Friday & Wednesday: Young & Gifted Performance Auditions

Berkshire County youth are invited to audition to be part of a performance showcasing young talent called Young & Gifted to be held Saturday, March 3rd, at 7pm at Barrington Stage Company's Main Stage. Singers, musicians, poets, dancers, actors and others invited to audition at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts. School and studio group performers are welcome.

Friday & Wednesday, February 10 & 15 | 6pm | Lichtenstein Center for the Arts | 28 Renee Avenue | 413-499-9348

Friday–Monday: Carnage at the Little Cinema

The Little Cinema presents Carnage, a razor sharp, biting comedy centered on parental differences. After two boys duke it out on a playground, the parents of the "victim” invite the parents of the "bully” over to work out their issues. A polite discussion of childrearing soon escalates into verbal warfare, with all four parents revealing their true colors. Carnage stars Golden Globe nominees Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet (Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy) and Christopher Waltz and John C. Reilly as their husbands.

Friday–Monday, February 10–13 | Friday, Sunday & Monday 7pm; Monday 1:30pm; no Saturday screening | Berkshire Museum | 39 South Street | 413-443-7171 | $5

Friday: Singer-Songwriter Paul Colman 

The New Life Community Fellowship presents Paul Colman, a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/entertainer. Colman has performed the world over, written hit singles, garnered numerous awards and sold thousands of records. Anyone young or old is welcome to spend this evening laughing and enjoying great music with a timely message. Bring a friend who needs to uplifting and you might make their day. Proceeds from the evenings concession stand will benefit participants of the GCS Mission Trip to Guatemala.

Friday, February 10 | 7pm – 10pm | New Life Community Fellowship | 172 Hubbard Avenue | 413-684-0001 | $10 advance, kids 5 and under FREE; $80 for groups of 10

Friday & Saturday: Live Music at Flavours

Flavours of Malaysia presents B.A. Dario on Friday and Legacy on Saturday, as part of its weekly series of live music. B.A. Dario produces a high-energy rock sound with electronic overtones. Their intricate guitar riffs and elaborate changes, give them an electric sound that is sure to get the crowd moving! On Saturday, the heavy metal cover band Legacy performs songs from Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Judas Priest and Metallica among other classic metal bands.

Friday & Saturday, February 10-11 | 9:30pm – 1am | Flavours of Malaysia | 75 North Street | 413-443-3188 | $5 | 21+

Saturday: Wagner's Götterdämmerung Live From the Met

The Beacon Cinema presents this brand-new production entitled Götterdämmerung as part of its series Metropolitan Opera Live in HD on the big screen. With this cataclysmic climax, the Met's new Ring cycle, directed by Robert Lepage, comes to its resolution. Conducted by James Levine, Deborah Voigt stars as Brünnhilde and Gary Lehman is Siegfried — the star-crossed lovers doomed by fate.

Saturday, February 11 | 12pm | Beacon Cinema | 55 North Street | 413-358-4780 | $25 adults, $20 students

Saturday: Oscar Nominated Short Films Screening

The Little Cinema presents a screening of the Oscar Nominated Short Films in the categories of Animation (1:30pm) and Live Action (7pm); your opportunity to see all the nominees for best shorts before the 2012 Academy Awards are announced on February 26. And the nominees are… Animated: Sunday/Dimnache; The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore; La Luna; Morning Stroll; Wildlife; and Live Action: Pentecost; Raju; The Shore; Time Freak; Tuba Atlantic.

Saturday, February 11 | 1:30pm & 7pm | Berkshire Museum | 39 South Street | 413-443-7171 | $5

Saturday: Oliver! on the Big Screen

Barrington Stage Company salutes the American movie musical with a special film series on the big screen at their Mainstage. This week's featured film is Oliver! the Academy Award winner for Best Picture in 1968. Oliver! is a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens's classic tale of an orphan who runs away from the orphanage and hooks up with a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor. This hit musical, adapted by Lionel Bart, is filled with such colorful tunes as Consider Yourself and As Long As He Needs Me.

Saturday, February 11 | 2pm | Barrington Stage Company | 30 Union Street | 413-236-8888 | adults $6, kids 13 & under FREE

Saturday: Valli Sings Valli at The Colonial

The Colonial Theatre presents Bobby Valli, the younger brother of Frankie Valli, famed singer of the group The Four Seasons. Bobby pays tribute to Frankie and The Four Seasons in his incredible Jersey Boys Tribute Concert. You'll hear many big-selling hits in this outstanding show, like Sherry, Big Girls Don't Cry, Let's Hang On, Can't Take My Eyes off You.

Saturday, February 11 | 7pm | The Colonial Theatre | 111 South Street | 413-997-4444 | $29.50 gallery/$39.50 orchestra/balcony

Saturday: Town Players' Love Letters

The Town Players of Pittsfield performs Love Letters at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts. Written by A.R. Gurney and directed by John Trainor, the play centers on two characters: Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III. Using the epistolary form sometimes found in novels, they sit side-by-side at tables and read notes, letters and cards in which they discuss their hopes and ambitions, dreams and disappointments, victories and defeats that have passed between them throughout nearly 50 years of their separated lives.

Saturday, February 11 | 7:30pm | Lichtenstein Center for the Arts | 28 Renee Avenue | 413-443-9348 | $5 suggested donation

Sunday: Not Your Average Dog Show

The Berkshire Community College Foundation presents its 11^th Annual Not Your Average Dog Show, where dogs of any breed or mix, with or without credentials, will have a chance to be the center of attention. Prizes for pooches include Best Trick, Best Dressed and the elusive Mystery Mutt. New to this year's event will be a Chili Fest, hosted by the Berkshire Humane Society! Dogs participating in the show must be registered. Get your registration form here: http://bit.ly/BCCdogshow2012.

Sunday, February 12 | 11:30am–3pm | Berkshire Community College | 1350 West Street | 413-499-4660 |  $20; 2nd dog in same family $10

Sunday: WTBR Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser

Ken's Bowl and WTBR are hosting this benefit to help raise money to offset the expenses of running WTBR, a non-commercial non-profit radio station for students and adult volunteers. Where else can you bowl two strings and rent shoes for only a buck? Pledge sheets are available at Zen's Pub and other locations. WTBR will be broadcasting live from 12pm–3pm.

Sunday, February 12 | 1pm–4pm | Ken's Bowl | 495 Dalton Avenue | 413-499-0733 | $1

Sunday: Open Mic & Songwriters' Workshop at Juice N' Java

Juice N' Java invites you to sprinkle a little music on your Sunday with Dana Welts, as it hosts an Open Mic & Songwriters' Workshop. Share your work or simply relax and enjoy the performances! If you are planning to participate, please arrive early or email Dana at drwelts@gmail.com to sign up!

Sunday, February 12 | 1pm – 3pm | Juice N' Java | 216 Elm Street | 413-236-5741 | Free

Sunday: Puccini's Il Trittico at the Little Cinema

The Little Cinema presents a screening of Il Ttrittico, straight from the Royal Opera House in London. Unveiled at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in 1918, Il Trittico ('the triptych') is a collection of three contrasting one-act operas: Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicchi.

Sunday, February 12 | 2pm | Berkshire Museum | 39 South Street | 413-443-7171 | general admission $18, members $16

Sunday: the Juggler at Anshe Amunim

The Temple Anshe Amunim presents Sunday at the Movies, featuring the film The Juggler. Released in 1953, The Juggle stars KirkDouglas as a German-Jewish refugee who relocated to Israel after World War II but can't shake the psychological effects of war and becomes a fugitive from justice.  The film is followed by a discussion moderated by film devotee Monte Wasch.

Sunday, February 12 | 2pm - 4:30pm | Temple Anshe Amunim | 26 Broad Street | 413-442-5910 | recommended donations $6 members, $7 non-members

Sunday: Music of Bach at St. Stephen's

The Berkshire Bach Society presents The Inner World of Feeling: Organ and Vocal Music of JS Bach. This all-Bach organ concert brings organist Christa Rakich together with soprano Miranda Bergmeier at the 101-year-old pipe organ at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. The program paints an aural picture of Bach's world and faith, highlighting the personal drama of his music, as it depicts profound joy and deepest sorrow.

Sunday, February 12 | 4pm | St. Stephen's Episcopal Church | 67 East Street | 413-528-9277 | $25 general admission, $20 for BBS and AGO Members, students FREE 

Tuesday: Sneak Preview of This Means War

The Beacon Cinema presents a Valentine's Day sneak peak of the new film This Means War! That's right, the Beacon is hosting an exclusive screening of the film on Valentine's Day, before it officially opens on Friday, February 17. This Means War is a romantic action comedy; a spy vs. spy romp starring the lovely Reese Witherspoon. AND, it's $5 Tuesday. Does it get any better than that?

Tuesday, February 14 | 7pm | Beacon Cinema | 57 North Street | 413-358-4780  | $5

Tuesday: Valentine Day's Open Mic at Y Bar

Y Bar hosts this installment of its weekly series Writer's Room, this time with a holiday spin. Bring your pages and pages of writing on love, romantic loss and lust and share them in this comfortable atmosphere. Sign-ups start at 7pm. For adults 21 and over.

Tuesday, February 14 | 8pm – 11pm | Y Bar | 391 North Street | No phone | No cover

Wednesday: Tony Lee Thomas Band at The Garage

The Garage in the Colonial hosts the Tony Lee Thomas Band as part of its series of live music performances. Music has run through Thomas's blood since childhood, training in voice and instrumentation since age 4. A multi-faceted musician, Thomas has played in intimate solo performances and full-blown vamps. After playing at The Garage in December, Thomas is geared up to rock the house again with Jason Maley (bass guitar, vox) and Sean Larrabee (drums, percussion).

Wednesday, February 15 | 9pm | The Colonial Theatre | 111 South Street | 413-997-4444 | $5

10X10 Thursday: 10X10 On North Kicks Off with TEN SPOT at the Lichtenstein & MORE!

Downtown Pittsfield's first ever winter arts fsetival, 10X10 On North kicks off Thursday, February 16th with new art, theatre, music, film & poetry all over downtown!  It all begins at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts  opening reception for TEN SPOT, a show of new work by 10 contemporary artists from throughout the Berkshires: Ven Voisey, Melissa Lillie and Sean Riley of North Adams; Marianne Petit and Brent Whitney of Adams; Richard Britell, Joe Goodwin and Olive Thomas of Pittsfield; and Bart Arnold of Lenox and Kiki Dufault of Great Barrington.  

10X10 Thursday: Local Ink at Shawn's Barber Shop

10X10 Thursday: Smartphone Film Fest!

The Beacon Cinema and the Berkshire International Film Festival join together to begin screening the Berkshires' first-ever Smartphone Film Festival – a new take on the film festival scene — as part of the 10X10 on North Festival. Among the local filmmakers participating are Ben Hillman, Mark Pedrotti and Kevin Sprague.

Thursdays, February 16 | 7pm | Beacon Cinema | 57 North Street | 413-358-4780 | FREE

10X10 Thursday: 10X10 New Play Festival!

10X10 Thursday: Y Bar Poet #1: Gabriel Squailia

Y Bar presents a lineup of outstanding poets as part of the 10X10 on North festival beginning with Gabriel Squalia. Home to the wildly successful weekly Writers Room, Y Bar has scheduled standout performers from the Word X Word festival, representative of the best of the young talent in the Berkshires. Squailia, co-host of the Writer's Room, recently wrote a book entitled Dead Boys. For adults 21 and over.

Thursday – Sunday, February 16 – 26 | 8pm | Y Bar | 391 North Street | No phone | No cover

Mission Bar + Tapas presents a lineup of fantastic singer-songwriters with Abbie Barrett, as part of the 10X10 on North festival. Barrett is the first of many outstanding performers in week-long series of talented singer-songwriters, including some from the Word X Word festival. Barrett currently writes, sings and plays guitar. Formerly, she played as a defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears (according to her website*)

Thursday – Sunday, February 16 – 26 | 9pm | Mission Bar + Tapas | 438 North Street | No phone | No Cover

*This fact has yet to be verified...