Western Mass Theatre News February 20, 2025

Your source for theatre events in Western Massachusetts.

Western Mass Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser February 20-March 12, 2025 This week: head to Greenfield tonight for the first open stage of the year at the LAVA Center or catch Sweet Prince at the 33 Hawley Street Workroom. And if you thought you missed them, due to some snow postponements, you can still see Love Letters, The Wedding Jester, AND a reading of The Transformation. See below for all the details.  The next issue will include events from February 27-March 19. 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 Junkyard Shakespeare presents Sweet Prince February 21 and 22 at The Workroom, 33 Hawley St. Tickets and More Information The Wedding Jester Sunday, February 23 at the Yiddish Book Center 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 First Open Stage of 2025 to take place at The LAVA Center Thursday, Feb. 20 every 3rdThursday, 6:30 p.m. signup and 7 p.m. showtime; next one Thursday, Feb. 20 The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., Greenfield https://thelavacenter.org/events/open-stage-lava-2-2025-02-20/  The LAVA Center is proud to present a performance series, the Open Stage, which takes place every third Thursday evening. Signups start at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. An open stage is similar to an open mic, but more inclusive to all types of the performing arts. Artists are encouraged to sign up to perform theater, dance, music, literature, spoken word, magic, puppetry, circus, sideshow, comedy, improv — any form of art or entertainment that can be staged, in any stage of development. Signup starts at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. There will be a five-minute limit for each act. Artists can plug into our sound system if they’d like audio to backup your act; plugin using 1/8″ mic jack input, please bring adapter if needed. Questions? Email info@thelavacenter.org.  There is an optional $1–5 suggested donation for this event. The LAVA Center is a community arts space in Greenfield, MA whose mission is to create opportunities and build inclusive community in and through the arts and humanities. We are focused on making The LAVA Center a space where all artists, including marginalized communities and individuals, can have their voices heard. The LAVA Center is located at 324 Main St., in downtown Greenfield, MA. https://thelavacenter.org  Junkyard Shakespeare Sweet Prince February 21, 2025 at 8pm February 22, 2025 at 2pm and 8pm The Workroom, 33 Hawley St., Northampton, MA 01060 Junkyard Shakespeare presents Sweet Prince, a one-woman adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet that challenges the audience to take a stand. Tickets and more info. Read more and help us pay our team a living wage. Due to snow forecast for this weekend, the closing performance of the Valley Players’ production of A. R. Gurney’s Love Letters will be postponed to Saturday, February 22. The show starts at 7:30pm at Black Birch Vineyard (108 Straits Road, Hatfield MA). Reservations and more information are available at www.valleyplayers.org. As part of the Valley Players’ mission to support the community through community theater, half of net ticket revenue from Love Letters will be donated to River Valley Counseling Center, a nonprofit community-based mental health agency serving the Valley for over 70 years. The Valley Players’ production of Love Letters opened last weekend and over 250 people have already booked tickets for the show, including a sold-out performance for Valentine’s Day. Each evening has featured a different pair of Valley actors, with the final show performed by Lisa Parker, of Suffield CT, and Konrad Rogowski, of Chicopee. Seating is limited, so advanced booking is strongly recommended. Tickets for Love Letters are available on a pay-what-you-can system starting at $15. Before the show and during intermission, audience members will be able to purchase fine wine by the glass from Black Birch Vineyard and a selection of sodas from Harmony Springs of Ludlow. A delectable spread of light bites will be available for purchase as well, including a grazing bar of custom-crafted charcuterie boards and pre-ordered snack boxes from E Silver Charcuterie of Westfield. Black Birch wines will also be available for purchase by the bottle to take home. The show runs one hour and forty-five minutes, with a fifteen-minute intermission, and includes adult language and themes that may not be appropriate for all ages. The doors open at 6:30pm each evening and seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. 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. The Valley Players is an entirely volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit that relies on the contributions of donors and business sponsors. All contributions are tax-deductible and go fully and only to support the organization’s mission and programming. To donate or become a business sponsor, join the Valley Players contact list, or find more information about the group, visit www.valleyplayers.org. The Wedding Jester with John Feffer Join us in person on Sunday, February 23, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m., at the Yiddish Book Center In 1970, in a small village somewhere in Croatia, a stand-up comedian confronts the director of Fiddler on the Roof over errors in the film’s script. In a former life, the comedian was a badkhen, a jester who served as the emcee at Jewish weddings, and he’s familiar with shtetl life in ways that Fiddler’s non-Jewish director couldn’t possibly know. Along the way, The Wedding Jester—an original one-man show written and performed by John Feffer and directed by Josh Perlstein—traces the history of Jewish comedy from the weddings of the Old Country to the Borscht Belt of the United States. It challenges our notions of authenticity and of what is “too Jewish” or “not Jewish enough.” And it does what any good badkhen must do—it makes audiences laugh and cry.  Runtime: The performance is 60 minutes followed by a 30-minute Q&A.  