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Main Street Stage Announces Auditions for Romeo & Juliet"

North Adams, MA - Main Street Stage, located at 57 Main Street, North Adams, announces  today an open casting call for their summer production of William  Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET.  Auditions are Saturday May 31 and  Sunday June 1.

The production is directed by Melissa Quirk and will run weekends in  August with a special performance of "SHAKESPEARE AT THE POND" in  beautiful Windsor Lake Park, North Adams.

Auditions for the roles of ROMEO or JULIET are from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m  on Saturday May 31.  All other roles will be auditioned from 12 p.m.  to 4 p.m. Saturday May 31 and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday June 1.

For more information please contact Alexia Trainor at 413-652-5282 or lex@mainstreetstage.org.

Main Street Stage is a non profit theatre company committed to theatre  that delves into the human condition with pluck and mettle.  We strive  to create a community that fosters young artists and nurtures an  atmosphere where artistic impulses are respected, coaxed and acted upon.

MASS MoCA Opening Memorial Day Weekend

North Adams, MA - MASS MoCA, 87 Marshall Street, prepares for the Memorial Day weekend opening of the exhibit, Badlands: New Horizons in Landscape exhibit, as well as a performance by Son Volt. Call 413-662-2111

Original Playwright, Choreography, and Artist Festival May 17

North Adams, MA - Northern Berkshire Creative Arts and Minerva Stage present the revival of the Original Playwright, Choreography, and Artist Festival, a one-day festival of Northern Berkshire student-written, produced, and performed works of art. A free public performance will be held at Main Street Stage, in downtown North Adams on May 17, at 2:00 PM.

1753 House Frontiersman in Williamstown May 18

Williamstown, MA - A special feature of the Williamstown House of Local History House Tour on Sunday, May 18, will be the appearance of Dwight Kelly as an historic interpreter at The 1753 House on Field Park.

A high school senior from South Lee, MA, Kelly spent last July at the 1753 House as a re-enactor. On Sunday he will demonstrate the use of 18th century tools and building techniques, and explain the daily life of Williamstown’s earliest European inhabitants.

The 1753 House is a replica of the “Regulation House” early settlers had to build in order to lay claim to their land.  It was built in 1953, as part of Williamstown’s Bicentennial Celebration, using authentic 18th century tools and building techniques.  It sits on Field Park, at the northern junction of Routes. 7 & 2 in Williamstown, MA, in between the Milne Public Library and the Williams Inn.

This year’s Historic House Tour celebrates the architecture of the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries with the seven private homes, in addition to the 1753 House, open to the public Sunday, May 18 from 1-5 pm.  The tour is open to adults and children over 12.

Tickets to the Historic House Tour are $20 per person in advance, available at the House of Local History, Williams Inn, Wild Oats, Where’d You Get That?!?, The Store at Five Corners, and Shear Creations.  To protect the houses as you pass through them, you are requested not to bring pets, food, drinks, or cameras inside.

Tickets for WHLH members are only $18 per person.  Inquire about becoming a member when you purchase your tickets.

On the day of the tour tickets are $25 per person available at the House of Local History, or, if you pay by personal check, at each home on the tour. For more information call 413-458-2160 or e-mail whlh1753@roadrunner.com

Fifth Generation Guggenheim to Speak at The Clark May 18

Williamstown, MA - Peter Lawson-Johnston, a member of the Guggenheim family's fifth generation, will discuss his memoir Growing Up Guggenheim on Sunday, May 18, at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. This free lecture begins at 3 pm. Following the lecture, Lawson-Johnston will be available to sign copies of his book.

As the board president of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation from 1969 to 1995, Lawson-Johnston oversaw the transformation of the renowned museum from a local New York institution to a global art venture. His personal memoir includes intimate portraits of the five people principally responsible for the Guggenheim art legacy. Walter Cronkite described Growing Up Guggenheim as "a 'can't put it down' book of extraordinary and surprising revelations by a Guggenheim about the private lives of that fabulous and opulent family."

In addition to first-hand biographical accounts of his grandfather Solomon Guggenheim (the museum's founder), his cousin Harry (Solomon's successor), and his famously rebellious cousin Peggy (whose magnificent Venice art collection he helped bring under New York Guggenheim management), Lawson-Johnston tells the stories of long-time museum director Thomas Messer, who initiated the bold
expansion of Frank Lloyd Wright's original museum building, and current director Thomas Krens, whose controversial tenure has featured such innovations as the Guggenheim's wildly successful first international outpost in Bilbao, Spain, and exhibits devoted to fashion and motorcycles.

Mill City Productions to Hold Monthly Play Readings

North Adams, MA - Mill City Productions, a North Adams based community theatre will be holding a monthly play reading series, starting Thursday, May 22nd with a dramatic reading of the Agatha Christie mystery, “The Mousetrap”. Each month, a different play will be chosen and read by various actors from the community. The readings will take place at Mill City’s new home at Building 4 (next to the Visitor’s Center) in the Western Gateway Heritage State Park in North Adams. Please park in either the Northeast lot (near NBCTC) or in the Son’s of Italy lot. Admission is $3. Tickets will be available at the door.

Christie’s “The Mousetrap” is known for having the longest initial run of any play in the world, with over 23,000 performances since beginning its run in the West End of London in 1952. The story is about a young couple who have started up a new hotel in the converted Monkswell Manor. They are snowed in together with four guests and an additional traveller, who ran his car into a snowdrift. A detective arrives on skis to inform the group that he believes a murderer is on his way to the hotel, following the death of a woman in London. When one of the guests is killed, they realize the murderer is already there. Although the suspicion falls first on one of the guests, it quickly transpires that the killer could be any one of the guests, or even the hosts themselves.

Mill City Productions is a non-profit, community-based, multigenerational collaborative focused on creating an outlet for expression and education for theatrical veterans and novices alike. To obtain more information about Mill City or to join their mailing list, please visit www.millcityproductions.org .

NB Creative Arts Seeks Donations to Moving Art Tag Sale

North Adams, MA - Northern Berkshire Creative Arts is seeking donations of Art objects in good condition, including: paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculptures, tapestries, weavings, quality ceramics, and art posters for their May 24 Moving Art Tag Sale to benefit NBCA programs for children.

Drop off: week of May 12, Monday through Friday, 3 - 5:30 pm. All donations are tax deductible.

The Moving Art Tag Sale will be held Saturday, May 24, from 9am to 3pm

For more information: 413-663-8338 or rdewitt@nbcreativearts.org

NBCA Offers Workshop in Handmade Paper Jewelry

North Adams, MA - Northern Berkshire Creative Arts is offering a teen/adult workshop on Wearable Art: Handmade Paper Jewelry taught by Robin Brickman on Sunday, May 18,  from 2pm to 4pm. Tuition is $45.

Using sculpted paper techniques, participants will make paper jewelry inspired by nature. Robin Brickman, an award-winning illustrator of children's picture books, will lead the group in creating an attractive handmade paper sculpture. Appropriate for adults and teenagers. (Ages 13 and up; ages 11 and 12 are welcome if accompanied by an adult). To register, print out a registration form or call the office at 413-663-8338.

"Talking With..." To Be Presented at Main Street Stage

NORTH ADAMS –TALKING WITH by Jane Martin will be performed at Main Street Stage, 57 Main Street, North Adams

Produced by Melissa Quirk, this cast features many of the talented  members from the Town Players’ production held at BCC in March.  Back  by popular demand, the production has been remounted and restaged to  suit the new space at Main Street Stage.

TALKING WITH is a series of stories about individuals:  an actress  just moments before the curtain rises, a housewife fantasizing about  life in Oz, a disillusioned rodeo rider, a daughter mourning the loss 
of her mother, a snake handler, a champion baton twirler, a woman who  finds redemption through body art, and an elderly woman simply looking  for a peaceful place to rest.  Each story is richly entertaining and  cleverly written.  One finds humanity, humor and depth in each piece.

As a collection, TALKING WITH is the story of Everywoman.  It includes tales of faith, disillusionment, dreams and redemption.  There truly  is a little something for everyone.

TALKING WITH  performs at Main Street Stage, 57 Main Street, North Adams, on May 23rd, 24th, 30th, and 31st at 8pm.  Tickets may be  reserved by calling 663-3240.  Ticket prices:  $15 adult; $10 students/
senior citizens.

Williamstown Youth Perform with Shakespeare & Young Company May 10 & 11

Shakespeare & Young Company Brings Passion, Poetry and Laughter to Founders’ Theatre
Two Performances only!
May 10 & 11 at 7:30 pm

{70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA}—Shakespeare & Young Company, some of the youngest members of Shakespeare & Company, light up Founders’ Theatre with the 8th annual Spring Session performances. Offerings include two different vignettes for each day with Saturday May 10th featuring: Marina and The Law; and Sunday, May 11th featuring Brave New World and Denmark. All are performed by the 16-20 year-old participants with scenes compiled from excerpts from Shakespeare’s classic tales.

The cast of Brave New World & Denmark, which will be presented on Sunday, May 11 at 7:30 pm features many Williamstown youth: Owen Barnett-Mulligan, grandson of Vince & Barbara Barnett; Christopher Densmore, son of Bill Densmore & Betsy Johnson; Lizzie Fox, daughter of Charles Fox and Robin Lehleitner; Megan Hiley, daughter of Ray & Lisa Hiley; Isabel Kaufman, daughter of Jill Bouton; and Sam Shuker-Haines, son of Franny and Tim Shuker-Haines.

The Spring Session of S&YCo runs for 13 weeks and is an after-school program modeled on the Summer Session of Shakespeare & Young Company, founded in 1991. Headed by Youth Programs Director Jonathan Croy and co-directed with Company actor Michael F. Toomey, Shakespeare scenes for the Spring Session of S&YCo include excerpts from Pericles, The Merchant of Venice, The Tempest and Hamlet. Marina follows her story from Pericles, Brave New World is a distillation of The Tempest, Denmark explores the tragedy of Hamlet, and The Law is a compilation of Shakespeare scenes revolving around justice.

Past participants have continued to train with the Company, performing in Mainstage productions and participating in the Summer Training Institute and directing in the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. Lydia Barnett-Mulligan, granddaughter of Vince & Barbara Barnett, appeared in The Servant of Two Masters on the Rose Footprint in 2006 and Meg O’Connor, daughter of John & Margy O’Connor, who participated in the first year of SY&Co is now the Director of S&YCo.

S&YCo performances are at 7:30 pm with tickets available for $12 for adults and $8 for students. Please call the Box Office at (413) 637-3353 or visit the Shakespeare & Company website at www.shakespeare.org for information and to reserve your tickets.