Cultural Pittsfield This Week: Feb. 8-14
 |
||
 |
Friday-Monday: Live Action Shorts at Little Cinema Berkshire Museum's Little Cinema is screening Oscar-nominated live action shorts this weekend. They are Asad, directed by Bryan Buckley; Buzkashi Boys, directed by Sam French; Curfew, directed by Shawn Christensen; Death of a Shadow, directed by Tom Van Avermaet; and Henry, Directed by Yan England. Friday-Monday, February 8-11 | Fri-Sun 7pm Mon 1:30pm & 7pm | Little Cinema at the Berkshire Museum | 39 South Street | 413-443-7171 | $5 |
|
|
|
||
 |
Friday: Hip Hop Night at Chameleon's
Three of Berkshire County's biggest hip hop groups all on the same night on the same stage. DJ Young Champ will pack the house and heat up the club asMASS All Day, Nostalgia and The Professors get ready to rock the crowd with the livest hip hop around. |
|
|
|
||
 |
Saturday: Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery Based on her newly released book Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery, Barbara Krauthamer explores the question "what did freedom look like” using a visual narrative of more than 150 historical photographs including the Massachusetts 54th Regiment, abolitionist conventions in upstate N.Y., and Sojourner Truth. Reservations requested. Saturday, February 9 | 10am | Berkshire Museum | 39 South Street | 413-443-7171, ext. 10 | $13 adult; $6 child; Museum members & children 3 and under FREE |
|
|
|
||
 |
Saturday: Arrowhead Exhibit Opening Brunch at Salisbury Estates Join the Berkshire Historical Society at a brunch celebrating the opening of a new exhibit at Arrowhead. The exhibit The Kimball-Salisbury Women: Chicago to Tor Court ,1890-1930 features gowns worn by four different Kimball women, all of whom spent summers at Tor Court in Pittsfield. Accompanied by photographs of the amazing estate done by Edward Hale Lincoln, the exhibit explores a family prominent in Pittsfield 's Gilded Age. The opening brunch will be held at the Salisbury Estates Community Center. This property, now owned by Hillcrest Hospital , was part of the estate. The exhibit will be open at Arrowhead February 10th through March 31st. Saturday, February 9 | 11am-1pm | Salisbury Estates Community Center| 36 Tor Salisbury Court | 413-442-1793 | $45 |
|
|
|
||
 |
Saturday: Basic Applique Quilting Workshop Hancock Shaker Village offers a 3-part workshop providing basic skills in quilting for beginners and drop-in sessions for experienced quilters. Sign up for any one session or all three! Each student will start their own Shaker gift drawing block, which may be finished into a wall hanging or be the first block of a larger quilt. Our expert instructors cover fabric and color choice, cutting, placement, applique techniques and simple embroidery, as well as squaring, marking, assembly, quilting & finishing. Lunch not provided: bring a picnic lunch or enjoy our café. Saturday, February 9 | 10am-2pm | Hancock Shaker Village | 1843 West Housatonic Street |413-443-0188 | $25, $22 members |
|
|
|
||
 |
Saturday: Love Thyself Workshop with Alchemy Initiative Working with Atalanta Sunguroff of Wake Robin Botanicals, Alchemy Initiative presents a hands-on three hour workshop on how to make body care products for their beauty and relaxation. Attendees will learn to make body salt scrub, bath tea, herbal spritzer, massage oil, and foot scrub. Saturday, February 9 | 10am-1pm | TREEHOUSE Children's Boutique | 305 North Street | 413-344-4435 | $60 |
|
|
|
||
 |
Saturday: Bats: Out of the Cave & into the Night Try your hand at echolocation and see if you can survive a mock extinction as the Berkshire Museumpresents a special gallery program based on its ongoing exhibit Bats: Creatures of the Night. Silent, winged, and hairy, the only flying mammal might seem a little odd and even scary but the world would be a very different place without them. Bats protect us from insects, pollinate plants, and are fascinating inspiration for 21st century navigation. Get acquainted with these misunderstood animals. Saturday, February 9 | 11am | Berkshire Museum | 39 South Street | 413-443-7171 | $13 adult; $6 child; Museum members & children 3 and under FREE |
|
|
|
||
 |
