Western Mass Theatre News November 27, 2025

Your source for theatre events in Western Massachusetts.

͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌    ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Western Mass Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser November 27 - December 17, 2025 Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a warm and cozy day full of good food and good friends. And bring your friends and family to the theatre - there are shows all weekend! The next issue will include events from December 4-24. 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 Westfield Theatre Group presents Winter Lights: Ten Plays, Five Visions December 5, 6, 12, 13 at Westfield Woman's Club, 28 Court St, Westfield Tickets and More Information Red Skies Music Ensemble presents Rhythm and Rails December 6 at 2:30 PM at Forbes Library 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 MAJESTIC THEATER PRESENTS STEEL MAGNOLIAS NOVEMBER 27 - 30 West Springfield’s Majestic Theater will present the second production of its 28th season when Steel Magnolias takes the stage October 23 through November 30.  The Majestic Theater is located at 131 Elm Street in West Springfield, MA. Steel Magnolias, written by Robert Harling, blends humor with moments of emotional depth.  Set in a small southern beauty salon, the play showcases a group of strong-willed women who navigate life’s challenges with sharp humor and unfiltered honesty.  From snappy one-liners to playful gossip, the women’s interactions are full of comedic moments, with characters using laughter as a coping mechanism in the face of life’s toughest trials.  The 1987 play inspired a hit 1989 film that starred Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Olympia Dukakis, Daryl Hannah and Julia Roberts. The Majestic Theater’s Producing Director Sue Dziura will direct the play.  Alexandra O’Halloran is stage manager, and Michael Garcia is assistant stage manager.  Scenic designer is Juliana Von Haubrich and Dawn McKay is costume designer. Dan Rist is lighting designer, and Marcus Kearns is production manager. The cast includes Maconnia Chesser (Clairee), Cate Damon (M’Lynn), Kait Rankins (Annelle), Angela Dias (Ouiser), Elaine Hom (Truvy), and Raya Malcolm (Shelby).  Understudies include Myka Plunkett, Rachel Lamarre and Laurie Nickerson. Tickets to the show range from $35-$38 and can be purchased in person at the box office, by calling (413) 747-7797, or online at https://www.majestictheater.com/steel-magnolias.  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 Wilbraham United Players 5 Golden Rings: A Greeting Card Holiday Musical 11/28/25, 11/29/25, 12/5/25, 12/6/25 at 7:30pm; 11/30/25 and 12/7/25 at 2:30pm Wilbraham United Church Fellowship Hall at 500 Main St., Wilbraham, MA In Five Golden Rings: A Greeting Card Channel Holiday Musical, Holly, a business exec from “the big city” gets snowed in at a quaint Vermont B&B for Christmas and begins to fall for its non-threateningly rugged owner. The issue: it’s the very B&B her company is supposed to take over! Everything you want (and expect) in a cable-TV Christmas movie, from flannel shirts to flirtatious snowball fights to overt product-placement, mixed with fun songs and a lot of holiday cheer! https://www.wilbrahamunitedplayers.org/buy-tickets Comedy Project Open Mic at LAVA the day after Thanksgiving WHAT: Comedy Project Open Mic WHEN: Friday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m. WHERE: The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., Greenfield https://thelavacenter.org/events/comedy-project-open-mic/ https://www.facebook.com/events/1783737222287020/ Bloated, burping and bored the day after Thanksgiving? Come on down to the Comedy Project Open Mic at The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., on Friday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m. We'll have a few special guests and a bunch of brave souls getting up there for their shot at the Big Time. You can put your name in the hat for a 1- to 5-minute set. Or you can just come and enjoy other peoples' jokes and stories. A donation of $1–5 is suggested to benefit LAVA's fall appeal. 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 5th Saturday Fundraiser: The Improvised Interview Show Saturday, November 29th @ 7pm An Improv Show and a Talk Show Walk into a Bar... We interview our special guest live onstage and then launch into a series of completely improvised scenes inspired by their answers! Featuring experienced local improvisers from our mainstage casts. Our special guest this time is... YOU! We'll invite some willing audience members to join us onstage for a quick deep dive into their opinions, lives, and experiences. Our interview format is inspired by the Wild Card podcast on NPR. As a 5th Saturday FUNdraiser, all proceeds from this show will benefit a local nonprofit chosen by our community: Gardening The Community! https://www.happiervalley.com/5th-saturdays.html MAJESTIC THEATER WELCOMES AUDIENCES HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS  DECEMBER 4-21 Home for the Holidays will return to West Springfield’s Majestic Theater December 4-21.  