Beatlemania Stage Show to Raise Money for PHS Band Trip

Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield High School Band is hosting a concert at at the Robert Boland Theater at Berkshire Community College to raise funds for the band's trip to Quebec, Canada, in late April. This event, "Keep Music Education Alive," has raised thousands of dollars for high school education programs throughout New England.

The Beatlemania Stage Show will be performing the complete Beatles experience from the Ed Sullivan days right through to the Magical Mystery Tour, Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road with original costume changes and authentic Beatles instruments. The musicians from Beatlemania have performed professionally alongside the likes of Carly Simon, Hall and Oates, BJ Thomas, Kiss, Todd Rundgren and others. Band members have also written songs with Cher, Billy Joel, Michael Bolton and Joan Jett and several movie sound tracks which included "Wayne's World" and "Light of Day."
 
The concert will be held April 5 at 7:30 p.m.  The Pittsfield High School music students will be performing live with the Beatlemania musicians during the concert on some songs.
 
"This event is both educational and a fun way for the Pittsfield High School Music Department to raise money and will be a great experience for the students to perform with a professional group of musicians," Pittsfield High Band Director Ron Lively said.
 
The proceeds will be used to support the Pittsfield High School Band that enrolls students in the marching band, jazz ensemble and music theory. The Pittsfield High Band has over 50 students enrolled in the school music program.
 
"You never know who will be the next John, Paul, George or Ringo or in fact the next number-one hit group," Lively said.
 
Tickets for the show are available at www.purplepass.com or by calling 1-800-316-8559.
 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Thunder 16U Holds Off Force in Weather-Shortened Contest

By Ben McDonoughFor iBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Greylock Thunder capitalized on an early offensive surge and held off a resilient Berkshire Force squad for an 11-7 victory in a game that was called after five innings because of weather in 16U division of the Battle of the Berkshires Tournament on Friday.
 
Greylock wasted little time getting on the board in the top of the first inning. Consecutive singles put runners on the corners before another base hit brought home the game’s first run. The Thunder continued to apply pressure as a fielder’s choice kept the inning alive and Bayleigh Tatro ripped an RBI double to left field. An ensuing sacrifice fly plated another run, giving Greylock a 4-0 advantage.
 
Berkshire answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. After retiring the first two Thunder batters, Greylock pitcher Avery Lane saw the Force string together quality at-bats. A single put a runner aboard before Madilyn Demary’s RBI double got Berkshire on the scoreboard. Another run-scoring single followed, trimming the deficit to 4-2 after one inning.
 
The Force went ahead, 5-4, in the second thanks to RBI singles from Alliah DiPietro and Mollie Crawford.
 
The Thunder then scored four times in the third to take the lead for good. Gianna Witek got the rally started with a double to left, and Greylock took advantage of a couple of errors and a bases-loaded walk worked by Lane to go ahead, 8-5.
 
Berkshire continued to battle and nearly erased the deficit in the third. The Force put runners on base with a walk and aggressive baserunning kept the pressure on. A runner crossed the plate during a steal attempt, and Berkshire added more traffic on the bases before Greylock's Lane recorded a swinging strikeout to end the threat with runners on first and second.
 
Greylock was able to pull away with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and one more in the fifth to go ahead, 11-7.
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories