors as needed to maintain safety and productivity in the rehearsal space. 

    • For example, being able to step aside and help an individual who is currently in need while the instructor keeps the rest of the group focused on learning a dance. 

    • Redirecting individuals to engage with the group

    • Keeping a larger group of kids engaged while the instructor is working with an individual or small group.

    • Supporting behavior management of the large group as a whole as led by the instructor. 

If interested, contact Education Director Kyle Lawrence via email: education@aomtheatre.com.


Approximate Daily Schedule (Subject to change)

8:45 am Students arrive at the theatre and settle in.

9:00 am Physical and vocal warm-ups/exercises to get our bodies and minds awake and ready for the day.

10:30 am Singing and dance technical training, & learning a musical theatre song & dance.

12:00 pm Lunch (brought from home).

12:45 pm  Art & Design for Theatre.

1:15 pm Acting / Theatre Games.

2:00 pm “Run Show” (review the songs and dances for everything learned to that point in time).

2:45 pm Doors open for pick up, parents pick up at the front door of Academy by 3:00 pm.

Calling all Valley actors!

Help us raise the curtain on the Valley Players.

On Sunday, April 28, 12pm-3pm, the Valley Players will hold its first Sceneathon—an evening of local theater and local dining in downtown Amherst. The Sceneathon is the inaugural fundraising event for the Valley Players and an opportunity to showcase some of the tremendous acting talent here in the Valley.

Any and all actors are welcome to sign-up to be a part of the show and to stage a scene or speech from a play of their choice. To sign up, email info@valleyplayers.org with:

    1.) the names of the people who will be performing and everyone’s contact info;
    2.) the play, act and scene from which the scene/speech comes;
    3.) the approximate run-time of the scene/speech (no more than 10 minutes).

100% of proceeds from the event will go to support the programming and mission of the Valley Players, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Connecticut River Valley region of Massachusetts by producing high-quality community theater and related arts, education, and cultural programming.

(Performers at the Sceneathon eat for free, but guests are welcome to purchase tickets at www.valleyplayers.org. Ticket sales close on April 21.)
Managing Director, Operations & Advancement
Description:

We encourage you to review the complete job profile via the link below. What follows is an abbreviated version.

Key Areas of Focus for the Managing Director, Operations & Advancement (MD)

Given the momentum of this moment at WTF, the following areas of focus will be at the forefront of the work the Managing Director will embark on:

  • Advancing change by galvanizing a variety of constituents. This MD will enter a community eager and poised for change. With a deeply committed board, staff, alumni network, and community of patrons, the Festival will need this leader to appreciate various points of view and inspire each circle to take steps forward into a new chapter for the organization.
  • Translating vision and strategy into an organizational action plan. With an understanding and embrace of strategic risk-taking and entrepreneurial ventures, the MD will be both an optimist and realist as they transform visionary ideas into tactical steps.
  • Building a vibrant festival destination in Williamstown. With the goal of augmenting the traditional theater-going experience with additional events and immersive experiences, the entire WTF team will be trying out new ideas, engaging artists differently, and experimenting with platforms to build an intensified festival atmosphere in the years to come. The MD will draw on their own artistic management, event, or producing experience to bolster these efforts.
  • Stewarding the needs and goals of the anti-oppression and anti-bias work to which the organization is thoroughly committed. While the Festival is well underway in its process to build a culture of anti-racism and anti-oppression within its operations and community, the MD will play a leading role in continuing that work, along with the Board and their co-Managing Director. As a team, they will ensure that as the organization evolves, the commitment to care of team members, the surrounding land, and the Williamstown community is a standard operating principle.
  • Champion of relationship building. This is a moment for the Festival to activate new partnerships, strengthen internal and external relationships, and foster greater trust within the larger theatrical and cultural field. This new MD will have a unique opportunity, given the tremendous history of WTF, to leverage greater support and create a welcoming atmosphere for a new generation of creators and arts enthusiasts.
  • Cultivating a sustainable work environment through clear communication and calm solution-oriented processes. As chief administrator of the organization, this MD will oversee each area of the organization’s work in a slightly different way, but will be called upon to set clear goals and provide accountability, with a sure-footed approach to leadership in a fast-paced festival environment.