The Majestic Theater is located at 131 Elm Street in West Springfield, MA. The family-friendly show, featuring Pioneer Valley-based performers, has become a tradition at the theater for the past several years.  Similar in style to nostalgic holiday specials of years past headlined by Andy Williams and Perry Como, “Home for The Holidays 2025” will be co-hosted by singer Ray Guillemette, Jr., who has headlined countless "A Ray of Elvis" sold-out shows at the Majestic, and Ben Ashley, a Majestic favorite who has performed in several hit shows including “Mamma Mia” and “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story.”  Joining Ray and Ben onstage will be singer/songwriter Madison Curbelo, a 2024 semifinalist on NBC’s The Voice television program, along with several veteran Majestic performers including Michael Garcia, Christine Greene, Steven Sands, Kait Rankins, Lori Efford, plus a special appearance by Santa Claus.  Kyle Langlois is music director for the show, and other musicians include Jacob Nichols, Cliff Schofer and Don Rovero.  Myka Plunkett is directing Home for the Holidays, and Jackie Purcell is stage manager.  Daniel Rist is lighting designer, and Kyle Langlois is musical director. Tickets are $30 & $28 for adults, and $15 for children 10 and under, and are available by visiting or calling the Majestic Theater Box Office at (413) 747-7797 during its hours of operation (Monday – Friday 10am - 5pm, and Saturday 10am - 1pm).  Tickets can also be purchased online here. The Majestic is also selling its popular holiday gift packages which consist of gift cards (redeemable for tickets and café purchases), and a gift item.  They will be available during the holiday season. For additional information, visit www.majestictheater.com. What: The Nightmare Before Dragmas When: Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 at 7:30pm Where: the Shea Theatre, 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA How much: Tickets: $20 online, $25 at the door. Children under 13, free https://sheatheater.org/ Eggtooth Productions presents the 9th annual holiday show featuring Mr. Drag called The Nightmare Before Dragmas inspired by the Tim Burton classic film on Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 at 7:30pm at the Shea Theatre, 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA. Tickets: $20 online, $25 at the door. Children under 13, free. https://sheatheater.org/ Mr Drag (aka Joe Dulude II) will host the event featuring local talent for an evening of song, dance, and story loosely inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas but with Eggtooth’s signature Valley twist. The event is a family friendly (maybe a touch PG13 for some), mildly funky, non-denominational take on the holidays. Eggtooth invites you to celebrate the holidays in a highly traditional non-traditional way. Said Mr. Drag about his newest show, "Well hello Dragnatics! It’s time for another year, another holiday, another show! Yes, the Drag Sisters are back and this year they have decided to take their show/party on tour! Don’t worry, you can still enjoy it from the comfort of the Shea Theatre. They don’t have that big of a budget. So grab a cocktail and join the Drag Family as they find themselves stuck in a quaint little town celebrating the holiday of Dragmas. Will Mr find the love of his life? Will DD finally be able to get her one woman shows to run longer than one show? Will Kat actually show up for the show this year? Whether you’re a Mister Sister, a Messy Kat or a Sighs Queen you are sure to enjoy this romp through the ridiculous and inexplicable and maybe, just maybe you’ll find the spirit of Dragmas has been inside of you all along. That’s what Tennessee Williams used to say." Westfield Theatre Group Winter Lights: Ten Plays, Five Visions 12/5, 12/6, 12/12, 12/13 at 7:30pm; 12/6, 2/13 at 2:00pm Westfield Woman's Club, 28 Court St, Westfield, MA A collection of ten, 10-minute plays crafted and directed with the vision of five directors: Molly Clark, Anin Derouin, Meaghan Farrell, Kelly Galanis, and Krista Tetreault. From comedy to drama, these shows bring a wide array of entertainment sure to delight! Shows include adult language and themes. westfieldtheatregroup.com Total runtime approximately 90-100 minutes plus a 15-minute intermission. Musical Theater Karaoke Night - Winter Themed Join us as a "vocal stylist" or in the audience for our Winter-themed Karaoke funraiser at New City Brewery December 5th, 118 Pleasant Street in Easthampton! We had a blast at last's events with dozens of singers and lots of fun conversation and good cheer. All levels of abilities are encouraged - this is for fun we are a very friendly and encouraging group. Winter-themed songs are encouraged, but not absolutely required - you can sign your favorites. Food and drink is available for purchase, and there is only a $10 cover (singer or not - no additional charge to sing songs.) You can sign up in advance at our sign-up genius link