Pioneer Valley Theatre News June 20, 2024

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Pioneer Valley Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser June 20 - July 10, 2024 Summer productions in full swing this (extremely hot) week. I'll be in the barn at Historic Northampton for our performances of Pulling at the Roots - we've recently extended, so there may still be some tickets left for July 5-7! Also this weekend: Serious Play's Moving Water, Easthampton Theater Company's The Man Who Came To Dinner, and Exit 7's The Last 5 Years.  The next issue will include events from June 27 - July 17. 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 Serious Play Theatre Ensemble presents Moving Water & Climate Change Forum June 20-23 at the Workroom, 33 Hawley Street in Northampton Tickets and More Information  Easthampton Theater Company presents The Man Who Came To Dinner June 20-23 at Williston Theater, Easthampton Tickets and More Information Exit 7 Players present The Last 5 Years June 20-23 at Exit 7 in Ludlow Tickets and More Information K&E Theater Group presents Zanna, Don't!  June 27-30 at Northampton Center for the Arts 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 PERFORMANCES Plays In Place presents: Pulling at the Roots June 19 - 23, 2024 and June 26 - 29, 2024 (Wed-Sun 6:30pm, Sat-Sun 2pm) EXTENDED: July 5 at 6:30, July 6 at 2:00 and 6:30, July 7 at 6:30  a series of three site-specific plays that move the audience through three centuries of Northampton history, commissioned by Historic Northampton. Circling Suspicion by Talya Kingston, brings us into the home and mind of Mary Bliss Parsons as she struggles with accusations of witchcraft.  Rose, by Jasmine Rochelle Goodspeed explores a fraught exchange between famous cleric Jonathan Edwards and Rose, who is enslaved by Edwards. The Optimist's Razor by Patrick Gabridge, shows abolitionists David and Lydia Maria Child confronting a decision that threatens their careers and marriage. Set and staged in the restored historic barn and the grounds of Historic Northampton, the dramas of Pulling at the Roots breathe life and humanity into two historical themes: the meaning of home and women's search for autonomy. Directed by Brianna Sloane Acting ensemble features: Bill Stewart, Christine Stevens, Linda Tardif, Matt Haas, Will MacAdams, Myka Plunkett, and Tahmie Der. All three 25-minute plays will be performed every time and will be followed by a brief talkback with the artists and a historian. General Admission: Sliding Scale $15 to $50 RESERVE YOUR PLACE Last year's show sold out! Serious Play Theatre Ensemble presents MOVING WATER 2024 PERFORMANCES & FREE CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNITY FORUM  JUNE 20-23     WORKROOM@33HAWLEY    Northampton MA Serious Play Ensemble feels strongly about the existential threat of climate change & the power of theatre to motivate audiences to think critically, ask questions & to take action. *Ticket Sales for MOVING WATER & Registration for CCC FORUM are online 5/1/2024 MOVING WATER 2024 PERFORMANCES June 20-22       8:30pm.  June 23.            2pm matinee  Limited seating  12 yrs & up Wait list opens one hour before event TICKETS Here OR visit our website at: seriousplay.org MOVING WATER is a devised physical theatre piece about climate change, rising sea levels & how water fragility shapes our human interactions. Production devised by Serious Play Theatre Ensemble Written Eric Henry Sanders Directed by Sheryl Stoodley Music composed by Jonny Rodgers Technical direction/ video & set design by Robin Doty Lighting design by Holly Gettings Dramaturgy by Roz Driscoll Ensemble Actors: Stephanie Reyes (Luna), Kermit Dunkelberg (Sergei), Marcus Neverson (Drew) Moving Water is a groundbreaking & revolutionary piece of theater…The talent driving the production is simply astounding, leaving audiences inspired to activate change in their own communities. (James Monroe-Producer SubSpace /Adult Programming-Museum of Science Boston) One of the best theater productions I have seen in years that addresses the real impact of water in people’s lives…a combination of down-to-earth facts & big picture ideas. (Betsy Damon- Founder of Keepers of the Waters- Author of Water Talks)    FREE CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNITY FORUM- JUNE 22   Saturday June 22   4pm- 6:30pm. (afternoon before evening performance) Limited seating- 14yrs & up  Wait list opens one hour before event  FREE with REQUIRED ONLINE REGISTRATION OR visit our website at: seriousplay.org The FORUM offers 3 group conversations around 3 chosen aspects of the climate crisis, moving participants toward action on 3 specific climate projects. The goal is for participants to become more deeply informed on, and involved with, at least one aspect of our climate emergency, galvanizing the community to make change toward climate justice & resilience.  