Shelburne Falls & West County Independent • July 13, 2012 9 Diamond new Mohawk drama coordinator; ARTS summer drama workshop still open By Virginia Ray any given summer, we’ve had BUCKLAND—Jonathan Dia- as many as 16 Heath alumni mond of Heath is looking for and/or current students en- VERTIGO someone to share in an adven- rolled. The last two years it’s ture he is arranging, to para- helped us take on much more phrase J.R.R. Tolkien, author sophisticated material in our of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord winter plays.” of the Rings” trilogy. But what excites Diamond Diamond, in his new post as most about the workshop is Mohawk Trail Regional School “the larger sense of communi- District drama coordinator, ty it’s creating in West County will direct the annual spring and the way in which it’s help- musical at the high school: ing not only to strengthen the this year students will perform connections among students “The Hobbit.” but between their schools as “Buckland, which shares its well,” he says. name with one of the villages “People are definitely start- in Tolkien’s story, is a lot like ing to get excited about the the shire where the story’s work, and we are too. Mostly, protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is we’re just having a boatload of from,” says Diamond. “They’re fun. Last summer during the both peaceful, bucolic settings. heat wave we went to a differ- Tolkien created this amazing ent swimming hole everyday fantasy world of Middle Earth to run lines.” but parts of it will feel very fa- Many students who par- miliar to West County children ticipate have trained for and families.” years with members of Double “Mohawk is delighted to Edge’s core ensemble and at- introduce Jonathan Diamond tended performances at the as the District’s new drama theatre’s Ashfield farm, al- coordinator,” says Superinten- though no experience is need- dent Michael Buoniconti. “Dr. ed to enroll in the workshop. Diamond played an instrumen- “Most have studied these tal role evolving the Heath myths in school and seeing Pothole Pictures will show “Vertigo” Friday and Saturday, Elementary drama program Double Edge bring them to July 20 and 21 in Memorial Hall Theater. over the past eight years into life and all the vivid imagery a remarkable educational created, well, they wanted to experience for students. We try their hand in it too,” Dia- greatly look forward to Jona- mond says. than expanding this wonderful The script for the play was program to the high school and developed in a Director’s Stu- Artspace seeking artists middle school and are very Photo by Lorena Loubsky dio Block for Actors Diamond GREENFIELD—Artspace Artists must be present to sell excited for our students.” Mohawk Trail Regional School eighth-grader Chris Graves teaches at the Academy. Stu- is seeking artists to partici- their work. In addition to directing the and 12th-grade homeschooler Maeve Gallagher perform in dents took turns writing text, pate in its Holiday Gift Sale To apply for a space, e-mail spring production at Mohawk, the 2011 Academy Summer Drama Workshop performance of directing and blocking scenes at Greenfield High School three digital images with de- Diamond will oversee a pilot “Shakespeare in Like.” and then took a field trip to Friday, Nov. 2 from 6-9 p.m. scriptions and pricing to info@ internship model at the Heath Double Edge and spent the and Saturday, Nov. 3 from 10 franklyarts.,com. Make sure the Elementary School and co- that production is underway. actors, dancers, singers and morning working on the mate- a.m.-2 p.m. images are representative of teach an acting workshop “The students are going to set-builders. rial with actor and Executive All types of original two- and your work. You may also mail for middle and high school help us develop the material, Now in its third season, the Director Matthew Glassman. three-dimensional artwork the information to Artspace, students with Mohawk Eng- as first we’ll need to compose program runs from July 23- “Child and teen actors, es- will be considered. There is 15 Mill St., Greenfield MA lish teacher Leanne Blaszak. the music and write the play,” Aug. 3, Monday-Friday from 9 pecially, do not want to be pas- no booth fee; instead, Artspace 01301. Deadline for submission Blaszek did her student teach- says Diamond. “We’ll draw a.m.-3 p.m. sive vessels for playwrights,” receives a commission on sales. is July 30. ing residency at the high from our talented faculty and Participants will enjoy a says Diamond. “Children are school and assisted with the student body and tap into the special evening performance natural storytellers. They musical last year. hilltowns’ gifted performing of Ashfield’s internationally want to use their imagina- “We’re hoping to create a arts community.” renowned Double Edge The- tions and develop the work program that offers opportuni- Diamond has experience atre’s summer spectacle, “The themselves.” Bolcom & Morris back ties for high school juniors and creating and adapting mate- Odyssey,” and talk with actors/ Among those joining seniors to direct productions rial in this way from his years directors after the show. The Diamond this summer are in the elementary schools and directing and writing plays program will culminate in pub- choreographer Cynthia Mc- at MTC use it to expand the perform- for the Heath School and at lic performances of “Icarus” at Cloughlin, henna artist Kelly The Academy at Charlemont’s the Academy on Friday, Aug. 3 Flaherty, Chrysalis Theatre CHARLEMONT—With a nod ing arts curriculum for that Summer Drama Workshop. at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Music Director Pan Morigan to Bastille Day and the Sum- age group,” says Diamond. “In Heath we’ve expe- and Heath School costumer mer Festival’s theme honoring The Mohawk course will Still time to join in rienced such a bump from France and French music, Mo- be offered both semesters. Carin Burnes. summer fun these summer intensives,” hawk Trail Concerts welcomes Students can sign up for fall Former Philips Andover There is still limited space says Diamond. “People have longtime