 

Job Description

Position Summary

The Managing Director, Operations & Advancement is responsible for the overall business, administrative, and operational management of the organization in Williamstown, MA, and in the additional team office in New York City. The position will require substantial work in Williamstown throughout the year; therefore, WTF is prioritizing candidates who are prepared to reside in the Williamstown area (see the compensation section below regarding housing). That said, employees residing in other areas of the northeast are welcome to apply, provided they are prepared to travel frequently to Williamstown. Additional travel will be expected periodically.

The role includes leadership and oversight in the areas of festival operations (including production), fundraising and board relations, budgeting and financial management, HR, and hiring of key senior staff. Along with the Managing Director, Strategy & Transformation, this individual will manage external partnerships, artist engagement, and strategic planning to deliver the organization into its next chapter of achievement.

WORKSHOPS & CLASSES

Shakespeare & Company's free Behind the Curtain lecture series resumes on Saturday, April 6, led by Shakespeare scholar Ann Berman.

Featuring directors, cast, and design team members as guests, Berman examines various themes surrounding both the Shakespeare and contemporary productions slated for Season 2024 through talks designed to be accessible, engaging, and interactive.

Berman holds a Master of Arts in Shakespeare Studies from King’s College, London, and explores topics ranging from historical parallels in Shakespeare’s plays to the effect costumes, scenic design, lighting, and more can have on audience response to a performance.

This season will include seven Behind the Curtain lectures held from April through August; Spring talks will be held in the Jane Iredale Lobby at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, while Summer sessions will be held outdoors at the tented Rose Footprint Theatre in the Rose Meadow.

Behind the Curtain lectures for the 2024 Season include:

Saturday, April 6 – The Winter's Tale with Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer

Saturday, April 20 – The Comedy of Errors with Director Kate Kohler Amory

Saturday, June 22 – Shakespeare & Music with Artistic Director Allyn Burrows

Saturday, July 13 – The Comedy of Errors with Director Kate Kohler Amory

Saturday, July 27– Flight of the MonarchPenning New Plays with playwright Jim Frangione

Saturday, August 10 – The Winter's Tale with Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer

Saturday, August 24 – Three Tall Persian Women; guest to be announced

All Behind the Curtain lectures are free, but tickets are required. For more information, visit shakespeare.org or call the Box Office at (413) 637-3353.

Henry Balzarini to host improv workshops at The LAVA Center

A Saturday Dose of Fun (improv games for grownups with Henry Balzarini)
every second and fourth Saturdays, noon–2 p.m.; next one: Saturday, Apr. 13

The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., Greenfield

https://thelavacenter.org/events/a-saturday-dose-of-fun-improv-games-for-grownups-with-henry-balzarini-2024-04-13/ 

The LAVA Center will host improv workshops for adults, led by local improv teacher and performer Henry Balzarini, every second and fourth Saturdays, noon–2 p.m.

Using improv games and exercises, we’ll learn and practice skills, inspire creativity, relieve stress, play together and have much fun in a low pressure environment. Every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.

No experience necessary. If you do have improv experience, it can be a great workout and a way to “get your reps.” Either way, you’ll be part of a positive and supportive experience.

Free, but donations are appreciated ($5–10 suggested). Intended for adults. Limit of 15 please, so sign up now: email hbquit@hotmail.com.

This Saturday’s focus is ACCEPTANCE.

