With so much going on culturally speaking in our region, this is my highly selective, curated snapshot of some of the most promising events happening this weekend …
John Cameron Mitchell and Amber Martin (courtesy MASS MoCA)
JOHN CAMERON ‘HEDWIG’ MITCHELL and AMBER MARTIN at MASS MoCA
Tony Award-winner John Cameron Mitchell – best known for his punk-goddess alter ego, Hedwig — teams up with cabaret star Amber Martin for “Cassette Roulette: An Evening of Songs and Stories,” in the Hunter Center at MASS MoCA in North Adams on Saturday at 8pm. (July 16)
ALL-HANDEL PROGRAM by ASTON MAGNA
Aston Magna continues its summer season of weekly performances with its All Handel program featuring soprano Dominique Labelle, tonight at Hudson Hall in Hudson, N.Y., and Saturday night at St. James Place in Great Barrington, Mass. (July 15-16)
FRENCH BAROQUE by CRESCENDO
The Crescendo early music series presents music of the French Baroque, played on period instruments and showcasing flute solos and ensemble works, at St. Paul’s Church in Stockbridge, Mass., on Sunday at 4pm. (Sun, Jul 17)
Anopas by Art Move Concept (courtesy artist)
ART MOVE CONCEPT BRINGS CUTTING-EDGE DANCE to PS21
Compagnie Art Move Concept from France performs its evening-length dance, “Anopas,” tonight at PS21 in Chatham, N.Y., at 8pm. A fusion of hip-hop and contemporary dance with elements of silent comedy, mime, and circus arts, the dance features terrific ensemble work and is acrobatic, humorous, theatrical, very contemporary, and sure to please fans of everyone from Annie-B Parson to David Byrne. (Fri, July 15)
A.I.M by Kyle Abraham’s ‘An Untitled Love’ (photo Carrie Schneider : courtesy Jacob’s Pillow)
KYLE ABRAHAM PAYS TRIBUTE to D’ANGELO at JACOB’S PILLOW
A.I.M by Kyle Abraham is in residence at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, Mass., this weekend, performing An Untitled Lovein the Ted Shawn Theatre tonight through Sunday. Composed to the catalogue of R&B legend D’Angelo, the evening-length work is an ode to Abraham’s intense, personal connection with the Grammy Award-winning artist’s music. (July 15-17)
Rachel Burttram (photo Mila Bridger / courtesy artist)
GB PUBLIC THEATER PRESENTS NEW COMEDY by MARK ST. GERMAIN
Great Barrington Public Theater’s 2022 mainstage opens this weekend at the Daniel Arts Center at Simon’s Rock College with “Public Speaking 101,” a fun, turn-the-tables comedy by Mark St. Germain, starring Rachel Burttram as a neurotic, amateur actress leading her community college class of terrified adults to compete in their county’s First Annual Public Speaking Competition. (July 14 – July 24)
MARION SPENCER BRINGS NEW MULTIMEDIA WORK to BRIDGE ST. THEATRE
Marion Spencer and collaborators present a new work entitled “to love the rise/pt.2” at Catskill’s Bridge Street Theatreon Saturday at 7:30pm. (July 16)
Aoife O’Donovan (photo Omar Cruz / courtesy artist)
AOIFE O’DONOVAN PLAYS FREE CONCERT at THE CLARK
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Aoife O’Donovan brings her intimate folk portraits, ballads, and love songs to the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Mass., for a free concert on Tuesday, July 19, at 6pm, in an outdoor concert on the Clark’s South Lawn near the museum’s gorgeous Reflecting Pool. (Tues, July 19)
Breanna Barbara (photo Michael Lavine / courtesy artist)
BREANNA BARBARA and GLORI WILDER BRING BLUESY, SOULFUL SOUNDS to THE STISSING CENTER
Two emerging singer-songwriters – the bluesy Breanna Barbara and the soulful Glori Wilder, perform at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains, N.Y., on Saturday at 7. Barbara’s self-described “occult blues” suggests Patsy Cline as produced by David Lynch; Wilder’s jazzy soul sounds like a cross between Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse. (Sat, July 16)
STAR WARS, DON GIOVANNI and DRURY PLAYS RZWESKI at TANGLEWOOD
At Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass., this weekend, Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart leads the orchestra in John Williams’s score to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back accompanying a film screening tonight at 8pm; Andris Nelsons leads the BSO, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and a cast of soloists in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, on Saturday at 8pm; and pianist Stephen Drury performs Frederic Rzewski’s signature piece, The People United Will Never Be Defeated! on Sunday at 8pm in the Linde Center. (July 15-17)
Lorin Sklamberg (l), Matt Darriau (c) and Frank London (r) with the Klezmatics
THE KLEZMATICS at THE FALCON
The Grammy Award-winning Klezmatics, pioneers of modern klezmer and Yiddish music, perform at the Falcon in Marlboro, N.Y., on Saturday at 7pm. (Jul 16)
Simi Stone (courtesy Maverick Concerts)
SIMI STONE, TODD RUNDGREN, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE et al.
And quickly, self-described “mountain Motown” singer-songwriter Simi Stone performs at Maverick Concerts in her hometown of Woodstock, N.Y., on Saturday (July 16) at 8pm; Parsons Dance is at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington on Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 1pm (July 16-17); the Mammals are at the Egremont Barn in South Egremont, Mass., on Saturday at 7:30pm and again on Sunday at 3pm (July 16-17); indie-rockers Death Cab for Cutie are at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie on Saturday at 8pm (Jul 16); and musical visionary and hitmaker Todd Rundgren is at the Egg in Albany on Tuesday at 7:30pm (Jul 19).
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