Western Mass Theatre News April 3, 2025

Your source for theatre events in Western Massachusetts.

Western Mass Theatre Newsletter View this email in your browser April 3 - 23, 2025 This week: sold out shows across Northampton, from K and E's Spring Awakening, to A Light Under the Dome with Plays in Place - there might be a few tickets left for the closing weekend of Fences at the Majestic or Macbeth at the Shea! Check out the whole listing for many other upcoming shows.  The next issue will include events from April 10 - 30. Submit upcoming events via the link below or by emailing me before Tuesday at midnight. Any questions, comments or feedback? Email me at westernmasstheatre@gmail.com Submit Your Theatre Event K and E Theater Group present Spring Awakening April 3-5 at Northampton Center for the Arts Tickets and More Information Wilbraham United Players present Cabaret April 4-6 at Wilbraham United Church  Tickets and More Information Human Agenda Theater Seeking Actors  April - June 2025 Email for More Information Pauline and Devereux Productions present Frances Perkins: A Woman's Work April 5 and 11 in Ashfield Tickets and More Information YOUR EVENT HERE $5 per week for your poster and ticket link in top billing! Email me to reserve your dates. Click to Access: Western Mass Theatre Personnel Spreadsheet PERFORMANCES K and E Theater Group Presents the Tony Award Winning Spring Awakening at Northampton Center for the Arts, April 3-5, 2025 K and E Theater Group invites audiences to experience the electrifying, Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening, opening in at the end of this month at the Northampton Center for the Arts. Running March 28-30 and April 3-5, 2025, this groundbreaking production explores the exhilaration, heartbreak, and rebellion of youth in a way that is as relevant today as it was when it first premiered on Broadway in 2006. Based on the 1891 play by Frank Wedekind, Spring Awakening features a hauntingly beautiful Tony Award-winning score by Duncan Sheik and a powerful book and lyrics by Steven Sater. The musical follows a group of teenagers in late 19th-century Germany as they navigate the challenges of coming of age in a rigid, repressive society. With its gripping storytelling and high-energy rock music, the show remains a deeply moving and thought-provoking theatrical experience. K and E Theater Group's production of Spring Awakening features Shealyn Berube as Thea, Michael DeVito as Melchior, Nikki Gorts as Adult Women, Kaihla A. Laurent as Martha, Kerrie Maguire as Ilse, Nicco Palazzi as Georg, Emma Rucci as Anna, Andre Ruiz as Ernst, Carina Savoie as Wendla, Tiernan Michael Shea as Hanschen, David Wallace as Adult Men, Chris Webber as Moritz, and Dante Woods as Otto. Eddie Zitka serves as director and choreographer. The band is led by musical director Devi Badea.   Performances are: Friday, March 28, 2025 at 8:00 PM Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 4:00 PM Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 8:00 PM Friday, April 4, 2025 at 8:00 PM Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM   All performances are at Northampton Center for the Arts, located at 33 Hawley Street in Northampton, Massachusetts. Tickets are $27 and general admission.   *Spring Awakening contains mentions of abortion, verbal and sexual abuse, adult language, as well as depictions of suicide, partial nudity, and sexual content. This production is not recommended for audience members under the age of 13.   Tickets and performance information for Spring Awakening are available at www.KETG.org. Plays in Place and Historic Northampton present a concert reading of: A Light Under the Dome by Patrick Gabridge, directed by Brianna Sloanne featuring: Emma Friend, Tahmie Der, Imani Bibuld, Myka Plunkett and Linda Tardif April 3 at 6:30pm at the Universalist Society, 220 Main Street, Northampton Tickets: sliding scale (free for students) can be reserved HERE - expected to sell out. On February 21, 1838, exiled Southerner Angelina Grimke became the first American woman to address a legislative body when she delivered a speech about abolition and the full citizenship of American women at the Massachusetts State House.   A Light Under the Dome brings us to this moment in history, showcasing Grimke and taking us inside the minds and hearts of four abolitionist and suffragist leaders--Maria Weston Chapman, Susan Paul, Julia Williams, and Lydia Maria Child, who in 1838 was living in Northampton. As Grimke readies herself for this moment, her four friends help support and guide her through this pressure-packed moment. A few years later, Grimke would give a similar speech here in Northampton. Each hour-long performance will be followed by a post-show discussion with the playwright and a historian.   