A core skill of improv (and life) is Acceptance. Learning to accept and build on the offers of others is key to moving forward. We’ll explore Offers and Blocks, Yes and…, Listening and Awareness, and Making the Other Person Look Good.

about your host:

I’m Henry Balzarini and a native of Boston. In the 1980’s I lived in New York City where I studied acting and tapped into Big Apple essence. Then back to Boston, where I acted in various scripted roles and then found improv, and haven’t been the same since. I performed in improv groups and productions in Boston and Brattleboro, and taught teen groups in Keene, NH and most recently, Zoomed improv during the pandemic.

Many of the surefire routes to joy, in my life, have been the times I’ve spent doing improv-based activities, whether it’s creating, playing, performing or just transforming a moment. To me it’s more a state of mind/being. When I watch the joy and transformation that comes about when people play improv games and work together as a group, I’m transformed as well. In a safe setting, participants, especially adults, can let loose and go places they never thought they could. It’s the act of letting go, of enjoying a perfect synthesis of minds. It’s all made me a better person. It’s time again to share that joy.

Six-week, Online Linklater Workshop Offered from April 15 through May 20

Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training will hold an online workshop, Voice Into Text – A Linklater Workshop on Mondays, April 15 through May 20, led by Designated Linklater Teacher Sarah Weatherwax.

This workshop aims to allow participants an opportunity to deepen their vocal connection to text through an exploration of the Linklater Voice Progression and is open to all levels, though some previous experience with this method is recommended. 

Sessions will begin with a warm-up, and then move on to learning, reviewing, and practicing specific exercises according to the needs of the group. The first few sessions will focus primarily on voice, while the second half will focus on various ways to apply a freer voice directly to text.

Voice Into Text will be held for six weeks on April 15, 22, and 29, and May 6, 13, and 20, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuition is $250 USD, and the class meets via Zoom. Discounted tuition options are available for BIPOC artists. Alumni and union discounts are also available.

For more information or to apply, visit shakespeare.org, or call 413.637.1199, ext. 114.

Shakespeare & Company Hosts Tuning Your Instrument in Lenox, Mass. this April

The two-day workshop will focus on voice and movement practices for artists at all levels

Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training presents Tuning Your Instrument, a two-day workshop focused on voice and movement practices on Thursday, April 18, and Friday, April 19 at its Lenox, Mass. campus.

Led by Shakespeare & Company’s Director of Training Sheila Bandyopadhyay and Faculty Member Ariel BockTuning Your Instrument is open to artists at all experience levels and offers a focused exploration of Linklater Voice and Pure Movement practices to improve vocal and physical expression. 

The workshop is designed for anyone interested in performance-based voice and bodywork, and can also serve as a complement to the 2024 Lenox Weekend Intensive, held April 19 through 21. 

“An actor’s instrument is their body, voice, and imagination," said Bandopadhyay, "and that instrument needs to be flexible, open, and responsive - this workshop is a way to develop practices that do just that.”

Tuning Your Instrument will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day; tuition is $200 USD. Discounted tuition of $150 will be offered to participants also registered for the Lenox Weekend Intensive.

For more information or to apply, visit shakespeare.org, or call (413) 637-1199, ext. 114.

UMass Theater Independent Study
Lets Have a Play Date!

Apr 21, 2024
9:00am-12:00pm grades 1-3 , 2:00pm-5:00pm grades 4-6
UMass Bromery Center for the Arts Room 413

A one day 2 part workshop for grades 1-6! First though third grade will learn some basic acting games, a craft, alongside working with a children's script that they will perform an about 15 minute piece during the last half hour for parents/friends/family members. Forth-Sixth will be creating their own piece while learning some about technical theater and even creating their own scenic piece to incorperate into their show! Just like the 1st-3rd grade, parents/friends/ family members will be invited back the last half hour to watch an about 15 minute piece. More details and to sign up located in the sign up genius below!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094AAFA82FA6FBCF8-48798364-lets#/

Capped at 10 per age group and also a waiver will be sent out a few days prior to be brought in. There also will be hard copies if the waiver doesn't send correctly via email. Questions can go to the sign up genius email or to emcelrathtem@umass.edu
WAM Theatre Launches BIPOC Production Apprenticeship Program as Sabine Denise Jacques joins WAM as BIPOC Advocate

WAM Theatre launches a BIPOC Production Apprenticeship Program as part of its 15th Anniversary Season. The paid opportunity is designed to provide career development opportunities from college to the field for women-identifying  and non-binary theatre artists from historically marginalized groups.  

