Western Mass Theatre News July 10, 2025

Your source for theatre events in Western Massachusetts.

Western Mass Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser July 10 - 30, 2025 Greetings from Alaska! I'm home visiting family, but still here to tell you all about theatre happening in Western Mass - maybe you should go see something!  Don't forget: Happier Valley Comedy is offering a 50% off special summer ticket discount for newsletter subscribers: use the code "westernmasstheatre" to get your discount!  The next issue will include events from July 17 - August 6. 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 The Wedding Jester July 25-27 at CitySpace in Easthampton Tickets and More Information Silverthorne Theater Company presents The Comeuppance July 18-27 at Emily Dickinson Hall, Hampshire College 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 Shakespeare & Company Romeo & Juliet July 12, 2025 at 7:00 PM August 10 Shakespeare & Co Presented under the Berkshires’ summer skies, Romeo and Juliet proves that even the ultimate case of love at first sight can lead to… well, chaos.  Meddling families and murderous duels meld to offer an evening of sword fights, swinging soirees, and secret weddings — but the play is also full of exuberant vulgarity, harsh brutality and above all, the tingling, unbearable delight of young love. https://shakespeare.org/shows/2024/romeo-and-juliet/   STILL – NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE OF A PERFORMED MUSICAL MEMOIR BY MARCIA GOMES,  DIRECTED BY ROBERTA UNO  After two previously sold out staged readings, the New England Premiere of STILL, a performed musical memoir, written and composed by Marcia Gomes, and directed by Roberta Uno, opens with two performances on July 12, 2025 at 8:00 pm, and July 13, 2025 at 2 pm at the A.P.E. Workroom Theater at 33 Hawley Street, Northampton, MA. STILL portrays a Black woman's journey to heal herself and liberate her family from a cycle of intergenerational trauma. Through compelling storytelling and original songs, the path to healing is revealed as the wisdom of her ancestors lights the way to wholeness. The music was stunning, and the acting was poignant and evocative… Never have I seen the portrayal of human strength, resilience, and recovery so beautifully rendered.— (Carolyn Dubois, retired professor of clinical social work) This piece touches places so deep and tender, so sacred and precious, so grateful and still healing — (Audience Member, January 2025 performance) This moving and powerful production is the first musical composed and written by Marcia Gomes, an accomplished vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, actor, and graduate of Berklee College of Music. The play is directed by Roberta Uno, an award-winning theater director, dramaturg, and founder of New WORLD Theater at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Sheryl Stoodley, Artistic Director of Serious Play Theatre Ensemble, serves as production advisor, and Mollye Maxner, Co-Director of A.P.E., is a dramaturg for the production. The play is made possible with support from A.P.E. and a grant from the Scarlet Sock Theater Foundation in Northampton, MA. The talented cast includes Michelle Dowd, an Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) award winner for best actress, along with Hala Lord, Angelica Canlas Castro, and Kenna Harrison, professionally trained and seasoned actors and vocalists. Live music is performed by Ruth Mendelson, an Emmy-nominated, Berklee College of Music professor in film scoring; Andrew Wilcox, an award-winning jazz pianist; and JoBeth Umali, a Berklee College of Music graduate. Olivia Ilano Davis, founder of Spectrum in Motion in Hartford, CT, and Tiffany Joseph, choreographer, educator, and health and wellness practitioner, are choreographers for the production.   What:     STILL  When: July 12, 2025 at 8 pm  July 13, 2025 at 2 pm Where:   A.P.E. Workroom Theater 33 Hawley Street Northampton, MA Reservations here Ticket Prices:   $25-$30 suggested donation Flip the Script Saturday, July 12th @7pm We invite a local playwright to bring an unfinished script to the show; an original work that's never seen the stage. Then we read the character descriptions, cast the show, and launch into its first ever performance. Once we run out of lines, we drop the scripts and improvise the rest of the play while the playwright watches in delight (or horror!) Featuring experienced improvisers Mandy Anderson, Maddy Benjamin, Scott Braidman, Moe McElligott, Laura Patrick, Pam Victor, and Kate Zak. Our playwrights for July are Talya Kingston & Lisa Moore! Special Summer ticket offer for Western Mass Theatre News readers! Enter code "westernmasstheatre" for 50% off your ticket purchase! Offer for online ticket purchases only. https://www.happiervalley.com/2nd-saturdays.html Silverthorne Theater Company The Comeuppance 7/18, 7/19, 7/24, 7/25, 7/26 @ 7:30 PM; 7/19, 7/20, 7/27 @ 2:00 PM Emily Dickinson Hall, Hampshire College, 893 West St, Amherst, MA Silverthorne Theater Company presents the final production of our 2025 season, The Comeuppance. Join us at our summer home on the Hampshire College campus for this electrifying comedy, directed by Cordelia Winter Dwyer.  