Western Mass Theatre
September 18 - October 8, 2025
Do you know any teens looking to build their acting for the camera skills? Marty Cherrix and Christine Stevens are offering a class for aspiring actors starting on October 2! Register now!
And if you aren't a teen, there are also trainings at Double Edge and Shakespeare & Company coming this fall, not to mention Open Play, offering two hours of goof around time every other Saturday in Florence.
The next issue will include events from September 25 - October 15. 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
Pauline Productions & Devereux Productions present Seeing Violet
September 26-28 at First Congregational Church in Ashfield
Tickets and More Information
Teens on Camera Acting Workshop with Cherrix Casting
October 2-30 at Northampton Center for the Arts
More Information and Registration
Exit 7 Players presents Auditions for Pride and Prejudice
September 29 and October 1 in Ludlow
More Information
The Academy of Music presents Leonardo!
Friday, October 3 at the Academy of Music
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
KEVIN: A Solo Performance with Multiple Voices
Written & Performed by Kate Brandt
directed by Talya Kingston
at The Foundry, West Stockbridge, Thursday Sept 18 and Friday Sept 19 at 7:30pm
KEVIN is a comedic solo performance about struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as a woman and mother. Through the lens of colorful characters, this piece brings levity to an otherwise heavy topic and aims to normalize the complexity of living, surviving and (hopefully) thriving in life, despite having compromised brain chemicals.
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TICKETS CLICK HERE
MAJESTIC OPENS 28TH SEASON OF PLAYS WITH ONCE SEPTEMBER 18 – OCTOBER 19
West Springfield’s Majestic Theater open its 28th Season of plays with the musical Once, which runs September 4 – October 19. The Majestic Theater is located at 131 Elm Street in West Springfield, MA.
Once, with a book by Enda Walsh, and music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, is a modern, heartwarming musical about an Irish street musician and a Czech immigrant who form an unlikely bond over their shared love of music. Set against the backdrop of Dublin, the show captures the magic of creative connection, love, and the healing power of song. With a score that blends folk, pop, and soul, Once features intimate performances that bring out the raw emotions of its characters.
James Warwick will direct the play, with the Majestic’s Producing Director Sue Dziura named stage manager. Michael Garcia is assistant stage manager, and Maggie Hollinbeck is music director. Scenic director is Juliana Von Haubrich, and Dan Rist is lighting designer. Sound design/engineer is Ryan Hickey, and Dawn McKay is costume designer.
The cast includes Nick Anastasia (Guy), Hillary Ekwall (Bank Manager/Dance Captain), Maggie Hollinbeck (Baruska), Chris Cotten (Da), Katy Cotten (Reza), Kate Theis (Girl), Kevin Tracy (Billy), Omar Sandakly (Svec), Patryk Mathieu (Andrej), Michael Devito (Eamon), Violet Falkowski (Emcee), Eliza Wiener (Ex-girlfriend), and Josie Dziura/Jules Magoffin (Ivanka).
Tickets to the show range from $35-$38 and can be purchased in person at the box office or by calling (413) 747-7797. Box office hours are Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Doors to the theater will open one hour before the start of a show, which is also when the café opens. For more information, visit www.majestictheater.com
Shakespeare & Company
MOTHER PLAY: a play in five evictions
through October 5
70 Kemble St, Lenox MA 01240
With a martini in one hand and biting commentary in the other, matriarch Phyllis - headstrong, but resourceful - runs her household with a mix of tough love and theatrical flair, determined to prepare her kids Carl and Martha for the harsh realities of the world whether they like it or not.
As Carl and Martha navigate their own paths, Phyllis remains an ever-present force, doling out brutal honesty, unsolicited wisdom, and the occasional guilt trip with impeccable timing.
Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel, Mother Play is a sharp-witted, darkly comedic exploration of family, identity, and survival spanning four decades, five apartments, and many hardships from cockroach infestations to painful conflicts. It premiered on Broadway just last year, earning four Tony nominations, two Drama Desk Awards, and an Outer Critics Circle Award.
Tickets and More Information
PIC will be presenting our 4th annual All Ages Salon and Social at a new location this year- outdoors at The Creation Station at 63 Strong St in Easthampton on Sat Sept 20 from 3-5pm. We're seeking adult and youth performers from all disciplines to sign up for this open-mic style opportunity. If interested in presenting, follow the link below to fill out the form. We will be in touch to confirm your participation.
The All Ages Salon is FREE for all to attend. Adult performers are invited to share 5-7 minutes of original work, while youth performer can share 3-5 minutes. Pieces can be something new and in progress or something you've performed before. The performances will be followed by social time for the artists and audience to get to know each other and explore the beautiful outdoor grounds. Click the link for more information and to sign up as a presenter.
If you plan to attend as part of the audience (it's free!), we'd love for you to let us know here!
If you have any questions about the salon, please reach out to rachel@playincubation.org.
Not In Charge: Improv Comedy Inspired By True Stories
Saturday, September 20th @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.
Tickets and More info
New Political Comedy Show “Laugh Don't Cry” Debuts in Greenfield
WHAT: Laugh Don’t Cry: A 100% Political Comedy Show
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 25, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
WHERE: The LAVA Center, 324 Main St., Greenfield
https://thelavacenter.org/events/the-comedy-project-revue-2/
https://www.facebook.com/events/987157476824470/
tickets: https://www.tixtree.com/e/laugh-dont-cry-a-100-political-comedy-show-842bc5b74960
A new political comedy show is launching at The LAVA Center as part of a recurring series, offering locals a chance to laugh together about the state of the world. “Laugh Don’t Cry: A 100% Political Comedy Show” debuts Thursday, Sept. 25 with two shows at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. (doors open 30 minutes before each show).
The show promises “jokes about how everything’s broken and nobody’s fixing it” and asks questions like “Why can’t we tax rich people? We are pretty sure they can handle it because they are, well, rich” and “Why does Canada get all the good healthcare?” It’s designed “for people who want things to be better.”
The focus is on how to make working people’s lives better, addressing how the current system isn’t delivering and exploring where to look for answers. This isn’t a show for Democrats or Republicans, but rather for people who want better government for working people.
Tickets are sliding scale $5–$20, with reservations not held after 5:55 p.m. for the early show and 7:55 p.m. for the late show.
Organizer Paul Bennett says the show aims to fill a crucial gap in the community. “There is so much stress here. I think many of us who are horrified by what’s happening need to get together and be silly and laugh in order to keep going. There are so many serious things happening that we need to experiment with silly.”
The inaugural shows feature comics and musicians from across Franklin County, promising an “outstanding line-up of both new and used comics.”
“We’ve got sketches. We’ve got musical sets. We’ve got funny stories. We’ve got jokes. We are freakin’ Ed Sullivan," according to co-producer Andrea CK.
Andrea expressed excitement about the experimental venture. “This is an experiment. I know that we all need this. I would go as an audience member or participant. I’m really looking forward to involving locals in making comedy that matters right now.”
The show will feature stand-up comedy, music and variety acts, improv and more. Organizers warn that “this show will sell out” and urge early reservations.
Pre-show tickets are available. For information and reservations, visit https://thelavacenter.org/events/the-comedy-project-revue-2/.
The LAVA Center is located at 324 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301.
Pauline Productions & Devereux Productions
Seeing Violet by Peter Snoad
Sep 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
9/27 at 2pm & 7pm, 9/28 at 2pm
1st Congregational Church of Ashfield
Pauline and Devereux Productions' Workshop Production of Seeing Violet by Peter Snoad, Directed by Jeannine Haas
Playing One weekend only Sept. 26-28
Betsy and John, a modern couple in New England, are converting the carriage house at their old manse into an apartment. The renovation unearths a manumission paper for a woman named Violet as well as some human remains.
Who was Violet? What happened to her? Why is her freedom paper in the crawl space under the carriage house? And whose remains were found?
When a young woman arrives to rent the apartment, the mysteries begin to unfold in unexpected ways.
As clues to Violet's life are revealed, the lives of the couple begin to intertwine with hers in frightening and surprising ways. They struggle with this new light on their lives and their relationship. Is history simply stories of the past, or is history alive and present in our relationships and choices?
Betsy and John face these questions as they work their way through revelations of family, responsibility, and love.
Pauline and Devereux Productions are excited to bring this new, relevant play to life in their workshop production. Boston Playwright Peter Snoad will be present, along with the Producers, Director, Actors and Audience, for a Post-Show Discussion on Opening Night (Friday) as well as the Saturday and Sunday Matinees.
TICKETS: Seating is limited. Advanced Tickets are recommended
$35 Patron, $25 Regular, $20 Discount, $10 Youth (ages 14-21).
https://theticketing.co/e/seeing-violet, or at Ashfield Hardware or at the Door (cash or check)
WHAT: Seeing Violet by Peter Snoad, Director: Jeannine Haas Featuring: Moe McElligott, Chip Roughton, Sabine Denise Jacques
WHERE: First Congregational Church of Ashfield, 429 Main St. (route 116)
WHEN: Friday, Sept 26 at 7pm, Saturday, Sept 27 at 2pm and 7pm, Sunday, Sept 28 at 2pm
For more information go to www.paulinelive.com
This production was made possible by grants from the Mass Cultural Councils LCC’s of Conway, Ashfield and Goshen.
https://theticketing.co/e/seeing-violet
Do-Si-Do: Three Improvised Duos!