The FORUM is hosted by Andrea Battle & John Feffer, members of Serious Play’s Climate Change Community Forum Advisory Group, which also includes: Russ Vernon-Jones, Andrea Ayvazian & Susan Theberge, Climate Action Now. Easthampton Theater Company ETC Presents The Man Who Came to Dinner 6/20, 6/21 and 6/22 at 7:30PM and 6/23 at 2PM Williston Theater, 18 Payson Avenue, Easthampton, MA The Man Who Came to Dinner is a timely satire of celebrity, cult of personality and egotism - with strong relevance to today's fame-obsessed culture. Most recently revived on Broadway with Nathan Lane in the title role, the 2000 production was nominated for a Tony and Drama Desk award. Sheridan Whiteside – critic, lecturer, wit, radio orator, intimate friend of the great and near great – having dined at the home of the Stanleys, slips on their doorstep resulting in a tumultuous six weeks of confinement. Whiteside turns the Stanley household upside down, forcing everyone in town to cater to his egotistical demands. Meanwhile, his essential assistant has given her notice after falling in love with a local reporter. Whiteside must engage every weapon in his considerable arsenal of guile and manipulation to keep her in his employ – including blackmail, deceit, and the intervention of the glamorous actress Lorraine Sheldon and the elegant British wit of playwright Beverly Carlton. A three-ring circus of machinations and celebrity appearances ensues - characters that are loosely based on real-life figures. The Man Who Came to Dinner originally premiered on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre on October16, 1939. The production ran for 739 performances and was followed by the hit 1941 movie featuring Bette Davis. A 1980 revival was nominated for Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Featured Actor and Actress in a Play. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Easthampton Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency http://easthamptontheater.com Reserved seating is available in advance. Tickets may be available at the door subject to availability. Exit 7 Players The Last 5 Years June 20, 21, 22 at 8pm June 23 at 2pm Exit 7 Players Theater, 37 Chestnut St., Ludlow, MA 01056 The musical The Last 5 Years follows two sides of rising author Jamie and aspiring actress Cathy's relationship. As Jamie travels forward through their 5-year relationship, Cathy travels backwards, and the two only cross once in the middle. The show is accompanied by a bright and hopeful but sometimes personally haunting score, and it highlights how beautiful and building love is, while simultaneously highlighting how painful and sometimes devastating the challenges of living through a dwindling relationship can be. Tickets and More Info The show is traditionally done with a heterosexual couple - however, as a special Pride month event, Exit 7 Players has received permission and will be performing the show portraying Jamie and Cathy for the first time as a queer-representing couple! The company hopes that this contemporary spin on the show will help people see the similarities between queer and heterosexual romances, and that these relationships are often alike regardless of gender. Further, in another first and in response to widespread COVID concerns throughout the pandemic, the company will be performing the show with two rotating casts who will understudy for each other in any necessary event! The show stars Kelly Gagner and Kate Stango as Jamie and Shealyn Berube and Mal Sillars as Cathy. Both casts present their own unique energies and characterizations all without changing any words between one another, and the company excited for potential repeat audience members to see this! Chester Theatre Company presents The Thin Place Jun 20, 2024 at 2:00 PM, July 21 - 2:00pm, July 21 - 7:30pm, July 22 - 7:30pm, July 23 - 2:00pm, July 26 - 2:00pm, July 27 - 2:00pm, July 27 - 7:30pm, July 28 - 2:00pm, July 28 - 7:30pm, July 29 - 7:30pm, July 30 - 2:00pm Town Hall Theatre The Thin Place Written by Lucas Hnath Directed by Gabrielle Farrah June 20–30 Everyone who ever died is still here, just in a different part of here. Linda can communicate with them. And if you believe, she can make you hear them, too—in the thin place, the fragile boundary between our world and the other one. With acuity and relentless curiosity, Lucas Hnath’s play transforms the theater into an intimate séance, crafting an unnerving testament to the power of the mind, which has a mind of its own. Starring Tara Franklin | Lighting design by Lara Dubin, CTC Resident Designer | Sound design by James McNamara https://chestertheatre.org Tickets are available online at or through the Box Office by calling 413-354-7771 or emailing boxoffice@chestertheatre.org. Discounted tickets are available through the Box Office. Shakespeare & Company opens its 47th season on Friday, June 21 with A Body of Water by Lee Blessing, a comedic thriller presented outdoors at the Roman Garden Theatre through July 21.  