From the mind of 2025 Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins comes a hilarious, piercing meditation on impermanence, nostalgia, and isolation. Fueled by jungle juice and pot, five former high school classmates, the self-declared Multi-Ethnic Reject Group, swap memories and confront past resentments at an unforgettable porch pre-game to their 20th high school reunion. Get your tickets now at comeuppance.eventbrite.com and join us for The Comeuppance!  Starring Sandra Blaney*, Kyle Boatwright, Gabriel CiFuentes, Tahmie Der, and Donovan Stanfield, with designs by Lara Dubin (lighting), Matt Whiton (scenic), Hanh Rioux (costumes), and Sean Buenaventura (sound). comeuppance.eventbrite.com This production is made possible by the generous support of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, the Mass Cultural Council and the Amherst Cultural Council, Pelham Cultural Council, Hadley Cultural Council, and South Hadley Cultural Council, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Not In Charge: Improv Comedy Inspired By True Stories Saturday, July 19 @7pm Don't miss this talented group of friends in an improvised show inspired by true stories from the cast! Not In Charge is Mandy Anderson, Maddy Benjamin, Sally Ekus, Julie Waggoner, Jim Young, and Kate Zak. Special Summer ticket offer for Western Mass Theatre News readers! Enter code "westernmasstheatre" for 50% off your ticket purchase! Offer for online ticket purchases only. Get tickets here The Wedding Jester Jul 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM 7/26 at 7:30 pm and 7/27 at 3 pm CitySpace in Easthampton It is 1970, and director Norman Jewison is in a little village in Croatia to make his film of the hit Broadway musical, Fiddler on the Roof. One of his extras, a stand-up comedian, has wrangled a meeting with the director by promising to fix some serious errors in the script. But he wants something in return from the director... Tickets here. Shakespeare & Company August Wilson's The Piano Lesson July 25, 2025 at 6:30 PM August 24 70 Kemble St, Lenox MA 01240 Set against the backdrop of 1936 Pittsburgh during the Great Depression, August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning The Piano Lesson explores the lives of the Charles family, and vividly portrays an enduring conflict between siblings.  The family piano at the heart of the argument is an heirloom intricately carved by an enslaved ancestor. Determined sharecropper Boy Willie is eager to sell the piano to purchase land on which his ancestors endured hardship, while his sister Berniece fiercely maintains that the piano is where their heritage lies.  A testament to the complexities of family, history, and legacy, 2025 Elliot Norton Award-winning The Piano Lesson is an explosive and incisive inquiry into the struggle between what we owe to our past and how we build our future. Tickets and more information Dear Easthampton Theatre Company Community: The Torch Song Revival Collective, in association with Easthampton Theatre Company, is thrilled to invite you to our upcoming revival production of Harvey Fierstein’s iconic and heartwarming play Torch Song, which runs from July 25 - August 3 at the Northampton Center for the Arts at 33 Hawley.  If you missed the original production of Torch Song last February, or if you want to see it again, you’re in luck! But tickets are selling fast, so make sure to reserve yours soon. TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW AT: www.torchsongrevival.com/tickets Easthampton Theatre Company’s 2024 production of Torch Song delighted audiences with a completely sold-out, two weekend run at CitySpace in Easthampton. The Torch Song Revival Collective brings back most of the original cast, and expands on the ETC production to increase access to this important story, especially among the local LGBTQ+ and drag communities. The venue is larger and tickets are offered on a sliding scale. In addition, 15-20% of proceeds from this production will be donated to groups supporting LGBTQ+ communities. Come enjoy this timeless exploration of love, identity, and acceptance, and support some good causes while doing it. You won't want to miss one of the Valley’s most hotly anticipated theatrical events of the Summer!  