TapRoot Sessions presents Danish Grammy award winners Sonnich Lydom and Kristian Bugge for a workshop and concert
Sheffield— On Friday, November 17th from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., TapRoot Sessions presents Danish Grammy award winners Sonnich Lydom and Kristian Bugge for a workshop and concert.
The focus will be on traditional music from a few of the most famous Danish folk music regions. The duo has been specializing in musical dialects from around the country. Some of the richest areas are small Islands like Læsø and Fanø and the northwestern regions called Thy and Vendsyssel. The repertoire consist of old dance tunes: whirling waltzes, happy polkas, groovy jigs, fiery reels and breathless hopsas, plus the exotic “Sønderhoning” dance tunes from the Island of Fanø, where Sonnich’s family is deeply rooted. As well as some old songs with fun and catchy refrains, you’ll learn some good tunes to take home and some of the spicy stories about musicians, their lives, and ways to party. Both Kristian and Sonnich were amongst the first twelve musicians to receive the honorary title ”Danmarks Rigsspillemænd” (National Danish Folk Musicians) in 2014. When they perform together, they will also talk about the traditions from back home, how they learned and how the music lives on today and is part of the famous Danish hygge!
The event is on Friday, November 17th from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Dewey Hall on Main Street in Sheffield. Tickets are $25 for the workshop; $25 for the concert; or $40 for both. Refreshments including pizza by the slice will be available. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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MASS MoCA presents Jason Moran and The Bandwagon
North Adams— On Friday, November 17th at 8 p.m., MASS MoCA presents prodigy pianist and composer Jason Moran with his trailblazing trio The Bandwagon, in connection with his exhibition “Black Stars: Writing in the Dark.”
According to Rolling Stone, Jason Moran is “the most provocative thinker in current jazz.” One of the most enduringly creative piano trios in jazz, The Bandwagon is Moran, bassist Tarus Mateen, and drummer Nasheet Waits, in whom Moran has found his ideal companions: two distinctive voices on their instruments who are restlessly creative and share his open-mindedness and diversity of influences beyond jazz or classical or hip hop to theater, film, dance, and beyond.
The Jason Moran “Black Stars: Writing In the Dark” currently on exhibition at MASS MoCA brings together Moran’s works on paper and two sculptures from his STAGED series. The STAGED series examines venues that showcased contemporary jazz as a revolutionary music. Drawing on the photographs and documentation preserved through Black jazz musicians’ archives, as well as oral history interviews, Moran creates installations modeled on spaces that shaped jazz in the 20th century.
The concert is on Friday, November 17th at 8 p.m. on the Hunter Stage at MASS MoCA on MASS MoCA Way in North Adams. Tickets are $39 to $79. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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The Guild of Berkshire Artists kicking off 10th anniversary celebration with small works shows
West Stockbridge— On Friday, November 17th through December 3rd, The Guild of Berkshire Artists presents the work of Nancy Harrod, Marion Grant, Karen Carmean, Sarah Morrison, and Margie Skaggs at their Art on Main Gallery.
This coming year The Guild of Berkshire Artists will celebrate their 10th anniversary and are kicking it off early with this small works show during the holidays at the gallery. All work is created by local artist members of the Guild and is suitable for gift giving. A second show featuring the work of Lori Bradley, Amy Pressman Jaye Alison Moscariello, Carolyn Abrams, Susan Sabino, and Barbara Patton will open on December 8th.
The first show runs Friday, November 17th through December 3rd at Art on Main Gallery on Main Street in West Stockbridge. The second show runs December 8th through December 24th.
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Simon’s Rock second annual Founder’s Day lecture with speaker Friba Rezayee
Great Barrington— On Thursday, November 16th at 7 p.m., the second annual Founder’s Day Lecture will be held at Simon’s Rock with speaker Friba Rezayee.
Founder’s Day at Simon’s Rock is held every year on November 16th to honor and recognize the birthday of founder Elizabeth “Betty” Blodgett Hall. Betty Hall changed education with the radical idea that curious and independent adolescents deserve a new path to college in a fast-changing world. The birth and legacy of this remarkable educator is celebrated with Founder’s Day. This year marks the second annual Founder’s Day lecture.
Friba Rezayee is the founder and the Executive Director of Women Leaders of Tomorrow and its leadership in sports project GOAL (Girls of Afghanistan Lead). She was born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan. At the age of 18, she made history by competing in Judo at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens as Afghanistan’s first-ever female Olympic athlete. Rezayee’s participation in the Olympics brought Afghanistan back to the world stage in sports after the fall of the Taliban. She inspired hundreds of other Afghan girls to join different sports, in a sports revolution for Afghan female athletes.
