Western Mass Theatre News February 27, 2025

Your source for theatre events in Western Massachusetts.

Western Mass Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser February 27-March 19, 2025 This week: Scissoring at Smith College, Fences at the Majestic Theater, Kristina Wong at UMass, and Play Incubation Collective's latest reading: The Transformation by Jem O'Hara.  The next issue will include events from March 6 - 26. 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 Easthampton Theatre Company presents On Golden Pond March 15-23 at Williston Theater in Easthampton 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: Western Mass Theatre Personnel Spreadsheet PERFORMANCES The Smith College Department of Theater presents Scissoring by CQ Quintana, directed by Kelsey Rainwater on February 27, 28, and March 1 at 7:30 PM in Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre. When Abigail Bauer takes a job as a teacher at a conservative Catholic school, she is forced to step back into the closet against the wishes of her long-term girlfriend. As she struggles to reconcile her professional ambitions, personal relationships, religious beliefs, and internalized shame, Abigail receives guidance from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Eleanor’s devoted friend and lover, Lorena Hickok. Tickets $5-15 at smitharts.ludus.com. Scissoring explores the ways in which people can feel split into multiple, sometimes conflicting, identities. The New York Times called it a “pleasure to watch…about finding the courage to be fully oneself.” Playwright CQ Quintana is a queer Cuban-American writer who works in theatre, poetry, television, and lyrical nonfiction. Their plays have been developed at the Kennedy Center, Diversionary Theatre, and INTAR.  Scissoring was the culmination of their MFA in Playwriting at Columbia University and was a 2013/14 finalist in the Alliance/Keneda National Graduate Playwriting Competition. The play premiered in 2018 at INTAR in New York City. In Scissoring, Quintana examines the complex relationships between queer identity, religion, race, and professional opportunity. Guest Director Kelsey Rainwater, an actor and faculty at David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, has been the fight and intimacy coordinator on several Smith productions. She is excited to return to campus to direct this layered, provocative, sweet, and funny show. “What makes this experience even more meaningful is the chance to tell this story at such a crucial time in our country, at Smith—where young creators are encouraged to amplify their voices through art.” Rainwater observes,  “In a moment when people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and wxmen are increasingly marginalized, we are making a clear statement: these voices will be heard.” Set in New Orleans in 2018, Scissoring conveys the myriad intricacies of closeted life in the late 2010s when the city was recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Abigail’s partner is an artist and they live in the rapidly gentrifying Marigny, a bohemian neighborhood where they can be their authentic selves. St. Elizabeth Rose Catholic School, where Abigail teaches, is in Uptown, a wealthy, more conservative district. The stress of toggling between these two worlds, physically and emotionally, pushes Abigail to a breaking point. Quintana introduces Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok to serve as imagined guides for Abigail and heightens the theatricality with a sentient, opinionated school PA System. St. Elizabeth Rose’s principal, a fellow teacher, and a Catholic priest round out the ensemble cast. The New Orleans locales and Abigail’s interior thoughts are brought to the stage with sets by Isabel Kurzweil ’26, lighting design by Via Sussman ’26, costumes by Lily Sickman-Garner ’25 and sound by Reed Shaw ’27 with stage management by Tamarin Camp ’25. “We have such a wonderful group of creators on this, everyone involved knows how special this show is, and why it matters to tell this story,” says Rainwater. The message she wants the audience to take away? “That you are enough. All of you. Not one bit is out of place.”  There will be a talkback with CQ Quintana after the March 1 performance. For a list of content warnings, email boxoffice@smith.edu. AUGUST WILSON’S FENCES ONSTAGE AT MAJESTIC THEATER FEBRUARY 27 – APRIL 6  West Springfield’s Majestic Theater will present Fences, the Tony Award and 1987 Pulitzer Prize Winning Drama by August Wilson onstage February 27 through April 6. Set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the play focuses on Troy, a 53-year-old working class head of the household who struggles with providing for his family.  