More info here: www.torchsongrevival.com Questions? Comments? Reach out to us at torchsongrevival@gmail.com With much excitement, The Torch Song Revival Collective TORCH SONG PERFORMANCE DATES AND TIMES Northampton Center for the Arts at 33 Hawley Friday July 25 @8pm Saturday July 26 @8pm Sunday July 27 @2pm (Matinee) Thursday July 31 @8pm Friday August 1 @8pm Saturday August 2 @2pm (matinee) Saturday August 2 @8pm Sunday August 3 @2pm (matinee) Run Time: 2hrs 45min, including a 15 minute intermission ABOUT THE PLAY Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song is the 2019 Tony Award nominated two-act adaptation of the ground breaking Torch Song Trilogy. The play follows the journey of Arnold Beckoff, a New York City drag queen, as he navigates the challenges of love and self-discovery. All he wants is a husband, a child, and a pair of bunny slippers, but a visit from his overbearing mother reminds him that he needs one thing more: respect. Harvey Fierstein's Tony Award-winning play is celebrated for its humor, poignancy, and unflinching portrayal of the LGBTQ+ experience. Caution: This play contains adult language and situations.  AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES CASTING CALL! Monadnock, a multimedia design and production company based in Hatfield, is looking for a few good actors. We are producing an immersive theater experience that looks at the years leading up the American Revolution for the Beaufort, SC History Museum. We need both male and female talent to do simple reenactments in a studio that will be rotoscoped into animations. The reenactments will require saying lines but not memorizing them. Where: The studio will be in the Northampton-Springfield, MA When: August (exact date TBD) We are requesting: ● An audition using our script (we can send script with directions) OR ● Video demo of previous theater acting Requirements: ● Men: Ages ~28 - 50 ● Women: Ages ~ 25 - 40 (we need one Black woman in this age group) Time commitment: 3-5 hours for reenactments ($150/hour, 1 hour minimum) We would like to receive auditions by July 15. For more information and auditioning details, please contact: Britt Eisnor 413.274.6447 britt@monadnock.org Submissions Opening Soon! Submission Opportunities for PIC PIPS and Development Workshops for the 2026 season will be opening July 14th. What is PIC PIPS?  PIPS stands for Plays In Progress Series. Plays that have been selected as part of PIPS receive a single developmental worksession with actors and a dramaturg, followed by a public reading of their piece and developmental conversation with the audience. PIC assembles the cast and assigns a dramaturg from our roster of artists. The playwright and a dramaturg work together to develop questions to share with audience after the reading as part of the developmental conversation, and in this way the audience serves as a sounding board for further development of the piece. PIC also provides extensive notes from this conversation so that they playwright can focus on engaging with the audience and hearing the feedback. This program is reserved for scripts in a variety of developmental stages. ​What types of pieces are a good fit for PIC PIPS?   Plays that have a full and complete draft. The draft could be in its first or final draft, or anywhere in between but, regardless of stage, the playwright would benefit from seeing how it sits with an audience. A play written a while ago that would benefit from a new/modern audience. A full draft the playwright has had for awhile and would benefit from hearing it one last time before sending it off into the world for potential production. Submit here. Submissions Opening Soon! Submission Opportunities for PIC PIPS and Development Workshops for the 2026 season will be opening July 14th. What is the Development Workshop? The Development Workshop is reserved for pieces that have a first full draft and could use an intensive period of writing and hearing the work out loud with actors. This opportunity provides a minimum of 8 hours of developmental work sessions with actors and other support artists over multiple days, culminating in a reading and developmental discussion with an audience. As with PIPS, PIC provides extensive notes from the discussion. ​What types of pieces are a good fit for the Development Workshop?   