Mahaiwe to present ‘Selected Shorts’
Great Barrington — The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center will present “Selected Shorts: Unforgettable Journeys” on Monday, Aug. 22, at 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature short stories by established and emerging writers, performed by stars of the stage and screen. Host Jane Kaczmarek (“Malcolm in the Middle”), along with the show’s longtime readers Jane Curtin (“Unforgettable”) and Robert Sean Leonard, (“House”) will perform stories of destinations real and imaginary with journeys featuring wild adventures, comic mishaps, and unexpected encounters.
“Selected Shorts” is a weekly public radio show broadcast on more than 150 stations around the country. It is produced by Symphony Space and distributed by Public Radio International. The radio show is recorded live as a popular New York City stage show that began in 1985 and still enjoys sellout audiences today.
Tickets are $25 to $40 with a limited number of $15 tickets available for those ages 30 and younger. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Mahaiwe box office at (413) 528-0100.
–E.E.
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St. Francis Gallery to present ‘Billi’
South Lee – The St. Francis Gallery presents the art exhibition “Billi” through Sunday, Oct. 2. An artists’ reception will be held on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 3 – 6 p.m.
“Billi” includes work from Berkshire artists Harriette Joffe, Grier Horner, Michael Rousseau, Joel Rudnick, Jean Germain, Jim Singellis, Mark Swierat, Lorraine Klagsbrun, Gail Geller, Matt Cohen, Kim Engel, Carol Ganick, Paula Stern, Linda Baker-Cimini, Tina Vandewater, Abby DuBow, Robert Houghton, and Judith Koppel.
For more information, call the Gallery at (413) 717-5199.
–E.E.
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Temple Anshe Amunim to hold Pete Seeger tribute
Pittsfield — On Sunday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m., Temple Anshe Amunim will host a concert to honor the late legendary singer/songwriter Pete Seeger. The event will feature the Temple’s performers Dr. Alan Gold, Rabbi Josh Breindel, Stephanie Bennett, Jesse Waldinger, Jackie Shayer and Paul Bernstein joined by Congregation Knesset Israel musicians Jonathan Denmark and Steven Skoblow. The evening will include Pete Seeger favorites “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”, Guantanamera,” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!”, as well as Jewish-themed songs like “Tzena, Tzena, Tzena,” and “Hine Ma Tov.”
Admission to the concert is $15. Beverages and dessert will be served. For more information, contact the Temple Anshe Amunim office at (413) 442-5910 x10 or templeoffice@ansheamunim.org.
–E.E.
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Early American letter-writing talk
Tyringham — On Saturday, Aug. 20, at 10 a.m., the Bidwell House Museum will present Wellesley College Assistant Professor of History Katherine Grandjean in a talk entitled “Paper Pilgrims: Letter-Writing and Communication in Early America” at Tyringham Union Church.
In her talk, Grandjean will discuss letters as material objects and explore how they got from place to place in the 1600s and early 1700s without postal service. She will also consider the importance of communication in New England’s early history, both for families and for colonial leaders.
Katherine Grandjean holds a B.A. in history from Yale University and a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. Her research explores early English colonization and the encounter with Native peoples, as well as the origins of American violence. She is the author of “American Passage: The Communications Frontier in Early New England” (Harvard University Press, 2015).
There is a suggested donation $15 per person and $10 for Museum members. For more information, call the Museum at (413) 528-6888.
–E.E.
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Olana to present Artful Hike
Hudson, New York — On Saturday, Aug. 20, at 3 p.m. Olana State Historic Site will host performer Brian Dewan who will take participants through key moments in Frederic Church’s life by reading and performing some of his personal letters during the program “Artful Hike: Frederic Church’s Letters & 19th Century Ballads.”
Catskill, New York-based visual artist and musician Brian Dewan has chosen his favorite letters by Church and will give voice to Church’s sensibilities, sense of humor, feelings, and artistic process during the 1-mile Artful Hike.
The cost of the program is $15 for Olana members and $20 for the general public. For more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call Olana’s education department at (518) 828-1872 x105.
–E.E.
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Poet Irene Willis to read at Camphill Ghent
Chatham, New York – Camphill Ghent will present writer and poet Irene Willis, who will read from and sign copies of her book “Reminder,” on Sunday, Aug. 21 at 3 p.m. The reading will be followed by refreshments and a conversation at 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Irene Willis is the author of four poetry collections and has co-authored a number of textbooks and books for children and young adults. She has been nominated three times for the Pushcart Prize and her poems have appeared in many journals and anthologies. She is poetry editor of the online publication International Psychoanalysis.
For more information, call Camphill Ghent at (518) 392-2760.
–E.E.
