The Foundry presents gothic folk duo Charming Disaster
West Stockbridge— On Friday, April 11th at 7:30 p.m., The Foundry presents gothic folk duo Charming Disaster.
Inspired by the gothic humor of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton, the murder ballads of the Americana tradition, and the dramatic flair of the cabaret, Charming Disaster’s songs tell stories, using two voices to explore dark narratives and characters with a playfully macabre sensibility. In their critically acclaimed albums, they have explored love, death, crime, folklore, mythology, magic, science, and the occult. In Charming Disaster’s theatrical live performances, they combine vocal harmonies and clever lyrics with ukulele, guitar, and virtuosic foot percussion, drawing listeners into a spooky, offbeat universe of paranormal romance, con artists, circus performers, and ancient mythology, playing out against a backdrop of nightclubs, car chases, circus tents, the afterlife, and beyond.
Charming Disaster’s music has been featured on the podcast “Welcome to Night Vale,” they have opened for legendary cello-rock ensemble Rasputina, goth icon Voltaire, and punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls, and their theatrical, entertaining live performances have captivated audiences across the United States. They have played festivals, bars and clubs, museums and art galleries, bookstores and libraries, and the occasional historic cemetery.
The concert is on Friday, April 11th at 7:30 p.m. at The Foundry, located at 2 Harris Street in West Stockbridge. The doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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GRRL HAUS CINEMA presents ‘Digital Drift: Short Films Exploring Nature, Tech, and Identity’ at Wander
Pittsfield— On Saturday, April 12th at 5 p.m., GRRL HAUS CINEMA presents “Digital Drift: Short Films Exploring Nature, Tech, and Identity” at Wander.
Celebrate independent, female-led filmmaking with a bold, curated screening from GRRL HAUS CINEMA, a nonprofit platform showcasing short films by women, trans, non-binary, and genderqueer filmmakers in experimental, DIY, and underground cinema. This collection explores themes of nature, tech, and identity, offering fresh perspectives and boundary-pushing storytelling.
The screenings are on Saturday, April 12th at 5 p.m. at Wander, located at 34 Depot Street in Pittsfield. The films are intended for 18+ audiences. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Dalton United Methodist Church’s annual Three Stooges Festival
Dalton— On Friday, April 11th at 7 p.m., Dalton United Methodist Church will host its annual Three Stooges Festival.
The event will be hosted by Stooges fan Bernie Klem, who will introduce five Three Stooges short films and share behind-the-scenes details and trivia. There will be an intermission with refreshments and desserts.
The festival is on Friday, April 11th at 7 p.m. at Dalton United Methodist Church, located at 755 Main Street in Dalton. There’s no admission charge for the event. A free-will offering will be taken, with all proceeds benefiting the church’s Roof & Restoration Fund.
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Ghent Playhouse presents ‘Working, A Musical’
Ghent, N.Y.— From April 11th through April 27th, The Ghent Playhouse concludes its 50th season with “Working, A Musical,” based on Studs Terkel’s 1974 best-selling book. Nominated for a Tony award in 1978, it was revised in 2012, and includes two songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“‘Working’ is a collection of life stories focusing on the achievements of everyday folk. It is a moving and reflective work that paints a vivid portrait of those we so often take for granted,” said Director McDermott. “Staging of this production plays on the concept of a trunk show, an homage to Shakespeare, where all props and costumes are contained in a single trunk. The actors never leave the stage and are seated in the wings. Costume changes take place on stage, with outfits retrieved from the trunk.”
The production is directed by Michael C. Mensching and Michael McDermott, with musical direction by Joanne Mensching. The cast features Brian Sheldon, Helen Annely, Dianne DeSantis, Steve Michalek, Amy LeBlanc, and Chris Gilbert.
The performances run from April 11th through April 27th at The Ghent Playhouse, located at 6 Town Hall Place in Ghent, N.Y. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire Community College presents Food Activist Leah Penniman to kick off Earthseed Speaker Series
Pittsfield— On Thursday, April 10th from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Berkshire Community College presents Food Activist Leah Penniman to kick off Earthseed Speaker Series
Penniman is a Black Kreyol farmer, mother, self-proclaimed “soil nerd,” author, and food justice activist from Soul Fire Farm in Petersburg, N.Y. She co-founded Soul Fire Farm in 2010 with the mission to end racism in the food system and reclaim our ancestral connection to land. As the co-executive director and farm director, Penniman is part of a team that facilitates powerful food sovereignty programs, including farmer training for Black and Brown people, a subsidized farm food distribution program for communities living under food apartheid, and domestic and international organizing toward equity in the food system.
Penniman, who has been farming since 1996, holds a master of arts in science education and a bachelor of arts in environmental science and international development from Clark University. She trained at Many Hands Organic Farm in Barre, Mass., and internationally with farmers in Ghana, Haiti, and Mexico. The work of Penniman and Soul Fire Farm has been recognized by the Soros Racial Justice Fellowship, Fulbright Program, Pritzker Environmental Genius Award, Grist 50, and James Beard Leadership Award, among others. Her books, “Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land” (2018) and “Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists” (2023) are love songs for the land and her people.
The event is on Thursday, April 10th from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Berkshire Community College, located at 1350 West Street in Pittsfield. It is free and open to the public. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Jewish Federation of the Berkshires presents ‘3…2…1…We’re On the Air: A Network Producer’s Inside Look at Sports, Television, Journalism, and Gender Equity’ with Robert Steinfeld
Pittsfield— On Thursday, April 10th at 7 p.m., Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, as part of its Jewish Literary Voices series, presents “3…2…1…We’re On the Air: A Network Producer’s Inside Look at Sports, Television, Journalism, and Gender Equity” with Robert Steinfeld.
Emmy Award-winning producer Robert Steinfeld will be join by Tony Dobrowolski, retired Berkshire Eagle journalist, to discuss how an eager, ambitious Jewish teenage journalist ultimately realized his dream to produce sports’ biggest events on national network television. Over his career in television sports journalism, Robert Steinfeld crossed paths with superstar athletes Cal Ripken, Alex Rodriguez, Nolan Ryan, Nancy Lieberman, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Bill Walton, plus announcers Bob Costas, Jim Nantz, Robin Roberts, and more. He earned 10 Sports Emmy Awards and an ACE Award nomination.
Go inside the world of sports television with stories about the Dream Team I at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics; challenges at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics; partnering with Hall of Fame pitchers Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson; five decades in the NBA, MLB, and WNBA; and his championing of gender equity.
The virtual conversation is on Thursday, April 10th at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Registration and more information can be found online.