Tickets and More Information The Smith College Department of Theater presents Scissoring by CQ Quintana, directed by Kelsey Rainwater on February 26, 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. Wednesday March 5 & Thursday March 6 at 6:30pm (doors open at 6pm) Staged Reading of historical play: Blood on the Snow by Patrick Gabridge 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 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 Shakespeare & Company of Lenox, Mass., has announced the return of the Tina Packer Women of Will Directing Fellowship, launched in 2024 to further the development of early-career directors who identify as women and have a passion for Shakespeare. Created in honor of Shakespeare & Company’s Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer, the fellowship was conceived and funded by actor and Shakespeare & Company training alumnus John Douglas Thompson, with matching funds from an anonymous donor. Additional gifts were also made by a group of women directors whom Packer mentored at Shakespeare & Company. “Fellows will join in creating a legacy of Women of Will mentoring others in the field, bringing a contemporary and culturally diverse female gaze to Shakespeare’s plays and the theater community,” said Thompson. The Women of Will Fellow is in residence at Shakespeare & Company during the summer rehearsal period of a Shakespeare production helmed by an experienced woman director, both observing and serving as Assistant Director throughout the process. The Fellow receives a stipend, housing, and travel reimbursement. Following their time at Shakespeare & Company, Fellows continue to receive support through continued access to their Mentor Director, the members of an advisory committee of women directors, and other members of the Company. The inaugural Fellow was Lauren Davis of Baltimore, Md., who assisted director Kate Kohler Amory with the production of The Comedy of Errors, and observed Packer directing a staged, enhanced reading of The Winter’s Tale. The 2025 Women of Will Fellow will assist and observe the production of The Taming of the Shrew, co-directed by Packer and Artistic Director Allyn Burrows. Fellowship dates are Monday, July 21 through Saturday, August 16.  While there are no specific degree requirements for this Fellowship, applicants will have completed their academic training and will have directed outside of an academic program for at least three years. They should have a demonstrated interest in directing Shakespeare, and some experience doing so. Candidates currently enrolled in graduate degree programs may apply if they will receive their degree by June, and meet the other criteria. Undergraduates, including seniors, are not eligible. Candidates from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. So are directors who have previously worked in other areas of the theater, or who have reentered the field after a pause, if they meet the other criteria. “Early-career director” does not imply an age limit. Directors who meet the selection criteria are invited to apply no later than Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. A full description and application guidelines can be found at shakespeare.org. 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. T 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 WORKSHOPS & CLASSES "Say What You Mean” Preparing Shakespeare for an Audition Feb 21, 2025 1:00PM EST Register Here Facilitator: Siubhan Harrison (Leading Actress, Royal Shakespeare Company) Recently performed in the RSC's “The Merry Wives of Windsor” as Mistress Alice Ford. Join Siubhan Harrison in a transformative one-hour workshop focused on preparing Shakespeare's text for an audition. Whether you're an actor with years of experience or someone just beginning to explore the world of Shakespeare, this workshop is designed to equip you with practical skills and insights to confidently bring Shakespeare's language to life during auditions. Siubhan's extensive career, which includes roles in productions like "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and "The School for Scandal" at the RSC, as well as notable television credits such as "Holby City" and "Fifteen-Love," has given her a wealth of experience in tackling Shakespeare's challenging text. Her approach to acting focuses on making the Bard's language both authentic and accessible, encouraging actors to connect deeply with the meaning behind the words. What to Expect from the Workshop: Finding Authenticity in Shakespeare's Language: Learn how to interpret Shakespeare's text in a way that feels natural and sincere. Siubhan will guide participants through techniques to break down the language and uncover the raw, genuine emotion at its core, ensuring your audition is compelling and grounded. Practical Audition Techniques: Discover specific strategies for preparing and performing Shakespearean monologues for auditions. Siubhan will share tips on how to handle the verse, project confidence, and connect personally with the character you're portraying. Interactive Participation: Whether you're new to Shakespeare or a seasoned performer, this Zoom workshop offers the chance to work directly with Siubhan, receiving personalized feedback and guidance. Participants are encouraged to prepare a short monologue or scene to practice, allowing for tailored insights that will make your audition stand out. Breaking Down Barriers: If you find Shakespeare's language intimidating, this session will help demystify it. Siubhan's supportive approach makes Shakespeare approachable, breaking down complex text into manageable pieces that convey clear meaning and emotion. Community Engagement: Connect with fellow actors and Shakespeare enthusiasts. This workshop provides an opportunity not only to learn but also to engage in a supportive community where ideas and techniques are shared, enhancing your overall experience. About Siubhan Harrison:  Siubhan is an accomplished actress with credits spanning the Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, and numerous productions across the UK. Her passion for both classic and contemporary theatre shines through in her dynamic approach to acting, which balances discipline with creativity, making her an inspiring guide for those preparing to tackle the challenging world of Shakespearean auditions. Whether you're auditioning for a Shakespeare play or simply seeking to improve your understanding of the Bard's language, "Say What You Mean" is an opportunity to develop valuable skills that will enhance your performance and deepen your connection to one of the greatest playwrights in history. "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