Children's Play at Ventfort Hall

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LENOX, Mass. — Don Jordan of the Nutshell Playhouse will bring his troupe to appear in an original production, "Spyjinks," premiering for the first time at Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum on Sunday, June 12 at 1 pm. 
 
The program is appropriate for children of all ages accompanied by grown-ups, but kids ages 3 – 10 will particularly enjoy the show, said Jordan. 
 
Admission tickets are $15 for adults, $7.00 for ages 4 – 17 and ages 3 and under are free. The performance will be held outside on the mansion grounds, weather permitting. Please bring chairs or blankets.
 
According to a press release, four intrepid spies and a parrot named Taco are on their very first spy mission. They must rescue the beautiful Jolandalinda, who has been kidnapped and hidden on Malumboo, the Island of Very Bad Luck. How will they rescue her? Follow their adventures as they battle the ferocious Malumboosquito, sink up to their bellybuttons in quicksand, get unexpected help from a local llama, defy gravity, learn to speak backwards, and a lot more silliness. Oh, and did I mention the toucan? Will they succeed? There is only one way to find out…
 
Jordan, Artistic Director/Accompanist, founded the Nutshell Playhouse in 2003.  Before then, he taught and performed with Teatro Studio and I Gesti di Roma in Italy before being invited to perform with Mummenschanz on Broadway. He directed the Pan Twilight Circus's 1995 production of "Creatures of the Lawn," and served as Artistic Director of the Pickle Family Circus.
 
Jordan has taught as an adjunct faculty member at Smith College, Berkshire Community College, Shakespeare and Co., Barnard College and the Julliard School.  He has also taught at schools in France and Spain.  He is a graduate of the Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris.
 
Nutshell Playhouse productions have been performed throughout the Berkshires, including the Barrington Stage Company, Berkshire Athenaeum, Main Street Stage, The Gutherie Center, Clark Art Institute and Whitney Center for the Arts.
 
Reservations for attending the performances are required by calling Ventfort Hall at 413-637-3206.  All tickets are nonrefundable and non-exchangeable. Proof of vaccination including ages 5 and over, ID for ages 18 and over. The mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox. 

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Ventfort Hall Masonry Repair Project Underway

LENOX, Mass. — Ventfort Hall announced they have reached their funding goal and work has begun on their masonry restoration project through multiple sources.
 
This project will address urgently needed masonry work to rebuild and restore four chimneys on the east and west sides of the roof ridge. The four massive chimneys each contain multiple conjoined fireplace flues and are ornamented with brick corbelling (staggering) and custom profiled bricks for architectural detail.
 
Many of the bricks on the chimneys have lost their mortar and have begun to dislodge and are currently being caught by temporary netting to prevent falling bricks from causing severe harm to the roof or to patrons on the ground. Should a chimney collapse completely, there is not adequate documentation to replicate the ornate brick details and corbelling to recreate the chimneys.
 
The work will entail disassembling each of the four chimneys down to sound underlying material, rebuilding the bricks to match the historic design and detailing, providing new custom brick to replace units that are too deteriorated for re-use, and fabricating and reinstalling the metal chimney caps.
 
Pittsfield masonry contractor H.A. O'Neil was chosen to complete the restoration. They were chosen for their experience working with historic masonry restoration projects and methods. Hill-Engineers, Architects, Planners Inc. is providing oversight for the project. Work began on April 26.
 
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