Friba Rezayee has resided in Vancouver, Canada since 2011 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of British Columbia, Canada. Rezayee has been an outspoken and passionate advocate for women and girls’ education, gender equality, human rights, and women’s rights in Afghanistan and worldwide from an early age to present. She also worked as an educator in the Vancouver, Canada public school system. Rezayee is currently working as the manager of the Afghan Women’s Employment Program at YWCA Metro Vancouver area. In addition to that, she has NCCP level 1 certificate in the sports of Judo, along with a certificate to teach women self defense from Judo Canada.
The lecture is on Thursday, November 16th at 7 p.m. in the McConnell Theater in the Daniel Arts Center at Simon’s Rock on Alford Road in Great Barrington. The event is free and open to the public. More information can be found online.
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Award-winning journalist Caleb Gayle to give 2023 MCLA Hardman lecture
North Adams— On Thursday, November 16th at 7 p.m., Caleb Gayle will present the 2023 MCLA Hardman Lecture.
Gayle is an award-winning journalist who writes about race and identity; and is a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine. His book “We Refuse to Forget: A True Story of Black Creeks, American Identity, and Power” was published in 2022. He is a professor of Journalism and Africana Studies at Northeastern University.
Gayle’s writing has been recognized by the Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award, the PEN America Writing for Justice Fellowship, the Center for Fiction Emerging Writers Fellowship, a fellowship at Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and the New America Fellowship, among others. His writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Threepenny Review, Guernica, The Atlantic, Harvard Review, Pacific Standard, The New Republic, The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Root, The Daily Beast, and more. His writing has been anthologized as a Notable Essay in the 2019 Best American Essays.
Gayle completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Oklahoma as a Truman Scholar. He completed his graduate studies at the University of Oxford, and has an MBA and a master’s in public policy from Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School respectively. In addition to writing, Gayle serves as a Visiting Scholar at the Arthur Carter Journalism Institute at NYU. He is currently completing his next book, “Pushahead: The Story of Edward McCabe and an Epic of American Empire.”
The lecture is on Thursday, November 16th at 7 p.m. in MCLA’s Church Street Center on Church Street in North Adams. This event is free and open to the public. Please call 413-662-5224 for more information or Zoom details.
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Jewish Federation of the Berkshires presents ‘Jews Across the Americas: A New Sourcebook of Historical Diversity,’ a book talk with editors Laura Leibman and Adriana Brodsky
Pittsfield— On Thursday, November 16 at 6:45 p.m., join editors Laura Leibman and Adriana Brodsky as they talk about their book, “Jews Across America: A Sourcebook, 1492-Present,” as part of “Jewish Literary Voices: A Federation Series in collaboration with The Jewish Book Council.”
“Jews Across the Americas” is a groundbreaking sourcebook capturing the historical diversity and cultural breadth of American Jews across Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, and the United States. Featuring primary documents as well as scholarly interpretations, “Jews Across the Americas” builds upon new developments in Jewish Studies, engaging with transnationalism, race, sexuality, and gender, and highlighting the lived experiences of those often left out of Jewish history.
This free program will be presented on Thursday, November 16 at 6:45 p.m. via Zoom. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire Community College Players presents ‘Mother of the Maid’ theatrical performances
Pittsfield— On Friday, November 17th at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 18th at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, November 19th at 1 p.m., BCC Players, Berkshire Community College’s theatrical troupe, presents “Mother of the Maid.”
You may know the story of Joan of Arc, a young peasant woman sent by God to lead France to victory in the Hundred Years’ War, but what about her family? What about her mother, who watched helplessly from the sidelines as her only daughter left the safety of their humble home to fight in a war? How would you, as a parent, come to terms with this situation? Join the BCC Players as they tell the story of Joan of Arc through the perspective of her mother, a sensible, hard-working, God-fearing woman whose faith is upended as she deals with the baffling journey of her odd and extraordinary daughter.
The performances are Friday, November 17th at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 18th at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, November 19th at 1 p.m. in the Robert Boland Theatre at BCC on West Street in Pittsfield. The play is approximately one hour and 40 minutes long. General admission tickets are $15 and tickets for senior citizens, BCC employees, and students are $10. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Chatham Middle School presents ‘High School Musical’
Chatham— On November 17th and 18th at 7 p.m. and November 19th at 2 p.m., the Chatham Middle School (CMS) Drama Club welcomes you to enjoy its production of “Disney’s High School Musical: One Act Edition.”
The show brings a mix of fun scenes and great songs to the CMS stage when brainiac new girl Gabriella Montez and championship-winning jock Troy Bolton get together and discover that they can go against the status quo to express themselves in any way they want, namely, the spring musical.
Kristen VanNote, returning as CMS Drama Club director this year, says “this show is truly a showcase of many talents. Not only are these middle school students the performers of this show, they also spent time helping to design and paint many of the set pieces you will see. This is a great show for all ages. I am so impressed with their performance and I can’t wait to share it with the community.“
This production stars the talented Isla Stack as Gabriella, Jordan Surita as Troy, and Skylar Bowen and Andrew Mehleisen as the scheming thespian twins, Sharrpay and Ryan Evans. Join them and the other students of East High as they explore what makes them unique!
