Stagestruck: Two Great Ladies on Noah’s Ark
My partner, a literature professor, has noted a principle in both scholarship and fiction that she calls the Noah’s Ark Approach: If you want to get attention for your female subject, pair her with a famous man. Two new plays in Berkshire theaters illustrate that rule.
Stagestruck: The Weather, the Union, and Othello
I had a theater-going “double feature” planned for last Saturday – two outdoor shows in a row from adventurous Berkshire-based companies. But those plans were disturbed by two irresistible forces: Nature and Actors’ Equity Association.
Stagestruck: A Shaky Shakespeare
Shakespeare & Company’s King Lear, the first show to open on its Lenox campus in a year and a half, marks another return of live theater after the long intermission. It’s also the inaugural production in the troupe’s new outdoor amphitheater, a handsome addition to the company’s stages that brings its history full circle. So it’s especially disappointing to report that this production falls so short of anticipation.
Stagestruck: Dancing on a Soggy Pillow
Necessity, that inventive parent, has stimulated some ingenious programming at Jacob’s Pillow, including a mix of live and online shows, starting with perennial favorite Dorrance Dance, a company that has pushed the boundaries of tap.
11 U.S. mayors commit to develop reparations pilot projects
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eleven U.S. mayors — from Los Angeles to tiny Tullahassee, Oklahoma — have pledged to pay reparations for slavery to a small group of Black residents in their cities, saying their aim is to set an example for the federal government on how a...
Currently Open Local Dispensaries
Amherst1 Rise Holdings 169 Meadow St.Hours: Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.Phone: 413-825-9770Website: risecannabis.com/Products: Offers medical and recreational marijuana. 2 Mass Alternative Care Inc. 55 University...
Calendar of events
Northampton Summer Park Series ready to rollNORTHAMPTON — For the sixth year, the Northampton Arts Council will host its Northampton Summer Park Series, live music and dancing throughout the summer in Pulaski Park downtown. Admission is free. The concerts continue a...
Road trip yields fresh perspectives: New summer exhibits on view at MASS MoCA and The Clark
Summer’s here — how about a road trip? With a wealth of new exhibits on display, MASS MoCA in North Adams and The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown have a lot to offer in the northern corner of Berkshire County, either for a long day trip or over a weekend. Here’s a...
‘The Horn Man’ sounds again: New exhibit at Springfield Museums celebrates the legacy of Charles Neville
When Charles Neville died in 2018, many mourned the passing of a superbly talented musician who not only played in a variety of styles but who by all accounts was unfailingly generous about sharing his music with fellow players and fans alike.And Neville, a...
Stagestruck with Chris Rohmann: Curtain (or tent pole) Up! as summer theaters reopen
Sometimes in the course of the past year I despaired of ever again hearing that mantra of curtain speeches in the cyber-era: “Please silence your cellphones.” But in late June it happened, as three western Mass companies greeted live audiences with live performances,...
Righting past wrongs:
It’s a difficult conversation to bring up. It’s a public discourse that some have devoted a large portion of their lives trying to initiate in order to bring about societal change. It’s a conversation that is hundreds of years old. It’s about the 400-year history of...
Sessions
Check out our most recent performances in the playlist below, or click here to dig into interviews and related material!
O Cannabis: Finding Your Perfect Dose
Discovering your ideal cannabis dose can be tricky.
Happenings in the Valley
Our online calendar has listings from organizations across the country hosting virtual events, but we’ve chosen to highlight some from local venues and groups.
The V-Spot with Yana Tallon-Hicks: How do I prepare for first-time sex?
By Yana Tallon-Hicks I recently began a new relationship and am something of a late bloomer (I’m in my mid-20s), so I have very little actual experience when it comes to physical intimacy with a partner. My boyfriend and I have discussed it a bit, and he’s very...
Staff Picks: Loudon Wainwright III, Valley Voices Story Slam, 13th Floor Music Lounge show, and Irish music
There are few songwriters who have raided their family history as much as Loudon Wainwright III — and even fewer who have done it as successfully.
The Beerhunter: Local Breweries Adapt to a New, Locked-Down World
This article was supposed to be about gathering in large groups.
Stagestruck: Two Great Ladies on Noah’s Ark
My partner, a literature professor, has noted a principle in both scholarship and fiction that she calls the Noah’s Ark Approach: If you want to get attention for your female subject, pair her with a famous man. Two new plays in Berkshire theaters illustrate that rule.
