Deer Tick, who will play a newly announced show at The Mahaiwe in December. Photo courtesy of The Mahaiwe.

BITS & BYTES: Mahaiwe announces more shows; Lich Gate Concert; The Future of American Journalism; Berkshire Biodiversity Day; Mass Audubon art show

At The Mahaiwe, headlining acts Deer Tick and Postmodern Jukebox join previously-scheduled appearances by Pink Martini featuring China Forbes, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Squirrel Nut Zippers, and John Pizzarelli & Jessica Molaskey.

Mahaiwe announces Deer Tick, Postmodern Jukebox among fall/winter programming

Great Barrington—The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center has added a variety of live and screened programming to its year-round schedule for the coming fall and winter seasons.

Headlining acts Deer Tick on Friday, December 9, and Postmodern Jukebox on Friday, March 17, join previously-scheduled appearances by Pink Martini featuring China Forbes, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Squirrel Nut Zippers, and John Pizzarelli & Jessica Molaskey, and are rounded out by HD broadcasts from London’s National Theatre and classic movies over the holidays.

“Deer Tick, with its unpretentious folk-rock songs, and Postmodern Jukebox, with its stylized retro interpretations of contemporary hits, may seem worlds apart, but both groups combine a good-time tone with refined music. Neither is to be missed,” says Mahaiwe Executive Director Janis Martinson.

Deer Tick 

Alternative rock band Deer Tick will perform live on Friday, December 9 at 8 p.m. Formed in Providence, R.I., in the early 2000s, the band has released seven studio albums. Singer-songwriter John McCauley, guitarist Ian O’Neil, drummer Dennis Ryan, and bassist Christopher Ryan display their blues and country influences without twang, bringing nimble, textured sounds to their performances. Tickets range from $39 to $44, with discounts for Mahaiwe Members ($5 off) and individuals ages 30 and under ($15 tickets).

Postmodern Jukebox 

The swing music collective Postmodern Jukebox returns to the Mahaiwe stage on Friday, March 17 at 8 p.m. Formed by arranger and pianist Scott Bradlee, the outfit gained popularity online in the 2010s performing vintage-style renditions of contemporary pop songs on YouTube. Having played the Mahaiwe in 2018, Postmodern Jukebox returns amidst its “Life in the Past Lane” tour, a celebration of the greatest 20th century musical genres, fused with recognizable hits of the modern era. The Postmodern Jukebox experience will be brought to life with a cast full of today’s most exciting vocalists, instrumentalists, and tap dancers. Tickets range from $39 to $99, with discounts for Mahaiwe Members ($5 off preferred and premium tickets) and individuals ages 30 and under ($15 tickets).

London’s National Theatre in HD: The Seagull by Chekhov and Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing 

A still from Much Ado About Nothing. Photo courtesy of The Mahaiwe.

The Mahaiwe will present an HD screening of The Seagull from London’s National Theatre on Saturday, November 19 at 7 p.m. Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) makes her West End debut in this 21st century retelling of Anton Chekhov’s tale of love and loneliness. Following his critically acclaimed five-star production of Cyrano de Bergerac, Jamie Lloyd brings Anya Reiss’ adaptation of Chekhov’s classic play to the stage.

The Mahaiwe will screen National Theatre’s Much Ado About Nothing in HD on Saturday, December 3 at 7 p.m. Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd) and John Heffernan (Dracula) lead the cast in Shakespeare’s romcom of sun, sea and mistaken identity. Following the award-winning success of National Theatre Live’s Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night and Antony and Cleopatra, director Simon Godwin returns with this irresistible comedy, broadcast from the National Theatre stage.

Tickets to National Theatre broadcasts are $17 or $10 for ages 21 and under.

Movies: The Wizard of Oz and Miracle on 34th Street 

The Mahaiwe will screen The Wizard of Oz from 1939 on Saturday, November 26 at 4 p.m., continuing its longstanding tradition showing the beloved classic over Thanksgiving weekend. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children ages 12 and under.