He lives with his wife, Rose, and his teenage son, Cory.  In his younger days, Troy was an excellent baseball player and even played in the Negro Leagues, but that was before the color barrier in Major League Baseball had been broken.  Fences explores the evolving challenge of a family attempting to build a safe home in the racially stratified 1950s suburban America. The play will be directed by Michael Ofori.  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.  Amari O’Connor is stage manager, Calypso Michelet is scenic designer, and Dan Rist is lighting designer.  Costume design is by Dawn McKay and Alan Schneider is technical director. The cast includes Dominic Carter (Troy), Martinez Napoleon (Gabriel), Greg Alexander (Jim), Kyle Boatwright (Rose), Silk Johnson (Lyons), Mike Daniel (Cory), and Louise Coly/Malayah Charland (Raynelle). According to Eaton, “Fences is a great, classic story in the way is provides a snapshot of the struggles faced in keeping a family together through everyday challenges.  August Wilson was a remarkable American playwright who wrote about his lived experience.  Fences is set in Pittsburgh, and Wilson channeled his understanding of growing up and living in that particular community to tell a compelling story.  His plays are character-driven, and he creates incredibly interesting characters who draw an audience in.” 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 Kristina Wong #FoodBankInfluencer Feb 28, 2025 at 1:30 PM Bowker Auditorium, UMass Amherst Written and performed by Kristina Wong Directed by Jessica Hanna Performance artist, comedian, actor, and writer Kristina Wong is a real-life food bank influencer in Los Angeles. She brings glamor and pizazz to the emergency food system like nobody asked for. Her avant premiere of this new work of karaoke and storytelling takes us through America's food insecurity issues from big cities to the Navajo Nation. This high energy, one-woman show will help us to look at the future of food access. If food banks were originally a stopgap for a temporary crisis and now have become a permanent part of American survival, does this mean we are in a perpetual state of crisis? Wong is a Doris Duke Artist Award winner, Guggenheim fellow, and Pulitzer Prize finalist in drama. She has performed on stages across North America, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Africa. She’s been a guest on late night shows on NBC, Comedy Central and FX. Her commentaries have appeared on American Public Media, PBS, Vice, Jezebel, Playgirl magazine, the Huffington Post, and CNN. More Info Warm up for this show with an activating panel conversation: "Sex, Lies, & Foodbanks"! Wednesday, Feb. 26, 4-6 p.m. | UMass Old Chapel | Free with registration Featuring participants from UMass, Grow Food Northampton, and the Amherst Survival Center, and dynamically moderated by Kristina Wong, this panel will explore topics related to food access and food justice and raise awareness of resources available to the UMass community and beyond. Bring your taste buds and your questions! Co-sponsored by the School of Public Health & Health Sciences and presented in collaboration with Grow Food Northampton and SPHHS. Play Incubation Collective presents The Transformation, by Jem O'Hara Sunday, March 2 at 7:30 PM 33 Hawley Street, Northampton Synopsis: Iris and Morpheus dream of ascending the celestial hierarchy, and may have found just the way to do it. The Man grieves the loss of his brother and niece as war threatens his kingdom. The Woman, his queen, tries to support him and prevent disaster despite her own frustration and doubts about the king’s sanity. The arrival of Other Man further destabilizes the unhappy couple and threatens to shatter their world entirely. Can the gods somehow use this strife to their own advantage? The Transformation adapts the tragic story of Ceyx and Alcyone told within Ovid’s Metamorphoses by stripping away all but the essentials, to tell a story about unconditional love, friendship, and the forces that break them apart. More information here.   