Theater Matters with Jarice Hanson: Berkshires close an outstanding theatrical season: Signs of rich regional productions ahead
By Jarice Hanson For the Valley Advocate While the Berkshire Theatre Critics’ Association will be doling out the “Berkies” for outstanding performances and productions early next month, three of the major Berkshire theater anchors are concluding the 2025 summer season...
Women’s history told through clothing: Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club to host ‘Real Clothes, Real Lives: 200 Years of What Women Wore’ author, April 9
By MADISON SCHOFIELD Staff Writer The Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club is celebrating its 100th birthday this spring, and will kick off its centennial speaker series with a talk on the history of women’s clothing with Northampton author Kiki Smith on April 9 at the...
‘His notes will linger forever’: Remembering Young@Heart accordionist and Springfield College professor Chris Haynes
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer Chris Haynes, longtime accordionist for the Young@Heart Chorus and associate professor emeritus of music at Springfield College, died on Wednesday, March 12. “Chris was somebody who really cared about people, really made sure they were...
Macbeth, up close and personal: Second annual Montague Shakespeare Festival puts a new spin on the ‘psychological dark power drama’
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer By the pricking of my thumbs, “Macbeth” to Franklin County comes! Montague Shakespeare Festival’s production of “Macbeth” will run the weekends of March 28 to 30 and April 4 to 6 at Shea Theater in Turners Falls. The famous Shakespeare...
She’s every woman: Meet the western Mass chapter of the International Order of Mrs. Ropers
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer A character from the 1970s/1980s sitcom “Three’s Company” is bringing people in western Mass (and beyond) together for fun and good vibes. The sitcom, which ran on ABC from 1977 to 1984, was about three roommates (Janet, Chrissy and Jack)...
What is possible when you get to the root?: The peer-run Wildflower Alliance redefines mental health care, leaves the system in the dust
By Melissa Karen Sances For the Valley Advocate Her phone pinged and a grey bubble rose to the surface: “Are you ready to come back?” The answer was supposed to be yes. She should return and recover. All she had to do was find the right cocktail, her doctor had said,...
Theater Matters with Jarice Hanson: Finding comfort in being together: Local productions inspire hope and unity
By Jarice Hanson For the Valley Advocate If we’ve learned anything since the Inauguration of the current President, it’s that chaos can make you feel hopeless and helpless. But in such trying times, theater and the ability to join together for a common goal can be...
Monte Belmonte Wines: Cheers to DEI: Must-try wines from Black winemakers, both at home and abroad
By Monte Belmonte For the Valley Advocate Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. The leader of the free world is working diligently to rid the USA of DEI. And many organizations, large and small, public and private, are either obediently heeding our leader’s directives, or...
Vinyl addict since 1984: A review of two vinyls: J Prozac’s “Obsession” and Oh He Dead’s “Ugly”
By Jennifer Levesque For the Valley Advocate After a show in Rhode Island, I once told Thom Yorke (Radiohead, The Smile) that he was my antidepressant. “Good. I’m easier to come off on,” he said, then paused and smirked, “Oh that didn’t come out good, if you know what...
Passionate on and off the bandstand: Jazz community mourns the loss of bassist George Kaye
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer Jazz bassist George Kaye, longtime member of the Valley’s Green Street Trio, died on Monday, Feb. 10, at the age of 73 after a period of failing health. “He was a very deeply caring person,” said Ruth Griggs, president of the Northampton...
Video killed the streaming subscription: Visions Video opening next month in Northampton with thousands of titles to rent
By CAROLYN BROWN Staff Writer A new video store is coming to downtown Northampton. That’s right — a video store, in 2025! Visions Video is slated to open at 183 Main St. (in the former location of Spill The Tea Sis Apothecary) in mid-March. The volunteer-run store...
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Curated for your viewing and listening pleasure: Amherst Cinema presents Sound & Vision series through Sept. 18
By SCOTT MERZBACH Staff Writer A documentary profiling Swing-era clarinetist Artie Shaw, a musical comedy featuring 1960s-pop band The Monkees and one of African cinema’s first musicals are among this year’s selections in an annual summer celebration of music culture...
Best of V-Spot: Help! My boyfriend hates my vagina
He doesn’t seem to have much of an interest in my vagina — and my vagina, in my mind, is kinda the main thing that makes me a female sexual being.
Staff Picks: Lookstock, Have a Seat Cabrito, Ashfield Lakehouse, and The Waifs
The True Jacqueline, Hot Dirt, and Brief Irmen // SATURDAY Some of the Valley’s best local bands are set to play the Ashfield Lakehouse this Saturday. There’s alternative/ noise rock band The True Jacqueline as well as Hot Dirt, which combines progressive and math...
Beerhunter: Hartford Beer Fans, Take Heart
Our intrepid Beerhunter heads to northern Connecticut to sample the brewery culture at Hog River Brewing Co., Hanging Hills Brewing Company, Thomas Hooker Brewery, and Powder Hollow Brewery.
Stagestruck: Curtains Going Up, Rains Coming Down – Theaters reopen as summer dries off
With most of the area theaters that reopened this summer performing outdoors because of Covid restrictions, fully half the performances I was scheduled to attend were interrupted or cancelled outright by the weather.
