The Berkshires' first ever winter contemporary arts festival debuts this week on Thursday, February 16 through 26, as downtown Pittsfield offers 10x10 on North, with a dynamic mix of new art, dance, music, theater and more.
The Festival represents a collaborative effort, spearheaded by Barrington Stage Company (BSC), with Beacon Cinema, Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF), Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, the City of Pittsfield, Mission Bar+Tapas, Y Bar, New Stage Performing Arts Center, Pittsfield Bra and Girl, and Shawn's Barber Shop, among others.
Barrington Stage will present ten 10-minute plays, the Beacon Cinema and BIFF will offer ten new short films shot on cell phones, the Lichtenstein Center will host an art show called Ten Spot, featuring the work of 10 emerging Berkshire artists, the Mission Bar+Tapas will feature 10 songwriters, Y Bar will welcome 10 poets, and New Stage will host 10 comedy and variety acts, with 10 tangos scheduled for Pittsfield Bra and Girl and the work of 10 comic strip artists on display at Shawn's Barber Shop.
BSC's Artistic Director Julianne Boyd explained that "we want to celebrate Pittsfield as an arts community all year long. We are excited about this festival and the new collaboration we have formed this winter."
Performances of the ten 10-minute plays will be held on both weekends of the Festival, on Thursday, Firday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.,with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 for Thursday evening and the Saturday and Sunday matinees and $20 for Friday and Saturday evening.
Ten playwrights and six actors are participating in the 10-minute plays, which have been grouped around the theme of "Entrances and Exits." According to Boyd, "the plays we are presenting are about people connecting with each other in various ways--funny, sad, cautious, competitive, half-hearted, romantic and even hostile."
The plays include:
"God in the Goat" by Suzanne Bradbeer. On a stoop in New York City, a member of the paparazzi starts a conversation with an old girlfriend of the celebrity who recently passed away in the building across the street. With Lily Balsen and Matt Neely; Directed by Frank La Frazia.
"Another Cup of Coffee" by Cait Weisensee. A man cares for his wife, who is suffering from a degenerative brain disease and cannot remember the facts—big or small— from moment to moment. With Robert Zukerman, Peggy Pharr Wilson and Emily Taplin Boyd; Directed by David Sernick.
"Tenderness" by Maureen McGranaghan. A young woman wakes up in the middle of the night, to find the man she had just slept with sneaking away. With Emily Taplin Boyd and Ryland Thomas; Directed by Tom Gladwell.
"The Story" by Mikhail Horowitz. In an absurdist scene, two men in a cave discuss how to tell a good story. With Robert Zukerman and Matt Neely; Directed by Mark St Germain.
" Lannie’s Lament" by Jacqueline Goldfinger. A Southern Gothic tale about Little Lannie and a funeral. With Peggy Pharr Wilson; Directed by Mark St Germain.
"The Things I Left on Long Island" by Sara Cooper. A young woman moves back home to Long Island to live with her mother, grandmother and younger brother. With Lily Balsen, Peggy Pharr Wilson and Robert Zukerman; Directed by Julianne Boyd.
"Lunch with Amanda" by Chris Newbound. A man seeks out a woman at lunch after he accidentally hits her with a softball during a company game. With Lily Balsen and Ryland Thomas; Directed by Frank La Frazia
"Behold the Coach, In a Blazer, Uninsured" by Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Eno. A high school football coach, at the end of a losing season, holds a press conference. With Matt Neely; Directed by Mark St. Germain.
Total Expression" by Marisa Smith. An American woman gets some unexpected advice from a Russian model. With Emily Taplin Boyd, Peggy Pharr Wilson and Robert Zukerman; Directed by Tom Gladwell.
"Fugu" by Laura Shaine. Two couples meet as part of an ongoing culinary rivalry as to which couple can prepare the most obscure haute gourmet dinner. Matt Neely, Lily Balsen, Emily Taplin Boyd, and Ryland Thomas; Directed by Julianne Boyd.
Natasha Sinha will serve as Associate Producer for the production, Jeff Roudabush is lighting designer, Andy Reynolds is sound designer and Michael Andrew Rodgers is production stage manager.
For information or to purchase tickets, call the Barrington Stage Box Office at 413.236.8888 or visit the website at www.barringtonstage.org. Performances will be held at the BSC Stage 2, 36 Linden Street in Pittsfield. For information on the 10x10 Festival, visit the website at www.discoverpittsfield.com/10x10.
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