Tuesday, February 18, 2025

News and Ideas Worth Sharing

BITS & BYTES: ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at Chatham High; Samantha Fish at The Mahaiwe; Olalekan Jeyifous at Art Omi; GBPT ‘Conversation With’ series; Walking Our Talk presents ‘Rootsilience’ workshop; Volunteer with BEAT

“Last year, audiences left the theater dancing and humming ABBA tunes after our production of Mamma Mia, and this year I guarantee audiences will leave being more than suspicious of their house plants’ intentions.”

Chatham High School presents ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Chatham— On March 15th and 16th at 7 p.m. and March 17th at 2 p.m., Chatham High School presents “Little Shop of Horrors.”

“Little Shop of Horrors” follows floral assistant Seymour Krelborn, who one day finds “a strange and interesting plant” which turns his whole life upside-down. While the plant, named Audrey II, brings him and Mushnik’s Skid Row Florist unmatched success and acclaim, Audrey II has some evil tricks hiding up her green sleeves as the story unfolds.

The show features music and lyrics from the writing team behind Disney’s “Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast.” It is directed by Eddie Knight with music direction from Samantha McShane and Brandon Kulzer, featuring choreography by Jamie Faxon-Baksa. The costumes are designed by Stacy Hand, and the set is designed by Bill Somer and constructed by Wayne Gearing. The puppets are designed by Sam Reilly, and the technical director is Jenn Metrando.

Brianna Reyome as Ronnette, Brandon Gearing as Mushnik, Ava Ford as Crystal, Aidan Brennan as Seymour, and Clover Jones as Chiffon.

The student cast includes Aidan Brennan, Alexis Reichardt, Brandon Gearing, Paxton Brownell, Clover Jones, Ava Ford, Brianna Reyome, Jenny Albrecht, Anna Butts, Maddie Metrando, Ariana Costa, Addie Searl, Alexis Nehmens, and Lily Strattman. The production received support from the school’s theatre production and marketing classes.

When asked about this year’s show, Knight said, “Last year, audiences left the theater dancing and humming ABBA tunes after our production of Mamma Mia, and this year I guarantee audiences will leave being more than suspicious of their house plants’ intentions. I couldn’t be more proud of all the hard work our students on stage and off have put into this show, and am eternally grateful to our wonderful production team!”

The performances are on March 15th and 16th at 7 p.m. and March 17th at 2 p.m. in the Chatham High School auditorium. Tickets are $5 at the door.

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The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center presents Samantha Fish – Bulletproof Tour 2024

Great Barrington— On Saturday, March 16th at 8 p.m., The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center presents Samantha Fish – Bulletproof Tour 2024.

Samantha Fish. Image courtesy of The Mahaiwe.

Samantha Fish is known first and foremost for her fretwork. Fish’s secret weapon is her astute and nuanced storytelling and ultra-vivid detail from carefully honing her craft. Over the years, Fish has maintained her reputation as a phenomenal live act and repeatedly turned out critically acclaimed albums, earning an ever-growing number of accolades. As one of the most dynamic blues forces in the world today she continues to blaze a trail of her own.

In 2022, Samantha worked with producer Jon Spencer of the Blues Explosion and featured Outlaw Country legend Jesse Dayton and the two landed a chart-topping album Death Wish Blues which has just been nominated for a Grammy Award nomination in the Contemporary Blues Category. Samantha was a highlight on Eric Clapton’s Crossroads show in Los Angeles last September and spent most of the year touring the Death Wish Blues project.

The concert is on Saturday, March 16th at 8 p.m. at The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on Castle Street in Great Barrington. Tickets start at $34. Tickets and more information can be found online. 

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Art Omi presents ‘Olalekan Jeyifous: Even in Arcadia…’

Ghent, N.Y.— From March 16th through June 2nd, Art Omi presents “Olalekan Jeyifous: Even in Arcadia…”

Amid evolving environmental and cultural shifts, there emerges a space for thoughtful yet whimsical reflections on an increasingly challenging reality. The tensions between our natural and built world, amplified by intensifying climate conditions, form the backdrop for “Olalekan Jeyifous: Even in Arcadia…”

Drawing inspiration from the Arcadian myth, the exhibition juxtaposes picturesque portrayals of idyllic pastoral life with glimpses of a retro-futurist urban protopia set within the Hudson Valley. In leveraging both the artistic and literary motifs of Arcadia, the exhibition engages us in considering the possibilities and challenges posed by an inventive world-making process that is simultaneously shaped by the polished echoes of historical ideals, contemporary socio-political anxieties, and the uncertainty of our future aspirations.

Olalekan Jeyifous, 2024.

Olalekan Jeyifous received a BArch from Cornell University and is a Brooklyn-based artist whose work re-imagines social spaces that examine the relationships between architecture, community, and the environment. He has exhibited at esteemed venues including the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Vitra Design Museum, the Guggenheim in Bilbao, and The Museum of Modern Art in New York, where his artwork is featured in the permanent collection of the Department of Architecture and Design. In addition to an extensive exhibition history, Olalekan has spent over a decade creating large-scale installations for a variety of public spaces and was co-commissioned to design a monument for Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm as part of the City of New York’s “She Built NYC” initiative. Olalekan has garnered numerous awards, including the notable Silver Lion at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale. Additionally, he is a recipient of the 2021 Fellowship by the United States Artists, has been a Wilder Green Fellow at MacDowell, and completed artist residencies at the Bellagio Center, supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, and The Drawing Center’s Open Sessions program.