In 2025, PIC will host three PIC PIPS at the Workroom (33 Hawley St, Northampton). All PIPS begin at 7:30 pm, with doors opening at 7:15. They are free to attend, and no registration is required. However, we will create a Facebook event for each PIP, and marking yourself as "interested" or "attending" there if you are thinking of or planning to come is very helpful for our planning. ​​ When attending, please use the downstairs doors, nearest to the courtyard. Outside doors will be open at 7:15 and will be locked at 7:45 so please arrive promptly. Staged Reading of historical play: Blood on the Snow by Patrick Gabridge Wednesday March 5 & Thursday March 6 at 6:30pm (doors open at 6pm) Produced by Historic Northampton in collaboration with Plays In Place Blood On the Snow takes us into the tense State House in Boston on the day after the 1770 Boston Massacre where decisions are being made that could unwittingly place the country on the road to revolution. Featuring an exciting ensemble of local professional actors: Matt Haas, Bill Stewart, Gabriel Levey, Andrew Roberts, Marcus Neverson, Lindel Hart, Scott Braidman, Patrick Toole, Luke Haskell, and Rich Vaden, and directed by Brianna Sloane. Each hour-long performance will be followed by a post-show discussion with the playwright and a historian. Tickets & more information: historicnorthampton.org   Mount Holyoke College MHC's FMT Presents: "Mauritius" by Theresa Rebeck 3/6 @ 7:30pm, 3/7 @ 7:30pm, 3/8 @ 7:30pm, 3/9 @ 2:30pm Rooke Theater The Mount Holyoke College Department of Film Media Theater presents “Mauritius,” a gripping drama by Theresa Rebeck that delves into the high-stakes world of rare stamps, sibling rivalry, and the search for treasure.  Stamp collecting is far more risky than you think. After their mother’s death, two estranged half-sisters discover a book of rare stamps that may include the crown jewel for collectors. One sister tries to collect on the windfall, while the other resists for sentimental reasons. In this gripping tale, a seemingly simple sale becomes dangerous when three seedy, high-stakes collectors enter the sisters’ world, willing to do anything to claim the rare find as their own.  “In Mauritius, the characters all see the stamps as the key to their life, and throughout the story we experience how their desperation, greed, nostalgia, curiosity, and love drives them to the most extreme measures.” - Director, Glynnis Goff ‘25  This production is directed by Glynnis Goff ‘25. Set Design by Vannessa James, Costume Design by Devin Keith ‘25, Lighting Design by Sam Skynner, and Sound Design by Hadlee Li ‘25.  Performance Dates and Times:  Thursday, March 6, 7:30 pm  Friday, March 7, 7:30 pm  Saturday, March 8, 7:30 pm  Sunday, March 9, 2:30 pm  Tickets: $15 general | $10 students and senior citizens  For more information or to reserve tickets, please visit mhc.ludus.com or contact us at PerformingArts@MtHolyoke.edu http://mhc.ludus.com Unfinished Women Cry in No Man's Land While a Bird Dies in a Gilded CageBy Aishah Rahman Directed by Judyie Al-Bilali March 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 at 7:30 p.m. | March 8 at 2 p.m. | March 11 at 10 a.m. The Curtain Theater $5 students, seniors, Card to Culture, $17 general admissionContent advisory: Racial slurs, discussions of sexual activity and assault, discussions and depictions of drug and alcohol use and death. Recommended for children age 15 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. There's past, present, and future wrapped up in our production of Aishah Rahman's Unfinished Women Cry in No Man's Land While a Bird Dies in a Gilded Cage, which opens in the Curtain Theater on March 7.  In dual story lines, virtuoso saxophonist Charlie Parker contemplates his life as he dies, while a group of young unwed mothers wrestle with their sense of the future and the fates of their children. Music suffuses the atmosphere as the breath of life in these parallel stories where pleasure, pain, heartbreak, and desire comingle. Aishah Rahman’s text provides the blueprint for Theatrical Jazz, an approach to theater-making that centers Black aesthetics and creativity. This play was co-produced in the department with New WORLD Theater in 1987 as a part of a conference celebrating Black Theater. Director and Professor Judyie Al-Bilali's early training was in Theatrical Jazz and she brings this form to a new generation of theater students — who, in turn, are looking ahead to how they'll make their mark on theater.   "It helps us to look backwards to that earlier performance and to support Black theater now. This production affirms our commitment to the ongoing legacy of Black theater on our campus," said the play's dramaturg, Dr. Priscilla Maria Page. The play was originally proposed for the season by Professor Gilbert McCauley, who planned to direct. McCauley, also an accomplished actor, has since stepped into the titular role of Charlie Parker, with Al-Bilali taking on directing duties. The three faculty members are frequent collaborators; they participated in the first national conference on Theatrical Jazz at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where Page was a key organizer. Theatrical Jazz practitioners follow tenets that include a focus on breath, deep listening, presence, virtuosity, community, the holding of simultaneous truths and being in one's body — all important values for moving through life as well as art. Both for the theater-makers and the audience, Page said, our presentation of this play is "beautiful and necessary." Unfinished Women is presented in the Curtain Theater, an intimate space, so make your reservation now before performances sell out! Tickets Are Now On Sale for Easthampton Theater Company's March Production of On Golden Pond. Performed at Williston Theater, Easthampton, MA March 15-23. Directed by Jason Rose-Langston (Director, Torch Song) Produced by Michael O. Budnick (Producing Director, God of Carnage) On Golden Pond is a masterpiece of emotional depth, wit, and tenderness. In this production, we’re not only bringing this timeless story to the stage — we’re honoring its exploration of universal themes that are more relevant today than ever. Audiences will experience both light-hearted humor and poignancy while characters confront aging, bridge generational divides, and find home, family and love along the way. On Golden Pond may be best known from the Academy Award-winning 1981 cinematic version. But the 1979 Broadway Tony and Golden Globe nominated play is arguably funnier and more emotionally engaging. Live on stage, On Golden Pond is an experience that will resonate deeply with anyone who has ever grappled with love, loss, or the complexities of familial bonds. It is also one of only a handful of popular theater pieces to feature the life-long love affair of a senior couple. Set against the serene backdrop of a tranquil lake in New England, the story of Norman and Ethel Thayer, an elderly couple returning to their annual summer home, is a stirring meditation on life's inevitable changes.  Easthampton Theater’s On Golden Pond brings a fresh emotional intensity to a play that has captured hearts for decades. This production proves that the themes of family, aging, and reconciliation are more timeless and relatable than ever. Plus, this play reminds us that families, whether related or blended, are made up of all-too-fallible humans who can be quirky and funny. Ernest Thompson is a master of subtle humor and mood shifts.” The cast features outstanding regional talent, including veteran actor and former Ashfield theater director William Spademan as Norman Thayer, Jr. His portrayal of the sharp-tongued but endearing patriarch promises to be both hilarious and deeply moving. Joining him is the talented and amiable Patricia Perlman as Ethel, Norman’s warm-hearted and loving wife, whose unwavering optimism provides a comforting counterbalance to Norman’s gruff exterior. The cast also includes Kim Gaughan as Chelsea, the Thayers’ adult daughter, who is navigating her own complex relationship with her aging parents. Travis Maider plays Chelsea’s love interest Bill, and Jaxon Reddy plays his 13-year old son Billy. Patricia, Travis and Jaxon may be familiar to ETC audiences from 2024’s The Man Who Came to Dinner. Shelton Windham rounds out the cast as Charlie, Golden Pond’s resident mailman and childhood friend of Chelsea.  The beautiful Williston Theater and the innovative set design and lighting add to the immersive experience, enveloping the audience in a peaceful, nostalgic atmosphere. On Golden Pond offers a perfect opportunity to reflect on the beauty of life’s quiet moments and the importance of connection. This is a unique theatrical event that will leave audiences laughing and reflecting long after the final curtain falls. Performance Schedule: March 15th, 21st and 22nd at 7:30PM, March 16th, 23rd at 2PM  Tickets, more information about the company and production announcements are available HERE or via our website at easthamptontheater.com. You can also visit our facebook page at the link below: facebook.com/easthamptontheatercompany UMass Fine Arts Center The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Mar 16, 2025 at 3:00 PM UMass Bromery Center for the Arts, Frederick C. Tillis Performance Hall For a decade, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show has been enchanting audiences worldwide, bringing Eric Carle’s beloved classics to life. Created by Jonathan Rockefeller and based on the works of renowned illustrator and author Eric Carle, who made a home in Northampton for more than thirty years, this acclaimed production features a menagerie of over 75 magical puppets, including the star of the show – The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Along with The Very Hungry Caterpillar, audiences will enjoy three other stories: search the night with The Very Lonely Firefly, travel the world with 10 Little Rubber Ducks, and explore and share with Brown Bear, Brown Bear. These cherished tales brought to life by a captivating cast of storytellers, enchanting original music, and breathtaking puppetry, educate and celebrate the power of creativity. This performance delights generations of Eric Carle readers — children, parents, and grandparents — who get to create lasting memories together experiencing what is often a child’s first theatrical experience. It’s truly one VERY magical hour.  Join us in our big glass lobby before the performance to visit the Pop-Up Bookshop from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art!  Presented by the UMass Fine Arts Center with sponsor support from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, El Sol Latino and Florence Bank. Tickets and More Info. Tickets for school and homeschool groups are still available to the Fine Arts Center's Global Arts Performances for Schools showing of this performance on Monday, March 17 at 10am! (Concessions and the bookshop will not be available at the Monday performance.) Please visit this link to register your education group: tinyurl.com/GlobalArtsRegistrationForm Eggtooth Productions & MASS MoCA KID5PACE: BY THE NUMB3R5 10am-5pm Wednesday-Monday through August! MASS MoCA, North Adams 7-11 year-olds are invited to join 11 year-old project manager Pax on an headphone-guided adventure to finish a MASS MoCA installation that only kids can complete!  Designed for 1-2 kid participants at a time, caregivers join their children in Kidspace at MASS MoCA for this 40-minute romp as they play a supporting role in this immersive experience where kids take full agency of the piece.  Free admission, along with full access to other Kidspace activities at MASS MoCA massmoca.org Created by Eggtooth Creative Director John Bechtold & collaborator Alli Ross. Music by Sam Perry. Featuring Pax Belmonte. Co-produced by Eggtooth Productions, Greenfield, MA. AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Smith College New Play Reading Series looking for readers! Nuestra Corrido: A Villanueva Tale by Aria Acevedo Reading will be on March 27, 7:30 PM with 2-3 rehearsals beforehand.  If interested, reach out to Nikki Beck, Production Manager - ncbeck@smith.edu   Larissa/Lari: Second granddaughter, Celia’s oldest daughter, struggling to live up to her moms high standards and live her own life Mexicana/Indigena/Latina, woman, early-mid 20s Emilia: Eldest granddaughter struggling to find her place in her family. Soli’s daughter. Mexicana/Indigena/Latina, woman, mid-late 20s Andres: Eldest grandchild/grandson, filled with regret for not living up to his mom’s expectations and fed up with being the family joke Mexicano/Indigeno/Latino, man, late 20s Nev: youngest grandchild/grandson, senior in high school scared of what comes next and unsure where his life will take him or where he wants to go in life, living with immense pressure of undoing his cousins’ fuck ups Mexicano/Indigeno/Latino, man, late teens Yesena: youngest granddaughter who lives by her own rules Mexicana/Indigena/Latina, woman, late teens - early twenties Shakespeare & Company has announced that auditions are now open for its 48th season, offering opportunities for actors to join a diverse lineup of productions. Season 2025 will include LORT D and SPT contracts, with productions set to take place at Shakespeare & Company venues in Lenox, Mass., including the Tina Packer Playhouse, the Arthur S. Waldstein Amphitheatre, and the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. Productions Seeking Actors: LORT D Productions (All LORT D contracts offer $839 per week): SHAKE IT UP (by Allyn Burrows and Jacob Ming-Trent) 1st Rehearsal: June 24, 2025 | 1st Preview: July 1, 2025 | Close: July 6, 2025 Rehearsed and performed indoors at the Tina Packer Playhouse. Singing and/or other musical ability is a plus. ROMEO AND JULIET (by William Shakespeare) 1st Rehearsal: June 10, 2025 | 1st Preview: July 12, 2025 | Close: August 10, 2025 Rehearsed and performed outdoors at the Arthur S. Waldstein Amphitheatre. Four of the Equity actors in Romeo and Juliet will also be cast in The Taming of the Shrew. THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (by William Shakespeare) 1st Rehearsal: July 22, 2025 | 1st Preview: August 14, 2025 | Close: August 24, 2025 Rehearsed and performed indoors at the Tina Packer Playhouse. SPT 6 and SPT 7 Productions (SPT 6 at $620 per week and SPT 7 at $685 per week): THE VICTIM (World premiere by Lawrence Goodman) 1st Rehearsal: June 3, 2025 | 1st Preview: June 19, 2025 | Close: July 20, 2025 Rehearsed and performed indoors at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. THE