Preview: Academy of Music, Altar Boyz

Academy of Music, Northampton, MA

www.KETG.org

March 24-27, 2022

This winner of the 2005 Outer Critics Circle Award for outstanding Best Off-Broadway Musical is a foot-stomping, rafter-raising, musical comedy about a fictitious Christian boy-band on the last night of their national 'Raise the Praise' tour. "Altar Boyz" will be performed by K and E Theatre Group.    

The Boyz are five all-singing, all-dancing heartthrobs from Ohio: Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham. With their tight harmonies and spectacular choreography, the troupe will delight  audiences. As they perform their signature hits such as 'Rhythm In Me,' 'The Calling,' and 'I Believe,' the Boyz question their loyalty to each other and ask whether or not faith is really holding them together.

Full of sharp parody, sinful dancing and irreverent humor, the musical brings an extraordinary mix of side-splitting songs, uncontrollable laughs and light-hearted fun, this award-winning and totally original musical is 9minutes of heavenly delight that is destined to rock the masses of all denominations!

The Boyz raising the praise are Dante Woods as Matthew, Michael DeVito as Mark, David Webber as Luke, Michael Luciano as Juan, and Christopher Marcus as Abraham. Bill Martin is the musical director. K and E Theater Group Artistic Director Eddie Zitka is director and choreographer.

Tickets are general admission for $27.00. There is no reserved seating.

Preview: MA Create the Vote Fellowship

A yearlong program, the Create the Vote Fellowship is a learning community for grassroots organizers focused on building advocacy, creating knowledge, and sustaining political power in Massachusetts’ arts and cultural sector. The inaugural class of Fellows is composed of nine artists and cultural leaders from across Massachusetts.

Over the next 11 months, Create the Vote Fellows will develop their grassroots organizing knowledge and strengthen their professional network through sharing, learning, networking, and mentorship. A key feature of the Fellowship will be co-designing a strategy to strengthen and support local and regional networks of arts and cultural advocates. Create the Vote Fellows will also work collaboratively with a broader coalition for arts and cultural advocates in the Commonwealth to engage votes and candidates in the 2022 statewide elections.

The Fellowship hopes that others will join in celebrating the inaugural Create the Vote Fellowship cohorts.

The Create the Vote Fellowship is generously supported by the Barr Foundation.

For further information, contact www.mass-creative.org

Preview: Ja'Duke Theatre, Nunsense: The Musical

Ja'Duke Theatre, Turners Falls, MA

www.JaDukeTheater.com

through February 27, 2022 

 

Ja’Duke Theater is proud to present "Nunsense," this year’s first musical of the highly anticipated Ja’Duke 25th Anniversary Season. The play is directed by Ja’Duke's founder Nick Wanyelovich with choreography by Eula Sagan.  "Nunsense' will be presented in the brand new, state of the art, Ja’Duke Theater.

 

"Nunsense" is a hilarious spoof about the misadventures of five nuns trying to manage a fundraiser with a supporting cast of 20 nuns, the Little Sisters of Hoboken. Sadly, the rest of the sisterhood died from botulism after eating vichyssoise prepared by Sister Julia Child of God. Thus, the remaining nuns – ballet-loving Sister Leo (Jenna DiDonato), street-wise Sister Robert Anne (Samantha Myburgh), befuddled Sister Mary Amnesia (Rachel Howe), the Mother Superior Sister Regina (Judith Dean Kulp), and mistress of the novices Sister Mary Hubert (Juniper Holmes) and the Little Sisters of Hoboken – stage a talent show in order to raise the money to bury their dearly departed.

 

Ja’Duke Theater is continuing its quest to bring laughter and joy into people's lives during these trying times. With catchy songs and irreverent comedy, Nunsense is sure to keep audiences rolling with laughter and wanting more.  After all, Nunsense is Habit Forming!

Preview: Jacob's Pillow, Festival 2022

Jacob's Pillow, Becket, MA

www.jacobspillow.org

June 2022- August, 28, 2022

Festival 2022 will feature 10 weeks of on-site programming, running June 22 through August 28.

For Festival 2022, audiences will return to the newly renovated Ted Shawn Theatre, which will reopen for the Festival in June. The Pillow’s flagship performance space, opened in 1942 as the first theater built for dance in the U.S., will have a new cooling and air ventilation system, orchestra pit, expanded accessibility for artists and audience members, an increased stage depth (by 10 ft.), and enhanced technology among other improvements. Companies will also perform on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage and at sites across the campus.

For 10 weeks of on-site programming, the renowned Jacob's Pillow has confirmed companies and engagements to perform in Festival 2022 this summer which include: America(na) to me, Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE, BODYTRAFFIC, SW!NG OUT, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Limón Dance Company, Music from the Sole, Black Grace, Taylor Stanley, Michelle N. Gibson with the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Liz Lerman, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Dance Heginbotham, and Miami City Ballet.

Jacob’s Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, recipient of the National Medal of Arts, and home to America's longest-running international dance festival, currently in the midst of its transition to becoming a year-round center for dance through a five-year strategic plan titled Vision ‘22.

