Ancram Opera House presents ‘You Don’t Know the Lonely One’, a new play by acclaimed theater artists
Ancram— From October 20th through October 29th, Ancram Opera House presents “You Don’t Know the Lonely One”, an intimate and universal look at the shared human experience of longing, connection, and isolation.
Acclaimed theater artists David Cale (Obie, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle Awards), Dael Orlandersmith (Finalist, 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama), Matthew Dean Marsh (2019 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award, Best New Musical), and director Robert Falls (Tony, Obie, Drama Desk Awards; Artistic Director, Chicago’s Goodman Theatre) have created a fully staged production of their poignant story and song cycle that draws influence from paintings and albums to create a collaborative portrait of aloneness in an ever-shifting world.
“‘You Don’t Know the Lonely One’ evolved during COVID as a portrait of isolation, but its focus expanded to embrace stories of individuals living on their own and attempting to navigate the vicissitudes of a changing world with bravery, humor, and compassion,” said Jeffrey Mousseau, Co-Director of Ancram Opera House. “’We are so honored to support this all-star team of artists and their process to create this beautiful, redemptive new work that will surely find its way to theaters across the country.” This is AOH’s biggest event of the season; don’t miss your chance to experience this powerful and moving new work.
Performances are October 20th through October 29th, Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. at Ancram Opera House on County Route 7 in Ancram. Tickets are $40, $20 reduced price option, and $15 for students. The is A $60 pay-it-forward option a special benefit opening night performance and party package is available for on October 21st. Tickets and more information can be found online.
***
Crandell Theatre presents the 23rd Annual FilmColumbia
Chatham— From October 20th through October 29th, FilmColumbia, the region’s premier annual cultural event, returns to the Crandell Theatre.
FilmColumbia, celebrating its 23rd year, returns to the Crandell Theatre this October with a fresh selection of the year’s best domestic and international features, documentaries and shorts. Since its inception, the festival has screened more than 600 films; 102 have gone on to receive Academy Award nominations and 25 have won. Curated by co-executive and co-artistic directors Peter Biskind and Laurence Kardish, and led by Festival Director Calliope Nicholas, FilmColumbia showcases standouts from the festival circuit that have not yet opened commercially. They will be shown in the area for the very first time.
Film highlights include the area premiere of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s latest animated masterpiece, “The Boy and the Heron” and “All of Us Strangers”, a haunting and heartbreaking tale of love and loss that was a sensation at the Telluride Film Festival in late August, as well at the breakout debut comedy “The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed” from writer, director, and star Joanna Arnow, which puts millennial neuroticism and angst into high relief.
During FC23’s opening weekend, Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler, visionary producers and founders of Killer Films, will be honored for their pioneering body of work. “It is no understatement to say that the history of American independent cinema would simply not exist in its currently recognizable form without the work of Killer Films producers Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler.” On Saturday, October 21, the festival will screen three films produced by Killer Films, “Camp” (2003) at 11 a.m., “I Shot Andy Warhol” (1996) at 1 p.m., and “May December”, the latest from Haynes, at 3 p.m. A Q&A with Koffler and Vachon will follow at 3 p.m. screening. Vachon and Koffler will be recognized at the annual FilmColumbia Kick-Off Party from 6 to 8 p.m.
The Children’s International Shorts Program, the annual free Saturday screening of animated and live-action shorts shown during the festival’s closing weekend, will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year. Curator Patti Greaney of Giraldi Media has chosen a crowd-pleasing selection of audience favorites from past years.
The festival is October 20th through October 29th at the Crandell Theatre on Main Street in Chatham. All-Film Passes are available for $275 and $225 for members. The kick-off party is $250 per person. Enjoy fresh popcorn with real butter, candy, and soft drinks and a 24-foot screen with cinema sound. A complete line-up, festival passes, tickets, and more information can be found online or by calling 518-392-3445. Printed festival guides are available at the Crandell Theatre.
***
Hudson Hall presents a new and dynamic production of Handel’s ‘Rodelinda’ directed by R.B. Schlather
Hudson— From October 20th through October 29th, Hudson Hall presents a new and dynamic production of Handel’s “Rodelinda”, a timeless tale about love, power, loyalty, tyranny, grief, and ultimately, redemption, directed by R.B. Schlather.
R.B. Schlather is an American artist and opera director, associated with immersive installations and unconventional stagings that push the boundaries of traditional opera performance. In 2023 he was profiled in The New York Times as one of the American opera directors bringing “fresh visions to Europe’s opera stages.” His work has been praised for creating new and engaging experiences for audiences, while also challenging the norms of the operatic art form.
“Rodelinda” which premiered at the King’s Theater in London in 1725, is described by Schlather as “a crime thriller about a woman protecting her home and her child after the disappearance of her husband. It explores ideas about love, power, loyalty, tyranny, grief, and ultimately, redemption, with characters audiences can deeply connect with. Rodelinda is ideal for people who are curious about opera and want an introduction to it, as well as for people who love opera, especially baroque repertoire.”