The Mahaiwe will present a free screening of Miracle on 34th Street from 1947 on Friday, December 16 at 7 p.m. A department store Santa Claus sets the stage for drama in this holiday comedy classic starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, and Edmund Gwenn. Reservations are required; see mahaiwe.org, or call or visit the Box Office, 413-528-0100, Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

Tickets 

Tickets to Deer Tick, Postmodern Jukebox, and London’s National Theatre screenings go on sale to Mahaiwe Members on Wednesday, September 14 at noon, and to the public on Friday, September 16 at noon. Tickets can be purchased at mahaiwe.org or via the Box Office, 413-528-0100, Wednesday through Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m.

The Mahaiwe accepts ConnectorCare/WIC/EBT cards for HD broadcasts and movies. Four free tickets to each event per individual.

See mahaiwe.org/update for current safety protocols.

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Lich Gate Concert series

Sheffield— Christ Trinity Church presents the third concert of the 2022 Lich Gate Concerts series on Saturday, September 17 at 4 p.m., featuring music for string quartet. Artistic Director and Violinist Jorge Ávila, also a Sheffield resident, has programmed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Divertimento in F Major, K. 138, Antonín Dvořák’s Waltzes, Op. 54, Nos. 1 & 4, Jessie Montgomery’s Strum for String Quartet, and Johannes Brahms’ String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 51, No. 1.

The New York-based string quartet features Jorge Ávila, Violin I; Rachel Handman, Violin II; Orlando Wells, Viola; and Sarah Hewitt-Roth, Cello.

Hailed as a strong violinist by The New York Times, Honduran-born Jorge Ávila has won attention as an outstanding soloist, recitalist, Concertmaster, and chamber musician. A recipient of many awards and honors, Jorge received his green card under the “Extraordinary talent” category, later becoming a U.S. citizen. He was awarded First Prize at the 2001 Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Competition and the “Omar del Carlo” Fellowship at The Tanglewood Music Center. Jorge is the Concertmaster of the Ridgefield Symphony, Distinguished Concerts International New York, and Sacred Music in a Sacred Space series.

The virtuosity and improvisational ability of violinist Rachel Handman appears in many musical forms, including Classical, bluegrass, Irish, pop and folk. Broadway credits include Dr. Zhivgo, Something Rotten!, Miss Saigon, Carousel, and West Side Story. A member of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, she is also Associate Concertmaster of the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. She has toured Mexico with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, and Germany with the shows My Fair Lady and On the Town. She is a Resident Visiting Artist at Music at Port Milford Chamber Music Festival in Milford, Ontario.

Violist Orlando Wells attended the State University of New York at Purchase as a double major on violin and viola, and continued his studies at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in New Jersey, in the studio of Michael Tree. Among the many ensembles with which Orlando has played are the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra, Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra, Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra, Musica Sacra, New York Oratorio Society, Antara Chamber Orchestra, and the Ritz Chamber Players in Jacksonville, Florida.

Praised for her “golden, beautifully singing” playing by Opera News, cellist Sarah Hewitt-Roth has traveled throughout Europe and the U. S., performing with Philharmonia Virtuosi and The New York Chamber Soloists. She is currently a member of the New York Pops Orchestra, and a regular performer at Carnegie Hall as Assistant Principal Cellist of the New York City Chamber Orchestra. Sarah has held cello chairs in twelve shows on Broadway, and is currently Principal Cellist at the critically acclaimed revival of West Side Story.

The concert will be held in the Pavilion in Sheffield Town Park, 53-59 Frederic Lane

Tickets for Pavilion seating are $40 per person, and tickets for lawn seating are $20 per person. Children under 18 are free on the lawn with an adult. To buy tickets, visit https://www.aplos.com/aws/events/lich_gate_concerts. With questions, email Concerts@ChristTrinityChurch.org.

Folding chairs will be provided under the Pavilion, courtesy of a grant from the Sheffield Cultural Council. Lawn seat ticket holders must bring their own chairs and/or blankets.

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The Future of American Journalism

Salisbury— The Lakeville Journal is marking its 125th anniversary of continuous publication as a weekly newspaper serving northwest Connecticut, the southern Berkshires, and eastern New York. To help celebrate this achievement, the Salisbury Forum has organized a panel of media giants to discuss “The Future of American Journalism,” which will include Brian Ross, Martin Baron, Subrata De, and John Coston. The panel will be held on Friday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m. at The Hotchkiss School.

Brian Ross, Moderator

Brian is an Investigative Correspondent. During his illustrious 40-year career with ABC News and NBC News, he won every broadcast journalism award, including 19 Emmys, 6 Peabody’s and 5 duPont-Columbia awards.

Martin Baron

Marty is a celebrated newspaper editor who led The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and The Miami Herald to 17 Pulitzer Prizes for groundbreaking exposes like the sexual abuse scandal in the Boston Catholic Church.

Subrata De

Subrata is Executive VP and Global Head of Programming & Development for VICE News, the Executive Producer of the Emmy-nominated series VICE on Showtime, and the winner of multiple Emmys, duPont-Columbia, and Peabody awards.

John Coston

John is the new editor of The Lakeville Journal. He is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career as a news editor at The Wall Street Journal. He is also the author of two true crime books.

For those who cannot attend, a video will be available on our website www.SalisburyForum.org.

Admission is free but seating is limited. To register for the event, click here.

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Berkshire Biodiversity Day brings community together to survey local species

Pittsfield– Celebrating local biodiversity during a time of unprecedented global biodiversity loss, the 13th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Day (also known as Berkshire BioBlitz) welcomes community members of all ages to join biologists, naturalists, and environmentalists to identify as many plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as possible during a 24-hour period. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from noon on Saturday, September 17, to noon on Sunday, September 18, at Brattlebrook Park in Pittsfield.

This year’s program will include a bird banding demonstration, an early morning bird walk, an owl prowl, mothing, and all kinds of species identification. Participants may take part at any time during this period to record a survey of their findings and experience first-hand the importance of a healthy, active ecosystem in their community.

This year’s event is co-sponsored by Nature Academy of the Berkshires, Hoffmann Bird Club, Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT), and Pittsfield’s Conservation Commission.

Brattlebrook Park is a conservation area owned and maintained by the City of Pittsfield. The site exhibits a grassland-forest ecotone with expansive grassy fields, forested areas, and wetland habitats with unmarked trails throughout the property. The conservation area is near Goodrich Pond and is located off Longview Terrace Extension and Maple Grove Drive.

If you’d like to learn more about this 24-hour biological survey, you can visit www.berkshirebioblitz.org or www.facebook.com/BerkshireBioBlitz.

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Mass Audubon art show

Lenox—Mass Audubon Pleasant Valley presents the art show Visions of Nature, on view September 16 – October 30. All are welcome at a free opening reception on September 16 from 5-7 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. The show will be open to the public for viewing Friday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., starting September 17.

Peaches, Pat Hogan, watercolor, 29” x 22”. Photo courtesy of Mass Audubon Pleasant Valley.

In Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary’s historic 18th-century barn, six Berkshire-based artists share their visions of the complexity and grandeur of the natural world. Their paintings take us from realism to abstraction, from the exquisite detail of a tiny mushroom beneath our feet to vast vistas in vibrant color. Each artist in his or her own way expresses nature’s power to move and inspire us. The featured artists are Carolyn Newberger, Theresa Terry, Pat Hogan, Scott Taylor, Nina Lipkowitz, and Carol Daynard.

Visions of Nature opens September 16 as part of ArtWeek Berkshires. The artists have generously committed 40% of proceeds from all art sales to support Mass Audubon’s Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries. Admission to the exhibit is free to Mass Audubon members and included in sanctuary admission for nonmembers. For more information and artist bios visit: www.massaudubon.org/artinthebarn