Black Legacy Project album release show live at the Guthrie Center
Great Barrington— On Friday, September 22nd from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Black Legacy Project (Black LP) is performing a live album release show at the Guthrie Center.
The Black Legacy Project, a musical celebration of Black history to advance racial solidarity, equity, and belonging, launched in September 2021 in the Berkshires, partnering with communities nationwide to promote transformative dialogue crossing racial and political divides. Enlightened by those conversations, Black LP brings diverse communities together to record present-day versions of songs central to the Black American experience and to compose original, meaningful songs relevant to the profound need for change in our time.
On September 22nd, Black LP will be releasing an album of these songs, Black Legacy Project Vol. 1. To celebrate, the Black LP touring band brings the songs from the project to audiences at the Guthrie Center through an interactive, engaging, and powerful live performance, where it all began.
The concert is on Friday, September 22nd from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Guthrie Center on Van Deusenville Road in Great Barrington. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Beer, wine, and lite fare will be available for purchase. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Shakespeare & Company presents the world premiere of ‘Lunar Eclipse’ by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies, directed by James Warwick, starring Karen Allen and Reed Birney
Lenox— Through October 22nd, Shakespeare & Company presents the world premiere of “Lunar Eclipse” by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies, directed by James Warwick starring Karen Allen and Reed Birney.
On a summer night, in the middle of a field on an American farm, a long-married couple, Em and George, played by Karen Allen and Reed Birney, sits on folding chairs to observe the seven stages of a lunar eclipse. While watching the celestial phenomenon unfold, the two sip bourbon and reflect on land and legacy, on children and dogs, and the accelerating passage of time.
Karen Allen has performed in the Berkshires, on Broadway, on television, and has appeared in over fifty films including “Animal House”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “Starman”, and “Scrooged”.
Tony-award winner Reed Birney has appeared in many films including Fran Kranz’s “Mass”, “The Menu”, “The Hunt”, and “The 40 Year Old Version”. On television, he has been seen in “House of Cards”, “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “Succession”, and “The Blacklist”.
Performances run through October 22nd in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre at Shakespeare & Company on Kemble Street in Lenox. Tickets are $22-62. There is a $10 discount on September 15th and 16th only. Tickets and more information can be found online or by calling 413-637-3353.
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Spencertown Academy presents Laura Anglade Quartet for a vintage jazz concert
Spencertown— On Friday, September 22nd at 8 p.m., Spencertown Academy presents Laura Anglade Quartet for a vintage jazz concert featuring vintage jazz from Broadway, the Great American Songbook, and Tin Pan Alley, along with classic French Chanson.
Anglade’s voice is reminiscent of the great traditional vocal stylists of the 20th century, but is uniquely her own. As she digs emotionally and eloquently into a lyric, her storytelling abilities portray a soul beyond her years. She previously played the main stage at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal and opened for Gregory Porter at the Victoria Jazz Festival. Anglade will perform with jazz pianist and accordionist Ben Rosenblum’s trio.
The concert is on Friday, September 22nd at 8 p.m. in the Blanche Grubin Auditorium at the Spencertown Academy on NY-203 in Spencertown. Tickets are $30 and $25 for members. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Kimball Farms Connector Gallery presents 60 painting by Ken Mask
Lenox— On Friday, September 22nd from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Kimball Farms Connector Gallery hosts an opening reception for an exhibit of 60 original, lively paintings by Ken Mask.
There will be music by Wanda Houston and Benny Kohn, and at 7 p.m., Dr. Mask will show his award-winning film “Building Minds Through Chess” about an African-American foster child who was discovered to be a chess prodigy and how chess changed his life. The 18-minute film won first prize at Cannes in the Diversity Promotion category.
The free reception is on Friday, September 22nd from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Kimball Farms Connector Gallery at Kimball Farms on Walker Street in Lenox. It is open to the public.
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Hudson Hall presents “Meet the Makers: The Foodies”, a lively conversation on the topic that brings us all to the table: Food
Hudson— On Thursday, September 21st at 6 p.m., Hudson Hall presents “Meet the Makers: The Foodies”, a lively conversation on the topic that brings us all to the table: Food.
Featuring special guests Ruth Reichl, author of “My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life”, former Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet magazine, and former restaurant critic for both the Los Angeles Times and New York Times; and Alex Napolitano, The Maker Executive Chef and MX Morningstar Farm. The event will be moderated by William Li, Founder of Armature Projects and Contributing Editor of Elle Decor and Town & Country.
