‘Hold These Truths’ to return to Barrington Stage
Pittsfield — Barrington Stage Company will present an encore engagement of “Hold These Truths” by Jeanne Sakata Friday, Sept. 20, through Thursday, Sept. 26.
Directed by Lisa Rothe, ‘Hold These Truths’ stars Joel de la Fuente in this solo play inspired by the life of Gordon Hirabayashi. During World War II, Hirabiyashi defied the U.S. government’s orders to forcibly remove and mass incarcerate all people of Japanese ancestry, launching a 50-year journey from college to courtroom and eventually to a Presidential Medal of Freedom. The play was awarded three Theatre Bay Area Awards for its run in San Francisco, including Outstanding Principal Performance. It garnered de la Fuente a Drama Desk Award nomination in New York City for Outstanding Solo Performance when it debuted in 2012.
Tickets are $53-$58. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact the Barrington Stage box office at (413) 236-8888.
–E.E.
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Berkshire Fermentation Festival to celebrate five years
Great Barrington — Berkshire Ferments will present the fifth annual Berkshire Fermentation Festival Sunday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ski Butternut. The daylong celebration of the diversity of all things cultured will include a variety of vendors, demonstrations and activities.
The festival will feature hourly demonstrations and talks on such topics as chocolate, cider, the gut microbiome and more. At 3 p.m., keynote speakers Kirsten Shockey and Christopher Shockey of Ferment Works will discuss “The Magic of Koji and Other Tasty Ferments.” Tufts University microbiologist Benjamin Wolfe will present the microbiology of fermented vegetables. Musical entertainment will be provided by Caprice Rouge as well as the Probiotics featuring Heather Fisch, Michael Lesko and Li. The Circle Round podcast will partner with local actors to perform “Stella and the Dragon,” a favorite story from the podcast’s first season, will musical accompaniment by composer Eric Shimelonis. There will also be a culture swap and children’s activities, plus local and regional vendors will have a variety of foods, crafts, tools and more for sale.
The event is free and open to the public. For a full schedule of vendors and activities, see the Berkshire Edge calendar. For more information, contact berkshireferments@gmail.com.
–E.E.
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Music Mountain to close season with Juilliard String Quartet
Falls Village, Conn. — Music Mountain will conclude its 90th anniversary season on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 3 p.m. with a special benefit concert for Music Mountain by the Juilliard String Quartet. The concert program features Beethoven’s String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18 #1; Gyorgy Kurtag’s 6 Moments Musicaux, Op. 44; and Beethoven’s String Quartet in C Sharp Minor, Op. 131.
The Juilliard String Quartet draws on a deep and vital engagement to the classics while embracing the mission of championing new works. The members of the quartet are Areta Zhulla, who joined as first violin this past season; Ronald Copes, violin; Roger Tapping, viola; and Astrid Schween, cello. The quartet is string quartet in residence at the Juilliard School, and its members are all sought-after teachers on the string and chamber music faculties. Each May, they host the five-day internationally recognized Juilliard String Quartet Seminar, and during the summer, the members work closely on string quartet repertoire with students at the Tanglewood Music Center.
Tickets are $60. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact Music Mountain at (860) 824-7126 or info@musicmountain.org.
–E.E.
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Lenox Library to present ‘Inventing the Opera House’
Lenox — The Lenox Library’s Distinguished Lecture Series will host Williams College professor emeritus Eugene J. Johnson Sunday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m. for a talk titled “Inventing the Opera House: Theater Architecture in Renaissance and Baroque Italy.”
In his talk, Johnson will reconstruct the history of the opera house by bringing together evidence from a variety of disciplines, including music, art, theater and politics. Johnson is the Amos Lawrence Professor of Art, emeritus, at Williams College, where he taught for 52 years. His particular interests are the architecture of Italy in the Renaissance and of the United States in the 20th century. His latest book, “Inventing the Opera House: Theater Architecture in Renaissance and Baroque Italy,” was published this year by Cambridge University Press.
The talk is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (413) 637-2630.
–E.E.