Performances are on November 17th and 18th at 7 p.m. and November 19th at 2 p.m. at Chatham Middle School on Woodbridge Avenue in Chatham. Tickets are $5, ash or check at the door.
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Berkshire Grown winter farmers market season begins
Great Barrington/North Adams— Berkshire Grown kicks off its 2023-2024 indoor winter farmers market season on the weekend before Thanksgiving in both north and south Berkshire County.
In Great Barrington, the first indoor Winter Farmers Markets will take place on Saturday, November 18th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Housy Dome (Housatonic Community Center) on Main Street in Housatonic. These markets will run every third Saturday of the month through April 20th. The Housy Dome is located at 1064 Main Street in Housatonic and is included on the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority BRTA route #21.
In North County, Winter Farmers Market will take place at Greylock WORKS on State Road on Sunday, November 19th and Sunday, December 17th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Winter Farmers Markets host farmers and producers from Berkshire County and the surrounding region. Vendors offer an abundance of locally-grown food, including fresh greens, winter squash, root crops, apples, meats, cheeses, honey and maple syrup, baked goods, and more. Both market locations will also showcase local musicians, performing across a variety of styles and genres.
Admission to the Winter Farmers Markets is free and food access is an integral part of the markets. Shoppers using SNAP will receive a match up to $30, and the HIP incentive reimburses shoppers who spend SNAP funds on fresh fruits and vegetables. SNAP and HIP can be processed at the market manager’s station, as well as at several farmers’ booths. More information can be found online.
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Becket Arts Center presents ‘Bakersfield Mist’ by Stephen Sachs
Becket— On Friday, November 17th at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 18th at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, November 19th at 2 p.m., the Becket Arts Center presents “Bakersfield Mist” by Stephen Sachs, a clever, absorbing, often hilarious play about art and perception.
Paula Langton, an actor and theater educator, will star as Maude. A fifty-something unemployed bartender living in a trailer park, she thinks the painting she bought at a thrift store could be a lost masterpiece by Jackson Pollock worth millions. When world-class art expert Lionel Percy, played by stage, film and TV actor Ken Cheeseman, flies from New York to Bakersfield to authenticate the painting, fiery debates full of attitude and wit ensue. Inspired by true events, this thought-provoking comedy-drama asks vital questions about the meaning of art.
The performances are Friday, November 17th at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 18th at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, November 19th at 2 p.m. at the Becket Arts Center on Brooker Hill Road in Becket. Tickets are $25 and $10 for members. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. is hosting its Thankful Food Drive now through November 30th
Pittsfield— Now through November 30th, Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI) is hosting its Thankful Food Drive to benefit the South Community Food Pantry and St. Joseph’s Church Food Pantry.
The drive is accepting non-perishable items such as canned vegetables, canned or dry beans, canned fruit in juice, low-sodium soups, canned tuna in water, canned chicken, canned stews, brown rice, unsalted nuts, shelf stable milk and milk substitutes, whole grain pasta, pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, unsweetened apple sauce, peanut butter, and whole grain cold cereals. Open packages, expired food, and perishable foods will not be accepted.
Drop off by members of the public is welcomed at the following Pittsfield locations:
- 413Shirts, 1595 East Street
- All-Ways Moving & Storage Co., 241 West Housatonic Street
- Barrington Stage Company’s Wolfson Center, 122 North Street
- Berkshire Art Center, 141 North Street
- Berkshire Community Action Council, Inc., 1531 East Street
- Berkshire County ARC Main Office, 395 South Street
- Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority, 1 Fenn Street
- Berkshire Family YMCA, 292 North Street
- Berkshire Theatre Group (Colonial Theatre), 111 South Street
- Berkshire United Way, 200 South Street
- BFAIR, 39 Willis Street
- City Hall, 70 Allen Street
- CT Management at the Clock Tower, 75 South Church Street
- Deidre’s Special Day, 2 South Street
- Dory & Ginger, 299 North Street
- Guidewire, Inc., 34 Depot Street
- Guidewire, Inc. Solutions, 1450 West Housatonic Street
- Hillcrest Educational, 788 South Street
- Holiday Inn, 1 West Street
- Living in Recovery, 75 North Street (McKay St. entrance)
- Mana Crypt Gaming Center, 139 West Housatonic Street
- Museum Facsimiles Outlet Store, 31 South Street
- Peace Train Tees, 2 South Street
- ServiceNet, 141 North Street
- Soma’s Aromas, 81 East Street
- This & That Sports, 128 Fenn Street
- Witch Slapped, 78 North Street
For more information, contact Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. at 413-443-6501.
