Spencertown Academy Arts Center presents its 2023 Regional Juried Fine Art Show
Spencertown— From September 30th to October 29th, the Spencertown Academy Arts Center presents its 2023 Regional Juried Fine Art Show. This year’s theme is “Homes, Hamlets & Villages: Style and Lifestyle in Small Towns and Rural Communities.”
Featuring 76 works by 53 artists in a range of media, including oils, watercolors, gouache, acrylic, graphite, ink, colored pencil, photography, stoneware, and mixed media, the exhibit was juried in a blind process by three guest jurors Carrie Chen (Carrie Chen Gallery, Great Barrington), Linden Scheff (Carrie Haddad Gallery, Hudson), and Wednesday Nelena Sorokin aka Nelena Soro (artist and instructor at Berkshire Art Center and Springfield Museum).
“As we delve into this exhibition, we find ourselves immersed within its thematic embrace. These artworks seamlessly transport us to the heart of rural life in the Hudson Valley, Berkshires, and surrounding regions. With each piece, we traverse intricate architectural details, bask in the rustic allure of farms and barns, and engage with the evocative portraits of both individuals and animals,” says juror Chen. “This exhibition is a splendid celebration of the inherent beauty and uniqueness embedded in these landscapes, homes, and the souls that call them home. Moreover, the artists’ styles range from representational to abstract, showcasing the wide spectrum of artistic expressions that amplify the diverse voices of these communities.”
The show opens on September 30th and will remain on display through October 29th with gallery hours on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Spencertown Academy Arts Center on NY-203 in Spencertown.
There will be an opening reception with the artists on Saturday, September 30th from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free and artwork is for sale with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Academy. More information can be found online.
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Community Access to the Arts and The Mount present a reading celebrating the work created in the CATA Writers’ Workshop
Lenox— On Wednesday, September 27th at 5 p.m., Community Access to the Arts (CATA) and The Mount present a reading celebrating the work of writers with disabilities.
The event will feature guest readers in a program of poignant, humorous, and heartfelt writing created in the CATA Writers’ Workshop, a weekly class where writers with disabilities hone their craft and express their perspectives.
CATA faculty artist Janet Reich Elsbach, a talented writer and a gifted teacher, leads the workshop with an inventive curriculum that helps each CATA writer develop their own style in poetry, haiku, autobiography, and short stories. Guest artists, including poet Dante Micheaux, guest-taught two workshops. Work created during those workshops will be featured at the reading.
“We’re thrilled to partner with The Mount once again to share the work of CATA writers,” says CATA Executive Director Margaret Keller. “CATA writers express their creative voices each week in our workshops. By sharing their writing in this dynamic program, we get to spotlight their talent, and our community gets to see the world from their perspective.”
The free reading is on Wednesday, September 27th at 5 p.m. at the Stable at The Mount on Plunkett Street in Lenox. A reception with the writers will follow the reading. Reservations are required. Register online, by calling 413-528-5485, or by emailing KateHarding@CATAarts.org.
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‘The Happiest Man on Earth’ is back by popular demand
Pittsfield— From September 22nd through October 8th, due to overwhelming popular demand, Barrington Stage Company is thrilled to announce the triumphant return of Mark St. Germain’s “The Happiest Man on Earth” to the stage, starring Kenneth Tigar.
This remarkable production brings to life the extraordinary journey of Eddie Jaku, who endured innumerable harrowing experiences while navigating and evading multiple Nazi concentration camps during a dark chapter in history. Eddie’s story is one of unimaginable grief and tragic loss, yet it is also a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human soul. Defying all odds, he declared himself “The Happiest Man on Earth,” a testament to his resilience and determination to find light even in the darkest circumstances. With boundless courage, Kenneth Tigar, as Eddie Jaku, shares the profound narrative of his first 100 years, encapsulating both the depths of human cruelty and the heights of human strength and hope.
The show runs September 22nd through October 8th at St. Germain Stage at Barrington Stage Company’s Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center on Linden Street in Pittsfield. Tickets are $60 and $25 for youth. Select performances feature a post-show discussion of the play, its themes, and its relation to our community. Tickets and more information can be found online or by calling 413-236-8888.
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‘Kar-beer-oke with Poppy’ monthly karaoke event with The Majesty of the Berkshires, Poppy DaBubbly at Big Elm Brewing
Great Barrington— On Thursday, September 28th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. kicks off “Kar-beer-oke with Poppy” monthly karaoke event with The Majesty of the Berkshires, Poppy DaBubbly at Big Elm Brewing.
