The weekend’s cultural highlights in the region include comedy, a legend of glam-rock, Chinese dance, a theatrical premiere, Jewish-jazz fusion, and a whole lot more.
“The Bakelite Masterpiece” by Kate Cayley, a drama based on a real-life story of an art forgery during World War II that raises questions about collaboration and the intertwining of art, commerce, and politics, receives its American premiere at the Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, Mass., tonight through Sunday, October 23, in a co-production by Berkshire Theatre Group and WAM Theatre. WAM artistic director Kristen van Ginhoven directs the play, which stars David Adkins and Corinna May.
Clarinetist Paul Green leads his Jewish-jazz fusion band, Two Worlds, with special guest vocalist Sarah Aroeste, one of the world’s premiere Ladino vocalists, in a concert exploring links among klezmer, jazz, and Sephardic music, as part of the Music & More Series at the Historic Meeting House in New Marlborough, Mass., on Saturday at 4:30pm. The members of Green’s band include famed guitarist Michael Musillami, keyboardist Joe Rose, drummer Bill Chapman, and bassist Dan Broad.
New York City-based stand-up comedian Tim Dillon brings his uniquely skewed view of the world to Club B-10 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Mass., on Saturday at 8pm, as part of the ongoing High Mud Comedy Fest. Pittsfield’s own Ryan Shea will warm up the crowd for Dillon.
H.T. Chen & Dancers perform their latest work, “South of Gold Mountain,” at the ’62 Center at Williams College on Saturday at 8pm. The performance – a Williams Dance Department commission - is rooted in the images and oral histories of the Chinese immigrants who settled in the American South prior to World War II.
Mott the Hoople lead singer and songwriter Ian Hunter brings his current group, the Rant Band, to Club Helsinki Hudson tonight at 9pm. As leader of 1970s British rock legends Mott the Hoople and a hugely influential solo artist, Hunter is widely revered as one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most compelling and influential performers, as well as one of its most articulate songwriters, best known for songs including “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” and “Cleveland Rocks,” and my personal favorite, “All The Way From Memphis.” Mott the Hoople also had a huge hit with the David Bowie-penned “All The Young Dudes,” after turning down the first song Bowie offered, a little ditty called “Suffragette City.”
Oh – wham bam thank you!
Seth Rogovoy is editor of Berkishire Daily and the Rogovoy Report, available online at rogovoyreport.com
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