favorites Bolcom or spring semesters or enroll Academy Theatre instructor to join the Summer Drama marveled at how much our and Morris, composer/pianist for the year. Diamond and and new Academy Headmas- Workshop, which offers stu- program has grown over the William Bolcom and mezzo- Blaszak plan to use the first ter Mark Efinger will spend dents in grades 5-12 two weeks years and the levels at which soprano Joan Morris, Friday semester to build a core en- a morning teaching stage and Saturday, July 13 and 14, at semble that can work together of movement, voice work, in- our young actors are able to combat. the air-conditioned Federated on the spring play and, in the tensive actor training and perform. We often refer to the For more information and Church on Rte. 2. second semester, to provide work with aerial fabrics and workshop as the secret ingre- to register, call 413-339-4912 As has become custom, the additional rehearsal time once large objects for aspiring dient in our productions. In or visit charlemont.org. church’s annual chicken bar- becue and pie fest will precede the Saturday concert on the lawn. “The Journey of E” at Memorial Hall Aug. 11 The program will include boy using headlines of the day wanted to offer a family friend- were looking for venues in both Chansons de Negresses Theatergoers as stopping off points for a mu- ly show to the community that New England. One of the per- and Three Rags-Caprices by sical cavalcade of numbers as brings back some nostalgia.” formers, Carolyn Raming, jazz the French composer Darius encouraged to wear he hawks his papers along New Blanchet hopes to see vocalist, was passing through Milhaud, as well as Songs by York City’s Great White Way. residents wearing vintage and someone suggested that Cosma with lyrics by Jacques vintage attire “The Journey of E” brings clothing and parking vintage we perform at Memorial Hall,” Prevert. Sampling Bolcom’s SHELBURNE FALLS—“The the audience from the era of cars on Bridge Street for the Blanchet says. “We try to per- remarkable versatility, pianists William Bolcom and Joan Journey of E,” a jazz homage Prohibition through the hard performance. form in small theaters; it fits Julia Belyung, 10, and Hannah Morris return to Mohawk Trail to the late French singer Edith times of the Great Depression “We love the town and ev- our theme and our family- Ruhl, 12, will play The Bad Concerts Friday and Saturday, Piaf, will come to town for one on a voyage to Europe where eryone has been really nice, oriented show brings jazz to Monster and the Sad Monster July 13 and 14 at the Char- night in a coast-to-coast tour, the alluring Parisian influence we are much appreciative,” a new audience. We found and The Bad Mister and the lemont Federated Church. stopping at Memorial Hall of the “chanson” (song) begins he says. “We met Tiffany from everyone so, so nice and this is Glad Minister from Bolcom’s Theater for a Saturday, Aug. in Paris and romantic music of Otis and Co. vintage clothing; a volunteer theater — we usu- Monsterpieces for Older Chil- for 40 years throughout the 11 performance at 8 p.m. the late 30s and 40s is brought she was wonderful and is get- ally perform in staffed, profes- dren. Announced and intro- U.S., Canada and abroad have The highest moneymaking to life. ting friends and customers sional theaters — so now it re- duced from the stage, selec- made them household names shows of the 1930s, such as “We like performing in interested in coming to the ally is even more important to tions from the duo’s extensive among music lovers. “42nd Street,” “Gold Diggers” small theaters,” says Blanchet. show in period attire.” us because we love volunteers repertoire of American popular Her distinctive voice and and “Footlight Parade,” fo- “Just like in the 20s and 30s, As it was with the ultimate and respect how much they songs from the 19th and 20th expressive performance have cused on the Depression. when working men and women filming of “Labor Day” here, give to a community.” Centuries and cabaret songs made Joan Morris a recogniz- Marcel Blanchet produces would come to be entertained this performance has come to Tickets, including a special will complete the program. able voice on Public Radio. this show, which features the by silent films and vaudeville the village’s unique Memorial family package, are available Bill Bolcom studied com- Beginning with After the Ball: jazz vocals of Carolyn Raming. acts. For many residents, it Hall Theater perchance. online at urit.ticketleap.com/ position with Milhaud here A Treasury of Turn-of-the- The story takes the audience on would be the first place they “I do not know Shelburne sf or at Boswell’s Books and and in Paris before complet- Century Popular Songs, which a trip guided by a newspaper would ever see a show . . . We Falls other than when we Mocha Maya’s. ing a doctorate in composi- garnered her a Grammy Award tion at Stanford University. nomination for “best vocal solo- Since then he has composed ist performance on a classical symphonies, operas, chamber album,” she has recorded 24 The locally owned The works, musical theater works, albums with Bolcom and per- incidental and cabaret pieces, formed widely on stage and in drugstore where life is all too numerous and various to cabaret. BAKER name. Honors include the 1988 The Saturday concert begins simpler, they know you Pulitzer Prize for music. Last at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20; $18 Pharmacy ' May the Springfield Symphony for students and seniors. Friday by name, and there’s Mondays–Fridays 8:30 a.m.–8 p.m. under Kevin Rhodes premiered at 7 p.m. tickets are $18; $15 for # his “Prometheus, A Choral Saturdays 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. students and seniors. They are still a soda fountain Closed Sundays "& Fantasy.” He has recorded as a available by phone to 413-339- # " %!$ %### pianist extensively, alone and 4294, online at mohawktrailcon- 52 BRIDGE S T ., SHELB URNE F ALLS 2 (413) 625-6324 with Joan Morris. certs.org and at Avery’s Store Their performances as a duo and Boswell’s Books. HARDWOOD FLOORS
Buckland, MA 413-489-3024