PIANO LESSON (by August Wilson) 1st Rehearsal: July 15, 2025 | 1st Preview: July 25, 2025 | Close: August 24, 2025 Rehearsed and performed indoors at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. MOTHER PLAY (by Paula Vogel) 1st Rehearsal: August 5, 2025 | 1st Preview: August 29, 2025 | Close: October 5, 2025 Rehearsed and performed indoors at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. Audition Details: LORT Auditions Friday, March 7 and Monday, March 10 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. & 2:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. (by appointment) Walk-ups and non-Equity actors will be seen as time permits. SPT Auditions Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. & 2:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m (by appointment) Walk-ups and non-Equity actors will be seen as time permits. For appointments, Equity actors should visit SignUpGenius – LORT or SignUpGenius – SPT to schedule. For questions, contact 413.637.1199 ext. 140 between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM weekdays. Non-Equity actors should sign up for the waiting list through SignUpGenius – Non-Equity and will be contacted by email regarding available time slots a few days prior to auditions. Audition Preparation: LORT Auditions: Prepare one short classical/Shakespearean monologue and one short contemporary monologue. SPT Auditions: Prepare one short classical/Shakespearean or contemporary monologue. All actors should bring a resume, headshot, and, for Equity members, an Equity Membership card. Pre-Cast Roles: Some roles in the season have already been precast. However, auditioning actors may still be considered for replacements, should any pre-cast roles become unavailable. Shakespeare & Company’s Commitment to Diversity: Shakespeare & Company is committed to equal employment opportunities and maintaining an inclusive work environment. The company encourages actors of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages to audition, and welcomes performers with disabilities. Shakespeare & Company is an equal opportunity employer and a member of the Actors’ Equity Association. For further information, including available roles and full audition details, please visit Shakespeare & Company Auditions Page. K and E Theater Group is casting is our Fall 2025 production Sunday in the Park With George Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Sunday in the Park with George by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine is a masterful exploration of art, love, and legacy. This poignant musical celebrates the creative spirit and the complexities of human connection. Inspired by Georges Seurat’s famous painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, the story follows the artist’s struggle to balance love, ambition, and innovation. Spanning generations, this funny and moving musical invites audiences to reflect on the intersections of life and art, reminding us of the beauty in creating something meaningful that lasts. Audition Date & Time Monday, March 10, 2025 In-Person and By Appointment from 6-9 PM Location - Audition and Callbacks First Congregational Church of Southampton 212 College Highway, Southampton, MA 01073 SEEKING strong actors and singers and movers to play principal and featured roles in our production. Please visit KETG.org/auditions for cast breakdown of available roles. Please prepare a 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. 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/KETGSundayAuditions PRODUCTION DETAILS First rehearsal – July 2025, with rehearsals generally on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Show run – October 10-12 and October 16-18, 2025 (8 Performances) at Northampton Center for the Arts in Northampton Directed by Eddie Zitka Music Director by David Cavallin Please visit KETG.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok! Seeking Stage Manager Easthampton Theater Company's June Production of Guys and Dolls Detailed Information is available on our web site HERE.  