A revised script staged only once before, Blessing’s A Body of Water tells the story of Moss and Avis: a sophisticated and successful couple who wake up one morning in an isolated summer house. The setting is idyllic, but there's a problem — neither of them can remember who they are. A young woman named Wren arrives, and information starts to flood in. But will it help? Her explanations seem to only add confusion and the ensuing twists are at some turns comedic, and at others, terrifying. Directed by James Warwick, who directed Blessing’s A Walk in the Woods at Shakespeare & Company in 2022, the cast of A Body of Water includes: Caroline Calkins (Wren)  Bella Merlin (Avis)  Kevin O’Rourke (Moss)  Previews are $10 less on Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, at 7 p.m.; Opening Night is Sunday, June 23 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at shakespeare.org, or by calling the Box Office at (413) 637-3353.  On the Boards ’24: a festival of new play readings by (mostly) local playwrights: The Female Gaze by Mary Nelen and Rogue Flight by Rex McGregor WHERE: The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., Greenfield MORE DETAILS: https://thelavacenter.org/on-the-boards/  The LAVA Center is proud to present our second annual festival of new play readings by (mostly) local playwrights, “On the Boards ’24." Admission is on a sliding scale of $5–15 ($1–2 for Card to Culture participants). Advance tickets are now available at https://www.tixtree.com/o/lava. The schedule for the rest of the festival: Saturday, June 22, 7 p.m. — table readings: Good Shabbos, Aronsteinowits!, written by Sasha and directed by Ash Goverman The Fourth Dimension, written by Christine Benvenuto and directed by Ash Goverman Saturday, June 29, 7 p.m. — table readings: Phoenix in the Holy Land, written by JuPong Lin and directed by Ash Goverman Acacia, written by Samuel Rahman and directed by Ash Goverman Friday–Saturday, July 12–13, 7 p.m. — staged readings: The Moon Over Us, written by Beth Filson and directed by Penney Hulten Cancer Mom, written by Steve Poulin and directed by Tracy Grammer Friday–Saturday, July 19–20, 7 p.m. — staged readings: Man and his Shadow, written and directed by Silvia Modern Times, written and directed by P.H. Crosby American Stink Bug, written by Jean Minuchin and directed by Bri Boehm Friday–Saturday, July 26–27, 7 p.m. — staged reading: Inheritance, written by Nina Gross and co-directed with Kiersten Samalis More details to come soon! Visit https://thelavacenter.org/on-the-boards/ for updates. All plays will also be viewable online for a short time, with closed captioning. On the Boards ’24 is made possible by grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the local cultural councils of Amherst, Bernardston, Buckland, Conway, Deerfield, Gill, Greenfield, Leyden, Northfield and Shelburne. Mind Matters Most: a Mental Health Cabaret Local Teens Address the Youth Mental Heath Crisis Through Theater New Play @ Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center, 289 Main Street, Greenfield on Sunday, June 23rd at 7 pm Valley Playwright Mentoring (VPM) is a Piti Theatre program for teenagers where participants transform challenging experiences into theatre productions and podcasts.         On Sunday June 23rd at 7 pm a group of teens who have been rehearsing since November in Greenfield will present the culmination of their 2023 – 2024 season with a “Mental Health Cabaret” addressing topics like healthy relationships, family conflict and suicide with a combination of humor and poignancy. The performance will be followed by a Q&A with the cast and Artistic Mentors. Admission is free and reservations recommended at ptco.org/vpm. The performance is geared for ages 13+ given some mature themes. Mind Matters Most is directed by Piti Theatre Co-Artistic Director Jonathan Mirin, Teaching Artist Laura Josephs and the ensemble. This year local 16 year old podcast creator Vala Jenczyk has joined the team as a scriptwriter. Mirin relates that “last year the group decided to have gun violence be the focus after a number of them experienced a lockdown at Greenfield High. This year, they decided to dive into teen mental health and they’ve done a great job of making tough situations understandable, sympathetic and even finding lighter moments. Anyone who enjoys theater or wants a real time snapshot of what young people are thinking about will get a lot from this production.” Jenczyk adds: “working the main duo’s silly, theatrical dynamic into the improvisational material this group has given me has been a lot of fun and helped me grow as a writer. This has been a great creative experience for me and the rest of the team.” VPM is accepting registrations from new participants for October, 2024 for VPM troupes in Greenfield, Holyoke and Shelburne Falls. The program, which offers stipends to actor-playwrights who complete the six month mentorship, is made possible through the generous support of Mass Cultural Council's YouthReach program, Community Foundation of Western MA, the Mount Pleasant Foudation, the Charles H. Hall Foundation, the Markham-Nathan Foundation, Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and Swiss Harmony. VPM was inspired by Barrington Stage Company's Playwright Mentoring Project. About Piti Theatre Co. Based in Shelburne Falls, MA and Les Ponts-de-Martel, Switzerland, Piti Theatre Company was founded in 2004 by American playwright/actor Jonathan Mirin and Swiss choreographer and visual artist Godeliève Richard. Piti (pronounced "pea-tea") is an ancient Indian (Pali) word