1 day Ago By Monica Bliss
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Art presents Indigenous Drag Story Hour with Lady Shrug and Landa LakesAmherst— On Saturday, April 5th at 11 a.m., the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Art presents Indigenous Drag Story Hour featuring beloved Storytellers Lady Shug and Landa Lakes, Indigenous Drag Story Hour emphasizes Native language, stories, and culture utilizing inclusive picture books and pre-literacy skills for school-aged children and their families.
Lady Shug, a Diné non-binary drag artist from the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, has been a drag artist for years. She’s known to center her culture and Indigeneity in her craft. Featured on an episode of HBO’s “We’re Here,” Lady Shug supports border towns and communities within and alongside reservation lands in New Mexico and Arizona through the #ShugChallenge mutual aid program.
Originally from Oklahoma but based in San Francisco, Landa Lakes career spans decades and platforms, although her name is mostly linked to the two-spirit drag community. Between participating in both American Indian and Gay and Lesbian student organizations in college as a youth and acting as a mentor to younger drag performers, two-spirit Chickasaw drag queen and community organizer Landa always played a massive part in the LGBTQ2S+ community and continues to do so. Currently, she and her drag troupe Brush Arbor Gurlz perform nationwide to educate others about Native politics and issues.
The event is on Saturday, April 5th at 11 a.m. at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Art, located at 125 West Bay Road in Amherst.
It is free with admission. More information can be found online. ***Hudson Hall presents G.
F. Handel’s ‘Giulio Cesare’ directed by R.B.
SchlatherHudson, N.Y.— From April 19th through May 2nd, Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House presents G.
F. Handel’s “Giulio Cesare” directed by R.B.
Schlather. R.B.
Schlather is an American artist and opera director associated with immersive installations and unconventional stagings that push the boundaries of traditional operatic performance. His work has been praised for challenging norms and creating new and engaging experiences for audiences. In 2023 he was profiled in The New York Times as a rare American opera director bringing “fresh visions to Europe’s opera stages.
”R.B. Schlather.
Photo by by Matthew Placek.Schlather says, “’Giulio Cesare’ is a wild ride—packed with intrigue, danger, seduction, sharp wit, heroism, and gut-wrenching drama. This was Handel’s pulp fiction blockbuster, inspired by Julius Caesar’s high-stakes escapades in Egypt and his whirlwind romance with the young, cunning Cleopatra.
In Handel’s day, people came for the thrill—the singers, the spectacle, the physicality, and the sheer energy of the music. That’s the vibe..
.bold, visceral, and unapologetically thrilling.”Serving as the “house band” for the production is Ruckus, a collaborative baroque ensemble known for its visceral and playful approach to early music.
Ruckus’ core is a continuo group featuring guitars, keyboards, cello, bassoon, and bass that blends the creative spirit of early music with the grit and groove of American roots music.Ruckus. Photo by Fay Fox.
The performances run from April 19th through May 2nd at Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House, located at 327 Warren Street in Hudson, N.Y. Tickets and more information can be found online.
***BerkChique! First Dibs Party tickets available nowLenox— From Friday, May 2nd through Sunday, May 4th, the Berkshires’ premier pop-up clothing sale and fundraiser, BerkChique! returns for its 10th year. The much-anticipated, one-weekend-only pop-up will be held at Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion & Museum, located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.The annual event features new and gently-used clothing and accessories in a variety of sizes, including casual and formal tops, dresses, sweaters, blazers, coats, slacks, and jeans collected from some of the most fashionable closets in the Berkshires -– all at accessible prices.
In addition, Vicki Bonnington will again be opening her famous closet to bring many hard-to-find and one-of-a-kind designer pieces that you will not see anywhere else.Bonnington, who serve as Event Chair, said, “My motto is, ‘if you come to BerkChique!, I promise you will go home with a treasure’, and it has been proven to be true. Everywhere I go, someone tells me about that one great skirt or that fantastic pair of shoes or that one-of-a-kind necklace they bought at BerkChique!”Courtesy BerkChique!Since its inception in 2012, BerkChique! has donated more than $285,000 to support local nonprofits.