Two emerging women and/or non-binary theatre artists(designers, stage managers, directors, or dramaturgs) of the Global Majority (artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, African,  Asian American Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and Latin American) will be paired with professional mentors for WAM Theatre’s Fall 2024 production of Galileo’s Daughter written by Jessica Dickey and directed by Reena Dutt at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theater at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA. 

Following the successful completion of the apprenticeship program in 2024, apprentices will be offered production roles in WAM’s 2025 season.  Then, in 2026, they will be offered the chance to mentor a new cohort of apprentices as part of an on-going launch pad into the performing arts industry. The cohorts will be empowered with professional credits, portfolios, and relationships in the Berkshires and beyond. 

“As WAM’s Artistic Director, I am committed to nurturing trust-based relationships with artists of color in what is a predominantly white regional theatre culture,” says Genée Coreno. “Cultivating trust and belonging takes time, and the BIPOC Production Apprenticeship program is one way artists and leadership will collaborate to transform WAM and enrich our creative endeavors in this next chapter. WAM is accountable to the careers of women of color who are looking for an artistic home to flourish as artists and leaders.  Together we have the power to impact the future of the field, ensuring theatre is inclusive and representative of the global majority.” 

The BIPOC Apprenticeship Program is modeled after a successful pilot program at WAM Theatre in 2020, when five BIPOC women and non-binary emerging theatre artists apprenticed seasoned professionals in WAM’s production of ROE.  Due to the Covid-19 closures in the early pandemic this production moved online, but WAM kept the commitment to the apprentices whose work was featured in our first digital production. This pilot program was so successful that two of the apprentices went on to year-round positions at WAM, three were given full production positions in subsequent WAM seasons, and all are currently working in the theatre industry.

 “We’re thrilled to take this next step in creating spaces for women centered leadership development in theatre production,” said Managing Director, Molly Merrihew. “During the 2020 pilot of this process we discovered longer-engagement and multi-year access was fundamental to creating successful pipelines into the professional theatre. We are now thrilled to be in a position to formalize this process, creating more paid opportunities for women and non-binary artists entering the field. We are dedicated to making the program more accessible to our next generation of visionary theatre professionals, and creating transparent pathways into sustainable professional theatre work.”

The success of the BIPOC Apprenticeship Program would not be possible without Sabine Denise Jacques who accepted the role of BIPOC Advocate in early 2024. Jacques will apply her expertise in social justice facilitation and multicultural theater at the intersections of culture and accountability to ensure WAM continues to be a community that is welcoming, centers the safety of artists/designers/staff, and empowering for BIPOC apprentices, mentors, and artists. The BIPOC Advocate role was originated by Trenda Loftin in 2020 and has since played an important role in advancing WAM’s commitment to anti-racist practices. 

"I am so pleased to be working with WAM Theatre in this endeavor to proactively create an anti-racist environment where black artists and designers can thrive and not merely survive, says Sabine Denise Jacques, “Creating an intentional space and initiative for BIPOC artists and designers to come together in predominantly white spaces says I see you, I value your time and presence, and you belong here. It’s beautiful to be a part of a theater community that is taking the steps necessary to be proactive in their efforts to create spaces of belonging, and interrogate our own processes that are rooted in white supremacy characteristics. "

“We are thrilled Sabine Denise has joined WAM,” says Artistic Director Genée Coreno.  “Sabine is an insightful thought partner and artist.  I’ve seen how quickly her human-centered approach has impacted our process and policies - from auditions to the green room and look forward to more necessary transformation in the years to come.” 