A full draft that needs an overhaul which could be achieved by having actors and other artists in the room. The necessary work could be on the entire script or specific sections. A play that was written a long time ago and needs an update for a modern audience. A script by a playwright interested in what actors’ perspectives will provide for the characters A script that needs further development of character arcs   Submissions are open to anyone within a one hour radius of Hampshire County Mass. Submit here. Valley Players seeks play submissions for Take Ten, a staged reading showcase of new plays celebrating the Valley’s rich and diverse local writing talent. Take Ten will feature five brand new 10-minute plays written by Valley playwrights, chosen by leaders of the Valley theater community, directed by five Valley directors, and featuring a cast of Valley actors. Half of net ticket sales from the staged reading evening in October will be donated to The Literacy Project to support their work serving education and literacy needs across western Massachusetts. Playwrights seeking to submit a play for consideration must live in Franklin, Hampshire, or Hampden County and only one submission per person will be considered. Plays must be no more than 10-12 pages, feature a cast of no more than three actors, and have not been performed, published, or received a public reading.  There is no entry fee and no limitation on the topic, style, or genre of the play. Playwrights whose work is chosen will receive a cash honorarium in addition to the staged reading. Additional rules and instructions are available at www.valleyplayers.org. Submissions must be received by email to info@valleyplayers.org no later than July 31, 2025. The mission of Valley Players is to enrich the quality of life in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts by producing nimble, meaningful, and accessible community theater. Valley Players is a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit that relies on the contributions of donors and business sponsors. To donate or become a business sponsor, join Valley Players’ contact list, or find more information about the group, visit www.valleyplayers.org. Salmon Falls Climate Action Performances Oct 14, 2025 porches of Shelburne Falls and Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls We are looking for directors and actors for three performances in October/November of about 12 five-minute climate related plays in Shelburne Falls. They are moving, surprising, and, at times, funny. It's part of the Climate Change Theater Action. We can choose from 60 skits written by people from all over the world. shelburnejackieb@gmail.com WORKSHOPS & CLASSES A Weekend, Laboratory Workshop for Performers, Creators, and Shakespeare Enthusiasts Shakespeare & Company invites actors, directors, physical theater artists, and Shakespeare lovers to take part in Devising Shakespeare: Creating New Work From Old Wit, a dynamic, weekend-long laboratory workshop led by Director of Training Sheila Bandyopadhyay from Friday, July 11 through Sunday, July 13, at the Shakespeare & Company campus in the Berkshires. This hands-on workshop offers participants a concentrated opportunity to explore Shakespeare’s language through movement, ensemble work, and theatrical creation. Drawing on her background as a seasoned theater devisor and former Head of the Dell’Arte International Physical Theatre Program, Bandyopadhyay will guide participants through techniques for deconstructing and reinventing Shakespearean text, transforming it into bold new work. “A lot of theatre artists are interested in how to make something new from something classic,” said Bandyopadhyay. “This workshop is a way to gain skills, explore new creative territory as well as use text as a springboard for physical image and action.” Participants will form a temporary ensemble to experiment with physical storytelling, textual analysis, and devised creation. The weekend will culminate in a casual showcase of works-in-progress, open to friends, family, and the public. No prior devising experience is required, but an interest in physical performance is strongly recommended. Workshop Schedule: Friday, July 11 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 12 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 13 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuition is $375, with discounts available for artists of the Global Majority. Additional discounts are available for alumni (15%) and union members (10%). A limited number of on-campus housing spots are available at $75 per night, offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Housing includes private bedrooms with shared kitchen, bathroom, and living spaces.  