First Fridays Artswalk in Pittsfield
Pittsfield — The First Fridays Artswalk from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, will encompass more than 15 art shows featuring accomplished regional artists. The Artswalk will kick off with opening receptions and artists present throughout and a free guided walking tour beginning at 5 p.m. at the BRTA Intermodal Center. The evening will culminate with a free after-walk party from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Whitney Center for the Arts.
For the month of November, the Whitney Center for the Arts will present the group show “Mixed Messages” featuring a range of emerging and established artists. On display at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts is “Othering,” Berkshire Art Association’s biennial juried art show reflecting experiences of exclusion, marginalization and separation through the themes of race, health, religion, class, gender, sexuality, age, (dis)ability and neurodivergence. Contemporary realism Artist Michelle Iglesias, will present “Illusions,” oversized original oil and acrylic paintings designed to play tricks on the mind at Berkshire Paint and Sip.
New shows from local artists will also be displayed at Downtown Pittsfield Inc., Steven Valenti’s Clothing for Men, Hotel on North, Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, the Marketplace Café, Bagels Too, and the Kinderhook Group Real Estate.
For more information, call Downtown Pittsfield Inc. at (413) 443-6501.
–E.E.
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‘Danny Dollar, Millionaire Extraordinaire’ at BTG
Pittsfield — BTG PLAYS!, Berkshire Theatre Group‘s year-round education program, will present a public performance of its touring show, “Danny Dollar, Millionaire Extraordinaire,” on Thursday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre. Adapted by E. Gray Simons III from the book by Ty Allan Jackson and directed by Travis G. Daly, the play tells the story of young entrepreneur Danny Dollar as he makes his way from a lemonade stand to town hall to a big company board room.
Beginning in October and running through the school year, BTG PLAYS! Brings together BTG artists-in-residence and members of the community to perform an original play at dozens of venues throughout the region. The productions are tailored to elementary and middle school children and are designed to introduce students to the excitement of live theatre.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact the Colonial ticket office at 413-997-4444.
–E.E.
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At Berkshire Bach ‘The Bach and Mozart Connection’
Great Barrington — On Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m., Berkshire Bach Society will present the opening concert of its 2016-17 season, “The Bach and Mozart Connection,” at the First Congregational Church of Great Barrington, 251 Main St.. The featured performers will be flutist Elizabeth Mann, violinist Eriko Sato, violinist Anca Nicolau, violist Liuh-Wen Ting, cellist Myron Lutzke, and harpsichordist Robert Wolinsky, all members of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in New York City.
The title “The Bach and Mozart Connection” refers to Mozart’s early exposure to the music of J. S. Bach, Bach’s sons and Handel at the Viennese home of Baron Gottfied van Swieten. Mozart found the music instructional and inspirational and transcribed many of the works, particularly the fugues for a string ensemble. The program will include Mozart and JS. Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in D minor K. 404a, Mozart’s Quartet for flute and strings in D major K. 285, J.S. Bach and W.F. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 5 in G minor BWV 1070, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg and J.S. Bach’s Trio Sonata in C major DürG 13/ BWV 1037, and JS. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor for flute and strings BWV 1067.
Tickets are $25 to $60. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Berkshire Back Society at (413) 528-9555.
–E.E.
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Berkshire Museum to host Pajama Night
Pittsfield — Berkshire Museum will present Pajama Night on Friday, Nov. 4, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The family-friendly event is free and open to the public.
Pajama Night will feature galleries throughout the Museum transformed into family reading centers with area educators and community leaders as guest readers. There will be ample space for families to read together and all children in attendance will be able to choose a free book to take home while supplies last. Each gallery will feature different stories and storytellers – the Feigenbaum Hall of Innovation will feature stories about invention and innovation; visitors to the Aquarium will hear stories about the ocean and sea life; and, in Berkshire Backyard, stories will be shared about woodland creatures. Pajama Night will also include Poetry for Kids in the Crane Room and multilingual reading stations.
For more information, contact the Museum at (413) 443-7171.
–E.E.
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‘Words in Transit’ at the Stockbridge Library
Stockbridge — On Saturday, Nov. 5, at 4 p.m., contributors to the book “Words in Transit,” a collection of first-person narratives by immigrants to western New England, will present their stories of immigration at the Stockbridge Library in a panel discussion facilitated by Ilan Stavans, the book’s editor, and John Voci of New England Public Radio (NEPR). The project, which began as a radio and online initiative of NEPR, seeks to shift the national conversation on immigration from an abstract debate about immigration policies to stories of individuals. The stories include accounts of fleeing from bullets, crossing armed borders at night, and settling in a new land. The presentation will be followed by a time for questions and discussion and books will be available for purchase. For more information, contact the Library at (413) 298-5501.
–E.E.