The exhibit runs from March 16th through June 2nd at Art Omi on County Route 22 in Ghent, N.Y. There is an opening reception on Saturday, March 16th from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is free and open to the public. Advanced registration is appreciated. Registration and more information can be found online. 

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Great Barrington Public Theater to host a ‘Conversation With’ Berkshire theater artists

Great Barrington— On March 18th at 6:30 p.m., Great Barrington Public Theater continues its ‘Conversation With’ series with a Berkshire theater artists forum.

GB Public Associate Artistic Director Judy Braha will sit down with a group of top stage artists who reside locally and create nationally acclaimed theater right here at home in the Berkshires. The multi-accomplished group includes director James Warwick, playwrights Mark St. Germain, Jessica Provenz, and Anne Undeland; actor Peggy Pharr Wilson; costume Designer Brittney Belz; lighting Designer Matthew Adelson; and GBPT artistic director Jim Frangione. 

They all work on GBPT productions and with the many other theater companies that call the Berkshires home. The moderated onstage discussion will explore how their combined talents, creative skills, shared aesthetics and industry know-how are brought together to bring passion, tension, themes of comedy and drama to life onstage, and what makes living and working professionally in the Berkshires possible.

Great Barrington Public Theater ‘Conversation With’ series.

GB Public Associate AD Judy Braha explains, “Our talk with this group of theater artists who live and work in the Berkshires will go into topics like the value and joy of creating theater with fellow local artists, how familiarity with one another can help benefit planning and productions, and what is it about life in the Berkshires that attracts artists and sparks creativity.” 

The forum is on March 18th at 6:30 p.m. at St. James Place on Main Street in Great Barrington. The event is free with a $10 suggested donation. Reservations can be made by emailing Tristan.GreatBarringtonPublic@gmail.com. More information can be found online. 

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Walking Our Talk presents “Next Steps to Embodied Rootsilience: Wisdom for Empowering the Leader in Every Woman”

Lenox— On Thursday, March 14th from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Walking Our Talk presents “Next Steps to Embodied Rootsilience: Wisdom for Empowering the Leader in Every Woman,” an interactive conversation to delve into the transformative power of going beyond resilience to the pursuit of a clear vision for balance, well-being, and success.

Co-authors Rimi Chakraborty and Samantha Anderson.

Rimi Chakraborty and Samantha Anderson, co-authors of the recently released, “Beyond Resilience to Rootsilience,” will share their journeys to redefine success for themselves and will offer invaluable insights for women’s empowerment through a lens that transcends resilience. Attendees will embark on an immersive experience designed to help clarify your vision and chart a course toward your dreams with unwavering clarity and purpose.

Spring is nearly upon us, and during this program, attendees will be guided in an important vision or intention you’d like to bring to life. It could be a vision for what kind of leader you want to be, manifesting your ideal career, a balanced work and family life, an ideal home, a vision for how you see yourself in three to five years, or any vision you’d like to bring to life this year.

Whether you’re seeking inspiration, guidance, or simply a supportive community of like-minded individuals, this event promises to be an evening of insights and engagement that will leave you feeling inspired, full of embodied wisdom, and ready to embrace your journey with renewed passion and determination.

The hybrid event is on Thursday, March 14th from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Lenox Community Center on Walker Street in Lenox or on Zoom. Tickets are $25. Tickets and more information can be found online. 

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Learn how you can contribute to wildlife conservation through hands-on volunteer fieldwork with BEAT

Berkshire— On Tuesday, March 19th at 6 p.m., Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) presents an online public information session for those interested in hands-on volunteer fieldwork.

Free-flowing waterways provide better habitat for many wildlife species, especially cold-water fish species. And culverts (those concrete, metal, or plastic pipes or other conduits that carry streams and rivers under roadways) can be a detriment and obstacle to fish and other aquatic animals, often preventing them from freely moving upstream or downstream. A major problem with many culverts is that they were not designed with wildlife in mind or as a priority. The culverts are often too small, restricting nutrient flow and causing flooding; other times, they might be “perched,” meaning they’re elevated above the water’s surface, making fish migration difficult at best and sometimes impossible.

Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT.)

For this reason, BEAT has been working to survey stream crossings in Berkshire County using the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC) protocol. During Spring 2024, BEAT will offer training to anyone interested in conducting volunteer fieldwork by surveying culverts and road-stream crossings throughout the county. These surveys help determine what culverts and crossings need attention and prioritize the ones that need to be fixed sooner rather than later.

Join UMass Extension Professor Scott Jackson for this BEAT-organized online info session on Tuesday, March 19th at 6 p.m. Learn why the NAACC was formed, the importance of doing this work, and what the training will entail. Register at: https://tinyurl.com/NAACC-info-session.

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