Saturday: Contemporary Music Recital The Berkshire Music School continues to celebrate contemporary music at its fourth annual Contemporary Music Recital. Tracy Wilson, BMS Executive Director, encouraged faculty & student body to study music composed within the last 75 years, & performances of those compositions will be given by students and faculty members. Composers includeGinastera, Khachaturian, Bolcom, Post, Barber,Kabalevsky, Persichetti, Norton, Faber andVerne. Saturday, February 9 | 2pm | Berkshire Music School | Taft Recital Hall | 30 Wendell Avenue | 413-442-1411 | Freewill Donation |
|
|
|
||
 |
Saturday: Special Screening of Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters at the Beacon The BIFF REEL FRIENDS Film Society and The Beacon Cinema present a special encore screening of Ben Shapiro's Award-Winning Documentary FilmGREGORY CREWDSON: BRIEF ENCOUNTERS. The film was the closing night presentation at last year's BIFF and screened to a sold-out and enthusiastic audience at the Mahaiwe. There will be a Q&A with acclaimed photographer Gregory Crewdson immediately following the screening. Saturday, February 9 | 4:30pm | Beacon Cinema | 57 North Street | 413-358-4780 | $5 |
|
|
|
||
 |
Saturday: Opening Reception for Ansel Adams, Feininger Photography Berkshire Museum presents a joint opening reception for two special photography exhibitions:Ansel Adams: Masterworks and Nature Magnified: Photographs by Andreas Feininger. Ansel Adams: Masterworks features 48 works by Adams about two-thirds of a selection Adams made late in his life to serve as a succinct representation of his life's work; He felt these photographs were his best. Andreas Feininger photographs of shells, bones, insects and other organic objects are paired in the gallery with shells from the Museum's expansive natural science collection. Saturday, February 9 | 5pm-7pm | Berkshire Museum | 39 South Street | 413-443-7171 | Free |
|
|
|
||
|
|
Saturday: Arthur Holmes Blues Band at the Top of the Crowne The Arthur Holmes Blues Band will be rocking the top floor of the Crowne. Enjoy the great views and great live blues. The band plays Buddy Guy, BB King, Johnny Land, Jimi Hendrix, Albert Collins, and plenty of original material. Saturday, February 9 | 9pm | Top of the Crowne Plaza | 1 West Street | 413-443-7171 | $5 |
|
|
|
||
 |
Saturday: Live Music at Flavours Rebel Alliance, the Berkshires pre-eminent reggae-influenced band, rock Flavours of Malaysia this weekend. Combining the best of rock, reggae, improvisational jam and a whole host of other musical genres, Rebel Alliance is sure to get you up off your feet. For adults 21 and over. Saturday, February 9 | 9:30pm | Flavours of Malaysia | 75 North Street | 413-443-3188 | $5 |
|
|
|
||
 |
Sunday: Town Players Present Love Letters at the Lichtenstein Town Players continues its Valentine tradition by presenting a staged reading of A.R. Gurney's poignant comedy, Love Letters. This Broadway hit and Pulitzer Prize nominated play tells the story of a lawyer, Andrew Makepeace Ladd, III, and an artist, Melissa Gardner, whose lives have been entwined for more than 50 years, mainly through their letters and post cards. This performance contains strong language. Sunday, February 10 | 2pm | Lichtenstein Center for the Arts | 28 Renne Avenue | 413-443-9279 | $5 |
|
|
|
||
 |
Tuesday: Science and Innovation Fair at Berkshire Museum Berkshire Museum, in collaboration with SABICand Pittsfield Public Schools, will host the third annual Science and Innovation Fair, featuring the Taconic High School Science and Engineering Academy and the Pittsfield High School Quark Science Club. Approximately 170 Pittsfield Public High School students will exhibit more than 80 projects that demonstrate skills and concepts across a range of engineering and science disciplines. Tuesday, February 12 | 10am-9pm | Berkshire Museum | 39 South Street | 413-443-7171 | FREE |
|
|
|
||
 |
Tuesday: Chinese New Year Dinner at Flavours Bring in the year of the snake by celebrating the Chinese New Year at Flavours of Malaysia. A special buffet features appetizers, main dishes including steamed salmon, curry chicken, BBQ ribs, Cantonese stew beef, lo mein, veggie panang curry, sautéed tofu and mixed veggies, plus assorted Asian desserts. Tuesday, February 12 | Seatings 5:30pm or 7:30pm | Flavours of Malaysia | 75 North Street | 413-443-3188 | $25 (tax & tip not included) |
|
|
|
||
|
|
Tuesday: A Valentine Cabaret with Sherri Buxton at the Berkshire Athenaeum Sherri James Buxton, is an elegant interpreter of a wide range of genres from standards and show tunes to jazz, delighting audiences with her warmth, depth, versatility and flawless technique. She combines a lifelong love of melody and lyric with a highly skilled voice and beautiful stage presence. If you've heard a Sherri Buxton performance of a song, you've heard that song's definitive interpretation. Tuesday, February 12 | 7pm | Berkshire Athenaeum | 1 Wendell Avenue | 413-499-9480 | FREE |