translatable as "joy" or "rapture." Piti programming plants seeds joy, sustainability and justice and the troupe recently successfully completed a capital campaign to launch Bloom, a Center for Arts & Ecology in Charlemont. ptco.org K and E Theater Group Presents Zanna, Don't!  at Northampton Center for the Arts, June 27-30, 2024, for 5 Performances Only! In a series of debuts for the Pioneer Valley, K and E Theater Group presents the musical Zanna, Don't! The company will present the Off-Broadway cult hit at the Northampton Center for the Arts, June 27-30, 2024. This show marks the second production of their fourth season titled “Twists and Turns. Zanna, Don't! is a fresh, vibrant, and feel-good musical set in a parallel universe where homosexuality is the norm and heterosexuality is taboo. This whimsical tale, filled with catchy songs and dynamic dance numbers, follows the magical Zanna, a matchmaker who uses his extraordinary powers to bring love into the lives of his friends at Heartsville High. When a forbidden heterosexual relationship blossoms, the characters must navigate the complexities of love and acceptance in a world turned upside down. K and E Theater Group's production of Zanna, Don't! features Michael Borges as Arvin and Others, Renee Bouldin as Kate, Michael Garcia as Zanna, Nathan Holbrook as Tank and Others, AJ Kirby as Roberta, Carina Savoie as Candy and Others, Jay Torres as Mike, and Joey Valencourt as Steve. Eddie Zitka serves as director and choreographer. The band is led by musical director Benjamin Maniscalchi. Performances are: Thursday, June 27, 2024 at 8:00 PM Friday, June 28, 2024 at 8:00 PM Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM The closing performance is scheduled for Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 4:00 PM. All performances are at Northampton Center for the Arts, located at 33 Hawley Street in Northampton, Massachusetts. Tickets are $27 and general admission. *This performance contains strobe effects. Runtime is 105 minutes with no intermission. Tickets and performance information for Zanna, Don’t! are available at www.KETG.org. Join us at North Hall in Huntington, MA for a performance of THE STORY CAFÉ, Sunday, June 30 at 2:00 (doors open at appx. 1:30). There is no charge for tickets though the house seats only 70.   THE STORY CAFE is a celebration of the Pioneer Valley’s large, rich, and enormously talented short-story authors. Combining the work of acclaimed Pioneer Valley authors Jane Yolen, Stephen Billias, Joy Baglio, Marisa Labozzetta and Rick Paar with the talents of favorite Valley actors Ellen Barry, Raye Birk and Candace Barrett Birk – THE STORY CAFE will transport you through the magic of the spoken word into worlds of joy, discovery and connection.  For more information: https://northhallhuntington.org/ Unreconciled (World Premiere) July 4–14  Written by Jay Sefton and Mark Basquill Directed by James Barry Unreconciled is the true story of an adolescent actor cast as Jesus in a play directed by a pedophile priest. The play chronicles a survivor’s journey as he confronts his past and discovers the courage to use his voice and redefine what reconciliation means. Jay Sefton’s virtuosic solo performance is an unflinching quest for justice, brimming with heart, humor, and compassion. Tickets and more information AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Ja'Duke Theater Auditons for "The Play That Goes Wrong" Jun 24, 2024 at 6:00 PM 6/25/24 AT 6:00PM-9:00PM Ja'Duke Performing Arts Center, Industrial Blvd, Turners Falls MA “The Play That Goes Wrong” centers around the Cornley Drama Society, an amateur theater company, and their presentation of “The Murder at Haversham Manor,” a good old-fashioned murder mystery. In fact, that is the play the audience is told they are about to see. And they do see it… from beginning to end. So, the characters in “The Play That Goes Wrong” are playing actors in a play that, well, goes wrong. Terribly wrong. From missed lines to wrong entrances to a set that seems to have it in for them. The performers forge ahead, determined to see it through. The ages presented in the cast list below are simply an idea of how the characters present. If you are outside those actual ages, do not be discouraged from auditioning. The physical demands for some of the characters are listed below. But be aware, this is a physically demanding show for everyone. Lots of slapstick, falls, etc. Some of the characters will have scenes on an uneven platform several feet above the stage. For your audition, please prepare a brief monologue. Any genre. Please use the link to reserve an audition time. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to reach out. Callbacks will be held Monday, July 1st. This is a non-equity show. ANNIE – (female 20’s-40’s) The company’s stage manager. This is a physical role that involves falls and fight scenes with Sandra.  TREVOR – (gender/age unimportant) The company’s lighting and sound editor.  CHRIS – (male 30’s-50’s) The head of the drama society, director of “The Murder at Haversham Manor” and plays Inspector Carter in the play. British accent.  