WAM Theatre to hold online reading of ‘Campus Unrest’
Lenox — On Sunday, May 3, from 3 to 5:30 p.m., WAM Theatre will offer an online reading of “Campus Unrest,” a new play by WAM associate artistic director Talya Kingston.
The play follows Mia, Kwame and Darren as they arrive at a prestigious New England college during a time of social upheaval. They are each determined to infuse their education with activism, but haunted by their own backgrounds and identities as well as an actual specter of a beloved professor. The reading will feature Cuis “Bobby” Hubens, Rachel Siegel, Joan Coombs, Maizy Broderick Scarpa, Trenda Loftin and Daniel Rios. Thanks to a WAM board member, each artist in the reading will receive a stipend for participating.
The reading is free and open to the public, and is a benefit for the COVID-19 Emergency Fund created by BRIDGE. Registration is required. For more information or to register, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact WAM Theatre at info@wamtheatre.com.
–E.E.
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Sam Gomez Road Race goes online
North Adams — The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ Student Government Association will hold the first-ever virtual Sam Gomez Road Race from Thursday, April 30, at 7 p.m. to Sunday, May 3, at 7 p.m. The race will begin in conjunction with MCLA’s virtual Take Back the Night event Thursday, April 30, to stand against sexual assault, harassment and domestic violence, and to continue to support the Elizabeth Freeman Center.
Participants are not required to register; they may simply run or walk a 5K of their choice and submit a photo of themselves on the run to sga@mcla.edu to receive an e-certificate to commemorate their race. Participants can also post their photos on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #virtualsamgomez. Additional donations to the Elizabeth Freeman Center will also be encouraged through SGA’s donation page.
The Sam Gomez Road Race has been a North Adams tradition for 41 years. Sam Gomez was a professor at North Adams State College and founded the school’s cross country team. In honor of Gomez and his legacy of giving back to the Berkshire community, SGA selects a Berkshire County nonprofit each year to receive the proceeds from the race. With the help of local sponsors, SGA has raised over $27,000 for Berkshire-based organizations over the last 16 years.
–E.E.
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Pittsfield Prospers offers programming on resilience
Pittsfield — Pittsfield Prospers has pivoted to provide programming on Pittsfield Community Television to assist community members dealing with isolation in the face of COVID-19. The public service announcements will contain information and tools based on the social science research to help people be resilient. The first 10-minute PSA aired Wednesday, April 29, at 11:30 a.m. and will be repeated Thursday, April 30, at 9:30 p.m.; Friday, May 1, at 8:30 a.m.; and Saturday, May 2, at 6:15 a.m. A second PSA focusing on “Finding AWE at Home” will air the first week in May.
Additional PSAs suggesting ways to deal with the impact of isolation during the pandemic will be produced weekly and links will be available on the Pittsfield Prospers website.
–E.E.