The conversation will be followed by a special dining experience with Ruth Reichl and Chef Alex Napolitano on a special dining experience following the panel at The Maker Restaurant. Reservations can be made online. 50% of proceeds from the special menu will be donated to the Rolling Grocer. The Rolling Grocer provides quality food for all with a priority placed on low-income residents.
The free conversation is on Thursday, September 21st at 6 p.m. at Hudson Hall on Warren Street in Hudson. Reservations are recommended and can be made online.
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Cabernet Franc wine class at Dare Bottleshop & Provisions
Lenox— On Saturday, September 23rd from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., dive deep into the fascinating world of the Cabernet Franc grape at Dare Bottleshop & Provisions.
Special guest wine expert Allison Slute, a wine professional passionate about the Cabernet Franc grape, will lead a seminar in which you will taste different Cabernet Franc expressions from around the world in a casual, relaxed educational setting. Discover the history of the grape, the different areas of the world where it thrives.
In this seminar, you will practice the art of tasting dry red wines while learning how to discern the different aromas and flavors of each vintage; and learn how to pair these wines with easily accessible foods to best complement the different fruit, flower, herbaceous, and earthy notes of the wine and the different aromas, flavors, and textures of foods already in your kitchen.
The seminar is on Saturday, September 23rd from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Dare Bottleshop & Provisions on Housatonic Street in Lenox. The cost is $40. Light snacks will be provided along with a tasting of five different wines featuring the Cabernet Franc grape. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Walking Our Talk presents a series of introductory women’s circles
Great Barrington/Pittsfield— Starting on September 18th, Walking Our Talk (WOT) presents a series of Introductory Women’s Circles.
WOT women’s circles nourish individual accomplishment and build community through a culture of trust, connection, and support. WOT goes beyond just making things happen in your life; it’s about being the one creating the life you want on every level.
Whether it’s a new or old project, an area in your life you’ve been resisting, or something you want to move forward with speed, this intensive will provide structure, accountability, and inspiration to up-level your engagement with your projects and your life. WOT believes that it is in community with other women that we find our authentic power and freedom to create, and incoming together, we exponentially liberate our potential.
With help from skilled facilitators, you’ll choose projects, set intentions, track weekly progress, and use the power of group synergy with a collective eye on surprising and unexpected results.
You are invited to join the 300+ local Berkshire women who have or are currently gathering in these intentional circles. The circles are on September 18th, 19th, 20th, and 26th. Registration and more information can be found online.
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WAM Theatre invites artists and community members to free devised theater workshops
Lenox— On September 23rd and September 30th, Artists and community members are invited to join WAM’s experienced teaching artists to experiment with techniques of devised theater as a form that encourages empowered creative expression at two free theatre workshops, Devising Theatre for Strength & Resiliency with Priscilla Kane Hellweg and Devising Theatre Online with Nicole Orabona.
Each workshop offers members the opportunity to engage with theatrical storytelling, and community building connections using a variety of devising practices. As the phrase suggests, “devised theatre” is a performance method where the play is “invented” by the performers, rather than constructed from a pre-written script. The process is collaborative. Participants use a variety of techniques including writing, improvisation, games, movement, and brainstorming to create original work. Unlike purely improvised shows, devised theatre uses activities to come up with material that is then shaped into a planned performance.
“Bringing our community together through devised theater is a natural fit for WAM,” states WAM Theatre Teaching Artist and new Director of Community Engagement, Maizy Scarpa. “Not only is it a fantastic tool for imaginative storytelling but it’s also a communal practice, which makes it a powerful conduit for activism. Instead of bringing a written script to life, the devising process brings a group’s ideas, imaginations, fears, and dreams into three-dimensional space. Once there, the ensemble can choose what to explore, celebrate, question, and center. These workshops are the perfect opportunity to spend time with your creative self and to connect with WAM’s mission of arts activism. And with your community. Join us for a couple of hours to play with free expression and your imagination.”
“Devised Theatre for Strength and Resiliency” with Priscilla Kane Hellweg will take place on Saturday September 23rd from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., in-person, at the WAM Creative Hub at 55 Main Street in Lenox.
“Devising Theatre Online” with Nicole Orabona will take place on Saturday, September 30th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. These special afternoon workshops are free and open to all, regardless of experience level. To reserve your spot and for more information, visit WAM online.
