by Mark G. Auerbach
Berkshire Theatre Critics Association Announces Nominees for 2018 Awards
The Berkshire Theatre Critics Association has announced the nominees for the Third Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards, affectionately called “The Berkies”. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony, November 12, at the Zion Lutheran Church, in Pittsfield, MA. The event is free but advance reservations are required, by calling: 413-822-7384
Nominations were sought from all 27 members of the Association (myself among them) and the diversity of results have led to a final list of nominees including artists from 13 theatre companies’ productions that opened between October 15, 2017 and September 30, 2018 in theaters in Berkshire County, Columbia County, southern Vermont, northern Connecticut, and the New York Capital District . The final vote will produce 21 winners out of 82 nominee finalists. A complete list of award categories and nominees is listed at http://berkshirecritics.org/index.htm
Postmodern Jukebox
Postmodern Jukebox Swings into Great Barrington
Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ) will perform on November 2 at Great Barrington’s Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Founded by pianist and arranger Scott Bradlee in 2009, the large ensemble re-imagines contemporary pop, rock, and R&B hits in the style of various yesteryears, from swing to doo-wop, ragtime to Motown—or, as Bradlee himself puts it, “pop music in a time machine.” The band parlayed a series of YouTube videos shot in Bradlee’s Queens living room into massive success, accruing over one billion YouTube views, 3.6 million subscribers, and more than 1.8 million fans on Facebook.
PMJ has performed on Good Morning America, topped iTunes and Billboard charts, caught the attention of NPR Music and NBC News, and played hundreds of shows to sold-out houses around the world. For those who only know PMJ from their time-warping videos, the live show is an experience on a whole other level. It’s a Roaring 20s party that would make the Great Gatsby proud, mixed with a swinging 60s night with the Rat Pack, spiced up with a little Motor City soul, and some classic sock hop rockin’ that gets the audiences twisting or twerking the night away—depending on what era their mood is in.
For details: 413-528-0100 or www.mahaiwe.org
Springfield Symphony Orchestra Announces New Longmeadow Chamber Music Series
Nadine Shank, Springfield Symphony pianist
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra relaunches a chamber music series in Longmeadow at a new venue, Twin Hills Country Club. The three-concert Sunday afternoon series offers canapes an cash bar before the concerts, and an after-concert reception.with the musicians.
The series premieres on November 11, featuring music by women composers performed by an all-women ensemble. The ensemble includes Kirsten Lipkins on oboe, SSO Second Flutist, Ellen Redman, SSO Principal Pianist, Nadine Shank, SSO Second Clarinet, Lynn Sussman, and SSO Second Violist, Delores Thayer. The program will feature compositions by Marion Bauer, Rebecca Clark, Clara Shuman, local composer Karen Tarlow, Gwyneth Walker, and Yuko Uébayashi. The SSO Percussion Trio perform an inventive repertoire of original works and classical compositions transcribed for percussion, on January 13. The final concert of the series on Sunday, April 14 will feature the SSO Brass Ensemble.. For details: 413-733-2291 or www.SpringfieldSymphony.org.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach from Selected Shorts
Keep in Mind
Arts Beat Radio airs every Friday at 8AM, on 89.5fm/WSKB. On November 9, Peter Bergman and Gail Burns preview “The Berkies, also known as the Berkshire Theatre Critics Awards, and internationally known singer Storm Large joins us to talk about her current tour, which plays Amherst this holiday season. Start your weekend with ArtsBeat Radio. Tune in live on the airwaves, on Comcast ch. 15, or www.wskb.org
Selected Shorts, the hit public radio series, comes to the UMass Fine Arts Center Concert Hall on November 9 with an evening of funny, surreal, moving, and romantic tales dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community. The show is hosted by Valorie Curry with performances by Curry, Amherst-native Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Becca Blackwell. Ebon Moss-Bachrach is currently shooting season one of AMC’s new one-hour series NOS4A2 and is known for his recent television series roles on HBO’s Girls and Netflix/Marvel’s The Punisher.For details: 413-545-2511, 800-999-UMAS, or www.fineartscenter.com/shorts
Yumi Kurosawa
Yumi Kurosawa brings the evocative sounds of the koto, the national instrument of Japan, to UMass/Amherst’s Bowker Auditorium on November 8. Her program includes a diverse sampler of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, movements by Japanese classical composer Kengyo Yatsuhashi, and her spell-binding original pieces. For details: 413- 545-2511, 800-999-UMAS, or www.fineartscenter.com/Kurosawa
The UMass/ Amherst Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Morihiko Nakahara performs a Homecoming Weekend concert, November 2 in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall. The program includes Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 From The New world and Michael Dougherty’s Trail of Tears. For details: 413-545-2511 or www.fineartcenter.com.
Carolyn Kuan, Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Jane Shauck
Appalachian Awakening opens the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s innovative Intermix Series, November 8 at Upward Hartford. Maestra Carolyn Kuan conducts members of the HSO performing Mazzoli’s Still Life with Avalanche and Copland’s Suite from Appalachian Spring. For details: 860-987-5900 or www.hartfordsymphony.org.
O Beautiful, Theresa Rebeck’s satirical mash-up of contemporary issues in the frame of American history, is the all production at Westfield State University’s Theatre Arts Program, with performances November 14-17 at the Ely Studio Theatre on campus. The fiercely funny story explores the lives of high school students, teachers, and their families as they cope with real personal problems and extremist ideological rhetoric so heated that the likes of Jesus, Joan of Arc, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin, among others, show up to weigh in. Eric Parness directs. WAM Theatre’s Juliana von Haubrich designs the sets. For details: www.westfield.ma.edu/theatre
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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. Mark produces and hosts ArtsBeat Radio for 89.5fm/WSKB.
