Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center presents the Grammy-winning Villalobos Brothers
Great Barrington— On Saturday, September 28th at 7 p.m., the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, in conjunction with Festival Latino of the Berkshires, presents the Grammy-winning Villalobos Brothers.
The Villalobos Brothers are a violin-wielding, family band that has been recognized as one of the foremost Contemporary Mexican ensembles in the world. Through their original compositions and arrangements, they pay homage to the richness of Mexican folk, while pushing the boundaries of musical exploration through the lenses of jazz and world music.
The free concert is on Saturday, September 28th at 7 p.m. Reservations and more information can be found online.
***
Spencertown Academy presents Grammy-nominated folk singer-songwriter and author Mary Gauthier
Spencertown, N.Y.— On Thursday, September 26th at 7:30 p.m., Spencertown Academy, as part of their “Roots & Shoots Concerts Series,” presents Grammy-nominated folk singer-songwriter and author Mary Gauthier, with special guest Jaimee Harris.
Gauthier’s discography includes a dozen studio albums and her songs have been covered by artists ranging from Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, and Kathy Mattea to Boy George, Jimmy Buffett, and Bettye Lavette. Her songs often deal with marginalization, informed by her experience of adoption, addiction and recovery, and growing up gay in the deep south.
Although rarely in the pop/mainstream spotlight, throughout her career, Gauthier has won widespread acclaim and awards from the Americana Music Association, International Folk Music Awards, the Independent Music Awards, the GLAMA Awards, and the UK Americana Association. Gauthier’s memoir about the art of songwriting, “Saved by a Song” was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2021. She is a regular on the Grand Ole Opry, and her new album, “Dark Enough to See the Stars,” is out now on Thirty Tigers.
NPR Music proclaimed that singer-songwriter Jaimee Harris is “poised to become the next queen of Americana-Folk.” Her latest album, “Boomerang Town” is an ambitious song-cycle that explores the generational arc of family, the stranglehold of addiction, and the fragile ties that bind Americans together.
The concert is on Thursday, September 26th at 7:30 p.m. at Spencertown Academy at 790 State Route 203 in Spencertown, N.Y. Tickets and more information can be found online.
***
Berkshire Theatre Group presents Conor McPherson’s ‘The Weir’ at The Unicorn Theatre
Stockbridge— From September 26th through October 27th, Berkshire Theatre Group presents Conor McPherson’s “The Weir” at The Unicorn Theatre.
Tony Award-nominated playwright Conor McPherson’s celebrated play “The Weir” unfolds as a captivating and evocative evening set in a small, remote pub, drawing audiences into a world where tales of folklore and the supernatural weave an enchanting, yet eerie, atmosphere, promising an unforgettable exploration of human connection, the echoes of personal haunting, and the mystical allure of Ireland’s folklore.
The performances run from September 26th through October 27th at The Unicorn Theatre at 6 East Street in Stockbridge. It is recommended for ages 14 and up. Tickets and more information can be found online.
***
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center presents a screening of ‘Crooklyn’
Great Barrington— On Friday, September 27th at 7 p.m., Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, as part of their “100 Years of Movies” series. presents a screening of “Crooklyn,” introduced by film director and educator Deborah Reinisch.
“Crooklyn” is a semi-autobiographical film directed by Spike Lee and co-written with his siblings. Lee also co-stars in this family portrait about growing up in Brooklyn during the 1970s.
The screening is on Friday, September 27th at 7 p.m. at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center at 14 Castle Street in Great Barrington. Tickets and more information can be found online.
***
Clark Art Institute presents a film series on famed author and playwright Alexandre Dumas
Williamstown— On Thursdays, September 26th, October 3rd, and October 10th at 6 p.m., the Clark Art Institute presents a film series on famed author and playwright Alexandre Dumas, in conjunction with its special exhibition Guillaume Lethière
One of Guillaume Lethière’s compatriots of Caribbean descent, Dumas’s many books (including “The Three Musketeers”) have been captured on film dozens of times. His father, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, a revered French general and close friend of Lethière, inspired many of his swashbuckling characters.
- “La Reine Margot” on September 26th – Directed by Patrice Chéreau and based on the Dumas novel of the same name, this film won five Césars and the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Danièle Thompson’s lively adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s novel is a model of heaving, combustible, historical storytelling. There’s no more vivid introduction to the sixteenth-century French wars of religion.
- “The Three Musketeers—Part I: D’Artagnan” on October 3rd – An unbelievable hit when it was first published, “The Three Musketeers” has been adapted into film over thirty times, most recently by Martin Bourboulon in 2023. Celebrate the idealism and political intrigue that marks nineteenth-century French and French Caribbean history with the first part of the latest adaptation.
- “The Three Musketeers: Part II—Milady” on October 10th – This film was shot back-to-back with its prequel. Part two promises more epic adventure as the plot thickens!
The free screenings are on September 26th, October 3rd, and October 10th at 6 p.m. at the Clark Art Institute on South Street in Great Barrington. More information can be found online.
***
Images Cinema presents ‘Civic Cinema,’ a new film series examine American democracy
Williamstown— Images Cinema announces a new film series, “Civic Cinema,” which examines the fabric of American society through a hopeful and pragmatic lens.
The series consists of three buzzy films fresh off the film festival circuit:
- “Bad Faith” on September 23rd – “Bad Faith” reveals how Christian Nationalist leaders have spread fear and anger for decades, distorting political issues into Biblical battles between good and evil. Christian Nationalists have succeeded in taking over the Republican Party, turning it into a powerful weapon to demolish democracy from within.
- “John of Die” on September 30th – Follow the half-century story of America’s civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking “Bowling Alone” research into America’s decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy’s present crisis.
- “Girls State” on October 7th – A look at what American democracy would look like in the hands of teenage girls. Young female leaders from wildly different backgrounds navigate an immersive experiment to build a government from the ground up.
All three films are solutions-oriented documentaries aimed to prompt meaningful conversation and deliver real world steps to improve civic bonds in our communities. “Civic Cinema” is a nonpartisan series, and will not be fundraising for nor promoting any particular political candidates or parties. The series’ intention is to catalyze discussion with local community leaders and organizers.
The free screenings are on September 23rd, September 30th, and October 7th at Images Cinema at 50 Spring Street in Williamstown. Each evening of the series includes a social hour at 6 p.m. and the film screening at 7 p.m., which will be followed by a talk-back with local community leaders and organizers. More information can be found online.
***
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts to host ‘Inclusive Democracy Election Panel’
North Adams— On Thursday, September 26th at 5 p.m., in an effort to understand and move past the era of polarized politics, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will host an Inclusive Democracy Election Panel. Students and community members are invited to explore ways to engage and improve our democracy.
The panel will be moderated by A.J. Enchill, president and executive director of the Berkshire Black Economic Council. Featured panelists include Dr. Samantha Pettey, MCLA’s associate professor for history and political science; Joe Donahue, WAMC’s host of “The Roundtable” and “The Bookshow”; and Dr. Mason Williams, Williams College’s associate professor of political science and leadership studies.
The panel is on Thursday, September 26th at 5 p.m. in MCLA’s Murdoch Hall (Room 218,) located at 375 Church Street in North Adams. More information can be found online.
