Monte Belmonte Wines: A toast to 50 years of the Valley Advocate
By MONTE BELMONTE For the Advocate The 50 year anniversary edition of the Valley Advocate? Wow. I’m honored to be in it! My first recollection of picking up the Advocate was back in 2002, when this future wine columnist was only three years into his (legal) drinking...
Monte Belmonte Wines: The wines that have gotten us this far
My decision, early-pandemic, to only drink during the latter half of each week and to not spend the pandemic in my cups, was a good one.
The V-Spot: What do I do with this dick pic?
A dick pic is not just a picture of a body part. It’s a larger culture of sexual domination, entitlement, and violation all wrapped up into one, easily-photographable object.
Letter from Our Publisher: We’re coming back bi monthly in 2021
Dear Readers, The Valley Advocate has always been, and will continue to be, a voice for our community. We are committed to make a conscious effort to spotlight voices that are marginalized and provide a platform to say what needs to be said. I believe we understand...
Stagestruck: But Is It Theater? – The Year in Zoom
Does theater, by definition, require an audience’s physical presence in a shared space with live actors? Can we call it “theater” if we’re not in a theater? These questions have been jostling in my head all this dark year.
Stagestruck: A Woke Thanksgiving
The Thanksgiving Play, by Larisa FastHorse, is a sharp-edged satire on well-intentioned but misguided attempts at telling the “real” Thanksgiving story. It was among last season’s most-produced American plays. And it’s one of the funniest I’ve encountered in years.
Stagestruck: Halloween & Other Horror Shows
It’s the time of year for werewolves and witches, costumes and candy – and, in this especially bloodcurdling season, tricks and Trump – so this weekend area theaters are offering an autumn harvest of howls and horror.
Stagestruck: Immersion By Proxy
You approach the theater, open the stage door, and step back in time. You’re in STAGEHAND, the latest immersive theater experience cooked up by John Bechtold and Eggtooth Productions.
Stagestruck: Roe in the Balance
Just as the U.S. Senate is poised to confirm a “pro-life” justice to the Supreme Court, where abortion rights hang in the balance, WAM Theatre is poised to launch a play about Roe v. Wade.
A Movement’s Moment: How Springfield is responding to a scathing DOJ report
Across Court Square in the city of Springfield the words, “BLACK LIVES MATTER,” are painted on Court Street in 20-foot-tall, bright yellow letters — a powerful symbol of a movement that has taken on a new urgency nationally and in our own backyard in this chaotic year...
Changes in policing under way in other communities
Meanwhile, activist groups across the Pioneer Valley such as “413 Stay Woke, Stay Active,” have been calling on cities and towns to make reforms, whether by divesting funds from police departments or finding new alternatives to existing systems entrenched in systemic racism.
Sessions
Check out our most recent performances in the playlist below, or click here to dig into interviews and related material!No Results Found
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Big Sav on the Valley Advocate Sessions Stage
Auto-biographical rap that turns the pains of life into music.
The V-Spot: Why Can’t I Have Sex Without Drinking?
When someone has experienced sexual trauma as you have, our brains and bodies can put up barricades to potentially triggering situations like sex to protect us. But sometimes these barriers can also block up other things we would like to enjoy — like sex with our partners!
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Stagestruck: New Kid on the Block
There’s a new theater company in the Valley, with a kick-ass name and no less a purpose than helping to “undo established hierarchical structures and their attendant damage.” It’s called Strident Theatre, and its vociferous founder is actor/director/playwright Susanna Apgar.











