Berkshire Theatre Group presents The Black Legacy Project
Pittsfield— On Friday, February 28th at 7:30 p.m., in honor of Black History Month, Berkshire Theatre Group presents The Black Legacy Project.
The Black Legacy Project is a powerful musical celebration of Black history designed to advance racial solidarity, equity, and belonging. This immersive multimedia experience combines film, thought-provoking conversation, and live musical performances to inspire, educate, and entertain, featuring captivating reimagining of songs central to the Black American experience and original compositions that address the urgent calls for justice and change in our time.
The concert is on Friday, February 28th at 7:30 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre, located at 111 South Street in Pittsfield. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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American Mural Project’s Happy Hour Series continues with dynamic pianist Garnell Curtis
Winsted, Conn.— On Friday, February 28th at 5:30 p.m., American Mural Project’s (AMP) Happy Hour Series continues with dynamic pianist Garnell Curtis.
Garnell Curtis is a dynamic pianist known for his improvisational flair and ability to defy categorization. He’s no stranger to jazz, classical, soul, and pop, and you may hear a bit of all of it in a single song. Garnell’s fresh approach creates a sense of spontaneity and exploration. Prepare to experience piano in a way that breaks traditional boundaries.
The piano series heightens the experience of AMP’s indoor mural exhibit, a grand-scale artistic tribute to American workers. The piano melodies create an atmosphere that is both reflective and celebratory against the backdrop of the sweeping visuals of the mural. The unique pairing of art and music underscores AMP’s mission to connect people through creativity and collaboration. Guests can enjoy a drink from the cash/credit bar, featuring domestic and craft beer, wine, cider, select cocktails, and nonalcoholic beverages. The three-level mural gallery offers an inspiring space to unwind, with opportunities to explore the artwork and mingle with friends.
The concert is on Friday, February 28th at 5:30 p.m. at American Mural Project, located at 90 Whiting Street in Winsted, Conn. More information can be found online.
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Ventfort Hall presents acclaimed New York Times best-selling author Victoria Christopher Murray
Lenox— On Sunday, February 23rd at 3 p.m., Ventfort Hall presents acclaimed New York Times best-selling author Victoria Christopher Murray for a celebration of her latest solo novel.
In 1919, a high school teacher from Washington, D.C arrives in Harlem excited to realize her lifelong dream. Jessie Redmon Fauset has been named the literary editor of The Crisis. The first Black woman to hold this position at a preeminent Negro magazine, Jessie is poised to achieve literary greatness. But, she holds a secret that jeopardizes it all. W. E. B. Du Bois, the founder of The Crisis, is not only Jessie’s boss, he’s her lover. When her first novel is released to great acclaim, it’s clear that Jessie is at the heart of a renaissance in Black music, theater, and the arts. She has shaped a generation of literary legends, but as she strives to preserve her legacy, she’ll discover the high cost of her unparalleled success.
Victoria Christopher Murray is a New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including “The Personal Librarian,” a Good Morning America book club pick, and “The First Ladies,” Target’s 2023 Book of the Year, both of which she coauthored with Marie Benedict. She is a NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literary Work for her novel “Stand Your Ground,” which was also a Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.
The event is on Sunday, February 23rd at 3 p.m. at Ventfort Hall, located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox. There will be a book singing and tea. Reservations are strongly recommended. Reservations and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire County Historical Society presents ‘Service of America: Berkshire’s Black Soldiers and Veterans of the Revolution,’ a lecture by historian Cynthia Farr Brown
Pittsfield— On Wednesday, February 26th at 5:30 p.m., Berkshire County Historical Society, as part of the Berkshires250 celebration of the anniversary of the American Revolution, presents ‘Service of America: Berkshire’s Black Soldiers and Veterans of the Revolution,’ a virtual lecture by historian Cynthia Farr Brown.
The lecture will look at some of the stories of the Black men from the Berkshires who served in the Continental Army and as minutemen and militia during the American Revolution, as well as what happened to veterans living in the Berkshires after the war was over. You may have heard of Agrippa Hull, but perhaps not about his comrade in arms Frank Duncan; Bacchus Boardman, who came from the eastern part of Massachusetts, served in New York, and made his way to Pittsfield where he lived out his life; and Paul Freeman, promised his freedom after the war by his enslaver, who petitioned the town of Sandisfield to fulfill this promise after his former master died in service.
This free, virtual lecture is on Wednesday, February 26th at 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. For the Zoom link, email melville@berkshirehistory.org.
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MCLA presents ‘The Future of Wolves’ with Carnivore Conservation Director Renee Seacor
North Adams— On Wednesday, February 26th at 5:30 p.m., MCLA, as part of it’s Green Living Seminar Series, presents ‘The Future of Wolves’ with Carnivore Conservation Director Renee Seacor.
Seacor, who directs Project Coyote at the Carnivore Conservation, will discuss the potential of wolf recovery in the Northeast, highlighting the history of wolves in the region, previous attempts at reintroduction in the Adirondack Park, the emerging science of wolf and coyote genetics, and the intersection of these issues with public policy. Despite being federally protected as an endangered species, the wolf faces significant challenges as it attempts to reclaim its historical range in the region after decades of extirpation. Meanwhile, eastern coyotes, whose genetics reveal historical interbreeding with wolves and wolf-like traits, are hunted throughout the region with few restrictions. This talk will explore the future of wolf recovery in the Northeast highlighting the urgent need for progressive policy changes that protect wild Canis species to facilitate their recovery.
In her role, Seacor works to advocate and advance policy solutions aimed at compassionately coexisting with our wild carnivore neighbors nationwide. She is an interdisciplinary environmental advocate with a background in wildlife ecology and environmental law and policy. She holds a bachelor’s in Environmental Science from Rocky Mountain College in Montana and a JD with a concentration in environmental law from the University of Oregon School of Law.
The presentation is on Wednesday, February 26th at 5:30 p.m. in MCLA’s Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121, located at 47 Blackinton Street in North Adams. It is free and open to the public. More information can be found online.
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Berkshire Food Coop presents a new end-of-life book club
Great Barrington— Sunday, February 23rd from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. will be the first meeting of a new end-of-life book club focusing on dying, death and end-of-life issues at the Berkshire Food Coop.
The group will be led by Bess Dillman, death doula and founder of Berkshire End-of-Life Network and Carol McGlinchey, past life regression therapist. “We will create a space for respectful and candid sharing of our personal experiences along with our thoughts on those of the book authors. This is an opportunity to widen your knowledge as you delve into a subject that is not often talked about but is a part of everyone’s life.”
A variety of books will be considered including non-fiction, fiction, and even a graphic memoir. The first book will be “Nothing to Fear” by Julie McFadden, RN.
The club begins on Sunday, February 23rd from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Berkshire Food Coop, located at 34 Bridge Street in Great Barrington. It will meet on the fourth Sunday of the month for at least the next four months. People of all ages and situations are welcome. To register, email elizabeth.dillman@gmail.com.
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Berkshire School’s Theater and Music Departments present ‘Mamma Mia!’
Sheffield— From February 20th through the 22nd at 7:30 p.m., Berkshire School’s Theater and Music Departments present the globally adored musical ‘Mamma Mia!’.
“Mamma Mia!” is a bright and breezy musical featuring the timeless songs of ABBA, set on a beautiful Greek island. The audience follows Sophie, a young bride-to-be, who secretly invites three men from her mother’s past, hoping to discover which one is her father before her upcoming wedding day. A celebration of love, family, and self-discovery, the show offers up romance and classic high-energy musical numbers that promise a toe-tapping good time.
The production features local students Luka Davis (Sheffield,) Chloe Howard (Sheffield,) Fatou Fall (Lakeville, Conn.,) Ellie Grimmett (Lenox,) Will Pohl (Canaan, Conn.,) Jessica Sonner (Salisbury, Conn.,) and Diana Splawn (Sheffield.)
The performances are February 20th through the 22nd at 7:30 p.m. at Berkshire School, located at 245 North Undermountain Road in Sheffield. There is a $2 suggested donation at the door. More information can be found online.
