Majesty of the Berkshires Drag Pageant returns to the Adams Theater
Adams— On Friday, May 30th at 7:30 p.m., on the eve of Pride Month, the Majesty of the Berkshires Drag Pageant returns to the Adams Theater.
During this lively competition, contestants (kings, queens and in-betweens) will take the stage to showcase drag artistry and self-expression in an intense competition for the crown and a one-year stint as the leader of the Berkshire County LGBTQIA+ community. 2024 winner Vuronika Baked and 2023 winner Poppy DaBubbly will both be in attendance.
Created and presented by Bella Santarella and hosted by Shawn Hollenbach, the night’s festivities will include surprise guest queens, musical and dance numbers, fierce lip syncing, and more. As part of the competition, contestants will work with sponsoring Berkshire businesses on a drag commercial.
The event is on Friday, May 30th at 7:30 p.m. at the Adams Theater, located at 27 Park Street in Adams. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Music Mountain’s 96th Summer Festival opens with a benefit concert and reception featuring pianist Benjamin Hochman and friends from the Met Opera Orchestra
Falls Village, Conn.— On Sunday, June 1st at 3 p.m., Music Mountain’s 96th Summer Festival opens with a benefit concert and reception featuring pianist Benjamin Hochman and friends from the Met Opera Orchestra.
The program includes Beethoven’s masterful “Archduke Trio” and Brahms’ “Piano Quartet in G minor” with its brilliant “Rondo alla Zingarese.”
The concert is on Sunday, June 1st at 3 p.m. at Music Mountain, located at 225 Music Mountain Road in Falls Village, Conn. There is a free post-show reception with the artists. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire International Film Festival closes with a screening of ‘Marlee Matlin; Not Alone Anymore’ at The Mahaiwe
Great Barrington— On Sunday, June 1st at 7 p.m., the Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) closes with a screening of “Marlee Matlin; Not Alone Anymore” at The Mahaiwe Performing Art Center.
In 1987, Marlee Matlin became the first Deaf actor to win an Academy Award and was thrust into the spotlight at 21 years old. This film is an intimate look at her extraordinary life and trailblazing career. Reflecting on her life in her primary language of American Sign Language, Matlin explores the complexities of what it means to be a trailblazer.
The screening is on Sunday, June 1st at 7 p.m. at The Mahaiwe Performing Art Center, located at 14 Castle Street in Great Barrington. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire Lyric presents annual Masterworks Concert at Tanglewood’s Seiji Ozawa Hall
Lenox— On Sunday, June 1st at 3 p.m., Berkshire Lyric presents their annual Masterworks Concert at Tanglewood’s Seiji Ozawa Hall with soloists Soprano Maria Valdes, Tenor Dann Coakwell, and Bass Oren Gradus.
The 95-voice chorus, accompanied by a full orchestra, will perform three significant works from the classical period including Franz Josef Haydn’s esteemed oratorio “The Seasons,” Beethoven’s rarely performed gem, “Calm Seas and Prosperous Voyage,” and the uplifting final chorus of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.”
Central to this year’s program is Haydn’s “The Seasons,” his final major composition, known for its vivid depiction of nature and life’s cycles. This secular work, sung in German, vividly portrays scenes like the awakening of spring, summer thunderstorms, hunting expeditions, leisurely strolls, and festive drinking choruses.
The concert is on Sunday, June 1st at 3 p.m. at Tanglewood’s Seiji Ozawa Hall, located at 297 West Street in Lenox. Children aged six to 18 are admitted free. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Adams Theater presents a screening of ‘Hear Me,’ a documentary about gun violence in Berkshire County
Adams— On Sunday, June 1st at 2 p.m., Adams Theater presents a screening of “Hear Me,” a documentary about gun violence in Berkshire County.
Gun violence is the leading cause of death for Americans under age 19. For young Black men, not only is it the leading cause of death, it’s higher than the next nine causes of death combined. And it’s a problem in the Berkshires.
In “Hear Me,” young people are the subject matter experts. Producer Jenny Herzog and director Dave Simond interviewed seven young people in Pittsfield and North Adams who have been impacted by gun violence; the film centers around their experience. “In our film, they are the experts,” said Herzog. “If we’re going to find a way forward, we need to listen and learn from those who have been directly impacted. Screenings and talk-backs aim to facilitate a broader conversation around effective gun violence prevention in Berkshire County. There are a lot of parallels in their stories. Intergenerational trauma, struggles with substance use, Department of Children and Families involvement, bad experiences in the education system, housing and food insecurity, incarceration, losing loved ones to community violence. But more importantly, the film gives us a chance to get to know these young people beyond any of that — and to learn from them, as they generously offer wisdom and insight for a way forward.”
The free screening is on Sunday, June 1st at 2 p.m. at the Adams Theater, located at 27 Park Street in Adams. There will be a post-screening panel discussion and Q&A. Tickets and more information can be found online.
