The Northampton Arts Council works to support and nurture the arts in the city of Northampton. The Council awards grants twice each year to artists and arts groups from both state and locally-raised funds, and seeks to improve public awareness of the arts. Its' goals include maintaining and preserving the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Northampton, programming such annual events of interest to the community as First Night Northampton and Transperformance.

Friday, August 31, 2018

Cinema Northampton Presents Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Pulaski Park



WHAT: Free Outdoor Film Screening: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
WHEN: Wednesday, September 26 (Rescheduled due to weather) October 3rd at 7:00pm
WHERE: Pulaski Park, 240 Main St, Northampton, MA 01060

Cinema Northampton is in its 6th year and we continue to expand this community event!

FREE film screening in Pulaski Park.
Film synopsis: Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares for battle with the First Order.


We encourage you to bring drinks, snacks, bug spray, flashlights, and blankets to these outdoor screenings.

Chairs are allowed but must not block anyone’s view.

Subtitles will be on.


More at cinemanorthampton.org/faqs

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Comedy Cause We Care Starring Donnell Rawlings.

WHAT: Comedy Cause We Care Starring Donnell Rawlings: 2nd Annual fundraiser Presented by Comedy as a Weapon
WHEN: Saturday,  September 15, 8PM
WHERE: The Academy of Music Theater

We are proud invite you to the Academy of Music for one spectacular night of comedy starring the one and only Donnell Rawlings from the Chappelle Show. Tickets go on sale July 2nd. Just by attending this event you are helping us raise money for the Northampton Survival Center as they get a portion of the proceeds. The night of laughs we be hosted by Comedy as a Weapon founders Tim Lovett and Kim “Boney” DeShields, and if that is not enough the jazzy juggernaut Mary Jane Jones band is set to open the show. Comedians Barry Ribs and Kendall Farrell add to roster and music will be provided by the DJ Groove.

The Northampton Survival Center is dedicated to improving the quality of life for low-income individuals and families throughout Hampshire County by providing nutritious food and other resources in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. The Northampton Survival Center, through its Goshen and Northampton locations, provides low-income residents of Hampshire County with nutritionally-balanced food once a month.

Donnell Rawlings is an overnight success a decade in the making. He made a splash in the DC comedy clubs going from a heckler in the audience to HBO's Def Comedy Jam in a period of six months. You’ve seen him as 'Ashy Larry' on Comedy Central’s award winning and critically celebrated Chappelle’s Show, where he joined Dave Chappelle as both as a writer and performer. He will also be featured in Queen Latifah's new movie Percentage. His 1-Hour Stand-Up “Ashy to Classy” premiered on Comedy Central in October of 2010. He was a co-host on both Power 105’s (NY’s #1 Hip Hop and R&B radio station) morning show “Egypt and Ashy in the Morning” and “The Big Tigger Morning Show” on WPGC in Washington DC, and he enjoyed weekly guest appearances on New York’s Hot 97 Morning Show. He was a regular on E!’s “Chelsea Lately," starred in Comedy Central' “Reality Bites Back,” and was the resident “Funny Guy” on the Ricki Lake Show. In 2007, Donnell co-created and starred in Heavy.com’s hit web series “From Ashy to Classy”, which was picked up for a second round of episodes. His movie of the same name screened at the 2011 L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival. As an actor Donnell has also appeared in the Law & Order series, Special Victims Unit (SVU) and Criminal Intent (CI) as well as NBC’s Third Watch, the Emmy Award winning HBO Mini-Series: The Corner and as Day- Day Price on HBO’s Emmy-Award winning series “The Wire.” On the big screen he could be seen in the blockbuster Spider-Man II.

Historical Footnotes: Dancing Through Northampton’s History


WHAT: Historical Footnotes: Dancing Through Northampton’s History
WHEN: Sept. 14 & 15 ONLY, 7-8 p.m. music; 8-9:30 performance.
WHERE: Northampton Community Arts Trust, 33 Hawley Street, Northampton MA 

Time:
7-8 p.m. Music by Peter Jones, Art displays by Elizabeth Stone, Michael Tillyer, Kristina Madsen, and performance installation by Peter Schmitz

8-9:30 p.m. Historical footnotes by Laurie Sanders, Betty Sharpe, co-directors of Historic Northampton and friends. Performances by Deborah Goffe, Andrea Olsen, Jennifer Polins (Friday), Lailye Weidman (Saturday), and films by Wendy Woodson and Sasha Statman-Weil.

Cost: $15 at the door, $12 online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3596843

Historic Northampton and A.P.E.@Hawley Street join forces for a special collaboration on September 14 & 15 to celebrate the opening of the new Flexible Performance Space at the Arts Trust’s building, 33 Hawley Street. Linking contemporary dance works, site-specific films, music, and visual art with Northampton’s rich history, twelve area artists and their collaborators will offer a range of surprising ecological and cultural perspectives, all with ties to Northampton’s past.

Group Sing at Memorial Hall


WHAT:  Group Sing at Memorial Hall
WHEN: Friday, September 14, at 5:00pm
WHERE: Memorial Hall, 240 Main Street, Northampton MA

Come sing at ARTS NIGHT OUT with Tom Mahnken of Trailer Park & Mary Witt of The O-Tones

FREE  and open to the entire community

Come learn the songs we’ll sing at Our Community Sing Picnic on the Forbes Library lawn under the rising moon on September 23rd, 2018.

Learn more: forbeslibrary.org/sing

Final ARC.18 Project: Building Lines by Christopher Serra

WHAT: Final ARC.18 Project:  Building Lines by Christopher Serra
WHEN: August 20 through September 2
WHERE: A.P.E. Ltd. Gallery, 126 Main St, Northampton, MA 01060

Living and working in industrial spaces of South Boston and Holyoke, Massachusetts led Chris Serra to explore warehouses and waterfront alleyways and sparked a fascination with the inherent beauty of rundown factory buildings, broken machines and rusted mechanisms. Combining materials, the artist thinks about how their disparate characteristics will play against or act on each other: oxidized steel, bleeding into plaster or a delicate mylar form floating in cement.