|
|
|
||
 |
Tuesday: WXW Story Slam at y Bar Dig into the recesses of your mind and pull out a story – a true story. Work it out. Practice it. Annoy a close friend by trying it out on them and then making them listen again. The rest is in the details. Sign up for a spot online. First ten get a spot, after that we'll start a waiting list. The prompt is "winter." Your story must be true. Three minute time limit. Hosted by James Burden. Tuesday, February 12 | 8pm | Y Bar | 391 North Street | No phone | No cover |
|
|
|
||
 |
Wednesday: Grape vs Gargoyle at Mission Mission hosts a four course wine vs. beer dinner withStone Brewery to compete for the best pairing. Jeff Nelson from Stone is picking his favorite beers to pair with our menu, while Meghan Harrison will be choosing wines. Click here for the full menu. Wednesday, February 13 | 6pm | Mission Bar + Tapas | 438 North Street | No phone | $50 (includes wine or beer pairings; gratuity and tax not included) |
|
|
|
||
 |
Thursday: The 10X10 Upstreet Arts Festival Kicks Off! Opening Reception for The Teen Ten A group of students from Miss Hall's School organized an exhibit of 10 art pieces entitledThe Teen Ten as part of the 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival. The show will be displayed in Pittsfield's City Hall from February 14-22. The Teen Ten is a juried show with a twist: online voting. Anyone can vote; just CLICK HERE and make your picks. The show will be on view during working hours at City Hall. Thursday, February 14 | 4pm-6pm | City Hall | 70 Allen Street | 413-499-9348 | FREE |
|
|
|
||
 |
Thursday: WeeMuse: 10 Days of Play: A Pop-Up Adventure Play In collaboration with the 10X10 Upstreet Winter Arts Festival, the Berkshire Museum hosts a differnt kind of 10-day play festival. The Museum's Crane Room will be transformed into, well, anything your children can imagine! With the use of readily available and recyclable materials, your child can be the visionary of his or her own play environment. Presented in partnership with the Transition Team of Pittsfield and Pop-Up Adventure Play. Thursday-next Sunday, February 14-24 | Mon-Sat 11am-3pm, Sun 12pm-3pm | Berkshire Museum | 39 South Street | 413-443-7171 | $13 adult; $6 child; Museum members & children 3 and under FREE |
|
|
|
||
 |
Thursday: 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival One Billion Rising Dance Party! The Elizabeth Freeman Center, HAVEN andWAM Theatre present a dance party upstairs atSpice Dragon as part of Eve Ensler's global eventOne Billion Rising, protesting violence against women. Rise up and dance and help us kick off the10X10 Upstreet Arts Festival! Thursday, February 14 | 6pm | Spice Dragon | 297 North Street | 413-443-1234 | $10 |
|
|
|
||
 |
Thursday: BIFF Smartphone Film Festival The Berkshire International Film Festival and the Beacon Cinema team up again to participate in the 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival with theSmartphone Film Festival—a fun and growing take on the film festival scene. Each film is shot using the iPhone, iPad and various alternative cinematic 'apps' to create a desired look or effect. Experimental, action, drama and even music videos are just some of the genres that will be represented. Friday-Sunday, February 14-24 | Thurs 6:30pm, Sat 2pm | Beacon Cinema | 57 North Street | 413-358-4780 | FREE |
|
|
|
||
 |
Thursday: 10×10 New Play Festival at Barrington Stage Join Barrington Stage Company for an evening of ten 10-minute plays by 10 playwrights, featuring seven dynamite actors—playing for an extended 3-week run. Featured playwrights are John C. Davenport, Jacqueline Goldfinger (BSC's 201210×10 New Play Festival), Donna Hoke, Brett Hursey, Christopher Innvar (BSC Associate Artist), James McLindon, Martha Patterson,Craig Pospisil, Amelia Roper and Aurin Squire. Directed by Julianne Boyd, Christopher Innvar, Frank La Frazia and Kristen van Ginhoven. Thursday-Sunday, February 14-March 3 | Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm; Sat/Sun at 3pm | Sydelle & Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center | 36 Linden Street | 413-236-8888 | $20 Thurs, Sat/Sun matinees; $25 Fri/Sat nights; $15 Feb 14-15 |
|