AUGUST WILSON’S FENCES ONSTAGE AT MAJESTIC THEATER APRIL 3-6  West Springfield’s Majestic Theater will present Fences, the Tony Award and 1987 Pulitzer Prize Winning Drama by August Wilson onstage February 27 through April 6. Set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the play focuses on Troy, a 53-year-old working class head of the household who struggles with providing for his family.  He lives with his wife, Rose, and his teenage son, Cory.  In his younger days, Troy was an excellent baseball player and even played in the Negro Leagues, but that was before the color barrier in Major League Baseball had been broken.  Fences explores the evolving challenge of a family attempting to build a safe home in the racially stratified 1950s suburban America. The play will be directed by Michael Ofori.  Danny Eaton is producing director, and Sue Dziura is associate producing director.  Stephen Petit is production stage manager, and the associate production manager is Aurora Ferraro.  Amari O’Connor is stage manager, Calypso Michelet is scenic designer, and Dan Rist is lighting designer.  Costume design is by Dawn McKay and Alan Schneider is technical director. The cast includes Dominic Carter (Troy), Martinez Napoleon (Gabriel), Greg Alexander (Jim), Kyle Boatwright (Rose), Silk Johnson (Lyons), Mike Daniel (Cory), and Louise Coly/Malayah Charland (Raynelle). According to Eaton, “Fences is a great, classic story in the way is provides a snapshot of the struggles faced in keeping a family together through everyday challenges.  August Wilson was a remarkable American playwright who wrote about his lived experience.  Fences is set in Pittsburgh, and Wilson channeled his understanding of growing up and living in that particular community to tell a compelling story.  His plays are character-driven, and he creates incredibly interesting characters who draw an audience in.” Tickets to the show range from $35-$38 and can be purchased in person at the box office or by calling (413) 747-7797.  Box office hours are Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  Doors to the theater will open one hour before the start of a show, which is also when the café opens.  For more information, visit www.majestictheater.com Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ A Dangerous Play of the Mind Directed by Nia Lynn (Royal Shakespeare Company and The Globe Theatre London) “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” April 4-5 at 7:30 April 6 at 2:00 TICKETS: www.sheatheater.org Enter the dangerous mind of Shakespeare's Macbeth, where ambition, love, and the supernatural intertwine to create a psychological masterpiece. Featuring Direction by Speech and Text Coach, Nia Lynn, of the Royal Shakespeare Company, this production plunges audiences into Shakespeare's most psychologically complex tragedy, where passionate love transforms into a conspiratorial power-grabbing nightmare, and the line between reality and imagination dissolves. Like the generations of artists before us who dared to conjure this 'Scottish Play,' we invite you to step into Macbeth's twisted psyche, where prophecy and paranoia get mixed up in the Weird Sisters’ cauldron and the darkest corners of the human mind are trapped by the spotlight. Featuring Performances of Local Favorites: Linda Tardif as Lady Macbeth, Lori Holmes Clark as Lady Macduff, Sam Perry as Macduff, K Adler as Ross, Marina Goldman as Lennox, and many more making Shea Theater Debuts. A Love That Fuels Ambition & A Prophecy of Doom "And nothing is but what is not." At the heart of this drama lies the intense, doomed partnership of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. A bond that fuels their rise to power but also precipitates a descent into madness and ruin, highlighting the destructive potential of unchecked ambition.  "Nothing is but what is not," echoes their shared vision, propelling them into a vortex of political ambition and psychological turmoil. “A drum, a drum! Macbeth doth come.” The Weird Sisters, with their cryptic prophecies, set the stage. Their words, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," blur the lines of morality, reality, and illusion, drawing Macbeth and the audience into a web of psychological complexity. Are the Sisters conspirators, or are they catalysts? Shakespeare's Play of the Mind Shakespeare's genius shines as he turns the audience into unwitting accomplices in Macbeth's mind. Through Macbeth's prophetic visions, we see murders before they occur, constructing future horrors in our minds. Each soliloquy draws us deeper into his and Lady Macbeth’s consciousness - we anticipate the assassinations, envision ghosts, and experience the mounting paranoia as if it were our own. By stripping away the safety of moral detachment and forcing us to conjure the play's most sinister scenes in our minds, Shakespeare lays bare unsettling truths about our natures and potential for darkness, questioning our capacity for greatness and evil. See Love Shatter as Madness Consumes the Stage Come, and let Shakespeare's Macbeth challenge your perceptions, where "Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself - And falls on th’ other," and the MSF Company navigates the paranoid, bloodstained tyranny of Macbeth's minds. The Montague Shakespeare Festival is brought to you by Greenfield Co-op Bank, RiverCulture, Eggtooth Productions, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and the Montague Cultural Council.  