This position includes a stipend. Rehearsals begin in April, with a read-through in March. More information about the company is available at our website at easthamptontheater.com. You can also visit our facebook page at the link below: facebook.com/easthamptontheatercompany Holyoke Community College Theater Director Position Holyoke Community College Theater seeks a director for its fall 2025 production. Auditions September 10th and 11th, Closing performance November 22rd. Title will be selected in consultation with the director. Fee $3000. Rehearsals tbd, primarily weekday afternoons. Local applicants only. HCC cannot provide travel or housing. Send resume and cover letter to mwhiton@hcc.edu WORKSHOPS & CLASSES "Bringing Yourself to a Shakespearean Text & Character" Feb 28, 2025 1:00PM EST Facilitator: Tyreke Leslie (Actor, Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe) Register Here Join Tyreke Leslie, an emerging talent from the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and Shakespeare's Globe, for an engaging one-hour workshop titled "Bringing Yourself to a Shakespearean Text & Character." Whether you are new to performing Shakespeare or have experience but wish to deepen your connection with the material, Tyreke's workshop will help you bring authenticity, personality, and a fresh perspective to Shakespeare's characters and texts. Tyreke Leslie, a recent graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, has already made his mark with roles in productions such as "As You Like It," "The Taming of the Shrew," and "First Encounters: Twelfth Night" for the RSC and Shakespeare's Globe. He was recently awarded a Commendation for the 2024 Ian Charleson Awards for his performance as Adam in "As You Like It." Tyreke's extensive experience, which also includes writing, spoken-word artistry, and directing, adds depth to his unique approach in exploring and embodying Shakespearean characters. What to Expect from the Workshop: Connecting Personally to Shakespeare's Text: Learn how to bring your own experiences, emotions, and individuality into the roles you play. Tyreke will guide participants through practical exercises to break down barriers and bring a personal, authentic connection to the Bard's language. Practical Performance Techniques: Tyreke will share valuable tips on preparing and performing Shakespearean speeches and soliloquies. You'll explore how to connect with the rhythm and meaning of the text while making it resonate with your own voice. Interactive Q&A on Performing Shakespeare: This workshop includes an open Q&A segment, where Tyreke will address questions about approaching, understanding, and performing Shakespeare, including insights on speaking verse, interpreting poetry, and his experiences as a member of the RSC. Approaching a Speech/Soliloquy: Learn how to dissect and explode a Shakespearean speech or soliloquy, moving beyond surface-level recitation to fully embody the character's intentions, emotions, and journey. Community Engagement: Engage with fellow participants who share a passion for Shakespeare. Whether you're actively participating or observing, you'll have the opportunity to share insights and experiences in a supportive community, making the process of learning Shakespeare collaborative and inspiring. About Tyreke Leslie Tyreke Leslie is an emerging British actor and artist whose work spans theatre, film, writing, and directing. Since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2022, Tyreke has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's Globe, and has facilitated workshops that inspire actors to connect deeply with their craft. His recent performance as Adam in "As You Like It" at the RSC garnered a Commendation for the 2024 Ian Charleson Awards. Tyreke's passion for storytelling, poetry, and movement informs his distinctive and authentic approach to performing Shakespeare's works. Whether you're preparing for an audition or simply wish to enrich your understanding of Shakespeare, "Bringing Yourself to a Shakespearean Text & Character" offers practical tools and techniques to bring the Bard's language to life in a way that is uniquely yours. Shakespeare & Company Announces New Online Spring Workshop Voice & Text: Language through Sound and Movement Begins March 18 Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training has announced a new online workshop: Voice & Text: Language through Sound and Movement based on the sound and movement work created by Kristin Linklater.  Led by Designated Linklater Voice teacher Ariel Bock, this workshop will be held over four Tuesdays in March and April, offering actors, performers, and language enthusiasts an opportunity to unlock the power of sound and movement in language, poetry, and theater. Each session will explore text from a range of sources, including haiku, classic works by Shakespeare, and more in a supportive, playful atmosphere. Participants will explore the connection between thought, sound, and feeling through activities, including a Linklater warmup designed to build resonance and awareness within the body. Voice & Text will be held Tuesdays, March 18 and 25, and April 1 and 8, from 6 pm to 8:30 pm ET via Zoom. Tuition is $275, with alumni and union discounts available. Student and BIPOC artist tuition