In this project, Serra will exhibit some of this work in conjunction with his sketchbooks – the rough “blueprints” for his sculptures. An important part of his process, these books reveal connections and metamorphoses between figurative and nonrepresentational images. Notes and instructions to the artist accompany certain sketches. These guidelines become beneficial when deciding how a drawn line can transform into a three dimensional element.

Chris Serra began his career as an illustrator for The Union News in Springfield. After leaving the paper he became a regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review, under the art direction of renowned graphic designer and author, Steven Heller. Chris’ conceptual graphic work frequently appears in many publications. Parallel to this pursuit, he has been drawing, painting and making sculptural works for decades. When combining materials, the artist considers how their disparate characteristics will play against or act on each other - oxidized steel, bleeding into plaster or a delicate mylar form floating in cement. Whether making marks on paper, pouring cement, welding steel or gluing mylar shapes together, the aim is the same - to explore more deeply. Chris is a member of the Oxbow Gallery in Northampton.

Amber Lane Parklet Music Series: Fire Letters


WHAT: Amber Lane Parklet Music Series: Fire Letters
WHEN: Friday July 31, 7:00-9:30pm
WHERE: Amber Lane Parklet, near 1 Amber Lane, Downtown Northampton

How Much? FREE and open to the public


This Friday Fire Letters: Synth-Driven Unraveling Melodies

Monday, August 27, 2018

Northampton Jazz Workshop features saxophonist Felipe Salles


WHAT: Northampton Jazz Workshop features saxophonist Felipe Salles
WHEN: Tuesday, September 4th, 7:30 to 8:30PM followed by an open jazz jam session until 10:30 PM
WHERE: The City Sports Grille at Spare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA

As has been tradition for several years now, marking the beginning of the new academic year we welcome our good friend saxophonist Felipe Salles as our guest soloist. Besides being a wonderfully accomplished jazz player, Felipe is also a dedicated educator and a prolific composer. In early 2018 Felipe became a Guggenheim Foundation Composition Fellow and a recording of his latest large scale composition, The Lullaby Project, is now available for sale. http://www.sallesjazz.com

Felipe always uses this opportunity to bring many of his music students from UMASS to join in at the end of the concert set making the jam session especially exciting. After the first week of the semester the students get involved with their ensemble practices so this is the one opportunity each year to bring them all together at the Workshop. Always a nice night so hope you can join us.

Upcoming Guest Artists:
9/4  -  Felipe Salles on saxes
9/11 - Green Street Quintet
9/18 - Jay Clayton on vocals
9/25 - Claire Daly on baritone sax

10/2  - Houston Person on tenor
10/9 -  Warren Chiasson on vibes
10/16 - Michael Rabinowitz on bassoon
10/23 - Greg Abate on sax and flute
10/30 - Gary Smulyan on bari

The concert set starts at 7:30, followed immediately by the jam session until 10:30. $5 per person room charge for the concert set. City Sports Grille at Spare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA. 413-584-4830

For photos and videos of past NJW shows and related news, events and buzz, please see (and Like us) on FB at: www.facebook.com/NorthamptonJazzWorkshop 

Labyrinth Through Fear: A Gift Event

Truth School Series Class:
This is a three-part series. Participants are expected to attend all three classes. Though the
workshop is free, we must have a minimum of 6 registered participants in order to hold the
class. Please register at www.truthschool.org by September 18. Thank You.

When:
Saturday, September 22, 2018, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Saturday, September 29, 2018, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Saturday, October 6, 2018, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Location: The Pan African Historical Museum USA, Tower Square, 1500 Main Street, #2,
Springfield, MA

This three-part workshop series offers participants the opportunity to help shape a “site for revelation” in which to transform the energy of fear and adversity into courage and hope. Through movement meditation, free writing, storytelling, and theater activities, unknown gifts of the Labyrinth will reveal themselves. This fear I face/ is a deeper breath I take/ is the courage I share. The gift of fear, small or large, is a daily gift. Taking the risk to face fear invites and supports us to move, step by step, through a constricted space into the next level of fearlessness, confidence, and transformation. All are welcome, there are no-pre-requisites for this class, just
come with an open heart.

Trainers:



Janet Aalfs, poet laureate emeritus of Northampton, community educator, performer, and peace
activist has been sharing weavings of poetry and martial arts dance locally, nationally, and
internationally for more than forty years. Founder and director of Lotus Peace Arts at Valley
Women’s Martial Arts, she is thrilled to be on this integrative arts adventure with Ingrid Askew.



Ingrid Askew, a theatre maker, cultural activist, and the Executive Director of Crossing the
Waters Institute for Cultural Exchange. Ms. Askew lives in the Pioneer Valley and also in Cape
Town, South Africa, where she facilitates theatre-making projects with community activists and
artists. Her most recent project is “Labyrinth Through Fear” which she developed with Janet
Aalfs.

Call for Artists and Crafters


On October 17, 2018 Family Outreach of Amherst (FOA), a human services agency in Amherst that works with struggling low-income families, will hold our annual fundraising event Warm Up The Night (WUTN). WUTN is a culinary extravaganza made up of restaurants, breweries, and local chefs who offer small plates and tastes of their finest offerings. The event is held in a large warm tent in the back of the Lord Jeffery Inn from 5:30 to 8:00.

This year FOA is recruiting artists and crafters to participate by displaying a carved and/or painted pumpkin or gourd at the event. This is an opportunity to let your imagination go wild! The art pieces will be displayed throughout the tent and (weather permitting) the grounds directly outside the tent.

The pieces should be able to be moved and dropped off at the tent between noon and 3:00 the day of the event. Artisans are encouraged to also display brochures and business cards as well.