The Majesty of the Berkshires, Poppy DaBubbly is thrilled to collaborate with Big Elm in Great Barrington the last Thursday of every month for karaoke. Enjoy your favorite Big Elm beers on tap and grab one of Poppy’s “Sing & Stamp” cards to check off karaoke staples and win a prize. Monthly themes, games, great beer, and karaoke – with a Poppy twist.
The kick-off is on Thursday, September 28th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Big Elm Brewing on Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington. More information can be found online.
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Jewish Federation of the Berkshires presents Dr. Joseph Sassoon for a free virtual program about his book, ‘The Sassoons: The Great Global Merchants and the Making of an Empire’
Pittsfield— On Thursday, September 28th at 6:45 p.m., Jewish Federation of the Berkshires presents Dr. Joseph Sassoon, professor of History and Politics at Georgetown University, for a free virtual program about his book, “The Sassoons: The Great Global Merchants and the Making of an Empire”, as part of “Jewish Literary Voices: A Federation Series in collaboration with The Jewish Book Council”.
The Sassoons is a generational saga of the making (and undoing) of a family dynasty, the gilded Jewish Baghdadi Sassoons, that built a vast empire through global finance and trade—cotton, opium, shipping, banking—that reached across three continents and ultimately changed the destinies of nations. They were one of the richest families in the world for two hundred years, from the 19th century to the 20th, and were known as the “Rothschilds of the East.”
The presentation will be on Thursday, September 28th at 6:45 p.m. on Zoom. More information (including the Zoom link) can be found on the Jewish Federation online calendar of events.
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Berkshire County Historical Society celebrates ‘Plant a Tree Day’ honoring Lucretia Williams
Pittsfield— On Thursday, September 28th, at 5:30 p.m., join with the Berkshire County Historical Society as they celebrate “Plant a Tree Day” with a ceremonial planting of a young American elm “Jefferson” on Park Square.
The tree will be planted to honor the Berkshires’ first known environmentalist Lucretia Williams. Williams threw herself before the woodsman’s axe to save a towering elm known as the Pittsfield Elm on Park Square in 1789.
“BCHS is very grateful to the Pittsfield Parks Department and George and Alice Wislocki for helping make this possible” said Executive Director Lesley Herzberg. “It is a fitting and lasting tribute to Lucretia Williams whose story resonates with us today over one hundred years after her efforts to save the Pittsfield Elm.”
The celebration is on Thursday, September 28th, at 5:30 p.m. at Park Square in downtown Pittsfield. It is free and open to the public. More information can be found online.
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See ‘Past Lives’, a potential Oscar nominee, at the Crandell Theatre
Chatham— Starting Friday, September 22nd for one weekend only and back by popular demand, Celine Song’s debut hit “Past Lives” returns to the Crandell Theatre.
“Past Lives” is a mesmerizing romance that traces the relationship between two deeply connected childhood sweethearts who are reunited twenty years later in New York. The pair come together for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love and the choices that make a life. It is an intimate look at balancing past and present versions of self, love, and boundaries across cultures.
Many think the film is an early Oscar frontrunner for Best Picture. It is also likely to receive acting nominations for stars Greta Lee and John Magaro, who plays the empathic husband forced to navigate a love triangle. David Fear at Rolling Stone said that it is “a movie that liberates your tears and makes you fall in love with it. It is almost assuredly predestined to be the single best movie you see this year.”
The showings are Friday, September 22nd at 7 p.m., Saturday, September 23rd at 7 p.m., and Sunday, September 24th at 1 p.m. at Crandell Theatre on Main Street in Chatham. The drama/romance is rated PG-13 and runs 105 minutes. Tickets are $11, $8 for members, and $7 for children. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire Country Day School’s Imagination Lab Grand opening and model boat exhibition
Stockbridge— Saturday, September 30th from 10 a.m. to noon is the grand opening of the Gunnet-Shoval Family Imagination Lab at Berkshire Country Day School.
All members of the community are invited to attend. People of all ages are welcome to build a model boat to sail on the pond.
The event is on Saturday, September 30th from 10 a.m. to noon at Berkshire Country Day School on Interlaken Road in Stockbridge. Registration is required. Registration and more information, including model boat exhibition guidelines, can be found online. What will your imagination create?
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‘Chow Time’ at the Berkshire Museum
Pittsfield— Every Saturday from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. is “Chow Time“ is back at the Berkshire Museum.
Join Berkshire Museum staff as they prepare enticing feasts for the colorful creatures of the Aquarium including fish, turtles, and the blue-tongued skink. During the event, learn about conservation efforts and the eating habits of fish, amphibians, and reptiles.
“Chow Time” is every Saturday from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Berkshire Museum on South Street in Pittsfield. It is included with admission. More information can be found online.
