WAM Theatre to present ‘Stars in the Orchard’
Richmond — On Thursday, July 14, at 6:30 p.m., WAM Theatre will present its annual benefit evening, “Stars in the Orchard,” at Hilltop Orchards.
The event will begin with the Expandable Brass Band playing at a twilight cocktail hour and continue with a silent auction, a sneak peak of WAM’s fall show and education work, and a live auction with proceeds going to WAM events and education. Hors d’oeuvres and apple cider donuts will be provided Hilltop Orchards, and Furnace Brook Winery will offer a cash bar stocked with its made-on-site wines. As a special part of the evening, guests will be the first to learn the 2016 beneficiary of this year’s Mainstage production, the American premiere of “The Bakelite Masterpiece” by Kate Cayley starring David Adkins and Corinna May and directed by Kristen van Ginhoven. The director, some of the cast and creative team, and other special guests will be on hand at to meet and mingle with the crowd.
Tickets to “Stars in the Orchard” are $50. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call (800) 838-3006.
–E.E.
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BPL to stage ‘Jennifer’s Birth’
Great Barrington — Berkshire Playwrights Lab (BPL) will present the first offering in its 2016 Staged Reading Series, “Jennifer’s Birth” by award-winning playwright Rich Orloff, at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, July 13, at 7:30 p.m.
“Jennifer’s Birth” tells the story a 57-year-old woman who goes back to the time of her birth and witnesses events that shake up her views about her parents and about herself. The conflict between ideals and reality pushes all of the characters out of their comfort zones and into problems they’re not prepared to face. Playwright Rich Orloff is the author of 15 award-winning full-length plays including “Big Boys,” “Funny as a Crutch,” “Chatting with the Tea Party,” and “Romantic Fools.” Orloff’s 80 short plays have received more than 1,200 productions on six continents, including a staged reading in Antarctica, and have been published in the “Best American Short Plays” anthology series and the “Best Ten-Minute Plays” anthology.
Admission is free, although reservations are recommended. For more information or to make reservations, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Mahaiwe box office at (413) 528-0100.
–E.E.
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NRBQ to perform at Club Helsinki Hudson
Hudson, N.Y. – Club Helsinki Hudson will present idiosyncratic rock band NRBQ on Wednesday, July 13, at 8 p.m. For half a century, NRBQ has been blazing a unique trail in rock ‘n’ roll. Still led by founder, pianist, and songwriter Terry Adams, the group continues to play its signature blend of early rock ‘n’ roll with touches of pop, jazz, funk, blues, and experimental music.
The original New Rhythm and Blues Quartet was born in Louisville, Ky., in the second half of the 1960s, when Terry Adams and Steve Ferguson (guitar) came together in the Adams family home. The band signed to Columbia Records and recorded two albums. By 1972, the line-up consisted of Adams, Al Anderson (guitar), Joey Spampinato (bass), Tom Ardolino (drums), and the Whole Wheat Horns – Donn Adams on trombone and Keith Spring on saxophone – and remained intact for two decades, releasing albums, touring incessantly, and building a devoted following along the way. The band spent most of the rest of the 20th century playing 200+ shows a year in the U.S. and Europe and releasing albums. NRBQ has been, since its origins close to 50 years ago, about the band and the audience going on a ride together without a musical map. Still touring with the Whole Wheat Horns, an important element of NRBQ’s sound, the band still performs with no set list: Adams calls the songs as he feels them and the live show goes where it goes.
For more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Club at (518) 828-4800.
–E.E.
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Berkshire Summer Strings benefit concert
Sheffield — Berkshire Summer Strings will present a concert at Dewey Memorial Hall on Thursday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature Berkshire Summer Strings instructors Ariel Friedman (cello), Mia Friedman (fiddle and banjo), Bennett Konesni (fiddle, banjo, and guitar) Aldo Lavaggi (fiddle and mandolin), Eric Martin (fiddle and viola), and Jordan Tice (guitar) who will perform their own award-winning compositions as well as traditional tunes that continue to inspire them. There is a suggested donation of $20 for admission. All proceeds will benefit Berkshire Summer Strings’ youth scholarship program. For more information, call (413) 528-5739.
–E.E.
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Olana to host firefly hike
Hudson, N.Y. — On Wednesday, July 13, at 8 p.m., Olana State Historic Site will offer the program “Flash Mob,” a firefly hike suitable for all ages, with environmental educator Fran Martino. Participants may bring a mason jar with holes punched or borrow one at Olana (catch and release), and learn about fireflies’ communication, behavior, and role in the ecosystem.
The cost of the program is $5 for Olana members and $10 for nonmembers. For more information or to pre-register, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call Olana’s Education Department at (518) 828-1872 x105.
–E.E.
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Household hazardous waste collection scheduled
Lee — On Saturday, July 16, from 9 a.m. – noon, the South Berkshire Household Hazardous Waste Collaborative will hold a collection for its 15 member towns. The collection will be held at the Lee Wastewater Treatment Plant, 379 Pleasant St., and will be coordinated by the Center for EcoTechnology. The participating towns are Alford, Becket, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, Otis, Richmond, Sheffield, Stockbridge, Tyringham, and West Stockbridge. Registration is required.
Some acceptable items include oil-based paints, stains and varnishes, wood preservatives, paint strippers/thinners, solvent adhesives, lighter fluid, acid, fuels/gasoline, antifreeze, degreasers, driveway sealer, brake fluid/carburetor cleaner, transmission fluid, car wax, polishes, roofing tar, pool chemicals, poisons, insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers, weed killers, moth balls, flea control products, rubber cement, airplane glue, fiberglass resins, photo chemicals, chemistry sets, floor and metal polish, oven cleaner, drain and toilet cleaner, spot remover, rug and upholstery cleaner, hobby/artist supplies, fluorescent lamps, mercury thermometers, thermostats, button batteries, and rechargeable batteries.
Electronics will be accepted including computer modules, peripherals, and accessories. There is a charge for TVs and computer monitors and prices vary based on size. No motor oil, latex paint, gas cylinders, or propane tanks will be accepted, nor will asbestos of any kind.
Those wishing to participate in the collection must register by Friday, July 15. Registration and more information are available online and by contacting Jamie Cahillane at Jamie.Cahillane@cetonline.org or (888) 577-8448 x14. Residents from communities that are not participating should call their City or Town Hall for information about household hazardous product collections.
–E.E.