Jacques is a Massachusetts-based actor, facilitator, educator, and theater practitioner working at the intersections of theater, education and dialogue. Jacques arrived at WAM following eight years in Western Massachusetts where she completed her B.A. in African American Studies, M.ED in International Education, a certificate in Multicultural Theater along with social justice facilitation training from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

WAM is honored to have the opportunity to forge mentorships and community with these emerging theater artists as they launch their careers. We thank the Brabson Family Foundation, who have made this program possible.

For more information and to submit your resume or recommendations for consideration, please contact Associate Artistic Director, Talya Kingston: talya@wamtheatre.com

MAJESTIC THEATER ANNOUNCES YOUTH THEATER WORKSHOP FOR SUMMER 2024

Two-Week Workshop Enrolling Children in Grades 5-8 for Theater Education Program

The Majestic Theater has announced its new Majestic Youth Theater Workshop, for children entering grades 5-8 next fall, set for June-July 2024.  Sue Dziura, associate producing director at the Majestic will lead the theater education program in which participants will get a part, rehearse a play and perform the show in a period of two weeks.

The workshop is designed for both beginners and more seasoned actors who want to hone the necessary skills to communicate effectively onstage.  Guided by Dziura and a staff of experienced theater professionals, the program will utilize theater games, improv, voice for the actor, movement work, scene study and ensemble-building exercises to develop each young actor’s toolkit. 

The two-week program will culminate in two performances of “Snowderella” by Nate Eppler.  Every participant gets a role, or multiple roles, to allow young actors to learn and grow as performers on the Majestic Theater stage. Participants will begin to learn:

·        What skills are needed to be an actor and how to develop those skills

·        How to audition, have stage presence, vocal projection and physical comedy skills

·        The joy of working as an ensemble

·        How to perform live in front of their friends and families

The workshop will take play Monday through Friday, June 24 through July 5 (not including July 4) from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the cost to participate will be $380.  The performances of “Snowderella” will take place Friday, July 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 6 at 2:00 p.m.  All performance tickets will be $10. 

Participants must submit an application to be part of the program.  Applications are available at the Majestic Theater box office or online at majestictheater.com

Registration is open now for Riotous Youth, Shakespeare & Company’s summer theater program for children and teenagers, slated to run from Monday, July 1 to Friday, August 16.

These one-, two-, and three-week sessions are tailored to different age groups, introducing participants ages seven to 17 to the language, stories, characters, and ideas in Shakespeare’s plays through imaginative and playful methods. Exercises and games incorporating voice, movement, and acting enable participants to explore Shakespeare’s text emotionally, physically, and intellectually. Participants then create a performance piece based on their experience of the play, which they share with family, friends, and Company members on the final day of each session.

2024 summer sessions include:

One-week session

Julius Caesar: August 12 – 16

For Ages: 7 – 12 

Tuition: $425

Two-week sessions

Twelfth Night: July 1 – 12 (sessions A and B are waitlist only)

Henry V: July 15 – 26 (session D: limited spots available)

Love's Labor’s Lost: July 29 – August 9 (sessions G and H: limited spots available)

For Ages: 7 – 15

Tuition: $825

Three-week sessions 

Riotous Company

For Ages: 14 – 17

Tuition: $1075

All sessions are held at the Shakespeare & Company campus at 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, Mass., and limited financial aid is available. Visit shakespeare.org/education to learn more and apply. For more information, contact Education Residency and Riotous Youth Programs Manager Caitlin Kraft at ckraft@shakespeare.org or (413) 637-1199 ext. 132. 

The Shea Theater offers TWO two week sessions of summer theater with Atticus and Enzo Belmonte for children ages 8-12.

Each day of the program will be dedicated to creating and rehearsing the immersive theater performance, as well as learning and participating in various acting games and workshops.

