by Mark G. Auerbach
New Seasons Annouced
Silverthorne Theater Company returns to the Sloan Theater at Greenfield Community College for its 2016 Summer Season with a slate of three shows: Moliere’s classic farce The Miser (June 23-July 2); Lee Blessing’s drama Two Rooms (July 14-23). and Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of Henry James’ The Turn of The Screw (July 28-August 6). According to Artistic Director Lucinda Kidder, the season will honor the late actor Steve Tower. For details: 413-768-7514 or www. silverthornetheater.org.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra 2016-17 season kicks off with an all-Tchaikovsky program.(September 24), followed by a
Kevin Rhodes, Springfield Symphony Maestro. Photo by John Robert Williams.
program showcasing Brahms and Bruckner (November 19), both conducted by Maestro Kevin Rhodes. Music by Mozart and Beethoven highlight the first concert of the New Year (January 21), followed by an opera gala An Ode to Leontyne Price (February 18). Starring Othalie Graham, and conducted by
Othalie Graham stars in the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s salute to Leontyne Price.
Maestro Rhodes, the program features music from Aida, Salome, Tosca, and Antony and Cleopatra. Music inspired by Scotland, conducted by Maestro Rhodes, features violinist Yevegny Kutik (March 11). On April 8, Rhodes and company perform “Nights in the Garden s of Spain, with music of Liszt, Saint-Saens, De Falla, and Rimsky Korsakov. The classical season wraps with Beethoven’s Ninth (April 29) On the Pops line-up, the Springfield Symphony’s Holiday Extravaganza, with Nicholas Palmer conducting, lights up Symphony Hall on December 3. The Irish Tenors perform with the Orchestra on March 5. Video Games Live, a multi-media pops designed by Mystical Ston Entertainment and Tommy Talarico wraps the pops on May 13. For details: 413-733-2291 or www.springfieldsymphony.org.
New Way to Get Tickets
TodayTix, the folks behind a new app that lets theatregoers buy last minute tickets for shows on their smart
The Irish Tenors headline next season’s Springfield Symphony Pops.
phones, has expanded their operation to Connecticut, just in time to launch a ticket lottery for Hartford Stage’s hot ticket, Anastasia.
TodayTix is the first and only free mobile app for iOS and Android that provides access to the best prices on last minute theater tickets, booked same-day or within a week’s time. Operating in the world’s most iconic theater markets, TodayTix secures the best discounted and full price tickets available for the most sought after shows in New York City, London’s West End, Chicago, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.
According to Hartford Stage’s marketing director David Henderson, “TodayTix created the “Ham for Ham” Hamilton lottery that’s become so famous on Broadway. We are the first to use their lottery feature in Connecticut, although Goodspeed, Westport and TheatreWorks are also using the app. There are several different ways to take advantage of the service”. For details: http://www.todaytix.com/us/nyc/
Newsmakers
Chita Rivera to receive a Goodspeed honor. Photo by Joseph Sinnott.
Chita Rivera, Broadway legend, will receive the The Goodspeed Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre, given by Goodspeed Musicals on July 11. The much-anticipated annual event saluting the best in musical theatre takes place at Priam Vineyard, in Colchester, CT. For details: contact Mary Miko at 860-873-8664, ext. 368 or [email protected]
Tommy Shea, former Republican columnist and author of Dingers: The 101 Most Memorable Home Runs in Baseball History (Sports Publishing), is one of the featured authors at the 9th annual “Are You A Bookie” on June 5 at Bay Path University in Longmeadow, MA. For details: http://www.baypath.edu/events-calendar/details/9th-annual-are-you-a-bookie-event/2016-06-05/
Road Trip
The Strolling of the Heifers (June 3-5) is a one-of-a-kind festival in Brattleboro, VT, just about an hour or so north of Springfield. There’s a parade of farm animals down Main Street, food, entertainment, and more. For details: http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com/
Keep in Mind…
Cristina Pato, Hartford Symphony bagpipe soloist.
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Carolyn Kuan conducting, closes its classical season (June 9-12 at The Bushnell) with Gershwin’s An American in Paris on a program with Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, and Golijov’s Rose of The Winds, which showcases four unique soloists: Kayhan Kalhor on kamancheh, David Krakaueron klezmer clarinet, Christina Pato on Galician bagpipe, and Michael Ward-Bergeman on accordion. For details: 860-987-5900 or www.hartfordsymphony.org.
The South Shore Trio brings From Riches To Rags: An Afternoon of Chamber Music to Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre on June 5. The program will include works by Mozart, Libby Larson, and: pianist/composer John Novacek, who recently performed the Brahms Piano Concerto with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. The South Shore Trio features: Berkshires native, Jennifer Muñiz on piano, and Northern Indiana/Chicago’s Trevor O’Riordan on clarinet, and Rudolf Haken on viola. For details: 413-997-4444, or www.berkshiretheatregroup.org
The First Annual Berkshire Dance Party and Cabaret, celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month, will be hosted by The Berkshire Theatre Group and Only In My Dreams Events, at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA on June 3. The evening features pianist Bob Shepherd, personalities such as Boxxa Vine, Angel South, Avi Munster and Philly Pino, with music spun by Berkshires’ own DJ Elixer and DJ IAMSAM.For details: 413-997-4444 or www.berkshiretheatregroup.org.
Life in the 413, an evening of original radio plays, prouced by New Century Theatre and WHMP, kicks off New Century’s 26th season on June 4 at Mendenhall Arts Center on the Smith College campus in Northampton, MA.. This year’s Co-Emcees, WHMP’s Monte Belmonte and Northampton City Council President Bill Dwight, welcome six playwrights, including New Century Theatre co-founder Jack Neary, local playwrights Phil O’Donoghue, Harley Erdman, Eric Henry Sanders, and the writing team of Hilary Price and Kelsey Flynn. Also joining this year’s group of writers is Ellen Wittlinger of Amherst, a nationally renowned Young Adult fiction writer. For details: 413-587-3933 or www.newcenturytheatre.org.
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Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
