Events

Saint-Saëns’s biblical epic Samson et Dalila stars Elina Garanca and Roberto Alagna in the title roles.

The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center — 14 Castle Street — Great Barrington, MA 01230 — Box Office: 413-528-0100

Take a candlelit tour through the Washington Green Cemetery. Meet some of the enterprising residents from Washington’s past – shopkeepers, merchants and farmers!

Tour starts at Gunn Historical Museum, 5 Wykeham Road, Washington, CT.

Free Admission; but  Donations are appreciated.

Rain Date: October 28, Sunday, 2018, 6:30-8:30pm

Take a candlelit tour along a path of 1,000 luminaries through the cemetery and meet some of Washington’s unforgettable residents from the past!

The theme of this year’s tour is “Tales from the Depot’s Shopkeepers” featuring actors portraying Harold Anson, Betsey Averill, Carl Bader, Alpheus Baker, Beatrice Davenport, Abigail Irene Gunn, Thomas H. Hearn, Ezra Hull, Harris Swanberg, Robert Woodruff and June Wyant. Tour guides dressed in period costumes will take groups of visitors through the cemetery to listen to the shopkeeper’s tales.

When: Tours depart every ten minutes between 6:30 and 8:30 pm and last approximately one hour. Tickets will be distributed, on a first-come-first-serve basis, starting at 6:15 pm on Friday, October 26, and continuing through the evening until the tickets run out.

Cost: While there is no fee for this event, donations are greatly appreciated.

Refreshments, face painting for kids, and a Halloween themed movie will be shown in the Wykeham Room of the Gunn Memorial Library where attendees can wait inside for their tour group to depart.

Rain Date for the Cemetery Tour: Sunday, October 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

What to Bring: Tour guests are encouraged to bring a flashlight, dress warmly and wear comfortable walking shoes as they will be walking on uneven terrain.

Carpooling is encouraged since parking is limited.

The Benefits of Multiple Perspectives for Interpreting Our Local Histories and Cultural Heritage: Decolonizing New England Archaeology and Museum

“Colonialism” has been defined as when one nation seizes control of another nation’s natural resources & peoples for profit. An extreme form is “settler colonialism”, in which the invading nation attempts to permanently settle the territory by eliminating the native population & erasing its culture.¹ In recent years, several researchers have branded the colonization of New England colonialism as settler colonialism.² “Decolonization” is the act of undoing the effects of colonization. It includes removing the cultural biases of the dominant colonial culture from historical interpretations to allow a more accurate presentation of a country’s past & present history & heritage. Recently, the decolonization movement has begun to remove the confines of colonial histories in the study of indigenous & other once “marginalized peoples”. Acts like NAGPRA along with efforts to involve members from these communities in all aspects of historical study & programming have created new, more accurate interpretations that utilize archaeology, oral tradition, & written documentation to correctly incorporate indigenous, captive, & emigrant lifeways & thought into the larger history of the Americas. Papers presented in this conference express efforts by museum professionals, archaeologists, historians, & indigenous leadership to decolonize archaeological, historical, & museum studies in the 21st Century. Conference Organizers: Dr. Lucianne Lavin (IAIS) & Paul Wegner (IAIS.

¹ Patrick Wolfe, 2006, “Settler Colonialism & the Elimination of the Native”, Journal of Genocide Research 8(4): 387-409; Danielle N. Bennett “Decolonizing Museum Session at NEMA”, November 19, 2017, web site entitled Museum Studies at Tufts University, http://sites.tufts.edu/museumstudents/2017/11/19/decolonizing-museums-session-at-nema/.

² Amy Den Ouden, 2005, Beyond Conquest: Native Peoples & the Struggle for History in New England, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln; Jean M. O’Brien, 2010, Firsting & Lasting: Writing Indians Out of Existence in New England, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis; J. Kehaulani Kauanui, 2017, “Challenging Settler Colonialism in the Recovery of Wangunk Tribal History, Bulletin of the Archaeological Society of Connecticut 79:37-40.

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This event will take place at the Shepaug Valley High School, located at 159 South Street, Washington, CT. For more details, visit our website at iaismuseum.org.

 Refreshments will be served. PUBLIC WELCOME!

 Admission is $10 at the door, which includes admission to the IAIS museum.

Please PRE-REGISTER by calling the museum (860-868-0518) or go onto our web site (iaismuseum.org) to ensure seating!

In the picturesque village of Norfolk the first ever Tour-de-Forest will be held, a bike ride through Great Mountain Forest, on Saturday, October 27th. Rather than a race this unique event is a bike tour with stops along the way that will include historical facts and information about this beautiful working forest that encompasses more than 6,000 acres of contagious forestland that is used as a renewable resource, a habitat for wildlife and a classroom for training and education.

E-bike demonstrations, complimentary cider donuts, cider and apples will be offered.

The ride starts at the Norfolk Curling Club, where attendees will be offered refreshments and Curling Club demonstrations if they wish, prize drawings cap off the festivities.

Proceeds from this event will support the on-going development of the Norfolk “Rails To Trails” and the Great Mountain Forest’s mission to encourage the investigation, research, discovery and application of knowledge for forest lands and natural resources.

for more info, contact:  Marie Lowe @  860-307-1487

Registration: 8:30-9:45 or register online at BikeReg.com

W. E. B. Du Bois was born in Great Barrington on February 23, 1868. He would become a figure of international importance—the first black man to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard University, a tireless advocate for the rights of marginalized people everywhere, a founder of the Niagara Movement and the NAACP, and the author of countless influential works of scholarship.

Du Bois is a particular hero to the Schumacher Center because he understood that racial justice was inseparable from economic justice and that economic inequality was the engine and not simply the consequence of a deeper social inequality.

We believe that speakers Leah Penniman and Ed Whitfield are doing economic justice work that builds on the legacy of W. E. B. Du Bois— his commitment to black economic development, cooperative structures, and fair access to land.

Penniman, co-founder of Soul Fire Farm, is working to end racism in the food system and establish a just land tenure system. The title of Penniman’s talk is “Farming While Black: A Legacy of Innovation and Resistance.”

Whitfield, co-founder and co-managing director of the Fund for Democratic Communities, has written and spoken extensively on non-extractive finance, reparations, and building investment structures that support community self-determination. The title of his talk is to be announced.

Organizer–Schumacher Center for A New Economics
Phone: (413)-528-1737
Email: schumacher@centerforneweconomics.org
Website: http://www.centerforneweconomics.org

Soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek sings Puccini’s gun-slinging heroine in this romantic epic of the Wild West, alongside star tenor Jonas Kaufmann.
– Box Office: 413-528-0100
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Tickets: A: $37.50 B: $27.50

The Berkshires is a hotbed of outstanding musicians. From worldwide legends to amazing regional and local talent, the area serves as home to an incredible array of eclectic performers. An outstanding group of these talented performers will take the stage at The Colonial to pay tribute to rock & roll legend Tom Petty.

Come and celebrate the great songs and amazing musical career of rock icon Tom Petty as they come to life on The Colonial stage. This one time concert will feature a mix of incredible Berkshire musicians – including Rev Tor, Ed Moran, Jack Waldheim, Rob Sanzone, Diane Wieland, Tommy Filliault, Chris Merenda, Brian Benlien, Jeanne Laurin, Bobby Macveety and more, plus a special guest appearance by legendary Northampton
troubadour Ray Mason.

Soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek sings Puccini’s gun-slinging heroine in this romantic epic of the Wild West, alongside star tenor Jonas Kaufmann.
– Box Office: 413-528-0100
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$30 Upper Balcony (Limited)
$55 Reserved / $50 Members
$80 Premium / $75 Members

Postmodern Jukebox originally blew up online, with new videos added weekly that keep finding creative new ways to put creator Scott Bradlee’s trademark vintage twist on modern pop hits. But it’s onstage that the project has really come to shine, playing hundreds of shows to sold-out houses across the globe, from intimate standing-room gigs to large-scale, theatrical extravaganzas.

Since Bradlee created the project in 2009, PMJ has amassed more than 950 million YouTube views and 3.3 million subscribers, chalked up more than 1.5 million likes on Facebook, performed on “Good Morning America,” topped iTunes and Billboard charts, caught the attention of NPR Music and NBC News, and played hundreds of shows to sold-out houses around the world.

Postmodern Jukebox originally blew up online, with new videos added weekly that keep finding creative new ways to put creator Scott Bradlee’s trademark vintage twist on modern pop hits.

— Box Office: 413-528-0100

Location: Berkshire Lakes, Various Towns
Instructor: Dale Abrams – Education Coordinator
Audience: Adult Members: $12.00 and Non-members: $17.00

Spend the morning visiting several Berkshire Lakes in search of migrating waterfowl. First 5 participants will travel by Mass Audubon Van between sites (others may carpool). Minimal hiking involved. Bring a scope or binoculars, and snacks.

Register at massaudubon.org/pleasantvalley or by calling (413) 637-0320

Instructor: Tammis Coffin – Educator, Mass Audubon

Audience: Adult Members: $12.00 / Nonmembers: $15.00

Greet the changing seasons with wide eyes and an open heart. Relax into the beauty of the woods, waters, and trails of Pleasant Valley. We will use the simple tools of paper and pen or pencil to get closer to our surroundings and ourselves. Guided writing and sketching deepens observations and expands creativity.

Each session will examine a different facet of the natural world. Bring a simple, unlined journal and writing/sketching tools, and dress for the weather.

Register at massaudubon.org/pleasantvalley or by calling (413) 637-0320

THE WESTERN NEW ENGLAND GREENWAY

IS U.S. BICYCLE ROUTE 7,

A MULTI-SEGMENT, MULTI-STATE BIKE ROUTE THROUGH CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS & VT

THAT LINKS NYC AND MONTREAL

(Registration from – 9:30 am to 10 am).

Join us as we continue to develop the Western New England Greenway (WNEG), a contiguous network of bike routes that connect New York City with Montreal. The WNEG connects with the East Coast Greenway in Norwalk, CT and connects with Quebec’s famed Route Verte at the Canada border.

Nico Muhly’s Marnie, based on Winston Graham’s novel, which in turn inspired Alfred Hitchock’s suspenseful thriller, has its U.S. premiere at the Met this season.

— Box Office: 413-528-0100

“The Sound of the Trumpet—Celebrating Life in England & New England”

This program features two “Requiems” and two “Jubilates” of different eras. From the 17th century: Henry Purcell’s “Funeral Sentences and Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary” and Purcell’s “Jubilate Deo,” also written for Queen Mary the year before her death. From the 20th and 21st centuries: composer Scott Perkins’ “A New England Requiem,” his “Jubilate Deo,” and Sir John Taverner’s “A Song for Athene,” that was performed at Lady Diana’s funeral.
The Crescendo Chorus and Vocal Ensemble will be joined by soloists including internationally renowned countertenor Nicholas Tamagna, period brass, strings, basso continuo and organ. Christine Gevert conducts.
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On his wedding day, the young Scotsman James is awakened with a kiss from an ethereal winged creature, a Sylph. Entranced by her beauty, James risks everything to pursue an unattainable love.
— Box Office: 413-528-0100

“The Sound of the Trumpet—Celebrating Life in England & New England”

This program features two “Requiems” and two “Jubilates” of different eras. From the 17th century: Henry Purcell’s “Funeral Sentences and Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary” and Purcell’s “Jubilate Deo,” also written for Queen Mary the year before her death. From the 20th and 21st centuries: composer Scott Perkins’ “A New England Requiem,” his “Jubilate Deo,” and Sir John Taverner’s “A Song for Athene,” that was performed at Lady Diana’s funeral.
The Crescendo Chorus and Vocal Ensemble will be joined by soloists including internationally renowned countertenor Nicholas Tamagna, period brass, strings, basso continuo and organ. Christine Gevert conducts.
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Location: Berkshire Lakes, Various Towns
Instructor: Dale Abrams – Education Coordinator
Audience: Adult Members: $12.00 and Non-members: $17.00

Spend the morning visiting several Berkshire Lakes in search of migrating waterfowl. First 5 participants will travel by Mass Audubon Van between sites (others may carpool). Minimal hiking involved. Bring a scope or binoculars, and snacks.

Register at massaudubon.org/pleasantvalley or by calling (413) 637-0320

Nico Muhly’s Marnie, based on Winston Graham’s novel, which in turn inspired Alfred Hitchock’s suspenseful thriller, has its U.S. premiere at the Met this season.

— Box Office: 413-528-0100

Instructor: Tammis Coffin – Educator, Mass Audubon

Audience: Adult Members: $12.00 / Nonmembers: $15.00

Greet the changing seasons with wide eyes and an open heart. Relax into the beauty of the woods, waters, and trails of Pleasant Valley. We will use the simple tools of paper and pen or pencil to get closer to our surroundings and ourselves. Guided writing and sketching deepens observations and expands creativity.

Each session will examine a different facet of the natural world. Bring a simple, unlined journal and writing/sketching tools, and dress for the weather.

Register at massaudubon.org/pleasantvalley or by calling (413) 637-0320

The Bidwell House Museum

Benefit for the museum with live music, refreshments, silent auction and good cheer.
For tickets: 413-528-6888.
A Colonial History Museum–a National Register of Historic Places
An authentic experience in lifeways of the Berkshires in the 1750s

$29 Upper Balcony (Limited)
$59 Reserved
$79 Premium
(Members receive $5 off each ticket)

In celebration of the 50th anniversaries of the film, Alice’s Restaurant, Woodstock, and 50 years of flower-power.
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Back by popular demand, Arlo Guthrie performs one of America’s greatest musical treasures.
— Box Office: 413-528-0100
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Audience: Family (suitable for children 7 – 18 years)
Members: Adult $6.00, Child $3.00 Nonmembers: Adult $8.00, Child $4.00

Enjoy a moonlit evening at our sanctuaries to listen and watch for owls and other nocturnal wildlife. We’ll explore fields, forests, and wetlands and learn about animal adaptations for hunting at night. We’ll warm up with tea and hot cocoa after the walk.
Register at massaudubon.org/pleasantvalley or by calling (413) 637-0320

The Mahaiwe continues its annual tradition screening The Wizard of Oz over Thanksgiving weekend.

Box Office: 413-528-0100

John Myers’ “Paintings in Song,” a multimedia composition of nine choral pieces based on Norman Rockwell’s paintings, including the Four Freedoms, will be performed in the Galleries of the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. You will hear Norman Rockwell’s images come alive with a fusion of Classical styles and American 20 th century popular music genres, surrounded by his paintings. One of the highlights of this concert is “Freedom from Want,” which portrays the American values associated with the Thanksgiving celebration.
Performers are singers of the Crescendo Vocal Ensemble, the Berkshire Children’s Chorus and instrumentalists, including the composer, all directed by Christine Gevert.
*This concert is hosted by the Norman Rockwell Museum and is a collaboration between the Museum, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Berkshire Children’s Chorus and Crescendo.