The cost is $650 per session with a limit of 20 children in each section. This fee includes snacks but not lunch. To register: sheatheaterartscenter@gmail.com

DATES:
July 8-19, 2024 and
July 22-August 2, 2024
Monday - Friday

Program runs 9 AM to 3 PM. Performance of the immersive play will take place on the second Friday at 10 am at the Shea on 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA.
 

In this program, the performers will rehearse and perform in an immersive theater show based on a fairytale, a Shakespeare play, or a myth. This immersive approach encourages imagination, collaboration, and creativity while teaching acting and movement techniques in a nurturing and holistic environment.

A check may be made to:
Shea Theater
PO Box 773
Turners Falls, MA 01376

Deposit of $100 is required at registration with remainder due by June 15, 2024

Atticus Belmonte is a writer, director, actor, and theater major at Bard College. He is a founder of Patch Productions that he formed with his brothers and several friends taking his immersive theater pieces to the Shea where they have offered several productions.

Enzo Belmonte is 16 years old and grew up doing theater, specifically Shakespeare and immersive theater. He has a special skill set in technical theater and will create lights and sound for the show.

The medium of Immersive Theater is an innovative theater format allows audience members to wander wherever they wish within a play, finding characters and scenes at their own will in different rooms and spaces. No audience member has the same experience; they all will see different scenes in different locations, piecing together the story as they go.

Registration is now open!

Is your creative kiddo ready for a fun-filled summer of a creating their own fairy tale, channeling their inner wild creature, going on a magical musical adventure, and channeling their inner clown? Does your tween or teen feel that creative spark? Registration is now open for PIC Kids Summer with options to pay in full or a deposit only.

This year we are excited to have offerings for young artists ages 7-11 AND ages 11-15!

For younger artists (ages 7-11) will adventure through the creative process as they explore theater, movement, and music. Each week follows a different theme, and all weeks will culminate in a sharing of the young artists' original work on Fridays at 2:30.

JUL 22-26        Fairy Tale Mash Up!

JUL 29-AUG 2  Growl and Groove

AUG 5-9          Soundscapes and Sorcery

AUG 12-16       Theatrical Clown

9am-3pm each day 

$325/week

Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, 130 Pine St, Florence

Older youth artists (ages 11-15) will explore all things ensemble, co-creating a brand new collaborative performance. Using theater games, writing exercises, improvisation, movement, songwriting, and art, participants will draw upon their dreams, original perspectives, and hopes for the future. All of this collaborative fun will culminating in a sharing at 4pm on Friday, August 16th.

AUG 12-16       PIC Kids Ensemble: Our Dreams!​

9:30am-3:30pm each day 

$350/week

The Workroom at 33 Hawley Street, Northampton

Learn more and register

Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training will host its 9-Day Intensive at its Lenox campus from Thursday, August 22 through Saturday, August 31. 

Designed for mid-career actors, educators, directors, and others seeking professional and artistic development, the 9-Day Intensive is inspired by Shakespeare & Company’s Month-long Intensive. Director of Training Sheila Bandyopadhyay said the workshop offers participants an opportunity to immerse themselves in Shakespeare training and make connections with like-minded artists in a robust, accessible format. 

“We regularly hear from artists in the mid-stages of their career that they wish they could attend our renowned Month-long Intensive in the winter, but their schedules simply do not permit them to do so,” said Bandyopadhyay. “For those out there who are juggling teaching, acting, directing, parenting responsibilities, and the like, the 9-Day Intensive is ideal.”

The daily schedule includes classes in Linklater Voice, Movement, monologue and scene work, and the format and tuition include admission to three Shakespeare & Company shows staged at the height of its 2024 performance season. 

Tuition is $1,495 with partial scholarships available for BIPOC artists. Early payment, alumni, and union member discounts are also available. Limited on-campus housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information or to apply, visit shakespeare.org or call 413.637.1199, ext. 114.

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

Easthampton Theater Company

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

Human Agenda Theater

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

South Hadley Players

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

Valley Players

Ware Community Theatre

Westfield Theatre Group

Wilbraham United Players

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