Content Consideration: This play depicts scenes of war, violence, and death, including execution, suicide, violence against children, murder, and domestic, emotional, and physical abuse. Wilbraham United Players Cabaret April 4, 5 at 7:30 PM April 6 at 2:30 PM Fellowship Hall at Wilbraham United Church, 500 Main St, Wilbraham, MA Join the Wilbraham United Players for an unforgettable evening as they bring the timeless musical “Cabaret” to the stage, capturing the spirit and challenges of an era through compelling performances and evocative music.  Set in 1930s Berlin, "Cabaret" explores the intertwining lives of performers and patrons at the Kit Kat Klub, against the backdrop of a society on the brink of profound change. The story delves into themes of love, politics, and the complexities of human nature, all set to a memorable score.  Reserved seating, including cabaret tables, are available. Tickets can be purchased through the Wilbraham United Players website.  This production is made possible by our generous season donors, the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Wilbraham Cultural Council. Tickets and More Information. Greenfield High School Drama Club The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood Friday, April 4, 2025 at 7:00 PM Saturday, April 5th at 2:00pm, Saturday, April 5th at 7:00pm Greenfield High School Auditorium, Greenfield, MA 01301 It sure is hard to be humble when you're a swashbuckling, egocentric super-hero. But our gallant guy-in-green tries his best as he swaggers through The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood, a frantically funny, Monty Pythonesque retelling of the classic. This time around, the legendary legend, in his never-ending quest to aid the needy, encounters a lovely damsel-in-distress (oddly obsessed with skin conditions); an ever-scheming sheriff who would rather bowl a strike than hit a bull's-eye; a gold-hoarding, bad-guy monarch wannabe; and a good-natured "Town's Gal" who manages to make her way into every scene, whether she belongs there or not. Combine them with an band of spoon-wielding Merry Men whose collective IQs equal six, and you've got an irreverent jaunt through Sherwood Forest you won't soon forget! Tickets will be sold at the door, cash or check only. Frances Perkins: A Woman's Work A fundraiser for Pauline and Devereux Productions 3 Shows Only: April 5 and April 11 From 1933 to 1945, the first woman Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins, crafted some of the most significant legislation of the New Deal Era.  For those that think Social Security, child labor laws, minimum wage, the 40-hour work week, and policies focused on social justice have always been the work of men with ties, this presentation shows that all were crafted by one woman who wore pearls. Jarice Hanson, Professor Emerita of Communications at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a favorite actress in the Valley for many years, wrote and performs this living history embodiment of Frances Perkins.  It runs 70 minutes which includes a 20 minute audience Q & A with Hanson answering "in character" as Perkins. She has performed this piece at over 30 different venues. Frances Perkins: A Woman's Work will play for 3 performances as a fundraiser for Pauline Productions and Devereux Productions' 2025 theatre collaborations.  The two companies joined forces last spring to produce The Cemetery Club.  You may recognize Hanson from that production as Lucille (the flirty one). What:  Frances Perkins:  A Woman's Work written and enacted by Jarice Hanson Where:  First Congregational Church of Ashfield, 429 Main, Ashfield, MA When:  Saturday April 5 at 2pm and 7pm, Friday April 11 at 2pm Tickets:  Reserve in advance (suggested)  theticketing.co Ashfield Hardware and at the Door (by cash or check $18 to $35+ No one turned away for lack of funds—pay what you can at the Door. More Info: Paulinelive.com The Understudies: An Improvised Musical Saturday, April 5 @ 7pm It's the opening night of a brand new musical! Unfortunately, the show was never written or rehearsed. This is the moment we've been training for. Be part of the fun as the determined Understudies create an entire musical from scratch, with a little help from the audience. The Understudies are Scott Braidman, Kelsey Flynn, Paul McNeil, Mosie Senn-McNally, and Maile Shoul. With music by the amazing Jeff Kimball! Tickets and more information Two Nuns April 11, 2025. 7 p.m. Academy of Music, Northampton, MA Get your tickets here! starring Alina Tschumakow and Mayte Sarmiento In this seemingly ordinary convent in Italy, two young women—Rita and Anna—spend their days in quiet prayer and late-night conversations. But beneath their complicity and shared dreams, secrets linger. As tensions rise and suspicions turn to revelations, they begin to question the paths that brought them here. When the truth unravels, their devotion—to each other, to their beliefs, and to themselves—will be tested in ways they never imagined. Two Nuns is a gripping exploration of trust, identity, and the unseen forces that shape our choices. Strobe lights are used during this performance. Content Warnings Flip the Script Saturday, April 12th @7pm We invite a local playwright to bring an unfinished script to the show; an original work that's never seen the stage. Then we read the character descriptions, cast the show, and launch into its first ever performance. Once we run out of lines, we drop the scripts and improvise the rest of the play while the playwright watches in delight (or horror!) Featuring experienced improvisers Mandy Anderson, Maddy Benjamin, Scott Braidman, Laura Patrick, and Pam Victor. Our playwright for April is Jonathan Caws-Elwitt!  https://www.happiervalley.com/2nd-saturdays.html Holyoke Community College Theater True West Wednesday April 16th 7:30pm  Thursday April 17th 7:30pm  Friday April 18th 7:30pm (ASL Interpreted)  Saturday April 19th 2:00pm  Saturday April 19th 7:30pm Black Box Theater [Fine and Performing Arts Building RM111] The Holyoke Community College Theater will present True West, by Sam Shepard, Directed by Tim Cochran.  This show is appropriate for audience members 13 years of age and older.  Contains: Strong language, staged violence.  All performances will be in the Black Box Theater on the campus of Holyoke Community College 303 Homestead Ave. Holyoke MA, 01040 [Fine and Performing Arts Building, 1st floor]  https://hcctheater.ludus.com/index.php BROADWAY HIT MUSICAL WAITRESS AT MAJESTIC THEATER APRIL 17 – JUNE 1  West Springfield’s Majestic Theater will present Waitress, the Broadway hit musical by Jessie Nelson, with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, from April 17 through June 1. The play, based on the 2007 indie film of the same name, follows the story of Jenna, a waitress at Joe’s Pie Diner in the south. Growing up, Jenna learned to bake from her mother, who had a pie recipe for just about every life situation. As an adult, baking becomes more than just a vocation, it’s her greatest joy and the best medicine for dealing with her dysfunctional marriage and the disappointments of her small-town life. Waitress features an eclectic cast of characters who bring this hopeful story to life and bring audiences on a journey full of new love, new life and finding out what a little sugar, butter and flour can do. The Majestic’s Associate Producing Director Sue Dziura will also direct this play. Danny Eaton is producing director, and Stephen Petit is production manager/stage manager. Associate Production Manager is Aurora Ferraro. Josiah Durham is scenic designer, Daniel Rist is lighting designer, and Dawn McKay is costume designer. Elisabeth Weber is music director. The cast includes Chelsea Nectow (Jenna), Gregory Boover (Dr. Pomatter), Yewande Odetoyinbo (Becky), Lyndsay Hart (Dawn), Nicholas Futris (Ogie), Michael King (Earl), Mark Dean (Joe) and Joshua Mason (Cal). According to Eaton, “Waitress certainly had a hugely popular Broadway run, and the music by Sara Bareilles is unexpectedly evocative. It fits in with all the other musicals we’ve staged here at the Majestic in that it’s more character-based and story-driven. Waitress is a musical that’s very grounded in real life, offering relatable characters and a compelling storyline.  And, of course, there’s pie! Granny’s Pie Factory in East Hartford will be our pie sponsor for the show, and their terrific pies will be for sale in our café.” Tickets to the show range from $35-$38 and can be purchased in person at the box office or by calling (413) 747-7797.  Box office hours are Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  Doors to the theater will open one hour before the start of a show, which is also when the café opens.  For more information, visit www.majestictheater.com Not In Charge: Improv Comedy Inspired By True Stories Saturday, April 19 @7pm Don't miss this talented group of friends in an improvised show inspired by true stories from the cast! Not In Charge is Mandy Anderson, Maddy Benjamin, Sally Ekus, Julie Waggoner, Jim Young, and Kate Zak. Tickets and more information AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES Pay It Forward Applications are Open! Are you a performer or with an arts organization based in Hampden, Hampshire, or Franklin county? CitySpace seeks performers of all kinds to rehearse, perform, experiment, and make some absolute magic in CitySpace’s Blue Room in Old Town Hall and be a part of the 2025 Pay It Forward cohort! Recipients receive access to the Blue Room for free, plus receive a $1,000 stipend, and skill-building opportunities. See eligibility and requirements for complete details. Applications close April 10 at 11:59 p.m. APPLY Pay It Forward is made possible by The Community Foundation of Western Mass, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Greenfield Savings Bank, and Tandem Bagels. Human Agenda Theater Acting Opportunity for Human Agenda Theater's June Performance of Within the Glow Accepting interested participants through April 11th! Interested in Acting? Like weird theater? Opportunity for folks who love collaborative theater and want to help bring the final version of our new show, Within the Glow, to life in June! It's a show about gatherings, both why they are difficult and why they are essential. We're looking for actors to join our troupe for rehearsals starting late April through the performances on June 13th and 14th. No acting experience necessary! Email us at humanagendatheater@gmail.com for details! Valley Players A Walk in the Woods Bangs Community Center and First Church (Amherst, MA) The Valley Players seek a stage manager for their upcoming production of Lee Blessing's "A Walk in the Woods". Thanks to a generous donor, this position will receive a small stipend.  Must be available for most rehearsals and all shows from April 21 through June 29 and ideally available for rehearsals before April 21 as well.  · Keeps notes about blocking and relevant performance choices during rehearsals.  · On-book for actors during rehearsals.  · Helps with lighting equipment set-up at load-in (June 15).  · Helps set up and clear the house chairs for each performance.  · Runs lights and sound during technical and dress rehearsals (June 15–18) and the performances.  · Sets bench, props, and costumes before dress rehearsals and performances and ensures they are cleared after dress rehearsals and performances (June 15-29)  · Assists with strike after the final performance (June 29) www.valleyplayers.org The Academy of Music Theatre seeks applications for the position of Box Office Manager, a full-time, salaried position. The Box Office Manager Is responsible for controlling all aspects of selling tickets for the Academy of Music Theatre, from initial contact with Academy Executive Director for Academy presentations and productions, and with renters after a contract is signed through post-show office reports after a show has closed. The Box Office Manager works closely with the Executive Director, Theater Manager, box office attendants, Director of Finance, and renters of the Academy to make sure show webpages are built according to Academy and renter standards, tickets are accurately sold, customer and renter concerns are addressed in a courteous and professional manner, and internal reports are completed in a timely manner for reconciliation. The Box Office Manager is responsible for daily operation of computer software and online ticketing systems, answering phone calls and emails, observing proper box office policies and procedures, and following customer service best practices. This person must be able to respond to customer complaints and deal with any issues that arise at the ticket counter or via patron feedback. They must also be able to meet the needs of renters, including troubleshooting website or software problems, as they arise. Work activities include: - Undertaking the daily sales of tickets, managing held seats, arranging pre-sales, etc. and entering data as required - Working directly with the ticketing agency to create new seating charts and fulfill other special requests as needed - Providing periodic reports and customer lists to Academy renters - Providing ticket reports for the Executive Director and Finance Committee - Maintaining the box office cash drawer; reconciling end-of-shift revenue, preparing deposits, and maintaining records; and maintaining proper change for the cash drawer - Managing and responding to patron complaints regarding any box office-related issues - Undertaking any other responsibilities relating to ticketing services, as self-identified or requested This is a full-year, salaried position with a regular weekly schedule and variable event schedule that averages 40-hours/week across the year. Qualifications: Preferred Qualifications: - 1 year of relevant experience working in a box office (or similar customer service) environment - Basic knowledge of box office protocols and procedures - Excellent customer and client service skills - Working knowledge of online ticket sales platforms and credit card procedures - Strong math and data skills   Education: - High School diploma or work experience in related field   Other Skills: - Cash handling experience - Strong computer and internet literacy - Proofreading and editing - Attention to detail - Time management   The successful applicant must be available to work during the Academy’s standard box office hours, Tuesday through Friday from 2:30-6:00pm, as well as taking on most event shifts (generally nights and weekends) in the box office. How To Apply: Please submit a résumé outlining relevant experience to Theater Manager, mslabaugh@aomtheatre.com 247 Main St., Northampton, MA 01060. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through April 23, 2025. Apply by: April 23, 2025 Salary: $50,000 - $55,000 / Per year WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Theater enthusiasts are invited to go Behind the Curtain this spring and summer, through Shakespeare & Company’s series of discussions led by Shakespeare scholar Ann Berman. Held on select Saturdays throughout the spring and summer at the Shakespeare & Company campus, these free public talks offer audiences insight into the creative process of Season 2025’s productions, featuring directors, cast, and design team members as they explore themes, artistic choices, and behind-the-scenes stories. Behind the Curtain talks begin on Saturday, March 8, and continue through Saturday, August 16: April 5, 10:30 a.m. – The Taming of the Shrew with directors Tina Packer and Allyn Burrows (Jane Iredale Lobby, Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre) May 3, 10:30 a.m. – Romeo & Juliet with directors Jonathan Epstein and Kevin G. Coleman (Jane Iredale Lobby, Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre) June 21, 10:30 a.m. – The Victim with director Daniel Gidron (Rose Footprint Theatre, outdoors) July 5, 10:30 a.m. – Romeo & Juliet with directors Jonathan Epstein and Kevin G. Coleman (Rose Footprint Theatre, outdoors) July 19, 10:30 a.m. – The Piano Lesson with director Chris Edwards (Rose Footprint Theatre, outdoors) August 2, 10:30 a.m. – The Taming of the Shrew with directors Tina Packer and Allyn Burrows (Rose Footprint Theatre, outdoors) August 16, 10:30 a.m. – Mother Play with director Ariel Bock (Rose Footprint Theatre, outdoors) For more information and to reserve free tickets, visit shakespeare.org/talks-tours, or call the Box Office at 413.637.3353. Photo Caption: Ann Berman, far right, leads a series of free Behind the Curtain talks in the spring and summer at Shakespeare & Company. Pictured are director Dalia Ashurina (far left) and playwright/cast member Awni Abdi-Bahri of Three Tall Persian Women, which debuted at Shakespeare & Company last year. Photo by Eran Zelixon. About Shakespeare & Company Shakespeare & Company was founded in 1978 by Tina Packer. Located in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, the Company offers performance, education, and actor-training opportunities year-round, and attracts more than 40,000 patrons annually with a core of more than 150 artists. About Ann Berman Ann Berman holds a Master of Arts in Shakespeare Studies from King’s College, London, through a program that partnered with Shakespeare’s Globe. She also holds a Master’s of Education in Special Education from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in English from SUNY Binghamton. Before relocating to Berkshire County, she served as a longtime volunteer with the Actors’ Shakespeare Project in Boston. She taught Shakespeare’s plays at the Life-long Learning at Regis College program (LLARC), in tandem with what play ASP was performing at the time. Now a resident of Lee, Mass., Berman is also an active member of The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College (OLLI). The Shea Theater is delighted to offer their second annual Immersive Summer Theater Program for Kids ages 8-12! *July 7-18 session 1 *July 21- August 1 session 2 *9-3 Monday-Friday *Performance at 2 pm second Friday  *Two week attendance not required to participate  *Cost is $450 with some scholarships available Registration opens at sheatheater.org on February 10. Questions? Please reach out to sheatheaterartscenter@gmail.com Testimonial from last summer:  My child loved the Immersive Theater Camp at the Shea! The theater games were super fun and they loved all aspects of rehearsal and performance for Alice In Wonderland. Atticus and Enzo manage to be both clear and fun Directors, and are doing a wonderful job nurturing the next generation of immersive theater enthusiasts. It was a big highlight of the summer! Each day of the program will be dedicated to creating and rehearsing the immersive theater performance, as well as learning and participating in various acting games and workshops. The performers will rehearse and perform in an immersive theater show based on a fairytale, a Shakespeare play, or a myth. This Immersive approach encourages imagination, collaboration, and creativity while teaching acting and movement techniques in a nurturing and holistic environment. The medium of Immersive Theater is an innovative theater format that allows audience members to wander wherever they wish within a play, finding characters and scenes at their own will in different rooms and spaces. No audience member has the same experience; they all will see different scenes in different locations, piecing together the story as they go. And if being onstage is not for your child, there is lots of backstage creativity  to be invented, too. SESSION ONE-We will perform a theatrical version of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, rewritten by Atticus Belmonte and incorporating themes and elements from various versions of the Oz story. SESSION TWO-We will perform Cinderella, primarily inspired by the Grimm Brothers' Aschenputtel and collaging imagery from other versions and fairytales.  