‘Norman Rockwell and Alice Parker: Visions of America in Art and Song’
Great Barrington — Connecticut-based music organization Crescendo will present the concert program “Norman Rockwell and Alice Parker: Visions of America in Art and Song” on Saturday, April 1, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Saint James Place. In collaboration with the Norman Rockwell Museum, Berkshire Children’s Chorus and composer John Myers, Crescendo will perform the world premiere of Myers’ “Paintings in Song—Visions of Norman Rockwell,” a multimedia work with choruses, instrumentalists and graphic animation. Myers’ work celebrates Norman Rockwell’s timeless images in a musical setting and highlights the continued relevance of the cultural values represented in Rockwell’s paintings. The concert will be conducted by Crescendo’s founder and artistic director Christine Gevert.
Myers’ music will be accompanied by simultaneous large-screen projected animations based on each of the paintings. Graphic artists Alice Myers and Anna Sabatini created the images using digital technology to portray the paintings as dynamic visual elements while retaining much of their original character. NRM has provided critical conceptual and interpretive support in the realization of the animations.
The full concert will include selections of traditional American folk songs arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. Parker, a distinguished composer, choral arranger, conductor and Berkshires resident, suggested a repertoire that would complement the themes evoked in the Rockwell paintings. Also featured will be traditional music from three centuries including a cappella works by William Billings, jazz legend Dave Brubeck and a new work by young composer Jonny Priano.
Tickets range from $10 to $50. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact Crescendo at (860) 435-4866.
–E.E.
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WAM Theatre to restage ‘Emilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight’
Lenox — WAM Theatre will stage a limited-run remount of its successful 2013 production of “Emilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight” Thursday, March 30, through Sunday, April 9, at Shakespeare & Company’s Tina Packer Playhouse.
Emilie Du Châtelet, best known for her 15-year-liaison with French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher Voltaire, became a highly regarded interpreter of modern physics and a master of mathematics and linguistics during the Age of Enlightenment. In the play, Emilie searches for a formula that will convince the world of her worth by tallying her achievements in love and philosophy.
“Emilie…” had its world premiere in 2009 at South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, California, and was originally staged by WAM in November 2013 at Barrington Stage Company. Written by Lauren Gunderson, directed by WAM artistic director Kristen van Ginhoven, the play features the entire cast of the 2013 production, including Kim Stauffer, Suzanne Ankrum, Brendan Cataldo and Joan Coombs.
Tickets are $10 to $40 and a portion of proceeds will be donated to Flying Cloud Institute. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact the Shakespeare & Company box office at (413) 637-3353.
–E.E.
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Lenox included in USA TODAY’s 10Best contest
Lenox — The town of Lenox has been included in USA TODAY’s annual 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest. A panel selected Lenox, along with 19 other nominees, as a contender for Best Northeastern Small Town. Those interested may vote once a day for the run of the contest, which ends Monday, April 24, at 11:59 a.m. EDT. Winners will be announced on Friday, April 28, at noon. For more information, contact Lenox Chamber of Commerce executive director Kameron Spaulding at (413) 6373646 or info@lenox.org or marketing director Jamie Trie at (413) 3294793 or jamie@lenox.org.
–E.E.
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Councils on aging to hold luncheon
South Egremont — The Egremont and Mt. Washington councils on aging invite all seniors to their complimentary luncheon and program on Wednesday, April 5, at noon at the Egremont Village Inn. During the program, “Photography with Doane Perry,” Perry will show participants how to take photos with their cell phones and edit them right in the camera. Attendees are encouraged to bring their cell phones if they include cameras.
A West Stockbridge resident, Perry began photographing in black and white while doing anthropology fieldwork for a Ph.D. in Areopolis, Greece, in 1974–75. He was a history and anthropology teacher in the Peace Corps in Uganda, at the United Nations International School in New York, in the Newton Public Schools, and at Lasell University in Newton. He also worked in computers and telecommunications as an analyst at International Data Corporation, in marketing and sales at Digital Equipment Corporation, and as a consultant at Aspinwall Associates. He writes and photographs for the West Stockbridge Local Yokel and the Richmond Record.
To make reservations, contact the Egremont Town Hall at (413) 528-0182 x17 or wbrinker@egremont-ma.gov by Monday, April3, and include any dietary needs and whether or not a ride is needed.
–E.E.
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WordXWord to hold youth poetry slam workshop
Pittsfield — WordXWord will offer a poetry slam workshop for middle school-aged youth on Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Family Resource Center. The workshop will be led by slam poet and mentor Grace Rossman, WordXWord’s associate director for youth programs who also teaches poetry workshops in various schools and community centers. The workshop will be appropriate for all experience levels and will conclude with a short performance of the poets’ work that will be open to the public. Participation is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact WordXWord at web@wxw365.org.
–E.E.