Learn more at shakespeare.org/actor-training or email training@shakespeare.org. About Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training The aesthetic of Shakespeare & Company was devised by Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer, Founding Director of Training Kristin Linklater, and a cadre of expert teachers. The Center for Actor Training’s approach is continually investigated, redefined, and reinvigorated, and welcomes actors, directors, writers, and teachers worldwide to work with the Company’s faculty.   Photo Caption: Shakespeare & Company has announced a weekend-long devising laboratory workshop led by Director of Training Sheila Bandyopadhyay from Friday, July 11 through Sunday, July 13, at the Shakespeare & Company campus in the Berkshires. SUMMER NIGHTS YOUTH THEATER Now taking applications for our second annual FREE program for ages 12-17 In Easthampton, MA on the campus of Williston-Northampton School July 14-18 and July 21-25 Go to easthamptontheater.com for more information and check out our flyer.   Theater enthusiasts are invited to go Behind the Curtain this spring and summer, through Shakespeare & Company’s series of discussions led by Shakespeare scholar Ann Berman. Held on select Saturdays throughout the spring and summer at the Shakespeare & Company campus, these free public talks offer audiences insight into the creative process of Season 2025’s productions, featuring directors, cast, and design team members as they explore themes, artistic choices, and behind-the-scenes stories. Behind the Curtain talks begin on Saturday, March 8, and continue through Saturday, August 16: July 19, 10:30 a.m. – The Piano Lesson with director Chris Edwards (Rose Footprint Theatre, outdoors) August 2, 10:30 a.m. – The Taming of the Shrew with directors Tina Packer and Allyn Burrows (Rose Footprint Theatre, outdoors) August 16, 10:30 a.m. – Mother Play with director Ariel Bock (Rose Footprint Theatre, outdoors) For more information and to reserve free tickets, visit shakespeare.org/talks-tours, or call the Box Office at 413.637.3353. Photo Caption: Ann Berman, far right, leads a series of free Behind the Curtain talks in the spring and summer at Shakespeare & Company. Pictured are director Dalia Ashurina (far left) and playwright/cast member Awni Abdi-Bahri of Three Tall Persian Women, which debuted at Shakespeare & Company last year. Photo by Eran Zelixon. 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! Summer Theater Workshops August 4-8, 8:30am-4:30pm 33 Hawley Street, Northampton MA This is a one week process-focused theater workshop that is tailored to the group's interest and skills. Ages 7-12 will explore storytelling, group work, improvisation, how to stage a theater production, and building social-emotional skills. Ages 15-18 will focus on monologues, partnered scene work, and how to create a character. Both groups perform for family and friends at the end of the week. Ages 7-12 is full day and Ages 15-18 is half day. https://www.nohoarts.org/theatre-and-film Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training will host a 9-Day Intensive at its Lenox campus from Wednesday, August 20, through Friday, August 29.  Designed for mid-career actors, educators, directors, and others seeking professional and artistic development, the 9-Day Intensive is inspired by Shakespeare & Company’s Month-long Intensive. Director of Training Sheila Bandyopadhyay said the workshop offers participants an opportunity to immerse themselves in Shakespeare training and make connections with like-minded artists in a robust, accessible format.  “The 9-Day intensive is a unique opportunity for mid-career artists to enjoy a workshop which is both professional development and a replenishing creative retreat,” said Bandyopadhyay. “The training is balanced between focused studio time, theater-going, and building lasting connections.” The daily schedule includes classes in Linklater Voice, Movement and Dance, Monologue and Sonnet work, Structure of the Verse, and the Actor-Audience Relationship, and the format and tuition include admission to three Shakespeare & Company shows staged at the height of its 2025 performance season.  Tuition is $1,495 with partial scholarships available for BIPOC artists. Early payment, alumni, and union member discounts are also available. Limited on-campus housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis for an additional $400. For more information or to apply, visit shakespeare.org or call 413.637.1199, ext. 114. Photo Caption: Director of the Center for Actor Training Sheila Bandyopadhyay and Month-long Intensive alumnus Davis Brinker at Shakespeare & Company's campus in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training will host a 9-Day Intensive in August. 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