To sign up for this event please click here

For more information please contact Laura Reichsman at lreichsman@chd.org or Nik Krauchi at nkrauchi@chd.org

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Linefork Film Screening at Amherst Cinema


WHAT: Screening of Linefork film with directors Vic Rawlings and Jeff Silva in person!
WHEN: Wednesday, September 5th at 7pm
WHERE: Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002

An immersive meditation on the passage of time and the persistent resonance of place, LINEFORK follows the daily rituals of an elderly couple living in Kentucky's Appalachian Mountains.

Now well into his eighties, Lee Sexton is the last living link to the distant past of a regional American music. A retired coal miner with black lung, Lee and his wife, Opal, continue to farm the land where he was born. Together they face encroaching health concerns and stark economic realities.

Recorded over three years, LINEFORK is an observational film documenting their marriage, their community, their resilience, and the raw yet delicate music of an unheralded banjo legend, linked to the past yet immediately present.

Follow Linefork on Facebook, or visit Linefork.com to learn more about the film

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Cinema Northampton Presents Wonder Woman at Maines Field

WHAT: Outdoor Screening of Wonder Woman
WHEN: 7:45pm on August 29th
WHERE: Maines Field, 570 Riverside Drive, Florence, MA

How Much? FREE!

Cinema Northampton is in its 6th year and we continue to expand this community event!

FREE viewing of the movie at Maines Field.

About the movie:
Synopsis: When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, Diana, an Amazonian warrior in training, leaves home to fight a war, discovering her full powers and true destiny.
PG-13 | 2h 21min

We encourage you to bring drinks, snacks, bug spray, flashlights, and blankets to these outdoor screenings.

Chairs are allowed but must not block anyone’s view.

Subtitles will be on.

More at cinemanorthampton.org/faqs

Cinema Northampton Presents CoCo at Forbes Library



WHAT: Free Outdoor Film Screening: CoCo
WHEN: Rescheduled until Friday August 31, 8:30pm
WHERE: Forbes Library Lawn, 20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060

Cinema Northampton is in its 6th year and we continue to expand this community event!

FREE film screening at dark on the Forbes library lawn.
Film synopsis: Aspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.


We encourage you to bring drinks, snacks, bug spray, flashlights, and blankets to these outdoor screenings.

Chairs are allowed but must not block anyone’s view.

Subtitles will be on.

More at cinemanorthampton.org/faqs

Monday, August 20, 2018

Transperformance 28: AmperBands! Benefit Music Festival for Arts


Come celebrate 28 years of bringing our community members together to support music and the arts!

Once again, on Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 it’s time to celebrate our community and the arts with Transperformance 28: AmperBands!, THE summer music festival at Pines Theater-Look Park. This year we will celebrate connection, collaboration and the power of performing together with Transperformance 28: Amperbands! Your favorite local acts will take the Pines Theater stage to perform material from dynamic duos to famous families to superstars and their trusty backing bands.

When: Tuesday, August 21, 2018 4:00-9:30pm

Where: Pines Theater-Look Park, 300 N Main Street Florence, MA 01062

How Much: 
Pre-sale - Adults $10; Senior 65+/Student/Vet $8; Kids 12 & under $5;

Day of at Pines Theater Box Office  - Adults $12; Senior 65+/Student/Vet $10; Kids 12 & under $7

Tickets: 
Day of at Pines Theater Box Office starting at 3:00pm, or in advance: ONLINE-transperformance.brownpapertickets.com, State Street Fruit Store-Northampton, Cooper's Corner-Florence, AJ Hastings-Amherst; Day of at Pines Theater Box Office starting at 3:30pm.

Friday, August 17, 2018

Salsa in Pulaski Park 2018


WHAT: Salsa Dancing in Pulaski Park
WHERE: Pulaski Park, Main St. Northampton, MA
WHEN: Summer Saturdays June 9th - July 14th - August 18th. 6:00-9:00pm

Bringing People together through Latin Dance!

-Beginner Dance Lessons
-Performances
-Dancing outside Downtown Northampton

3 Saturdays this Summer!
June 9th - July 14th - August 18th
6-9pm

Come celebrate the Beauty and Positivity of Latin Dance!!
RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/222153841953217/

Downtown Northampton Summer Concert Series: Signature Sounds Presents - JigJam


WHAT: Summer Concert Series: Signature Sounds Presents - JigJam
WHEN: Friday, August 17th, 5:30pm-7:30pm
WHERE: Pulaski Park, 240 Main St, Northampton, MA
How Much? FREE


About JigJam:
JigJam are a multi-award winning quartet from the heart of the midlands in Ireland. Blending the best of traditional Irish music with Bluegrass and Americana in a new genre which has been branded as 'I-Grass' or "CeltGrass", their onstage energy along with their virtuosic musical ability has captivated audiences throughout the world.

"Here's an Irish band that's going to impact the world as hard as Clancy Brothers or U2 if they get only half a chance." MIDWEST RECORDS

Jamie McKeogh, Cathal Guinan and Daithi Melia all hail from Tullamore, Co.Offaly with Co. Tipperary born Gavin Strappe completing the quartet. All four members grew up immersed in Irish traditional music and culture which is reflected by the band collectively achieving over twenty All-Ireland titles at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann competitions. They have now developed their own unique style of music influenced by American Folk music whilst staying true to their Irish roots. Described as 'The best Irish group so far in bluegrass' this sharply dressed outfit deliver an energy-fuelled, foot-stomping live performance. All multi-instrumentalists, JigJam interchange between banjos, guitars, fiddles, mandolins and double bass onstage which creates an experience which is pleasing to both the eye and the ear.

JigJam have recorded two studio albums (OH BOY! 2014 & HELLO WORLD 2016) to critical acclaim as well as a live album (LIVE IN TULLAMORE 2017). They have made a huge impact on the Irish American circuit performing as a headline act at all the major festivals including the world-renowned Milwaukee Irish Fest as well as touring various parts of the UK and Europe.

"The words sparkling, innovative and infectious come first to mind, beyond that you get into an unadulterated display of accomplished musicianship, skill and talent'." FOLKWORDS

Lead Vocals, Guitar, Tenor Banjo / Jamie McKeogh
Vocals, 5-String Banjo, Guitar / Daithi Melia
Vocals, Double Bass, Fiddle / Cathal Guinan

Vocals, Mandolin, Tenor Banjo / Gavin Strappe

About Signature Sounds:
Signature Sounds was formed by Jim Olsen and Mark Thayer in 1995 to promote the burgeoning acoustic music scene in and around Northampton, MA. Since our inception, we've released over 150 albums of singer-songwriter, Americana, modern folk and rock music. Signature Sounds Recordings are distributed exclusively worldwide by Redeye Worldwide. The label has worked with artists including Josh Ritter, Erin McKeown, Chris Smither, and Lori McKenna.

Signature Sounds moved into new offices in downtown Northampton in 2012 and opened The Parlor Room, an intimate 95 seat live performance venue presenting concerts several nights per week. In 2015 Signature started an artist development and management wing to work with talented new artists.

The Signature Sounds Recording Studio (now located in Pomfrey, CT) was founded in 1982 by Mark Thayer. It has become the studio of choice for many performers in the acoustic and jazz music worlds.



Thursday, August 16, 2018

Forbes Library Hosts Picnic And Community Sing-Along


WHAT: PICNIC AND COMMUNITY SING-ALONG ON THE LIBRARY LAWN
WHEN: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018, AT 6:00PM.
WHERE: FORBES LIBRARY 20 WEST ST NORTHAMPTON

Forbes Library and Northampton Senior Services invite the greater Northampton community to gather on the Library’s West lawn for an old-fashioned picnic to be followed by a large community sing-along led by local musicians and singers Jim Armenti, Joe Blumenthal, Alex Johnson, Tom Mahnken, Jodi Nicholas, and Mary Witt. This is a participatory event, not a “performance.” Groups have been meeting over the summer to learn 4 songs: the Tin Pan Alley popular tune of 1908 SHINE ON HARVEST MOON, THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND (Woody Guthrie, 1940/1944). HARVEST MOON (Neil Young, 1992), and CITY OF IMMIGRANTS (Steve Earle, 2007). You don’t need to know the songs in order to participate. Lyrics to the 4 songs will be handed out during the picnic, and the singers leading the sing-along will refresh everyone’s musical memories before we all sing together.

Autumn officially begins on Saturday, September 22. The gathering will be at 6:00pm, Sunday, September 23, on the eve of the Harvest Moon’s full moon. We will sing beneath the light of the rising moon. Family and individuals are encouraged to bring blankets or tablecloths to spread out on the West lawn and to pack a picnic basket, or bring take-out, sandwiches and/or beverages from local restaurants and stores.

During Arts Night Out, Friday, September 14, at 5:00PM, at Memorial Hall, 240 Main Street, Northampton, a group sing will be led by Tom Mahnken and Mary Witt, giving newcomers a chance to learn the 4 songs, and for others to rehearse the songs again before the large community sing on the 23rd.

http://www.historic-northampton.org/virtual_tours/architecture/q3memorialhall.html

Monday, August 13, 2018

Screening of "The Gilded Cage" by Stan Sherer


WHAT: Film screening: The Gilded Cage: Northampton’s Last Water-Powered Elevator, a film by Stan Sherer
WHEN: Wednesday, August 22, 7 pm
WHERE: Forbes Library, Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library

Running time: 52 minutes
Color and black & white

In the late 1800s, Northampton's Freemasons borrowed $110,000 to construct the Masonic Block (25 Main Street) on Lower Main Street. This four-story building, which opened in 1898, featured an elevator powered by Northampton city water pressure. Although hydraulic elevators were not unusual at the time, this was no ordinary elevator. The walls and ceiling were made of oak and featured ornately carved panels, with stained glass windows at the top. The stairway wound its way around the open hoistway, which was framed by mesh wire. Until it was decommissioned in 2017, the operator-run elevator was in service Monday–Friday, 9–5 pm.

The elevator operators were an important part of the social fabric of the building from the start. In his new documentary film The Gilded Cage: Northampton’s Last Water Powered-Elevator, Stan Sherer interviewed former operators and the repair service person who maintained it from the mid-1980s until the end. Through these interviews, and interviews with building tenants, we see what this historic elevator, and its operators, meant to the people in the building, and to the City of Northampton.

In the 21st century, we take elevators for granted. Yet they have literally transformed our world. If not for Elisha Otis’s invention of elevator safety brakes in 1852, the cities of the world would not have developed vertically. Before Otis, five stories were the limit; by the early 1900s, buildings were rising 20, 30, 40 stories and more. The 47-story Singer Building in New York City, completed in 1908, was the tallest building in the world at the time. The Gilded Cage brings this lost history to life, showing how the safety brake works, how a hydraulic system pushes an elevator, how the elevator counter-weight works, and much more.

Instigating Hope and Change Through Theater: Workshop with Real Live Theatre

WHAT: Instigating Hope and Change Through Theater: Workshop with Ezekiel Baskin and Trenda Loftin
WHEN: Saturday August 25th 1-4 PM
WHERE: North Star Building, 45 Amherst Road (Route 116), Sunderland, MA 01375

A mirror and a window. This workshop will take participants through a range of exercises to explore not only their own personal truths (mirror), but envision all that could be (window). Employing storytelling, social change, and Theatre of the Oppressed techniques, participants will create together and develop their understanding of how to use theatre techniques to bring about personal and social growth.

AWESOME! HOW DO I REGISTER?
Email reallivetheatre@gmail.com with your name, phone number, and which workshops you would like to attend. We'll respond with instructions for your nonrefundable deposit and remaining payment, and send you more information from your instructor!
How Much?
$100 for 1 workshop
A $25 nonrefundable deposit (per workshop) is required to register. Payment plans available. Scholarship may be available, please email reallivetheatre@gmail.com for more information.