Atticus Belmonte is a 20 year old writer, director, actor, and theater major at Bard College. He is a founder of Patch Productions that he formed with his siblings and several friends taking his immersive theater pieces to the Shea where they have offered several productions. Enzo Belmonte is 17 years old and grew up doing theater, specifically Shakespeare and immersive theater. He has a special skill set in technical theater and will create lights and sound for the show. Registration is now open! Is your creative kiddo ready for a fun-filled summer of channeling their inner wild creature, creating their own fairy tale, and discovering their inner clown? Does your tween or teen enjoy making things up on the spot, working as a team, and creating their own performances? Registration is now open for PIC Kids Summer with options for rising 2nd-9th graders. Younger artists (rising 2nd-5th graders) will adventure through the creative process as they explore theater, movement, visual art, and more. Each week follows a different theme, and all weeks will culminate in a sharing of the young artists' original work on Fridays at 2:30. Keep scrolling for detailed descriptions of each week. JUL 21-25        Growl and Groove JUL 28-AUG 1  Fairy Tale Mashup! AUG 4-8          Theatrical Clown 1 AUG 11-15       Theatrical Clown 2 9am-3pm each day  $350/week Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, 130 Pine St, Florence   Older youth artists (rising 6th-9th graders) will spend each morning playing comedy improv games, and then apply those skills and concepts to the afternoon sessions, working as an ensemble to create (devise) their own original performance. With improv you never know what's going to happen, so these creative kids will be taking risks, laughing, and figure it out as they go! All of this collaborative fun will culminate in a sharing at 2:30pm on the Friday of each session. AUG 4-8       Improvise and Devise 1 AUG 11-15 Improvise and Devise 2​ 9:00am-3:00pm each day  $350/week Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, 130 Pine St, Florence ​ Learn more and register! Submit your workshop, class, audition, performance, or any other theatre opportunity here! Western Massachusetts Theatre Companies Academy of Music Theatre Amherst Community Theater Arena Civic Theatre A.C.T. Youth Theatre Barrington Stage Company Berkshire Theatre Group Chester Theatre Company CitySpace Completely Ridiculous Productions Drama Studio Double Edge Theatre Easthampton Theater Company Eggtooth Productions Exit 7 Players Ghost Light Theater Great Barrington Public Theater Greenfield Community College's Theater Department Hampshire Shakespeare Company Happier Valley Comedy Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center Human Agenda Theater Ja'Duke Center for the Performing Arts K and E Theater Group Ko Theater Works/Ko Festival of Performance Majestic Theater Mount Holyoke College Rooke Theatre No Theater Northampton Community Arts Trust Northampton Playwrights Lab PaintBox Theatre Panopera Pauline Productions Performance Project Phantom Sheep Players Play Incubation Collective Plays In Place Real Live Theatre Serious Play Theatre Ensemble Shakespeare & Company  Shakespeare Stage Shea Theater Arts Center Silverthorne Theater Smith College Department of Theatre South Hadley Players Spindrift Theatre St. Michael's Players Starlight's Youth Theatre, Inc. Theater Between Addresses Theatre Guild of Hampden TheatreTruck UMass Department of Theater UMass Theatre Guild Unity House Players Valley Light Opera Valley Players WAM Theatre Ware Community Theatre Westfield Theatre Group Wilbraham United Players Williamstown Theatre Festival World and Eye Want to know even more about events in Western Massachusetts and beyond, including reviews, interviews, and previews? In the Spotlight, Inc. Berkshire on Stage Stagestruck ArtsBeat TV/Radio and News Column Local Theater Critic Max Hartshorne Copyright © 2025 Western Mass Theatre, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive the Western Mass Theatre Newsletter. This newsletter is published weekly on Thursdays and all information about upcoming performances and auditions is reader submitted. The newsletter is limited to information about theatre in Western Massachusetts. unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences