Sunday, February 15, 2026

News and Ideas Worth Sharing

BITS & BYTES: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo at The Mahaiwe; ‘Joe Papp in Five Acts’ at Temple Anshe Amunim; Jon Brunelle at Salisbury School; MCLA presents David Crews; Winter Market at Ventfort Hall

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo brings its internationally beloved troupe of male dancers to the Mahaiwe to perform a brilliant combination of skillful pointe work and hilarious parodying of classical ballet favorites like “Swan Lake.”

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center presents Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

Great Barrington— On Saturday, February 7th at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center presents Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. 

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo brings its internationally beloved troupe of male dancers to the Mahaiwe to perform a brilliant combination of skillful pointe work and hilarious parodying of classical ballet favorites like “Swan Lake.”

The performances are on Saturday, February 7th at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, located at 14 Castle Street in Great Barrington. Tickets and more information can be found online.

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Temple Anshe Amunim presents a screening of ‘Joe Papp in Five Acts’ as their third annual community film series continues

Pittsfield— On Sunday, February 1st at 2 p.m., Temple Anshe Amunim presents a screening of “Joe Papp in Five Acts” as their third annual community film series continues.

Courtesy Temple Anshe Amunim.

“Joe Papp in Five Acts,” a documentary about the incredible life of theater impresario Joe Papp,  the Brooklyn-born son of immigrants who revolutionized American theater by founding The Public Theater and Free Shakespeare in the Park, and producer of groundbreaking plays like “Hair,” “A Chorus Line,” and “for colored girls who have considered suicide.”

Featuring rare footage from the 50s to Papp’s death in 1991, and up-close scenes from the performances themselves, Joe Papp in Five Acts tells his story without narration. His great accomplishments and his own, often tumultuous, personal history is told by the artists he helped create—and, in some cases, tried to destroy.

The screening is on Sunday, February 1st at 2 p.m. at Temple Anshe Amunim, located at 6 Broad Street in Pittsfield. There will be a post-screening discussion of the film led by Victor Amerling, who worked for Joe Papp. Refreshments will be available to purchase. Tickets and more information can be found online. The next film in the series is “Shari and Lamb Chop,” which will be screened on March 1st, featuring a post-show discussion led by the film’s director, Lisa D’Apolito.

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Salisbury Forum presents ‘Illusory Magic: A Personal History of the Craft in Pictures, Words, and Trickery, an evening with Jon Brunelle

Salisbury, Conn.— On Friday, February 6th at 7:30 p.m., the Salisbury Forum presents “Illusory Magic: A Personal History of the Craft in Pictures, Words, and Trickery,” an evening with Jon Brunelle. 

Delve into magic history, witness sleight of hand demonstrations, and examine the relationship between the psychological ploys of magic and today’s attention economy. Explore what the techniques underlying magic can teach us about the factual crises and constant distractions of the modern world.

Jon Brunelle. Courtesy Salisbury Forum.

Jon Brunelle is a sleight-of-hand expert and performance artist who has plied his trade on stages from Hollywood’s Magic Castle to New York’s Dixon Place and PS122. In addition to his stage work, Jon has lectured at magic conventions, published original routines in magician’s periodicals, and won First Prize in a national close-up magic competition held by the Society of American Magicians.

The event is on Friday, February 6th at 7:30 p.m. at the Salisbury School, located at  251 Canaan Road in Salisbury. Admission is free. Tickets and more information can be found online.

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MCLA presents ‘Land & The Spiritual Journey’ with poet David Crews to open ‘Nature and Spirituality,’ it’s 2026 Green Living Seminar Series

North Adams— On Wednesday, January 28th at 5:30 p.m., Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) presents ‘Land & The Spiritual Journey’ with poet David Crews to open it’s 2026 Green Living Seminar Series: “Nature and Spirituality,” a 12-week exploration of how faith, religion, and spiritual traditions shape our relationship with the natural world.

Poet David Crews at the Walloomsac, 2025, cropped. Photo by Adam Preiser.

Poet David Crews cares for work that explores land and place, wild(er)ness, preservation, nonviolence. After serving fifteen years as a public high school literature teacher, he now lives and works at Clear Brook farm, an organic fruit and vegetable farm located at the edge of the Hoosic river watershed in the Vermont valley, ancestral land of Muhheaconneok and western Abenaki peoples. He serves as board member with the Waterman Fund as well as editorial advisor for Writing the Land. He received an MA in Teaching from Saint Elizabeth University and an MFA in Poetry from Drew University, where he studied with poet-artists Ross Gay, Aracelis Girmay, Ira Sadoff, and Judith Vollmer. His newest work “Hoosic River: A poem” is now available with NatureCulture (2025).

“This semester’s theme examines the profound connections between spirituality and environmental stewardship,” said Dr. Elena Traister, MCLA professor of environmental studies and the series’ organizer. “From Indigenous perspectives to climate activism rooted in faith, these conversations are more relevant than ever.”

All of the seminars are on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. The schedule continues as follows and beyond:

  • February 4 – “Faith Under Fire: How Religion Shapes Climate Concern in the Middle East” with Dr. Nimah Mazaheri, Professor of Political Science and Dean of Academic Affairs, Tufts University
  • February 11 – “Mindful Birding and the Science of Awe: Improving Our Health & Saving the Planet” with Dave Edson, Educator and Naturalist
  • February 18 – “How Religion Influences Our Relationship with the Environment” with Dr. Alexander de Sherbinin, Director and Senior Research Scientist, Columbia Climate School’s Center for Integrated Earth System Information (CIESIN)
  • February 25 – “Tribal Historic Preservation in the Stockbridge-Munsee Ancestral Homeland” with Bonney Hartley, Tribal Historic Preservation Manager, Stockbridge-Munsee Community

The series begins on Wednesday, January 28th at 5:30 p.m., at Massachusetts College of Liberal Art’ Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, located at 47 Blackinton Street in North Adams. All sessions are free and open to the public. More information can be found online.

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Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum presents Winter Wonders Market, featuring wintery delights from local craftspeople and farmers

Lenox— On Saturday, February 7th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum presents a Winter Wonders Market, featuring wintery delights from local craftspeople and farmers.

Come in out of the cold and visit this cozy indoor community market where neighbors come together to shop small and local from local growers and artisans. Shop handcrafted goods, unique creations, and seasonal delights.

Courtesy Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum.

Vendors include The Bookshires, Barb Walks in the Woods, Berkshire Holiday Gnomes and More, Bloom Resin Aesthetic, Earth and Art Works, Holmes Candle Co., Mill Brook Sugarhouse, and more.

The market is on Saturday, February 7th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum, located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox. Admission is free with a suggested donation. More information can be found online. 

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The Edge Is Free To Read.

But Not To Produce.