Western Mass Theatre News November 21, 2024

Your source for theatre events in Western Massachusetts.

Western Mass Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser November 21 - December 11, 2024 This week is a busy one for theatre in many of the colleges: Love/Sick at GCC, Pickled at Smith, Polaroid Stories at HCC, and Our Town at UMass, not to mention an Improv show at NHS tomorrow night! Plus, save the date for some holiday shows that are repidly approaching.  The next issue will include events from November 28 - December 18. Submit upcoming events via the link below or by emailing me before Tuesday at midnight. Any questions, comments or feedback? Email me at westernmasstheatre@gmail.com Submit Your Theatre Event Starlight's Youth Theatre presents Spring Musicals Beginning January 18, 2025 Learn More and Sign Up Here Greenfield Community College presents Love/Sick by John Cariani Nov 14-17, The Sloan Theater at GCC Tickets and More Information Improv Through the Ages  November 22 at 7:00 PM at Northampton High School Tickets Available at the Door! See listing for more info. YOUR EVENT HERE $5 per week for your poster and ticket link in top billing! Email me to reserve your dates. Click to Access: Western Mass Theatre Personnel Spreadsheet PERFORMANCES Greenfield Community College Love/Sick by John Cariani Nov 21, 22, 23 @ 7:30pm The Sloan Theater at GCC From the playwright that brought us the award-winning play ALMOST, MAINE comes LOVE/SICK by John Cariani at GCC’s Sloan Theater. Eighteen actors make up this full-length play of nine slightly twisted and completely hilarious stories about the joy and pain of being in love. gccfor.me/lovesick Smith College Department of Theatre New Play Reading Series: Pickled by Katie Wilson '26 Thursday, November 21 | 7:30 PM | Acting Studio 1, Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts The Theatre Department's New Play Reading Series presents Pickled by Katie Wilson ’26. Pickle is an aspiring art curator trying to establish herself in what she loves most. Things take a turn when she’s finally given the opportunity to prove herself. Free and open to the public. The Holyoke Community College Theater Department presents Polaroid Stories, by Naomi Iizuka  Directed by Rose Schwietz Malla  Thursday November 21st 7:30pm  Friday November 22nd 7:30pm (ASL Interpreted)  Saturday November 23rd 2:00pm  Saturday November 23rd 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]  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.  This show is appropriate for audience members 13 years of age and older. Contains: Strong language, references to prostitution and sexual violence, staged violence. OUR TOWN By Thornton Wilder Directed by Behnam Alibakhshi Nov. 21, 22, 23 at 7:30 p.m. | Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. The Curtain Theater $5 students, seniors, Card to Culture, $17 general admission “Our Town” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com Content advisory: alcohol use and smoking, discussions of death. Recommended for children age 12 and up Tickets on sale through the Fine Arts Center Box Office (413-545-2511 and online), as well as at the door on the night of the show (subject to availability). To make our shows more affordable, we offer Card to Culture pricing for qualifying patrons. Finding the profound in the everyday UMass Theater presents Our Town, a timeless play about what's important. Do we appreciate the present moment as we should? That's the question to which director Behnam Alibakhshi returns over and over as he contemplates Thornton Wilder's Our Town. This American classic, which runs Nov. 15-23 in the Curtain Theater at UMass Theater, conveys the profundity of ordinary human experiences, something Alibakhshi feels we need more than ever in our current moment. "Life's inherent brutality often prevents us from fully understanding and enjoying simple, ordinary moments," says Alibakhshi. "The play draws attention to the fact that we don't need more brutality; we don't need to further complicate our lives." Our Town is a play in three acts that follows the journey of two main characters, Emily and George, from childhood to marriage and eventually death. Along the way, we also get to know other citizens of Grovers Corners, NH, as they encounter their own milestone moments in life. In Our Town a stage manager frames and comments on the action, and the production design is minimal, with actors miming where they might otherwise use props. The production creates what dramaturg Pedro Eiras describs as a "timeless" effect. "While our version will be timeless, it will gesture toward the past—not any specific past, but rather an idea of the past. Time is fluid, and the circle of life is eternal. Our version of Our Town could take place 100 years ago, it could take place now, or it could take place 100 years in the future." Alibakhshi notes that Wilder wrote the play in 1938, a time of global upheaval between two wars — and with the conflicts happening currently around the world, we might be uniquely positioned to appreciate Wilder's simple, immersive, and deeply resonant message. Our Town is presented in the Curtain Theater, a intimate space, so make your reservation now before performances sell out! Tickets and More Information St. Michael’s Players Scrooge the Musical Nov 21, Nov. 22, Nov. 23 @ 7:00PM and Nov. 24 @ 2:00PM St. Michael’s Community Center 53 Somers Rd East Longmeadow, MA 01028 Come welcome the holiday season with the classic story of redemption and Christmas joy! Scrooge the Musical is a wonderful family event! stmichaelsplayers.com/tickets MAJESTIC THEATER PRESENTS A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN  NOVEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 1 West Springfield’s Majestic Theater will present A Moon for the Misbegotten, Eugene O’Neill’s final and most personal play, onstage October 24 through December 1.  