Bits & Bytes: Theater of War; swimmers qualify at championship; ‘Was Shakespeare an Anti-Semite?’; GB Republican Town Committee meeting

Theater of War will be introduced by Chris Gibson, former U.S. Army colonel, former U.S. Representative from New York and current visiting professor of leadership studies at Williams. A panel discussion with area veterans, mental health professionals, and veterans' family members will follow the play.

Williams College to host Theater of War performance, discussion

Reg E. Cathey. Photo courtesy emmys.com
Reg E. Cathey. Photo courtesy emmys.com

Williamstown — The public health and performance project Theater of War will visit Williams College’s Adams Memorial Theatre in the ’62 Center on Tuesday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. to present a reading of Sophocles’ “Ajax,” a play about the suicide of a great warrior. The reading will act as a catalyst for a facilitated town hall discussion that will follow it and discuss suicide, combat stress, alcohol and substance abuse, and the impact of war on families.

Marjolaine Goldsmith.
Marjolaine Goldsmith.

“Ajax” is the story of a fierce warrior who slips into a depression near the end of the Trojan War after losing his best friend. Ajax then attempts to murder his commanding officers, fails, and ultimately takes his own life. The play also depicts the impact of Ajax’s suicide upon his wife, son, brother, troops and chain of command. The Williams performance will feature Emmy Award-winning actor Reg E. Cathey and Marjolaine Goldsmith. The event will be introduced by Chris Gibson, former U.S. Army colonel, former U.S. Representative from New York and current visiting professor of leadership studies at Williams. A panel discussion with area veterans, mental health professionals, and veterans’ family members will follow the play.

Chris Gibson.
Chris Gibson.

Theater of War hopes to raise awareness and vigilance about suicide, destigmatize combat stress and psychological injury, and raise community awareness about the challenge faced by service members, veterans, and their families. The performance and discussion have been delivered more than 340 times at military and civilian sites throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan, across all services, and more than 100 acclaimed actors have participated in Theater of War.

The event is free but reservations are required. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar. For building locations on the Williams campus, consult the online map or call the Office of Communications at (413) 597-4277.

–E.E.

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Local swimmers qualify at New England swimming championship

Great Barrington — The Kilpatrick Athletic Center at Bard College at Simon’s Rock has announces that seven of the 28 swimmers in its Snapper Swim program qualified at the New England USA Regional Swim Championships and will advance to the Silver Championships and Age Group Championships. The New England USA Regional Swim Championships were held in Westfield in February.

The following swimmers advanced to the Silver Championships and will compete in White River Junction, Vermont, Friday, March 17, through Sunday, March 19:

  • Mazy Moeini Feizabadiage, 18, of Housatonic, who will compete in two events;
  • Nicholas Gray, 17, of Sandisfield, who will compete in 11 events;
  • Emma Haswell, 10, of Great Barrington, who will compete in two events;
  • Zoe Holmes, 11, of Great Barrington, who will compete in six events;
  • Ashley Kopiec, 10, of Stockbridge, who will compete in eight events;
  • Szofia Lewis, 14, of Pittsfield, who will compete in two events; and
  • Allison Slater, 10, of East Chatham, New York, who will compete in 11 events.

Three of the Snappers will also compete in their respective Age Group Championships against the fastest swimmers throughout New England. The following swimmers advanced to the Age Groups Championships:

  • Allison Slater, who will swim in seven events at Wheaton College on Saturday, March 4, and Sunday, March 5; and
  • Szofia Lewis, who will swim in one event on Friday, March 10, at Boston University.

Nicholas Gray will swim in two additional meets: Age Groups at Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Friday, March 3, and Sunday, March 5, and the Speedo Sectional meet in Ithaca, New York, Thursday, March 30, through Sunday, April 2. Gray qualified for the 100m breaststroke with a best time of 1:00.86 at Boston University. He currently holds six individual Snapper team records for the 15–18 age group.

Twenty-eight Snappers who competed in the New England USA Regional Swim Championships cumulatively recorded 71 personal best times. Ashley Kopiec, Lena Smith and Keaghan Kline led the pack with six personal best times each, followed by Allison Slater and Helen Thorp with five apiece.

–E.E.

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‘Was Shakespeare an Anti-Semite?’

 

Hugh Black.
Hugh Black.

Pittsfield — On Monday, March 6, and Thursday, March 9, at 10:45 a.m., the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires will present writer and lecturer Hugh Black, who will tackle the question “Was Shakespeare an Anti-Semite?” in free programs at Congregation Knesset Israel. The Monday program will feature a screening of the 2004 film “The Merchant of Venice” starring Al Pacino as Shylock. On Thursday, Black will commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death with a discussion of James Shapiro’s book “Shakespeare and the Jews” and will also discuss the presentation of “The Merchant of Venice” at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox last summer.

For more information, call the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires at (413) 442-4360 x10.

–E.E.

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GB Republican Town Committee to meet

Great Barrington — The Great Barrington Republican Town Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 7, at 5:30 p.m. in the Selectmen’s room of the Town Hall, 334 Main St. The agenda will include the town and Berkshire Hills Regional School District budgets, elections and anything else the public wishes to discuss. All are welcome. For more information, contact Andy Moro at amoro47@gmail.com or Patrick Fennell at (413) 528-9106.

–E.E.