JONATHAN – (male 20’s-40’s) Plays Charles Haversham, the “deceased” whose body endures a bit of abuse by other characters. Lots of physical humor. British accent.  ROBERT – (male 30’s-50’s) Plays Thomas Colleymore. Physically demanding role requiring balance. Also a bit of sword play. British accent.  DENNIS – (male age unimportant) Plays Perkins, the butler. Gets water tossed in his face a few times. British accent.  MAX – (male 30’s-50’s) Plays two roles in “The Murder…” Cecil Haversham (British accent) and Arthur the gardener (Scottish accent.) Some sword play. SANDRA – (female 20’s-40’s) Plays Florence Colleymore. An extremely physical role involving falls and fight scenes with Annie. Florence also spends a fair amount of time on stage wearing only a slip. British accent. Sign Up  January 6 Productions “January 6: the Sex Strike” January 6 Productions is seeking actress 35-55 to portray “Liz Cheney” in “January 6: the Sex Strike”, a wild satirical comedy.  In Aristophanes’ “Lysistrata”, written 2,500 years ago, the women of Athens begin a sex strike against their warrior-men demanding the end of the 27 year war against Sparta. The Peloponnesian War ended shortly thereafter. What would happen if the Women of America started their own sex strike to end our War on Democracy? Will the unlikely alliance of Liz Cheney, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Ruth Bader Ginsburg prevail against the likes of Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani? This show is risqué.  Auditions now by appointment in Northampton, rehearsals in August in Southampton and performances in September in Greenfield. Stipend: $200   To schedule an audition, obtain sides or for more details please contact Rick Malone at rickmalone@ymail.com The Academy of Music Theatre seeks a dance instructor and choreographer for a one-week teenage Musical Theatre program. This is a paid position to choreograph and teach dance to about 10-20 teens ages 13+ in a weeklong Musical Theatre workshop held Mon Aug 5th - Fri Aug 9th. 9am - 3pm.  Ideal candidates are aged 18+ and a strong dancer/choreographer with both performance and industry experience in musical theatre, and who is also prepared to command the instruction of a room full of excited young artists of varying intermediate experience levels while maintaining a positive, productive, and professional environment.  $20 - $24 an hour depending on experience.  The workshop, “Spotlight! Intensive”, aims to challenge and grow the students as individuals in their performance goals as both solo artists and in ensemble work for musical theatre.  https://www.aomtheatre.com/youth-programs/summer-mt-workshops/ The co-director/choreographer will be in charge of creating and instructing choreography for the musical theatre numbers selected in collaboration with the education director (Kyle Lawrence), and also in teaching sessions of more technical skills-based instruction. They will also be present the full day (9am-3pm) to be an active part of the team and assist with areas of student engagement and behavior management as needed. There is a showcase at the end of the week that will feature performances by the kids of what was created/rehearsed within the week.  If interested, please send a resume to education director Kyle Lawrence. education@aomtheatre.com Long-Term Substitute Fall Play Director The Williston Northampton School, an independent co-educational boarding and day school in Easthampton, Massachusetts, is a culturally diverse educational community serving grades 7-12. We are seeking to hire a Long-Term Substitute Director for the fall play. The responsibilities of this position would begin on September 4, 2024 and conclude on November 15, 2024. The Long-Term Substitute Director will direct the fall play. In this role, they will provide designers with a directorial approach for the production and feedback on set and costume renderings. The Long-Term Substitute Director will identify casting needs and conduct the casting process. They will develop a production calendar with rehearsal call times for actors and tech week times for all participants in the production, students and adults alike. As Director, they will develop the blocking and teach it to students, coaching actors on their performances. The Long-Term Substitute Director will support the student Stage Manager with their production responsibilities, identifying props and scenic needs of the show and communicating them to the Set Designer promptly. Additionally, the Long-Term Substitute Director will participate in weekly production meetings; promote production, in collaboration with the communications office; and participate in strike. The salary range for this position is $5,000 to $7,000 depending on experience. Strong candidates will have experience working in some capacity with middle or high school students. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential. Candidates must possess the flexibility, energy, creativity, and appreciation for adolescents that life in an independent school boarding community requires. Candidates must be able to successfully complete the state-mandated CORI, as well as SORI, a general background check, and a fingerprint-based criminal background check. Candidates must also hold a valid driver’s license. Please direct all inquiries, including a cover letter, current resume, and contact information for three references to Corinne Fogg, Dean of Faculty, through the link provided below. EOE Non-smoking campus. Click here to apply The Valley Players has announced that their first production will be Nick Payne’s award-winning play Constellations. Open auditions for the eight-person cast will be held in August and the show goes up in October at the Munson Memorial Library in Amherst. Anyone who wants to find out more about the auditions or the production can sign up for the Valley Players email list at www.valleyplayers.org. Constellations is a spellbinding romantic journey that begins with a simple encounter between two people but then defies the boundaries of the universe we think we know by delving into the infinite possibilities of their connection. Branching out across multiple timelines, the play asks questions about destiny and chance, about love and death, and about how the relationship between two people might change if they changed even just a single word or decision. The New York Times describes Payne’s play as “the most sophisticated date play Broadway has seen” and “supremely articulate.” “This story of parallel universes is universal in every sense of the word,” the Times concludes. “Smart” and “superb,” raves The Guardian, and Variety calls it “sweet and strangely haunting.” “A singular astonishment,” praises The New Yorker, “at once eloquent and mysterious …a wholly satisfying and complete emotional journey…The well-judged dialogue, at once terse and trenchant, finds its own characteristic poetry.” The Valley Players is currently seeking a production team for the show, including a stage manager/technical director, assistant stage manager, assistant director, costumer, lighting designer, and house manager. Anyone interested in finding out more about these positions or in volunteering for one can contact the group at info@valleyplayers.org. As an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that offers free and pay-what-you-can programming, the Valley Players relies on the contributions of donors and business sponsors. All contributions are tax-deductible and go fully to support the organization’s mission and programming. Anyone who wants to donate or become a business sponsor can do so at www.valleyplayers.org. The mission of the Valley Players is to enrich the quality of life in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts by producing nimble, meaningful, and accessible community theater. 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, 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 Monarch: Penning 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. 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. Spend your summer Saturdays at LAVA with new free art, music and theater! WHAT: summer@lava: free visual and performing arts and workshops all summer long WHEN: every Saturday midday, June 22–September 28 WHERE: The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., Greenfield https://thelavacenter.org/summer/  Join The LAVA Center in downtown Greenfield every Saturday this summer for art, music and theater! Our “summer@lava” series features new visual and performing arts and workshops, and happens every Saturday midday, so you can come after your weekly trip to the farmers market, and then hit up the rest of downtown’s cafes, restaurants, library, bookstores and shops afterwards! And best of all — all summer@lava programming is all FREE, funded by the Crossroads Cultural District and the Mass Cultural Council. Improv workshops Join local improv veteran Henry Balzarini every 2nd and 4th Saturday, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., all summer through September for free improv workshops! Using improv games, we will become a fast thinking, in the moment, loose goose brigade. July 13, August 10 and September 14: 2nd Saturdays are for experienced improvisers to join in, share games, and brainstorm. June 22, July 27, August 24 and September 28: 4th Saturdays are for everyone! — all are welcome, from brand-newbies to the most seasoned veteran, for a series of new improv games every time. Our summer@lava programming is FREE, funded by the Crossroads Cultural District and the Mass Cultural Council. Donations are always welcome! WAM Theatre is bringing back their free devised theatre workshops this summer: Devised Ensemble-Building for Women over 65 with Michael Kennedy, Tuesday July 16, 3-5pm, at the WAM Theatre Creative Hub, 55 Main Street, Lenox Ideado Teatro en Español con Maizy Broderick Scarpa y Gabriel CiFuentes, Sábado 20 de julio, 4:30-6:30pm, Centro creativo WAM, 55 Main Street, Lenox. Ofrecido en asociación con Latinas 413 y con el apoyo de Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation More information & registration: www.wamtheatre.com/workshops/ 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 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 Local Theater Critic Max Hartshorne 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|*