Berkshire Festival of Women Writers closing weekend
Pittsfield – The Berkshire Festival of Women Writers (BFWW) will celebrate the end of its sixth annual Festival with a closing weekend of brunch, talks, and a tea party at Hotel on North on Saturday, March 19, and Sunday, March 20.
Saturday’s events will begin at 11 a.m. with brunch and a talk by Ruth Reichl entitled “Living the Food Life: One Woman’s Journey From Cook to Critic to Novelist and Back.” At 1:30 p.m. a moderated discussion, “Finding Our Voices, Telling Our Stories,” will take place with Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Veronica Chambers, and Anastasia Stanmeyer. A reading titled “Women Writers of a Certain Age” with Sonia Pilcer, Helen Epstein, Barbara Slate, and Karen Schoemer will begin at 3:30 p.m.
Sunday’s events will begin with “Preparing for Print: Pathways to Publication” at 1:30 p.m., a panel discussion with Jessica Hazelton, Jana Laiz, Marilyn Oser, and Carol Ascher. BFWW’s finale will be “Alison Larkin Presents… A Festive Tea Party with The English American,” a celebration with comedienne Alison Larkin of the release of her new audiobook “Peter Pan,” along with tea, sandwiches, cake, and conversation.
Tickets for the Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday afternoon sessions are $55 each; all-day Saturday tickets are $95. For more information contact info@berkshirewomenwriters.org.
–E.E.
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MGRSD to present ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’
Williamstown — Mount Greylock Regional School District (MGRSD) will present “Nice Work If You Can Get It” on Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19, at 7 p.m. at the ’62 Centre for Theatre and Dance at Williams College.
Set in the 1920s, the show tells the story of bootleggers who stash a shipment of illegal gin in the basement of a beach house belonging to a society playboy. The show premiered on Broadway in 2012 and features the music of George and Ira Gershwin, including classic songs like the title tune, “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” “S’Wonderful,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” and “But Not for Me.”
The production involves more than 40 members of MGRSD’s student body as actors, singers, pit musicians, and crew. It is directed by faculty member Jeffrey Welch, with vocal direction by Jean Kirsch, choreography by Ann Marie Rodriguez, and pit orchestra direction by Lyndon Moors. Tickets are $6 for students and seniors and $8 for adults, and are available at the door on the nights of the performances.
–E.E.
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Folk duo Oakes and Smith to release two EPs
Pittsfield — Berkshire folk duo Oakes and Smith will celebrate the release of two EPs — “Evergreen” and “Between the Earth and the Sky” — with a full-ensemble concert at Dottie’s Coffee Lounge on Saturday, March 19, at 8 p.m.
Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Robert Oakes and singer/songwriter Katherine Oakes (née Smith) refer to their songs as ‘lyrical and inspirational meditations’ expressing themes of love, creativity, mystery and an appreciation of natural beauty. Both EPs feature an exploration of those topics, plus recording help from singer/songwriter Justin Hillman and students at the Pomfret School in Pomfret, Conn., (“Evergreen”) and guest performances from world rock ensemble HuDost and Yes frontman Jon Anderson (“Between the Earth and the Sky”).
Joining the duo in concert will be pianist Zack Cross, guitarist Justin Hillman, percussionist Justin Green, and vocalist Taylor Ives. Justin Hillman will open the show with a set of his own songs. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door. For more information call Dottie’s Coffee Lounge at (413) 443-1792.
–E.E.
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Bird nest box-building workshop
Lenox – On Saturday, March 19, from 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m., the Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary will host a bird nest box-building workshop. Participants in the family-friendly workshop will assemble pre-cut nesting box kits to take home. The nest boxes are suitable nest sites for small, cavity-nesting birds such as bluebirds, tree swallows, house wrens, black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice, and white-breasted nuthatches. Necessary hardware will be provided, and participants will also learn where and how to place the boxes.
The cost of the workshop is $25 for adult non-members and $20 for adult members; there is no cost for children. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call (413) 637-0320.
–E.E.
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Ghent Playhouse auditions for ‘The Imaginary Invalid’
Ghent, N.Y. — The Ghent Playhouse has announced that it will hold auditions for the final production of its 2015-16 theater season – Moliere’s “The Imaginary Invalid,” newly adapted and directed by Barbara Leavell Smith – on Sunday, March 20, and and Monday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. with sign-in at 7 p.m.
The play is a satirical French farce about a rich hypochondriac intent on marrying off his elder daughter to a physician. Twelve actors, eight men and four women) are needed to play the parts of Argan (45 to 70), Beralde (45 to 70), Thomas Diafoirus (18 to 40), Cleante (18 to 40), Monsieur Purgon (40 to 70), the Notary (45 to 65), Monsieur Fleurant (35 to 65), Monsieur/Madame Diafoirus (45 to 65), Toinette (35 to 65), Angelique (16 to 35), Beline (45 to 65), and Louison (8 to 20).
The production will run Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning Friday, May 20, through Sunday, June 5. Those auditioning will be asked to read specific scenes from the play. For more information contact Barbara Leavell Smith at (518) 283-4970.
–E.E.
