Decendium of 'Decagoguery': Pittsfield Fest Times 10
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Ten days of events at about a dozen locations in downtown will showcase theater, music, visual arts, film, poetry and dance, all multiplied by a factor of 10.
Ten new billboards around Western Massachusetts this month will showcase the 10 artists appearing in "Ten Spot," a group art show at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts beginning Feb. 16, the first day of the 10x10 festival, and running through March 10.
"The Berkshires' vibrant visual arts scene thrives throughout the county, north to south and in between, all year 'round," said Lauren Clark, one of the co-curators. "It's great to be part of a show that celebrates that."
Other visual arts highlights include: "10x10x25," a Gallery 25 retrospective highlighting 10 of the most prominent artists featured there over the past couple of years; "Local Ink,” which will feature 10x10 graphic stories in a show curated by Phil Bastow at Shawn's Barber Shop. "Mass Appeal," featuring work and live painting by 10 local artist along with live music and free commemorative T-shirts at Massive Graphics. The show is a first of its kind for this North Street graphics and print shop, where they will be creating custom 10x10 commemorative T-shirts live at the Feb. 24 event, free to the first 50 people through the door.
Barrington Stage is hard at work preparing 10 different 10-minute plays that will run throughout the 10-day festival, guided by several directors and exploring a variety of themes.
"The plays we're presenting are about people connecting with each other in various ways," said artistic director Julianne Boyd, "... funny, sad, cautious, competitive, half-hearted, romantic, and even hostile.”
New Stage Performing Arts Center will present a 10-act variety show on Feb. 18, while TangoPulse will present "10-Minute Tangos" on Feb. 20 at Pittsfield's Bra & Girl shop Feb. 20, while Ferrin Gallery will host the incomparable Karen Lee in "Burlesque 10x10"(Feb. 17) and actor Colin Gold portraying 10 characters in 10 minutes in a unique one-man show (Feb. 25).
Film enthusiasts will have an opportunity to see a variety of local and international phone-made films at the Smartphone Film Festival, as Beacon Cinema screens four nights of cell phone created shorts in conjunction with the Berkshire International Film Festival and the iPhone Film Festival.
Rounding out the decagon with poetry and music, Word X Word Festival godfather Jim Benson offers up 10 poets at Y Bar, drawn from the ranks of its popular weekly Writers Room events, and across the street at Mission Bar and Tapas 10 singer-songwriters. One poet per night (Feb. 16-26) will read beginning at 8, with a new singer-songwriter each night beginning at 9, all with no cover charge.
In conjunction with festival, a variety of downtown merchants will be offering $10, 10 percent off and other promotions and discounts throughout the 10-day period.
For more information and a full schedule of events, times and admission costs see DiscoverPittsfield.com.
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