Saturday,September 27th @7pm
A limited run on the 4th Saturday of the month!
Bacon & Eggs...
Peanut butter & Jelly...
Pam & Scott...
Some things are just better together! Experience some of the greatest pairs in history with Do-Si-Do!
Each show will feature three fantastic two-person improv shows, followed by all six performers coming together to mix it up and play with everything they created in the first part of the evening. Hosted by the long-running duo We Made A Thing with Happier Valley Comedy's Founder and Artistic Director Pam Victor and Scott Braidman, this month featuring Maddy Benjamin and Gabriel CiFuentes, and Sally Ekus and Kate Zak.
https://www.happiervalley.com/do-si-do.html
Academy of Music Theatre
Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster
Oct 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Academy of Music Theatre
Get swept into a whirlwind of imagination as Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster brings Mo Willems’ books to life with vibrant puppets, colorful visuals, and playful storytelling. This inventive production by Manual Cinema invites you to see the world through a childlike lens where creativity knows no bounds.
Leonardo is a terrible monster. He tries so hard to be scary, but he just… isn’t. Then Leonardo finds Sam, the most scaredy-cat kid in the world. Will Leonardo finally get to scare the tuna salad out of someone? Or will it be the start of an unlikely friendship? The plot thickens when this pair meets Kerry and Frankenthaler, an even scaredier-cat and her monster friend. Kerry and Sam need to make a big decision: will they just be scaredy cats or can they become friends?
Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster uses hundreds of illustrated paper puppets, book pages, two-dimensional props, furry monster puppets, and songs to bring Mo Willems’ books to life. Manual Cinema wanted to re-create the experience of holding one of Mo’s book pages, which are big, bold, colorful, and full of visual rhythm, with a playful use of scale. Like all Manual Cinema productions, you’re invited to watch the big screen like a traditional movie, or to watch the artists below as they create the story in real time. (There is no wrong way to watch the show!)
SHOW DETAILS
Run time is 45 minutes.
For ages 3 and up.
There are some loud sounds, flashing lights, and furry monster puppets in this show!
Tickets and More Info
Ticket prices: $12 for children ($16.24 after fees) and $20 for adults ($25.16 after fees). Card to Culture tickets available. Contact the box office at boxoffice@aomtheatre.com or by calling 413-584-9032.
AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES
The LAVA Center
Auditions for Climate Change Theatre Action play festival
Sep 28, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Repeat 9/30/2025 @ 6 p.m.
The LAVA Center 324 Main Street Greenfield, MA 01301
The LAVA Center is excited to announce auditions for Climate Change Theatre Action 2025, a festival of short plays by international playwrights. Performances at The LAVA Center October 24-26, featuring a new program each day.
LAVA seeks a wide diversity of actors to perform in staged readings of nine short plays. Auditions will take place on Sunday September 28 and Tuesday September 30 at The LAVA Center in downtown Greenfield--deadline for signups is Friday September 26. Honoraria offered. No memorization required. Experience is welcome but not necessary. No preparation required for auditions.
Learn more and sign up for an audition slot, or contact Ash Goverman (ash@thelavacenter.org) with any questions.
https://forms.gle/PqoAoPuPP7LeVA4F8
Exit 7 Theater
Auditions for Pride and Prejudice!
Sep 29, 2025, 6:00 PM
October 1st, 2025 6-9
37 Chestnut Street Ludlow, MA 01056
Jane Austen’s beloved classic novel is brought to fresh, fun new life in Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. There is little hope for the four Bennet sisters beyond “ensnaring” a wealthy future husband, but Lizzy dreams of more than the schemes and games of courtship.
Come audition for this exciting new take on a classic. Auditions will be open to all, and no roles are precast. Casting ages 16+. While we will take walk ins, we encourage you to follow our provided links to sign up for a timed slot in advance. Callbacks will be on October 3rd, by invitation.
https://www.exit7players.org/auditions/pride--prejudice-auditions/
Show Dates: February 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 2026
Rehearsal Dates: Our read through will be in late October, and we will begin our full rehearsal process in November. We will typically rehearse on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00-9:00 and on Sunday afternoons/evenings. Tech Week will be February 1st-5th. There will be no rehearsal on Thanksgiving, or between the dates of December 23rd-January 4th.
Please note that the original version of Kate Hamill’s Pride and Prejudice has actors playing multiple parts. While we intend to separate these roles, we reserve the right to offer actors more than one part.
The Mount and Straw Dog Writers Guild Invite Emerging Writers to Apply for the 2026 Writers Residency Hosted at The Mount in Lenox, MA
The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home, is once again collaborating with Western Massachusetts’ Straw Dog Writers Guild to offer a unique residency experience for nine emerging writers. The residency focuses on writers who are developing their craft in the genres of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and plays. The residencies run weekly from March 1 - March 21, 2026. Three writers will be selected for each week. Residencies include lodging at a neighboring inn, a workspace at The Mount, breakfast, lunch, and a $500 stipend.
Applications opened on September 1 and will close on October 1, 2025, at 5:00 pm, or once 300 applications have been received. 2026 Residents and Finalists will be announced on December 14, 2025. Submissions are reviewed anonymously and ranked based on the following criteria: quality of writing, originality of voice, the potential for growth as a writer, and strength of the statement of purpose.
Who is Eligible: Emerging poets, writers of fiction, or creative nonfiction who have not published a book or chapbook in any genre and will not have a book or chapbook forthcoming before March 1, 2026.
For more information and access to the application form, visit EdithWharton.org or contact writersinresidence@edithwharton.org
MA CULTURAL COUNCIL GRANTS
Applications open as of today and due October 15, 2025.
Check the MCC website and see if your agency is eligible.
JAN 17 & 18 – For Love! For Liberty! 300 miles with Knox's Cannons - Original Musical, Auditions in Oct 6, 2025 at 6 pm!
This original musical features a rebellious middle school history class and a reenactment grandfather and his bored grandchildren who are transformed at the US Park Services’ Springfield Armory when they learn about Henry Knox, the love of his life, Lucy, and his amazing trek from Fort Ticonderoga to Springfield, MA, and then on to Cambridge with 120,000 lbs of cannon in January 1776, a feat that saved the revolution!
Needed: Actors, Singers, Dancers, Reenactors, Ages 10 and up!
Join the MA250 Revolution Celebration!!
Auditions: Enchanted April
Easthampton Theater Company is excited to announce auditions for Enchanted April by Matthew Barber, based on the book by Elizabeth von Arnim. There will be two nights of auditions: November 10 and November 12 (by appointment only!). We are seeking eight talented and dedicated actors of a wide range of ages. All roles are available; none are pre-cast. We strongly encourage actors of all races, ethnicities, and gender identities to audition.
Enchanted April is a gentle and beautiful story of the importance of platonic relationships, friendships among women, self-care, and rediscovering who you are when life has caused you to lose yourself. The original 2003 Broadway production was nominated for two Tony awards and won Outer Critics Circle and Drama League awards.
Synopsis: Enchanted April is a heartwarming, character-driven play set in 1920s England and Italy, following four very different women who escape their dreary lives and unfulfilling relationships by renting a castle on the Italian Riviera for the month of April. As they navigate clashing personalities, unexpected friendships, and personal awakenings, the women—and the men in their lives—are transformed by the beauty, freedom, and magic of their surroundings. With rich roles offering emotional depth, humor, and growth, Enchanted April is a rare ensemble piece that gives each actor the chance to shine in a story full of charm, change, and hope.
The show is directed by Gilana Chelimsky and produced by Michael O. Budnick and Deb Jacobson. Auditions are by appointment only on November 10th and 12th at the First Congregational Church in Southampton, with callbacks (if needed) on November 19th. Performance dates are the weekends of March 14-22 in Easthampton. If you would like to schedule an audition, please sign up for one audition slot on our signup genius page AND fill out our audition form. You MUST sign up for a slot AND fill out the audition Google form to be booked for an audition. More information, audition forms, and scheduling information are located on the audition page on our website.
More information about the company is available at our website at easthamptontheater.com.
You can also visit our facebook page.
Local theater companies and individual producers/directors are invited to come to PIC's Community-Wide Auditions on Fri and Sat Nov 21-22. Actors will have the opportunity to introduce themselves, rehearse and present a cold reading scene, and engage in a brief group conversation about the scene. This is a great opportunity to meet new actors who you might be interested in casting in 2026 and beyond, and also be in a room with fellow theatermakers/producers/directors. There will be 4 time slots offered where up to 10 actors can attend at a time. PIC will be running and publicizing the auditions, and outside organizations, directors, producers, and other artists may attend for a single fee that gives access to all 4 audition sessions.
More Details:
WHERE: The Workroom at 33 Hawley St, Northampton
WHEN: Fri Nov 21 4-5pm, 5:30-6:30pm
Sat Nov 22, 10-11am, 11:30-12:30am
COST: $20/person
visit www.playincubation.org for more info