Schlather’s production features a stellar cast and a re-orchestration performed by early music band “Ruckus”. Envisioned as an ongoing collaboration to create opera for a new generation, this inaugural production builds on the extraordinary success of Schlather’s sold-out run of Virgil Thompson and Gertrude Stein’s “The Mother of Us All” at Hudson Hall in 2017, named one of the Best Musical Performances of the Year by The New York Times.
Ruckus is a baroque band with a fresh, visceral approach to early music. The New Yorker says “the ensemble aims to fuse the early-music movement’s questing, creative spirit with the grit, groove and jangle of American roots music, creating a unique sound of “rough-edged intensity. Ruckus’ debut album, a collaboration with flutist Emi Ferguson, was Billboard’s #2 Classical album upon its release. The Boston Musical Intelligencer describes the group as taking continuo playing to “not simply a new level, but a revelatory new dimension of dynamism altogether… an eruption of pure, pulsing hoedown joy.”
Performances are from October 20th through October 29th at Hudson Hall on Warren Street in Hudson. Tickets start at $25. A ticket including an opening night post-show reception is available for $300. The opera is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes long and it is sung in Italian with English supertitles. Tickets and more information can be found online.
***
‘Autumn Art & Music Festival’ at Pittsfield’s Clock Tower
Pittsfield— On October 20th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the “Autumn Art & Music Festival”, at Pittsfield’s Clock Tower, is offering the public the opportunity to experience great music and fine arts in one incredible location, complete with beverages and nosh.
The event kicks off at 6 p.m. with an arts-stroll through ten custom-built artist studios. Following the open studios, Will Carroll’s Soultet, a high-energy band that blends classic soul and modern hip-hop feels, performs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Members of Soultet include dynamic percussionist, Will Carroll, vocalist extraordinaire Chantell McFarland, versatile keyboardist, Benny Kohn, and guitar shredder, Josh Hirst. Soultet takes a modern spin on soul and R&B classics, funk, and hip-hop. This music will keep the audience moving, and dancing is strongly encouraged.
The backdrop for this “art and soul” event is the historic Clock Tower, a seven-building complex erected in 1883, and the former home of the Terry Clock Company and Eaton Paper Company. Today, it is home to the Clock Tower Artists’ studios and more. With ample and free parking, handicapped accessibility, and a modern welcoming vibe, the evening promises to be fun for everyone.
The festival is on October 20th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Clock Tower on South Street in Pittsfield. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and free for children under age 12. Tickets and more information can be found online.
***
Bard College’s presents ‘The Struggle for Reparative Ecological Democracy in Cop City’ , the second annual ‘Stuart Stritzler-Levine Lecture in Common Decency’
Annandale-On-Hudson— On Thursday, October 19th at 5 p.m., Bard College presents its second annual “Stuart Stritzler-Levine Lecture in Common Decency,” held in recognition of the late Stuart Stritzler-Levine, professor emeritus of psychology and Bard dean emeritus.
The lecture, “The Struggle for Reparative Ecological Democracy in Cop City,”, delivered by professor Wendy Brown, UPS Foundation professor in the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, will explore how the crises of both democracy and ecology that beset us today can only be addressed by considering how both overlap. With a focus on the money and power behind the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, commonly known as Cop City, a police and fire services training campus in Georgia, the lecture will examine the parameters of political repair that could address this overlap.
Wendy Brown is a political theorist who works across the history of political thought, political economy, Continental philosophy, cultural theory, and critical legal theory. Brown investigates the subterranean powers shaping contemporary Euroatlantic polities, with particular attention to the political identities, subjectivities, and expressions they spawn. She is the author or coauthor of a dozen books, including States of Injury: Power and Freedom in Late Modernity; Regulating Aversion: Tolerance in the Age of Identity and Empire; Walled States, Waning Sovereignty; Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism’s Stealth Revolution; and In the Ruins of Neoliberalism: The Rise of Antidemocratic Politics in the West. Across her work, Brown aims to illuminate powers unique to our era and the predicaments they generate for democratic thought and practice.
The lecture is on Thursday, October 19th at 5 p.m. in Weis Cinema at Bard’ on Manor Avenue in Annandale-On-Hudson. There is a pre-show reception at 4:30 p.m. More information can be found online.
***
The OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents ‘Sex, Lies, and Stereotypes: Gendered Politics and Women’s Representation’, a virtual presentation with Bonnie Stabile
Pittsfield— On Thursday, October 19 at 7 p.m., the OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents “Sex, Lies, and Stereotypes: Gendered Politics and Women’s Representation”, a virtual presentation with Bonnie Stabile.