This year the sale is being presented by and in support of Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion & Museum, with additional donations going to the Berkshire Humane Society, Community Access to the Arts (CATA), WAM Theatre, and Berkshire Art Center.The sale kicks-off on Friday, May 2nd from 5:30 p.m.
to 8:30 p.m. with a First Dibs Shopping Party featuring catered hors d’oeuvres and refreshments, wine courtesy of NeJaime’s Wine Cellars, and shopping bags from Blue Q.
Tickets and more information can be found online. The weekend event will continue with free admission on Saturday, May 3rd from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 4th from 10 a.
m. to 2 p.m.
For those who are interested in donating new or gently-used women’s and/or men’s clothing and accessories, you can drop off your donations at Ventfort Hall Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.
m. or call 413-637-3206 for an alternative time. You may also schedule a pick up online.
***Berkshire County Historical Society presents bestselling author Sarah Vowell on her book ‘Lafayette in the Somewhat United States’Pittsfield— On Tuesday, April 8th at 7 p.m., Berkshire County Historical Society, in partnership with OLLI and Housatonic Heritage, as part of the Berkshire250 and Lafayette200 celebrations, presents Sarah Vowell on her book “Lafayette in the Somewhat United States,” a virtual conversation.
Courtesy Berkshire County Historical Society.Marking the 200th anniversary of the Marquise de Lafayette’s visit to the Berkshires, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Vowell joins us for a virtual conversation. Her book, “Lafayette in the Somewhat United States” explores the patriot founders’ alliance with France as personified by the teenage volunteer in George Washington’s army, the Marquis de Lafayette.
The free virtual conversation is on Tuesday, April 8th at 7 p.m. on Zoom.
Registration and more information can be found online. ***WordXWord presents Poets Creating ConversationPittsfield— On Tuesday, April 8th at 7 p.m.
, WordXWord presents Poets Creating Conversation. The theme is “diversity.”Over the next three months, WordXWord is asking poets of any age, style, or experience to apply their creative energy to three fraught words: diversity, equity, and inclusion.
These words have a wide range of applications other than the uses currently under pressure.Courtesy WordXWord.The free event is on Tuesday, April 8th at 7 p.
m. at Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 175 Wendell Avenue in Pittsfield. It is open to all, but note that some poems may contain content or language best suited for teens and adults.
Registration and more information can be found online.***Bennington Theater presents ‘Treasure Island’ by the acclaimed Panto Company USABennington, Vt.— On Sunday, April 6th at 3:30 p.
m. and 6 p.m.
, Bennington Theater presents Treasure Island, an action-packed, family-friendly production brought to life by the acclaimed Panto Company USA, known for their dynamic and engaging performances.Seen through the eyes of young Jim Hawkins, cabin boy of the Hispaniola, “Treasure Island” follows his daring journey across the Spanish Main in search of buried treasure. Along the way, he encounters the legendary Long John Silver and his notorious band of rogues in a thrilling tale of piracy, mutiny, and adventure.
With plenty of laughter, excitement, and a timeless message of good triumphing over evil, this high-seas spectacle promises to delight audiences of all ages.Courtesy Bennington Theater.“With exciting action, humor, and a timeless story, Treasure Island is the kind of adventure that the whole family can enjoy together.
Plus, it’s presented in the lively, interactive style of British pantomime—a theatrical tradition that blends comedy, music, and audience participation for a uniquely entertaining experience,” said Kaiya Kirk, Executive Director of Bennington Theater.The performances are on Sunday, April 6th at 3:30 p.m.
and 6 p.m. at Bennington Theater, located on Main Street in Downton Bennington, Vt.
Tickets and more information can be found online..