Set on a dilapidated Connecticut farm, the play focuses on Josie, a woman commanding and tough outside, sensuous and sensitive inside and Jamie Tyrone, a dissipated former actor with an astonishing capacity for alcohol. Josie’s father, Phil Hogan, a tenant farmer, suspects that Jamie intends to sell the farm to a hated neighbor and sets a plan in motion to bring Jamie and Josie together. This American classic play is a requiem about being able to love and be loved with a unique blend of comedy, tragedy, autobiography and imagination. The play will be directed by James Warwick.  Danny Eaton is producing director, and Sue Dziura is associate producing director.  Stephen Petit is production stage manager, and the associate production manager is Aurora Ferraro.  Chelsie Nectow is the stage manager, Greg Trochlil is the scenic designer, and the lighting designer is James MacNamara.  Costume design is by Dawn McKay and Alan Schneider is technical director. The cast includes Sue Dziura (Josie Hogan), J. T. Waite (Phil Hogan), Jay Sefton (James Tyrone, Jr.), Mike Hogan (Caleb Chew) and Tom Dahl (T. Stedman Harder).  Understudies include Tom Dahl, Myka Plunkett and Max Weinberg. Tickets to the show range from $35-$38 and can be purchased in person at the box office or by calling (413) 747-7797.  Box office hours are Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  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 Improv Through the Ages Nov 22, 2024 at 7:00 PM Northampton High School On Friday November 22nd, the Scarlet Sock Foundation will present an evening of fun, delight, and spontaneity with Improv Through the Ages!  The Scarlet Sock Foundation supports underrepresented populations by administering small grants to community organizations and individuals of all ages to increase exposure and access to social justice theater. Our efforts aim to increase the number of people from underrepresented populations involved in community-based theater by partnering with and providing funds for programming such as theater classes, the development of new plays, ticket purchases, pre/post show lessons, talkback opportunities, and other educational materials. We have funded social justice theater projects in Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin and Berkshire counties. Scarletsock.org  Improv Through the Ages will feature Heidi Haas’s theater students, the Ookie-Wookies (grades 1st-4th) and the Pickle Heads (grades 5th-8th) and the Northampton High School troupe, Funktionlust! Special guests include Jim Young, Hilary Bucs, Ethan Meigs and Susan Edelstein.  Funktionlust, now in its 19th year, is the only Improv group at NHS and has enough liveliness to power Childs Park! But with all their spontaneity and enthusiasm, they have entertained their audiences at Northampton’s First Night, Happier Valley Comedy, Click Workspace and with their fellow students at NHS! They are psyched to be on stage with all the other Improvers!  The show is family friendly. Tickets are available at the door and the cost is suggested at $5 for children and $15 for adults. As it’s a fundraiser, audience members are encouraged to give what they can to support the Scarlet Sock Foundation’s mission.  For More Information: Contact Heidi Haas at Heidi_Haas@comcast.net “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS 2024” COMING TO MAJESTIC THEATER DECEMBER 5-22 West Springfield’s Majestic Theater will present its annual seasonal variety show, “Home for The Holidays,” December 5-22.   The family-friendly show, featuring Pioneer Valley-based performers, has become a tradition at the theater for more than a dozen years.  Similar in style to nostalgic holiday specials of years past headlined by Andy Williams and Perry Como, “Home for The Holidays 2024” will be co-hosted by singer Ray Guillemette, Jr., who has headlined countless "A Ray of Elvis" sold-out shows at the Majestic, and Ben Ashley, a Majestic favorite who has performed in several hit shows including “Mamma Mia” and “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story.” Joining Ray and Ben onstage will be several veteran Majestic performers, including Kait Rankins, Caelie Flanagan, Tully Russell, Brad Shepard, plus a special appearance by Santa Claus.  Stephen Petit is directing the show, and Aurora Ferraro is assistant director.  Daniel Rist is lighting designer, and Mitch Chakour is musical director. Tickets are $30 & $28 for adults, and $15 for children 10 and under, and are available by visiting or calling the Majestic Theater Box Office at (413) 747-7797 during its hours of operation (Monday – Friday 10am - 5pm, and Saturday 10am - 1pm).  Tickets can also be purchased online here. The Majestic is also selling its popular holiday gift packages which consist of gift certificates (redeemable for tickets and café purchases), café gift cards, and a gift item packaged in with the certificates, and they will be available during the holiday season. For additional information, visit www.majestictheater.com. STCC College Theatre Workshop "This Random World: A Myth of Serendipity" Dec 5, 2024 at 11:00 AM December 6 & 7 @ 7:00PM Springfield Technical Community College, One Armory Square, Springfield, MA STCC College Theatre Workshop production of "This Random World" by Steven Dietz. Performance Venue: Scibelli Theater, Building 2 Admission is free. Donations gratefully accepted. What: Home for the Holigays! When: Dec. 6 & 7 at  7:30pm Where: Shea Theatre, 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA 01376 Tickets: $20 at: https://sheatheater.org/ Eggtooth Productions presents the annual Mr. Drag holiday show, It's Home for the Holigays! In this annual holiday variety show filled with song, dance and story, the Drag Family offers their unique and hilarious take on A Christmas Carol. Mr Drag is performed by award winning Broadway makeup artist, Joe Dulude II. His wayward sister, DD Drag is played by Myka Plunkett of Northampton. Ellsbeth, the messy gothic maid, is played by Emily Pritchard of Amherst. Jinnifer, Mr. Drag's smart speaker who may be a little too smart for her own good, is played by Linda Tardif of Turners Falls.  The Chaplinesque character of Karl is played by Kat Adler from Greenfield. Quince Cordial who mixes things up is performed by Broadway dancer, Lori Holmes Clark of Deerfield. And as a special drag guest, Marina Goldman of Montague plays her inimitable self. This is the eighth year that Eggtooth has offered this family friendly alternative to the usual holiday entertainment and they have been thrilled to see audiences grow to capacity over the years.  Said Dulude, "Mr Drag came about eight years ago at The Holiday Spectacular at the Shea Theatre under the direction of Linda McInerney who asked me what my dream was. After decades of creating makeup for Broadway performers, that dream was to be onstage myself. I will admit that at that time I was a scared, out of practice performer but pushed through and went onstage to sing "Rainbow Connection". That drag character evolved into Mr Drag, a martini sipping drag queen who is, of course, immortal. And in immortal fashion he offers many delightful stories of his escapades with famous and infamous characters throughout history, fashion, television, and, of course, scandal. Audiences have responded so warmly. But the joy that Mr Drag brings the community pales in comparison to the joy he brings me. He opened me up, made me more comfortable with who I am and made us all laugh. We all need the joy and silliness of the Drag Family, now more than ever. Never could I have imagined the warmth and love that I have been shown doing these shows. It's the reason I keep doing it. I do it for audiences. I do it for me. I do it for rebellion against all those who would silence our beauty, love and happiness." Home for the Holigays! Dec. 6 & 7, 7:30pm, Shea Theatre, Turners Falls. Tickets $20. The show runs around 90 minutes with no intermission. Eggtooth proudly participates in the Mass Cultural Council's Card to Culture that  provides EBT, WIC, and  ConnectorCare cardholders free or steeply discounted admission to a variety of arts, humanities, and science organizations across the Commonwealth.  Photo credit: Matthew Cavanaugh AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Easthampton High School Drama Club is looking for 2 resourceful and reliable people. Both positions carry stipends. Neither person would be working alone. Amy is directing the production and will be providing support, especially with student communication and navigating the resources we have at the school. Quinn Renehan is the EHS shop teacher and he is teaching Stagecraft during the school day so many things can be started or finished there. Contact Amy Pawlus at apawlus@epsd.us Technical Director  The technical director is responsible for making sure that all of the set, prop, costume, lighting and sound elements are in place for the rehearsal and performance process. The technical director coordinates with the EHS shop teacher and stage director on material needs, budget and building strategies to run the Saturday set construction sessions from 10-2 during Mar/April. They will need to create job lists for student and parent volunteers and oversee work on set, prop and costume building and organization. The technical director should be available to oversee the run of the performances and the breakdown and disposal of the set as well as return any rental or borrowed items. This position comes with a $2500 stipend and requires at least 100 hours of time. Musical Conductor The musical conductor is responsible for teaching the students all of the music for the musical. Rehearsals usually happen between 2-4 usually one or two days a week. The cast focuses on learning the group songs early in the rehearsal process and then rehearsals for music are shorter and more focused on solos as the process continues. There is no live orchestra for this production. The musical conductor must be comfortable with the digital playback software for both rehearsal and performance purposes and needs to be available for rehearsals and performances to work with and/or train the sound board operator. The musical conductor should help with assignment of wireless microphones and placement of monitors or other audio related equipment. This position comes with a $1700 stipend and requires at least 60 hours of time. ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS NOW! Position description and how to apply can be found HERE Questions? Email info@apearts.org CASTING CALL Auditions for staged reading of The Surprizing Work of God, a folk-opera about Jonathan Edwards by Jeff Olmsted Jan 25, 26, 2025 Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, Florence, MA Auditions-Saturday Dec 1, 1:00-4:00 by appointment CASTING Jonathan Edwards (Tenor C3-A4 (mostly E3-E4) the one who preached “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God” in Northampton in 1742. From lyrical to declamatory. Sarah Edwards (Soprano A3-E-5), wife of Jonathan, she was a mystic, sought-after as an herbal healer, plus she ran the farm and they had eleven children. Range A4-E5. Leah (Alto G3-C5) Woman enslaved to the Edwards’ family. This character narrates, speaking directly to the audience. Requires actor to be Black/AA identifying. Other roles blind cast. These roles are paid. We are also looking for (unpaid) chorus members, to play the congregation, in hell and in heaven. The music is tuneful, not difficult. Most rehearsal in January, singers at music stands, Jan 25-26 4 p.m. Email Jeff: surprizingwork@gmail.com. The Harlot Queens Auditions for 2025 Season Online through December 1, 2024 Seeking female/non-binary identifying singers/musicians: The Harlot Queens is a professional comedic musical group that travels around New England and beyond performing both traditional family-friendly and bawdy tavern-style songs at renaissance faires, festivals, and more. For our 2025 season we are looking to add a second guitar player, a percussionist, as well as a dynamic singer/actor. Compensation is based on availability and bookings. We highly value diversity, and encourage performers of color as well as members of the lgbtqia community to apply. For more information visit www.theharlotqueens.com  Click the link below to sign up. https://forms.gle/xEkE5jP47G6Y4rFz7 WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Starlight's Youth Theatre, Inc. Sign up for Spring 2025 musicals Classes begin January 18, 2025 Mapleridge Community Center 659 Amherst Road, Sunderland, MA Aladdin Jr musical for grades 1-6 start January 18, 2025 every Saturday morning with performances at the Amherst Middle School auditorium March 22, 2025 Aladdin Jr. will be so much fun for the cast with expanded characters, new songs, and more thrills, this new adaptation of the beloved story will open up “a whole new world”. Class fee is $260, limited space, sign up at https://starlights-youth-theatre.org/register-portal/ Starlight classes are held at Mapleridge Community Ctr 659 Amherst Road, Sunderland, MA Financial Aid is available. No experience necessary.  Hello, Dolly! The musical for grades 7-12 , classes start January 18, 2025, every Saturday 11am with performances May 2 & 3, 2025 at The Academy of Music in Northampton. This Tony Award winner has some of the greatest songs in musical theatre history. Songs such as “Hello, Dolly”, “Put on your Sunday clothes”, “Before the Parade marches by”, and “It only takes a moment”, Besides the lead and supporting lead roles this show has a very active ensemble that fill the show with song and dance. Class fee is $295 Auditions Dec 7th but everyone will have a role. Sign up at https://starlights-youth-theatre.org/register-portal/ Starlight meets at Mapleridge Community Ctr 659 Amherst Road, Sunderland, MA Financial Aid is available. No experience necessary. Register Here. Submit your workshop, class, audition, performance, or any other theatre opportunity here! Western Massachusetts Theatre Companies Academy of Music Theatre Amherst Community Theater Arena Civic Theatre A.C.T. Youth Theatre Barrington Stage Company Berkshire Theatre Group Chester Theatre Company CitySpace Completely Ridiculous Productions Drama Studio Double Edge Theatre Easthampton Theater Company Eggtooth Productions Exit 7 Players Ghost Light Theater Great Barrington Public 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 Plays In Place Real Live Theatre Serious Play Theatre Ensemble Shakespeare & Company  Shakespeare Stage Shea Theater Arts Center Silverthorne Theater Smith College Department of Theatre South Hadley Players Spindrift Theatre St. Michael's Players Starlight's Youth Theatre, Inc. Theater Between Addresses Theatre Guild of Hampden TheatreTruck UMass Department of Theater UMass Theatre Guild Unity House Players Valley Light Opera Valley Players WAM Theatre Ware Community Theatre Westfield Theatre Group Wilbraham United Players Williamstown Theatre Festival World and Eye Want to know even more about events in Western Massachusetts and beyond, including reviews, interviews, and previews? In the Spotlight, Inc. Berkshire on Stage Stagestruck ArtsBeat TV/Radio and News Column Local Theater Critic Max Hartshorne Copyright © 2024 Western Mass Theatre, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive the Western Mass Theatre Newsletter. This newsletter is published weekly on Thursdays and all information about upcoming performances and auditions is reader submitted. The newsletter is limited to information about theatre in Western Massachusetts. unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences