Weekend Outlook: Playwrights and Pro Bowlers
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The Conte Drama Team, in collaboration with the Drury Drama Team, presents "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Main Street Stage, 57 Main St., North Adams on Friday night at 8, Saturday at 2 and 6 and Sunday at 2.
"I love thee not, therefore pursue me not!" a sixth-grade boy yells to the eighth-grade girl chasing after him. While this theme of unrequited love is familiar to the hallways of any middle school, the language is perhaps not as common. But at Conte Middle School, the kids are comfortable with the Bard's language.
The students have been working since last November to create an hourlong performance of Shakespeare's comedy of romantic errors.
"At first we simply played around with the language and plot elements. The goal was for each student to understand the story of the play," said Melisssa Quirk, the sixth-grade team leader. "Once they got to know the characters, they named their top choices and I tried to match them up as best I could."
Quirk and Brooke Remington, assistant director, have worked with the students to learn various aspects of the theater. Students not only act in this production, but are also responsible for various elements of theater and stagecraft, such as management, lighting, set design and costumes. Led by Carlee Huttle and Allison Gageant, Conte seventh-graders who created many of the fairy costumes, each actor had a role in designing his/her own costumes.
Dr. Len Radin, district drama coordinator for the North Adams Public School District, said he was "delighted with how much the students own their performances."
The performances are free but seating is limited; register by e-mailing mquirk@napsk12.org.
Telling Their Stories
There's more youth performances this weekend at the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield.
<L2>The company's nationally recognized Playwright Mentoring Project uses theater as a catalyst to change negative life patterns of at-risk youth and help them develop positive self-images. Through this community-based program, teenage participants throughout Berkshire County share stories and issues from their personal lives and transform them into a play.
The culmination of the seven-month mentoring program is the annual production of the youths' work, which will be performed on Saturday at 2. Admission is free.
The theater is located at 30 Union St.; 413-499-5446, Ext. 118.
Dog Days
The Hot Dog Ranch on State Street in North Adams is donating 10 percent of the its sales for on Saturday to Children's Hospital in Boston. The fundraiser is part of the benefit run by Mark Moulton, who'll be running the Boston Marathon to raise money through Children's "Miles for Miracles" program. <R3>
Moulton is running in memory of two local children who were treated at Children's — Mitchell Dubuc and Tilly Brule — and in memory of young Caleb Jacobbe. The children's families will be at the Hot Dog Ranch during the day to speak about their experiences at Children's Hospital; there will also be raffles, door prizes and information about donations.
The "Miracles for Miles" team of about 120 runners and their families are trying to raise $1.5 million.
Hot dogs available beginning at 11 a.m.
Overcoming Challenges
The 11th annual Berkshire Disability Pride Day will be held Saturday, April 5, from 10 to 3 at the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough.
The event is a day of celebration and education to increase community awareness of the accomplishments of children and adults with diverse abilities. It will also showcase the variety of services and opportunities available in Berkshire County.
Sign interpreters will be on site. Vendors, sponsors, entertainers and art exhibitors are welcome and encouraged to participate. In addition, the event will celebrate the 18th anniversary of the passage of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. There will be family entertainment throughout the day, agency and business booths with service and product information, and an art show by area artists with disabilities.
Pro Bowl
<L4>Mount Greylock Bowl hosts the best professional bowlers in the east region of the country this weekend, beginning Friday night. For the second consecutive year, the pros will converge on the city of North Adams for an exciting weekend of strikes and spares.
The weekend begins with the Pro-Am tournament on Friday at 7 p.m. Spectators are invited to come and watch for free. Mount Greylock Bowl is located at 41 Roberts Drive. For more information, 413-663-3761.
Women's Work
Throughout April, Art at Bagels Too at 166 North St., Pittsfield, is featuring photography by Sophia Lee in the show "Women's Work and More: Black and White Photographs of Women in Poland." The images were all taken in the south of Poland, near Krakow and the border of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The women in them are either friends or relatives of Lee, an art teacher at Miss Hall's School in Pittsfield. <R5>
A reception with the artist will be held Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m.
Gallery Opening
The Gallery at North Adams Antiques is exhibiting the work of Andreas Wittstock, beginning with a public opening on Saturday from 3 to 6.
For further information, call 413-662-2221 or e-mail skimusic@gmail.com.
For more local events, check the iBerkshires calendar.