Women continue to be underrepresented in positions of power across sectors, including elective office and in private industry. Gendered narratives supporting stereotypes of women as unfit for leadership positions are evident in political rhetoric and in coverage in print and social media. This session will explore how biases in the treatment of candidates based on gender may be evident in or exacerbated by the promulgation of fake news, and further, how such rhetoric is apparent in everything from presidential speech to public policy.
Bonnie Stabile is Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs and Associate Professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, where she also founded and directs the Gender and Policy (GAP) Center. She is the author of “Women, Power and Rape Culture: The Politics and Policy of Underrepresentation”, published by Praeger in 2022. She is published in many academic journals; she writes for Ms. Magazine; and she serves on the Ms. Committee of Scholars.
The virtual presentation is on Thursday, October 19th at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Admission is $15 and $10 for OLLI and Berkshire Museum members. Admission is free for students, staff, and faculty from Berkshire Community College, MCLA, Simon’s Rock, and Williams; youth 17 and under, and those holding WIC, EBT/SNAP, or ConnectorCare cards. Pre-registration is required. Registration and more information can be found online or by calling 413-236-2190.
***
Elizabeth Freeman Center will host a Candlelight Vigil recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Pittsfield— On Tuesday, October 17th from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Elizabeth Freeman Center will host a Candlelight Vigil recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month honoring those who have died at the hands of people who once claimed to love them.
Since 2006, 20 members of the Berkshire community have lost their lives to domestic violence. The vigil serves as a chance to remember them, and to show support for all survivors of relationship abuse.
The vigil is on Tuesday, October 17th from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Common Room at Zion Lutheran Church on First Street in Pittsfield. The program includes music, guest speakers, and refreshments. To learn more about Elizabeth Freeman Center, their services for survivors, and ways to support their mission, visit elizabethfreemancenter.org.
***
Help survivors of domestic violence at Chatham Public Library
Chatham— October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the Chatham Public Library is collecting donations on behalf of Healing a Woman’s Soul (HAWS) as part of its Great Give Back taking place through October 31st.
HAWS is a compassionate non-profit program whose mission is to help heal women who are victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence comes in many forms, verbal abuse, physical harm, financial control, and manipulation; and experiencing it often leads to homelessness and many other life-threatening issues.
On behalf of HAWS, the Library will be collecting monetary donations (make out to Healing a Woman’s Soul) and needed items including blankets and sheets (single), pillows (new), pillow cases, dishes and/or flatware, pots and pans and/or cooking utensils/pot holders, small appliances, cleaning items including sponges and buckets, women’s underwear (new), as well as used clothing (especially for children) such as socks, coats, boots, and shoes. Personal care items needed include shampoo/conditioners, sanitary napkins, toothbrushes/toothpaste, brushes/combs, hand and body lotion, and diapers. They are also in need of school supplies like notebook paper, crayons, notebooks, pens, pencils, and calculators.
A collection container will be located on the lower floor of the Chatham Public Library on Woodbridge Avenue in Chatham through October 31st. Questions about this program or any library services should be directed to merka@chatham.k12.ny.us.
***
Southern Berkshire winter coat drive
Great Barrington— Southern Berkshire Winter Coat Drive is thrilled to announce their 29th Annual Winter Coat Drive, a community-driven initiative aimed at spreading warmth and kindness this winter season.
As the temperatures drop and the chilly winds of winter approach, many in our community may struggle to stay warm. That’s why we are launching this Winter Coat Drive to collect coats and distribute them to individuals and families facing the cold.
The Winter Coat Drive runs now through November 10th. Everyone is encouraged to gather any extra gently used or new coats or winter gear they may have and donate them by dropping them off at one of the designated drop-off locations, Berkshire South Regional Community Center, Muddy Brook Elementary, Undermountain Elementary School, Mt. Everett high school, Great Barrington Aubuchon in the Big Y Plaza, Richmond Consolidated, Berkshire Food Coop, and Great Barrington CHP/WIC.
The coats collected during this drive will be distributed on November 11th from 9 a.m. to noon at Berkshire South Regional Community Center on Crissey Road in Great Barrington. Those in need within our Southern Berkshire community are welcome to visit and choose from the donated coats to stay warm and comfortable throughout the winter.
For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/soberkcoatdrive.
***
Several opportunities to get a COVID and flu vaccine this week at SBPHC clinics
South County— This announcement serves as a reminder that there are several opportunities to get a COVID and flu vaccine this week at SBPHC clinics, including:
- Monday, October 16th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at New Marlborough Fire Station.Register online or walk-in after noon.
- Tuesday, October 17th from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the New Marlborough Central School. Register online or walk-in between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 18th from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Mary’s School. Register online or walk-in between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
- Thursday, October 19th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lee Senior Center. Register online or walk-in between noon and 1 p.m.
None of these times work for you? Check out the CHP van schedule online at visit www.getvaccinatedberkshires.org or vaccines.gov to find appointments that work for you.