EDUCATOR BIOS:
Ezekiel Baskin is an interdisciplinary artist and theatre educator, whose work includes direction, lighting and sound design, poetry, dramaturgy, stage management, box office and house management, and theatrical administration. Ezekiel has been a Governing Member of Real Live Theatre since November 2016, and has also worked with a variety of theatre ensembles and companies, including Serious Play! Theatre Ensemble, PaintBox Theatre, and Silverthorne Theater Company. Recent projects include stage management and lighting design for RLT’s The Life & Death of Queen Margaret, dramaturgy and lighting design for Hampshire College’s Next to Normal, and stage management for Silverthorne’s Stupid Fucking Bird.

Trenda M. Loftin is a social justice educator, actor, playwright, and governing member of Real Live Theatre. Trenda M. Loftin has been committed to using theatre and storytelling techniques to explore political and social issues for more than a decade. Some of her storytelling based work includes acting in The Media Education Foundation Film Flirting With Danger, and the plays Legal Tender: Women and the Secret Life of Money, and The Lonely Soldier Project. In addition, she has led collaborative performance pieces with folks experiencing incarceration utilizing her play When the System Swallows You. With her B.A. from Smith College in Political and Social Theatre, Trenda continues to explore theater's ability to raise awareness, inspire action, question patterns, and build community.

Springfield College Theater hiring a Technical Direction/Scenic Designer

Springfield College Fuller Arts Center and scenic shop
Beginning Fall 2018

Provide technical direction and scenic design for Springfield College Theater, supervised and directed by Prof. Martin Shell.  We produce one play each semester.

Fee per show. Applicants with an MA or MFA may also apply to instruct a stage production course as an adjunct. TD does not require the grad degree, but please provide your resume of experience.

Contact mshell@springfieldcollege.edu

Auditions for Ghost Light's final show of 2018, "Sex With Strangers." by Laurie Eason

WHAT: Auditions for Ghost Light's final show of 2018, "Sex With Strangers." by Laurie Eason
WHEN: August 29 and 30 at 7:00 PM
WHERE: Gateway City Arts, 92-114 Race St. Holyoke, MA

How far will you go to get what you want? Will you be the same person if you do? When twenty-something star sex blogger and memoirist Ethan tracks down his idol, the gifted but obscure forty-ish novelist Olivia, he finds they each crave what the other possesses. As attraction turns to sex, and they inch closer to getting what they want, both must confront the dark side of ambition and the trouble of reinventing oneself when the past is only a click away.

Directed by Kevin Tracy

CHARACTERS:
OLIVIA: 39 and then 41. Smart, sexy, outwardly strong but covering some fragility. American but spent many years living abroad.

ETHAN: 28 and then 30. Very charismatic, sexy, a fast talker, used to being the center of attention. From Chicago but has little to no accent.

Performance dates: 11/9, 11/10, 11/15, 11/16, 11/17 @ 8pm
11/11 @ 2pm

A selection of the script can be found here:
https://www.dramatists.com/previews/5079.pdf

Auditions will consist of cold reads. There may be a callback date.

This play will not be appropriate for children.

For questions contact kevinrt@kevinrt.com
Facebook.

HCC Music and Theater 2018 Fall Musical


"IN THE HEIGHTS"
Music by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Book by Quiara Alegria Hudes
Directed by Patricia Sandoval and Ellen Cogen

Auditions are Tuesday and Wednesday August 21 & 22, 2-5pm and 6-8pm with possible callbacks on Friday, August 24.
Holyoke Community College Fine & Performing Arts Building, Leslie Phillips Theater (the Forum)

Performance Dates: Thursday through Saturday, November 8, 9, and 10 and November 15, 16, and 17.

Auditions will consist of
-Readings from the script
-16 bars of a song from "In the Heights"
-Dancing. Wear clothing you can move around in.

Set around Fourth of July in the primarily Hispanic neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City, "In the Heights" tells the universal stories of three generations living in this vibrant community. Their neighborhood is on the brink of change, and the characters sing about their hopes and struggles. These songs tell audiences about the dreams of first-generation college student Nina Rosario; Abuela Claudia, who left her home country of Cuba as a child; Usnavi de la Vega and Daniela, who fight to keep their small businesses open as the neighborhood faces gentrification; and many others. Each character negotiates which traditions are important for them to keep and which ones they should leave behind.

This production is made possible, in part, by the support of the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts.

*You do not have to be an HCC student to audition*
Facebook

Smith College Department of Theatre is hiring Publicity Manager for the Arts

Position Summary:
Provide creative vision for audience development and publicity management in the Dance, Theatre, Music, and Film and Media Studies Departments. Plan and manage publicity efforts, and develop promotional ideas in conjunction with chairs and artistic directors.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Develop long-term strategies for publicity, marketing and on-line presence. Plan and manage new publicity efforts and promotional ideas in conjunction with chairs and artistic directors.

Responsible for the design, production, and distribution of all physical and digital publicity and marketing materials. Collect information, and create (writing and editing, and creating or supervising layout and design) all publicity materials for Dance, Music, Theatre, and Film and Media Studies public events. Write, edit, and disseminate press releases, PSAs, and associated material in timely fashion for regular performing arts season events and for additional events as assigned by supervisor.

Understand and follow Smith College general public relations protocols. Coordinate with College Relations as appropriate. Maintain media materials for press and websites. Plan and coordinate new publicity efforts and promotional ideas in conjunction with chairs and department objectives.

Hire, train, supervise, and maintain schedules and job assignment descriptions for student employees.

Plan and analyze annual budgets and submit to chairs for feedback and approval. Manage publicity budget. Work with departments to set audience and revenue goals, and consult on ticket pricing with attention to those goals. Coordinate with Budget and Provost’s offices about budget and additional needs.

May need to attend evening rehearsals, performances, concerts, screenings and/or other events. May advise or participate in committee work or planning in the four departments.

Qualifications:
Education/Experience: BA/BFA and 3 years job-related experience and/or the equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Professional experience in arts marketing and/or publicity.

Skills: Ability to solve problems; ability to take initiative; excellent communication (oral and written), organizational and interpersonal skills; strong project and budget management skills. Comfort and experience with social media and marketing. Graphic design skills are a plus but not required.