here: All ages welcome, under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. If you sign up in advance we will try to have a video karoke version ready for you when you arrive. We may also take walk-in sign-ups at the door, space permitting. See you there! Sign up link: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C0949ABAD28A1FAC16-59716423-winter Easthampton Theater Company http://easthamptontheater.com The Performance Project Mother Tongue by First Generation Ensemble December 5 and 6 at 7:30 PM Hampshire College Emily Dickinson Hall, 893 West St Amherst, MA “Mother Tongue” is an original multilingual physical theater performance created by the Performance Project’s First Generation Ensemble. The piece highlights local and global social justice issues, and is inspired by the lived experiences of Ensemble members, their families, and communities. The Ensemble originates from Congo/Tanzania, Bhutan/Nepal, South Sudan/Darfur, Puerto Rico, Holyoke, and Springfield, MA. The 90 minute performance weaves together movement, music, dance, theater, and stories in Arabic, Swahili, Nepali, Spanish, and English and incorporates themes of language, culture, identity, diaspora, hypermasculinity, transphobia, racism, education, the school to prison pipeline, personal liberation and revolution. Appropriate for ages 12 and up. Following the performance, the ensemble will offer a 20 minute post-show conversation with the audience, inviting reflection on the themes of Mother Tongue. This is the last performance for a while as ensemble members work on new material. More Info Tickets at the door, $15-$20 Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School The Children's Hour Dec 5 at 7:00 PM Dec 6 at 7:00 PM  15 Mulligan Drive, South Hadley MA 01075 PVPA's Theatre Department is proud to present The Children's Hour, Dec 5 & 6 in our MainStage Theater. Doors open at 6:30pm - Curtain 7:00pm. This 1934 American play by Lillian Hellman is a drama set in an all-girls boarding school run by two women, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie. An angry student, Mary Tilford, runs away from the school and, to avoid being sent back, tells her grandmother that the two headmistresses are having a lesbian affair. The accusation proceeds to destroy the women's careers, relationships, and lives. The Children's Hour tackles complex issues like lying, prejudice, and their devastating consequences.  Due to mature content, this production is not recommended for younger children, and parental guidance is advised. www.pvpa.org/shows Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School enrolls students in Grades 7 - 12, providing arts-focused education with concentrations in Theatre, Technical Design/Production, Dance, Music, and Visual Arts. For more info about PVPA - pvpa.org. The Understudies: An Improvised Musical Saturday, December 6th @ 7pm It's the opening night of a brand new musical! Unfortunately, the show was never written or rehearsed. This is the moment we've been training for. Be part of the fun as the determined Understudies create an entire musical from scratch, with a little help from the audience. The Understudies are Scott Braidman, Kelsey Flynn, Paul McNeil, Mosie Senn-McNally, and Maile Shoul. With music by the amazing Jeff Kimball! https://www.happiervalley.com/understudies.html Swamped Dec 6 and 7 at 2:00 PM East Street Studio 47 East Street, Hadley MA The Captain's lost his wife — he's marooned in assisted living. He asks his caregiver Clove, "You're not going to try to change the equipment, are you?" "The equipment is my body, Captain." Captain says, "It's not my place to tell you what to do. But in ten years, when I go staggering down the sidewalk in my skivvies, it's my right to float away on a sheet of ice like the Eskimos, if I want to. So don't try to stop me." Meanwhile the son of the Captain's dead war buddy is trip-wired for trauma. His girlfriend is shipping out. "I may not be in love with any MAN!" Even with all the laughs, in this cautionary tale, everyone is Swamped! Written and directed by Court Dorsey, Swamped features Steve Eldredge, Joe Laur, Izzy Miller and Heather Willey. Advance Tickets: https://wendellmeetinghouse.ludus.com/200507953 For more information: http://www.courtdorsey.com/events. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The Red Skies Music Ensemble presents  Rhythm & Rails  Northampton and the Iron Horse  A Social History in Tales and Tunes  Saturday December 6 at 2:30 pm (doors open 2 pm) Forbes Library, Northampton Hope you can join us for the premiere of Rhythm & Rails, a multi-media performance featuring railroad-themed tunes that explore the complex history and impact of railroads on the landscape, lives, livelihood and culture of Northampton and the region from the 19th century until the present. Drawing on research in local archives, and in collaboration with Jim Armenti and Jerry Bryant on music selections, writer/director Trudy Williams has created a show (with contributions by Tracy Grammer) that weaves together a blend of narrative, live music, theatrical vignettes, and projected archival images from the collections of Forbes Library, Historic Northampton and other local institutions. Tunes are drawn from American roots, folk, ragtime, blues, jazz, pop, and rock, and will be performed by some of the area’s most talented musicians. The cast includes Jim Armenti, Jerry Bryant, Joe Blumenthal, Tracy Grammer, Rose Jackson, Cindy Naughton, Mark Roberts, Dan Scott, Tom Scott, Adrienne Wade, Rebecca Weiss, with Bill Cutler and Shirly Van Kanin, as well as special appearance by Maryliz Maldanado and Will Messier from the Corn Stalk Fiddle Choir directed by Cindy Naughton. Stage manager: Elie Berman. Sound: Jared Libby. Many of the songs are toe-tapping, others expressive and poignant; some are familiar, others very enjoyed in their day but rarely heard now. The timely program coincides with the East-West railway initiative, the renewed interest in rail travel to and from Northampton, and the Rail Trail project. Rhythm & Rails was created by Trudy Williams, Artistic Director of The Red Skies Music Ensemble, co-founded with George Boziwick to bring American public history to the stage.  Partners and/or research resources for this show include Forbes Library, Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum, Historic Northampton, as well as the American Antiquarian Society, Greenfield Historical Society, and Hadley Historical Society. The show is free. Reservations not required. Donations appreciated. www.TheRedSkiesmusicensemble.com Join PIC for the public reading of our final reading of 2025: VASHTI SAYS NO, written by Talya Kingston. Sunday, December 7 at 7:30 PM 33 Hawley Street Workroom Dramaturgy by Avi Klipfel. Music advising by Alexander Sovronsky. Featuring Sandra Blaney, Anna Copeland, Rachel F. Hirsch, Sarah Marcus, Sam Samuels, and Linda Tardif. Stage directions by Richie Wills. What is the Incubation Workshop? Incubation Workshops are an abbreviated version of our Incubation Residency: an opportunity for a playwright to develop a brand new script over a series of months with a hands-on creative support team that may include actors, dramaturg, director, theatrical artistic advisors, fellow playwrights, and more. The multi-month development process culminates in a public presentation (reading) of the work in process and may include a dramaturgically-led discussion with the audience to further aid in the development of the play. Incubation Workshop readings are $10 to attend, but no one is turned away from lack of funds. If the ticket price is out of reach for you, please select the subsidized ticket option. If you are able to contribute to our subsidized ticket fund, there will be an opportunity to do so at time of registration. Reserve your ticket now by any form of payment. Cash or check only at the door. Synopsis: In "Vashti Says No" Queen Esther steps out of the Hebrew Bible to translate her story to our time. In doing so, she takes us into a world of privileged women who know their place.What happens when one of them decides to speak up for herself? or to raise her voice against injustice? In this high stakes story you risk banishment or death to become a heroine. The reading begins at 7:30pm. Doors will open 7:00pm. No entry after 7:45pm. Please enter the 33 Hawley Building via the downstairs courtyard. The reading will take place in The Workroom. Tickets on sale now. Valley Players It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play Dec. 12, 13, 19, & 20 at 5:30pm Blue Heron Restaurant http://www.valleyplayers.org Valley Players proudly present Joe Landry’s "It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play", December 12, 13, 19, & 20 at the Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland, MA! Doors open for dinner at 5:30pm, show starts at 6:30pm. This dinner-theater production imagines the beloved holiday classic as a 1940s radio play, performed live on stage with foley sound effects and a cast of six actors playing all 40 roles! Directed by Chris Rohmann and featuring Valley players Jane Barish, Jen Campbell, Mark Dean, Ben Hersey, Alex Manugian, and Joseph Van Allen, with sound effects by Chip Roughton, stage management by Jason Fregeau, costumes by Piper Pichette, and vocal musical arrangements by Nettie Harrington Pangallo. Produced by Matteo Pangallo. Tickets on a pay-what-you-can scale and half of net performance ticket revenue from this production will be donated to the Springfield- based affordable housing nonprofit Way Finders. During the show, Valley Players will also be holding a food drive for the Amherst Survival Center and audience members are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to contribute. Your ticket includes a gourmet three-course meal, with choice of entree, featuring locally sourced ingredients (tax and tip included; drinks not included). Reservations are required and close three days before the performance date. Walk-in admission is not available. Flip the Script Saturday, December 13th @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. https://www.happiervalley.com/2nd-saturdays.html AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES APPLAUSE Auditions Book by Betty Comden & Adolph Green Music by Charles Strouse,  Lyrics by Lee Adams. Male and Female Leads and Ensemble auditions by appointment only Sunday, January 25th and Tuesday, January 27th Easthampton Theater Company is excited to announce auditions in January for the musical Applause, book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Lee Adams. We are seeking talented and dedicated actors of a wide range of ages. All roles are available; none are precast. We strongly encourage actors of all races, ethnicities, and gender identities to audition. Applause is based on the 1950 film All About Eve and the short story on which the movie is based, Mary Orr's "The Wisdom of Eve". The story centers on aging star Margo Channing, who innocently takes a fledgling actress under her wing, unaware that the ruthless Eve is plotting to steal her career and possibly her man. The original 1970 Broadway production was nominated for ten Tony Awards and ultimately won four: the overall production won the Tony Award for Best Musical, Lauren Bacall won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and Ron Field won both the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical and the Tony Award for Best Choreography. The show is directed by Manuel Morales and produced by Eva Husson-Stockhamer. Our music director is Evan Koss and our choreographer is Brianna Husson-Stockhamer. Several roles in this production are open to actors of any gender identity. We encourage all performers to audition for the roles that resonate with them. We are conducting auditions by appointment only Sunday, January 25th and Tuesday, January 27th at the Easthampton Congregational Church. Performances will be held at the Williston Theater in Easthampton and are on June 5th* (invited dress,) 7th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th. The readthrough will take place in early March 2025. Rehearsals will start in earnest at the middle of March. All actors will not be called for every rehearsal. However, all actors are required to be available every day during production week, which will start on Monday, June 1st. Please go to our website at https://easthamptontheater.com/applause or directly to our Google Docs link https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rwgy5gc8kaf66g8eEQABtQivKiF9Q5vViNrB_8RtuOs/edit?usp=sharing ...for more audition information, audition form and sign-up link. If you experience any issues accessing the audition materials (including music, PDF files, or other resources), or if you require any assistance or accommodations to participate in the audition process, please contact us at info@easthamptontheater.com. We are happy to help ensure an accessible and inclusive experience for all participants. WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Open Play! December 6, December 20 1:00-3:00 PM Every other week Northampton Karate, 320 Riverside Dr Florence MA Seriously? Two hours to goof around and play with your friends? You betcha! Let’s gather together every other Saturday. Leave your worries at the door, play some simple, silly games and laugh until our bellies ache. Come play! Sign Up Here!  This Year's Month-long Intensive for mid-career professionals launches December 27 Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training’s January Month-long Intensive is slated to run from December 27, 2025, through January 18, 2026, held at Shakespeare &Company’s campus in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Throughout the intensive, participants engage in voice, movement, dance, text analysis, exploration of the actor/audience relationship, sonnet work, scene work, clown, stage fight, and Master classes with Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer, including in-depth discussions about the necessity of theater and the importance of the actor in today’s world. Senior Workshop Director Susan Dibble, who has served as a month-long intensive faculty member for all of its 45 sessions, said the intensive offers actor training that is timelessly applicable. “The January Intensive is a rigorous and rejuvenating program designed to activate a deep and powerful connection to the human experience, and to Shakespeare's language, in particular,” she said. “Theater artists will encounter multiple disciplines taught by a team of expert faculty, all of whom are committed to providing each participant with the opportunity for both personal attention and community. The breadth and the depth of this experience is readily applicable to both contemporary and classical material.” Complete applications are accepted on a rolling basis; arrival day is Friday, Dec. 27, and departure day is Monday, Jan. 19. For more information – including regarding the topics covered during the Intensive – email training@shakespeare.org. Photo Caption Training alums Oscar Quiroz & Sydney Endicott during the final scene-sharing of the 2025 January Intensive. Photo by Christina Lane 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