For Festival 2022, audiences will return to the newly renovated Ted Shawn Theatre, which will reopen for the Festival in June. The Pillow’s flagship performance space, opened in 1942 as the first theater built for dance in the U.S., will have a new cooling and air ventilation system, orchestra pit, expanded accessibility for artists and audience members, an increased stage depth (by 10 ft.), and enhanced technology among other improvements. Companies will also perform on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage and at sites across the campus.

Preview: Pioneer Valley Writers Worksho, February Reading Nights

Pioneer Valley Writers Workshop, Northampton, MA

www.pioneervalleywriters.org

This year, the Pioneer Valley Writers Workshop will be hosting a series of February Reading Nights featuring and celebrating the talented writers of PVWW's 2021/22 Year-Long Manuscript Program, reading and/or sharing from their book-length manuscripts they've been working on all year. Each Reading Night will feature the writers of two separate year-long workshops; reading or sharing for a few minutes each. All readings are free and open to the wider community.

Here are just some of the activities:

Saturday, February 5 (4 - 5:30pm)

Novel Revision & Short Story Workshops. Instructors are Kate Senecal & Sara Rauch

Sunday, February 6 (4 - 5:30pm)

Nonfiction & Poetry/Hybrid Workshops Instructor: Carolyn Zaikowski

Saturday, February 12 (4 - 5:30pm)

Novel (First Draft) Workshops (Instructor: Kate Senecal)

One-Day Craft Classes/Seminars include:

Jumpstart Your Memoir with Celia Jeffrie

Writing the Novella with Olivia Kate Cerrone (3 hours)

Multi-Week Workshops: Memory & Desire: Poetry of Midlife with Gail Thomas (4 weeks) 

Writing Toward Wildness: A Non-Linear Approach to Memoir with Arya Samuelson (8 weeks) 

REVIEW: Playhouse on Park, Five Guys Named Moe

Playhouse on Park, West Hartford, CT
www.playhouseonpark.org
through February 27, 2022
By Stuart W. Gamble
 
Sometimes thinly plotted music revues can be just okay. Playhouse on Park's production of "Five Guys Named Moe" does not fit that description. This production, both directed and choreographed, by Brittney Griffen is simply wonderful. Full of lively, upbeat, charming tunes sung, danced, and acted by a fabulous ensemble cast, POP's current production is a surefire antidote to the winter blues and COVID-related dread.

Clark Peters’ musical features the greatest hits of composer Louis Jordan. The story begins with Nomax (Marcus Canada) sitting alone by a vintage radio with a bottle of scotch on hand, singing the bluesy “It’s Early in the Morning”. Troubled by romantic angst, Nomax is suddenly visited by Five guys named Moe, who are seen from behind a sheer curtain, also revealing a music ensemble of top-notch musicians on percussion, piano/keyboard, trumpet, bass, reeds, and trombone.

"The Five Guys..." includes Eat Moe (Arnold Harper), Four-Eyed Moe (Jacquez Linder-Long), Big Moe (Darren Lorenzo), Little Moe (Devin Price),  and No Moe (Josh Walker). These extremely talented actors/singers/dancers work beautifully together. Their timing (both musical and comedic) is seamless, moving from banter of songs to fancy foot work. Kudos to the guys in what is a fine display of a truly ensemble performance. Although Canada has the less flashy role, his pitch-perfect tenor resonates the central character’s emotional dilemmas.

The score’s 25 songs, which are utilized to try to persuade Canada's character Nomax into changing his bad habits (mainly drinking and smoking to excess), are all finely sung by the superb cast. Personal favorites are “I Like ‘em Fat Like That” featuring all the Moes, the call-and-response “Caledonia” led by Lorenzo, and the Act I closer and sing-along Calypso “Push Ka Pi Shi Pie”. Most impressive is Harper’s hilarious “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” (complete with plumage) and his utterly heart-rending solo “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying” sung in a sparse Paris Café designed by James F. Rotondo III.

"Five Guys...s" is a breath of theatrical fresh air. The music (fine work by Music Director Dexter Pettaway Sr.) and performances are ably supported by Vilinda McGregor’s period costumes (especially the sequined blue jackets) and Marcella Barbeau’s mood-enhancing lighting design). "Five Guys..." reminds us of the monumental contributions of African-American musicians and performers, as we celebrate Black History Month in February.

Project Proposals: Public Art at the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA)

Two public art opportunities are currently in circulation across MA. 

The graphics and social media toolkits for both the Making it Public free course for artists seek skills in working with municipalities to respond to Calls for Public Art, and Newell Flather Award for Leadership in public art that offers $5,000 of unrestricted funds to two publicly nominated public art leaders.

Share the above information with artists, and public art leaders in your networks in whatever ways are most accessible.

Any questions, contact:

Kamaria Carrington, NEFA

1000 Washington St., 2nd Floor

Boston, MA 02118 or 

kcarrington@nefa.org

617-865-1837

www.nefa.org