Additional Information:
This is a 44 week, academic year position.  Applications can be submitted until August 15, 2018 for priority consideration for this position.  The search committee will begin reviewing candidate profiles on August 16th, 2018.

More info and to apply.

Chester Theatre Company presents THE ALIENS by Annie Baker


WHAT: Chester Theatre Company presents THE ALIENS
WHEN: 8/16 at 2pm and 8pm, 8/17 at 8pm, 8/18 at 2pm and 8pm, 8/19 at 2pm
WHERE: Town Hall Theatre, 15 Middlefield Rd., Chester, MA

Included in the NEW YORK TIMES as a must-see production at a summer festival in Western Massachusetts!

Jasper and KJ, both suffering from “failure to launch,” have created their own universe behind a local coffee shop, where the dumpster smells last week’s lattes. Enter Evan, an impressionable new employee/high school student intrigued by the pair’s unconventional charm. While the two impart their “wisdom” on their new, young friend, life’s great pleasures like literature and music are savored along with its bitter brew.

Tickets on sale here.

Tomfoolery Entertainment presents Tomfoolery: Sketch Comedy Live!


WHAT: Tomfoolery Entertainment presents Tomfoolery: Sketch Comedy Live!
WHEN: Friday & Saturday, August 17 & 18, 7:30pm (doors at 7:00pm), Sunday, August 19, 2:30pm (doors at 2:00pm)
WHERE: Nuestras Raices Farm. 24 Jones Ferry Rd, Holyoke, MA 


A unique bled of crude and clever comedy, "Sketch Comedy Live!" is a variety show presented by Tomfoolery Entertainment, featuring original sketch comedy, improvisational comedy and guest musical performances!

Tickets on sale now

Pre-sale Admissions: $10
Student Admissions (at the door): $10
General Admission (at the door): $15
Tickets

***ADULT CONTENT DISCLAIMER: This show was designed for a mature audience and includes material that some viewers may find offensive. 18+ Recommended***

Facebook event

ALSCT presents Peter Pan: Audition Now!

WHAT: Audition Now for Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater's upcoming production of Peter Pan
WHEN: September 14-16! Audition appointments can be made via phone at 413-259-3065
WHERE: Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk, Amherst, MA

The production will be an exciting and inclusive take on the classic story of Peter Pan. The show goes up in Bowker Auditorium at UMass Amherst in January 2019.

Cast size will be about 60. Auditions are open to anyone age 7-107 (no performing experience required). Folks of all genders, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and sexual orientations are encouraged to audition. Visit www.alsct.org/auditions for more information (including an audition FAQ) and email producer@alsct.org with any questions.

Northampton Jazz Workshop features NYC based trumpeter Josh Bruneau


WHAT: Northampton Jazz Workshop features NYC based trumpeter Josh Bruneau
WHEN: Tuesday, August 21st, 7:30 to 8:30PM followed by an open jazz jam session until 10:30PM
WHERE: The City Sports Grille at Spare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA

The young Hartford trumpeter Josh Bruneau, now residing mostly in NYC is one of the more in demand players on the scene these days. He was scheduled to play with us last January but a snow storm got in the way so, very happy to finally get a chance to play again. I hope you can join us for what will be a an action packed adventure into some straight-ahead bop and standards, steeped in the tradition of the masters.

Upcoming Guest Artists:
8/21 - Josh Bruneau on trumpet 
8/28 - Giacomo Smith on clarinet
9/4  -  Felipe Salles on saxes
9/11 - Green Street Quintet
9/18 - Jay Clayton on vocals
9/25 - Claire Daly on baritone sax

The concert set starts at 7:30, followed immediately by the jam session until 10:30. $5 per person room charge for the concert set. City Sports Grille at Spare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA. 413-584-4830

For photos and videos of past NJW shows and related news, events and buzz, please see (and Like us) on FB at: www.facebook.com/NorthamptonJazzWorkshop 

Request for Proposals: Eggtooth Productions


Eggtooth Productions: Radical Interconnectedness Festival
Turners Falls, MA, April 26 & 27, 2019

We are seeking proposals from artists to address the concerns of marginalized communities.

We invite stories that engage issues of race, age, gender, religion, economic class, and those aspects of cultural identity that have been suppressed.

We seek a wide range of artistic expression: music, dance, theatrical, visual, immersive, installation.

Commission fee will be $500 and Eggtooth will provide the venue, the audience, and promotions for the work.

Deadline is October 31, 2018

Email to lmciner@gmail.com

September in the Hosmer Gallery: two painters


WHAT: Frankie Dack and Olwen Dowling: landscape paintings
WHEN: September 4-30, 2018, Reception: Saturday September 22, 2-4 PM
WHERE: Hosmer Gallery, Forbes Library, 20 West St, Northampton, MA

Frankie Dack
Born in England, where I spent my childhood, I lived and worked in France for two years, then came to America where my three children were born and raised. When my oldest children were in college I studied at the Swain School of Design in New Bedford, where my love of painting was regenerated. After thirty years, and some major life changes, I found myself in Northampton, where I was encouraged by friends to pick up my brushes and attend Greenfield Community College with them, which was some of the best advice of my life.

When I took up my brushes again, following a thirty-plus year hiatus, it took me a while to develop a style and process with which I felt comfortable.  Now my brushes move the paint around more freely than before, offering a looser interpretation of the image I want to convey.  Using my own photographs as reference allows me to wallow in memories,  recalling intimately the light, sounds and overall ambience of any one particular scene.   There was a special beauty to be found in Florida, where I lived for a few years, and some of my work hails from there and various vacation locales.  The landscape never rests, and so provides a constant source of inspiration.

Living in the Valley is a blessing, and to share it an honor.  There is such peace to be found within our parks and beside our rivers and ponds, and pleasure in watching the play of children. There is also a sense of quiet beauty in the solitude of  tidal flats and estuaries, and in sites of abandonment.   Never truly faithful to the photograph, I must admit to employing artistic  license in some of my work, omitting or shifting subjects and objects in order to make the painting work as a whole.