is $235. This workshop is open to all, though some familiarity with Linklater voice work is recommended. For more information and to register, please visit shakespeare.org or email About Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training at training@shakespeare.org. PIC is thrilled to offer our first series of in-person classes for adults. Join the incredibly funny and talented Gabriel Levey this winter and spring for one or both of these fantastic offerings! This class costs $275   Acting as Play Tuesdays, 6-9pm:  March 25- May 20 *no class on April 22nd In this 8-week class, participants will be provided with a safe, brave space to:  Embrace the precarious pleasure of not needing to know what’s coming next  Find fun in whatever given circumstances the character has no choice but to endure And so much more! Acting as Play is a wholly unique approach to text and scene work, centering imagination, play and vulnerability as the foundation of all performance. Over the course of the class, all participants will have the opportunity to work on a monologue and/or a scene, depending on their interests. Learn More about both classes here! The Shea Theater is delighted to offer their second annual Immersive Summer Theater Program for Kids ages 8-12! *July 7-18 session 1 *July 21- August 1 session 2 *9-3 Monday-Friday *Performance at 2 pm second Friday  *Two week attendance not required to participate  *Cost is $450 with some scholarships available Registration opens at sheatheater.org on February 10. Questions? Please reach out to sheatheaterartscenter@gmail.com Testimonial from last summer:  My child loved the Immersive Theater Camp at the Shea! The theater games were super fun and they loved all aspects of rehearsal and performance for Alice In Wonderland. Atticus and Enzo manage to be both clear and fun Directors, and are doing a wonderful job nurturing the next generation of immersive theater enthusiasts. It was a big highlight of the summer! 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 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. The medium of Immersive Theater is an innovative theater format that 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. And if being onstage is not for your child, there is lots of backstage creativity  to be invented, too. SESSION ONE-We will perform a theatrical version of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, rewritten by Atticus Belmonte and incorporating themes and elements from various versions of the Oz story. SESSION TWO-We will perform Cinderella, primarily inspired by the Grimm Brothers' Aschenputtel and collaging imagery from other versions and fairytales.  Atticus Belmonte is a 20 year old writer, director, actor, and theater major at Bard College. He is a founder of Patch Productions that he formed with his siblings and several friends taking his immersive theater pieces to the Shea where they have offered several productions. Enzo Belmonte is 17 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. Registration is now open! Is your creative kiddo ready for a fun-filled summer of channeling their inner wild creature, creating their own fairy tale, and discovering their inner clown? Does your tween or teen enjoy making things up on the spot, working as a team, and creating their own performances? Registration is now open for PIC Kids Summer with options for rising 2nd-9th graders. Younger artists (rising 2nd-5th graders) will adventure through the creative process as they explore theater, movement, visual art, and more. 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. Keep scrolling for detailed descriptions of each week. JUL 21-25        Growl and Groove JUL 28-AUG 1  Fairy Tale Mashup! AUG 4-8          Theatrical Clown 1 AUG 11-15       Theatrical Clown 2 9am-3pm each day  $350/week Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, 130 Pine St, Florence   Older youth artists (rising 6th-9th graders) will spend each morning playing comedy improv games, and then apply those skills and concepts to the afternoon sessions, working as an ensemble to create (devise) their own original performance. With improv you never know what's going to happen, so these creative kids will be taking risks, laughing, and figure it out as they go! All of this collaborative fun will culminate in a sharing at 2:30pm on the Friday of each session. AUG 4-8       Improvise and Devise 1 AUG 11-15 Improvise and Devise 2​ 9:00am-3:00pm each day  $350/week Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, 130 Pine St, Florence ​ Learn more and register! 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 © 2025 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