Olwen O’Herlihy Dowling
Olwen was born in Dublin, Ireland and emigrated with her family to the United States. She grew up in Malibu, California. Her primary inspirations in art are Mary Cassatt, Richard Diebenkorn, and Winslow Homer. Olwen paints images in oil and watercolor of the West of Ireland, as well as, North Chester where she lives in the Berkshire mountains. She  is also a printmaker in Intaglio and is a Member of the Zea Mays Printmaking Studio. Olwen is also a member of the National Association of  Women Artists.

Olwen’s paintings are in private collections in the United States and Europe.  In recent years, she has exhibited at The James Joyce Gallery and The Hallward Gallery in Dublin, Ireland; Smith College Alumnae Gallery; Hosmer Gallery Northampton MA ; The Watkins Gallery Northampton MA.  Olwen’s intaglio artwork is represented by the Zea Mays Flat File Project and her recent print work has been represented in group shows at the APE Gallery in Northampton and The Ferrin Gallery in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. At The Lenox Gallery Massachusetts Olwen received Honorable Mention in the Fem in Art Show. Olwen has also worked for over two decades in the professional theatre.  She has designed scenery and backcloths for theatrical productions.  For the past 20 years, Olwen has been producer, managing director, production manager and stage manager for professional theatrical institutions, as well as director of The Northampton Center for the Arts. She graduated as a Studio Art Major with a minor in Biology from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.  Olwen has also studied at  L’Ecole d’Art, Vallauris, France and the Sun Valley Arts Program in Hailey, Idaho.   Olwen is currently represented by her own gallery in North Chester, Massachusetts and works as an arts consultant. Olwen lived for ten years in Cleveland, Ohio where she was Production Manager at The Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival and helped move the company downtown Cleveland to Playhouse Square.

This exhibition PATTERNS AND LIGHT has work both in oils and watercolors that have a similarity. I was in interested in painting in oil on canvas using the same layered patterns that I have used in my watercolors. You will also see some new work in watercolor which is influenced by my interest and love of plants and nature. I have also snuck in a painting of Cashel, County Galway - one of my favorite places on the planet.  Enjoy!

Gallery Hours
Monday 9-9 ; Tuesday 1-5 ; Wednesday 9-9 ; Thursday 1-5 ; Friday & Saturday 9-5 ; closed Sundays and holidays. 

Don't Take That Receipt! presents: Toxics Hour


WHAT: Don't Take That Receipt! presents: Toxics Hour
WHEN: Wednesday, August 15th, 2:00-3:00pm
WHERE: Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA

Please join the Don't Take That Receipt! campaign for a funny, informative, and perspective-changing hour.

This is a public event as well as an event for the media, so please help us pack the house to show that Holyoke cares about public health and helping local stores shift to healthier receipt policies!

For a sneak peak and some laughs, check out our short funny video at www.bpa-free.me!

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Downtown Northampton Summer Concert Series: Mal Devisa, Topsy

WHAT: Summer Concert Series Featuring: Mal Devisa, Topsy (from And the Kids)
WHEN: Friday, August 10th, 5:30pm-7:30pm
WHERE: Hampshire County Courthouse Lawn, 15 Gothic St, Northampton MA
How Much? FREE


About Mal Devisa:
Mal Devisa is a project started by Who'da Funk it's Deja Carr. With driving bass melodies, hypnotizing harmonies and a variety of genres, Carr conjures up a live show one would have to see in order to truly hear.

“Deja Carr’s voice is a force of gravity, an instrument of rare range and seemingly limitless capacity for empathy.” - Pitchfork



About Topsy:
Topsy is Hannah Mohan, the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for local hero indie-rock trio And The Kids. Topsy sings soft songs for the hard heart.

And The Kid's second album "Friends Share Lovers" was released in 2016 to critical acclaim. The band has also been featured on NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts and Stereogum.











Friday, August 10, 2018

Downtown Northampton Summer Concert Series: Vapors of Morphine

WHAT: Summer Concert Series Featuring: Vapors of Morphine
WHEN: Friday, August 3rd, 5:30pm-7:30pm
WHERE: Academy of Music Theatre, 274 Main St, Northampton MA
How Much? FREE


About Vapors of Morphine:
Having taken their name from Morpheus, the Greek god of Dreams, the ’90s band Morphine pioneered a new type of music - “Low Rock” - that had fans grooving worldwide. Seductive, sultry and intoxicating sounds flowed from their  wildly innovative lineup: a baritone saxophone, a 2-string slide bass and drums. It was their unprecedented fusion of blues and jazz elements with alt-rock arrangements that gained them critical acclaim and five studio albums in under a decade’s time.

Morphine burned bright and fast but their flame was snuffed out before its time when front man, Mark Sandman, passed away suddenly on stage in 1999. From those ashes have risen Vapors of Morphine and they’re playing with a new fire. Following the internationally acclaimed documentary, Morphine - Journey of Dreams (2014), by Mark Shuman, their new project fully emerged. A mutual passion for experimental & exotic music pervades Vapors of Morphine's 2016 debut album, “A New Low”, while their love for live performances fueled thrilling tours across Europe & Russia and South America in 2017.

Original Morphine band members Dana Colley (baritone sax) & Jerome Deupree (drums) are joined by transplanted New Orleans’ blues guitarist Jeremy Lyons. They continue to seduce audiences with dreamy soundscapes, applying inventive arrangements to the unique instrumentation of electric baritone saxophone (evocative of Jimi Hendrix’ guitar), the Sandman-style 2string slide bass or electric guitar and mad jazz-rock drums.

A typical Vapors of Morphine show encompasses the noire-tinged Beat generation influences of the Morphine era sound; in one evening, you’d likely hear Morphine originals, Delta blues, heady African beats and the psychedelic jams that keep their audiences entranced.

Their ethereal soundscapes are an incense offering to Morpheus, the Greek God of Dreams who was Sandman’s muse: “…we were dreaming, Morpheus comes into our dreams…and we woke up and started this band.” – Mark Sandman





Monday, August 6, 2018

Under the Volcano: William Hosie & Christin Couture


WHAT: Under the Volcano: William Hosie & Christin Couture 
WHEN: September 7-29, 2018, Artist Reception: Friday, Sept. 14, 5-8 pm during Northampton Arts Night Out
WHERE: A.P.E. Ltd. Gallery, 126 Main St, Northampton, MA 01060


As youngsters Christin Couture and William Hosie were fascinated by volcanoes (eruptions, smoke, lava!). Later on they became personally familiar with the daily activities of an actual volcano, the Popocatepetl in Mexico, believed to possess human qualities (sleeping, hiding, exhaling, temper tantrums). In Malcom Lowry’s great tragic novel, Under the Volcano, it is an ominous presence. As a universal symbol (destruction, upheaval, sexuality, hidden emotions, creativity) the volcano image appears throughout 19th Century literature and art, from Emily Dickinson’s poetry to the paintings of Frederick Edwin Church.

For Couture and Hosie the volcano remains a powerful form, both symbolic and actual, which they as visual artists have been exploring through 2 Dimensional and 3 Dimensional mediums and observing through a 24-hour web camera over the past several years. In their collaboration, selected images of the volcano, along with other related works, are merged whole or in part with sculptural elements and symbolic passages of color into a fully considered environment that expands upon their previous work in Mexico City.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Northampton Neighbors' Picnic


WHAT: NORTHAMPTON NEIGHBORS’ PICNIC
WHEN: Wednesday, August 15, 2018 from 4:00PM to 7:30PM
WHERE: Willow Brook Shelter Look Park, 300 North Main Street, Florence MA

It’s free, fun and tasty. Willow Brook has a roof, so we’ll picnic in the rain or shine.
Willow Brook has a roof, so we’ll picnic in the rain or shine.

Come on your own; bring a partner or friend; grandchildren are welcome.

We hope you can join us, and it really helps our planning food amounts to know how many are coming.
RSVP to Sherry McKenney, head of the Events Committee. Her home phone is 413 727-3898 (you can leave a message) or email her at sdmckenney@gmail.com.

NN will offer hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers with the fixings, chips and fruit, as well as water, lemonade, iced tea and seltzer. If you want alcohol or something else to drink, please bring it but glass containers are not permitted. NN will supply plates, cups, utensils, and napkins.
You are welcome to bring an appetizer (no mayo please) or a dessert to share. Please attach a card with all the ingredients for people with food allergies or dietary preferences. (When you RSVP, let Sherry know what you are bringing.)

Please come to our annual gathering on the Mill River---and take a chance on our 50/50 raffle. The winner takes home ½ of what we raise and the other ½ supports NN.


Need a ride? Call Northampton Neighbors, 413 341 0160, by Wednesday August 1, 2018 and we’ll do our best. Please call, too, if you can offer a ride.

DIRECTIONS: There is a Look Park map below. The Willow Brook Shelter is K on the map, at the top near the Mill River. For a larger map and driving directions, please visit the Look Park website. Look Memorial Park 300 North Main Street, Florence MA 01062

PARKING: To get our reduced group rate of $5 per car, let the gatekeeper know you are a Northampton Neighbor. Form a carpool and split the cost! Those with a military ID or handicap placard have free vehicle entry. There is ample parking and a bathroom near the shelter.

A generous contribution from Cooley Dickinson Hospital, the support of local businesses, and the work of many volunteers make our picnic possible.

If you can help set up or clean up, that would be great!
Please let us know 413 341 0160/info@northamptonneighbors.org

Please consider a donation to NN online or at the picnic.

Northampton Neighbors Empowering seniors to live independent, engaged lives at home.

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

WMASS 2018 Performance Project Outreach

Dear Community,

We are very excited to announce that applications are now open for Survivor Theatre Project’s Fall 2018 Western Mass Performance Project in partnership with Womanshelter/Compañeras!

The Performance Project is an 8 week collaborative and transformative theatre experience about sexual violence and social change. Through body, mind, centering practices, as well as writing, movement, storytelling, and theatre techniques, a group will craft an original performance. The project will end with a sharing for a small invited audience. Collaborative in its nature, the interests of the group will guide the process and will create a piece that is unique to their own experiences of survival. Survivor Theatre Project currently serves woman, trans women, genderqueer, gender non-conforming & gender non-binary folks. No previous experience with theatre or the arts necessary!

This year, the Performance Project will be held in Holyoke, MA on Mondays and Fridays from 6:30-8:30pm starting Friday, September 7th through early November.  If someone is interested in applying, please have them email programs@survivortheatreproject.com to request an application. The application deadline is August 24th.

In Solidarity,
Survivor Theatre Project & Womanshelter/Compañeras

Self Service at Forbes Library



Beginning August 7, two self-check kiosks will be available for patrons to use, allowing patrons who want to check out their own materials to do so. They will be located in the main desk area and will provide patrons with the option of a quick and confidential transaction.

Self-service checkout is by no means a way to reduce our workforce but rather to work as effectively as possible, and therefore provide the highest level of service that we can.

Like many public libraries, Forbes is constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of our community. In addition to our traditional role of lending materials and answering questions, we provide access to and support for technology, public programs for all ages, and free meeting spaces for community groups. Forbes has seen tremendous growth in programming and meeting room use while also experiencing an increase in circulation — to over 370,000 items last year.

Double Edge Theatre’s We The People


WHAT: Performance of Double Edge Theatre's We The People
WHEN: August 1 - 19, 7:30pm, Wednesday-Sunday
WHERE: Rain or shine, at Double Edge Theatre, 948 Conway Rd. Ashfield MA 01330

We The People is a traveling rumination on finding freedom through creativity, a profound relationship with the land, and a curiosity and reverence for past generations. What are the hidden territories of the land, of history, and how do they speak to us as citizens in the present moment? This summer, Double Edge attempts to articulate the beauty of the environment, uncover lost voices, and joyfully inhabit a world of wild imagination.

Click here to purchase tickets.

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