FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
OVER SEVENTY EVENTS FEATURED AT
2ND ANNUAL 10×10 UPSTREET ARTS FESTIVAL
Winter Arts Festival to be held February 14-24, 2013
in Downtown Pittsfield’s Upstreet Cultural District
Press contacts:
City of Pittsfield Director of Cultural Development, Megan Whilden, 413-281-7289, mwhilden@pittsfieldch.com
Barrington Stage Company Press Director, Charlie Siedenburg 551-655-0968, Charlie_siedenburg@yahoo.com
PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/10×10-photos
(PITTSFIELD, MA) The 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival features over 70 events during Pittsfield’s second annual contemporary winter arts festival February 14-24, 2013. The 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival features dozens of artists, actors, musicians, writers, comedians and more.
“We were thrilled with the success of last year’s festival,” said Barrington Stage Artistic Director Julianne Boyd. “We are looking forward to an even bigger and more dynamic festival this year, with over 70 events – many for the entire family – for both visitors to Pittsfield and year-round residents, too.”
Highlights of the festival include Barrington Stage Company’s 10X10 New Play Festival, featuring ten new ten minute plays, chosen from over 180 entries; two 10×10 comedy shows, each featuring ten up and coming comedians; the 10X10 RAP (Real Art Party) organized by Berkshire Art Association and the Storefront Artist Project; Alchemy Initiative and WAM Theatre’s creative exploration of women’s lives through the decades via new art and performance; and the Royal Berkshire Improv Troupe’s heroic attempt at improvising ten classic musicals in one performance at the Colonial Theatre.
New this year are a variety of family friendly daytime activities, perfect for a week when many schools are on vacation. They include daily arts projects at Bisque, Beads & Beyond, daily adventure play at the Berkshire Museum, a teen art show at Pittsfield City Hall, a program of ten Shaker dances and songs at Treehouse Children’s Boutique, and a concert at Berkshire Music School.
The 10X10 Upstreet Festival has also expanded to include a number of new partners, including the Berkshire Theatre Group, Hancock Shaker Village, Berkshire Museum, the Berkshire Art Association, Alchemy Initiative, WAM Theatre and more.
The 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival is organized by the City of Pittsfield and Barrington Stage Company. Berkshire Gas is the lead sponsor and additional support is generously provided by the following sponsors: Greylock Federal Credit Union, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Berkshire Magazine, The Berkshire Eagle, Lamar Advertising, Performances and events will take place every day during the festival. For more information, visit discoverpittsfield.com/10×10 or call 413-499-9348.
10X10 SCHEDULE – EVENTS
WAM THEATRE/HAVEN/ELIZABETH FREEMAN CENTER
Spice Dragon, 297 North Street
One Billion Rising 10X10 Upstreet Dance Party
Feb. 14 at 6pm
Tickets: $10
The Elizabeth Freeman Center, HAVEN (Human/Animal Violence Education Network) and WAM Theatre present a dance party upstairs at Spice Dragon as part of Eve Ensler’s global event One Billion Rising. All proceeds for this dance party—kicking off the 10X10 Upstreet Arts Festival—are divided equally among The Elizabeth Freeman Center, WAM Theatre and Eve Ensler’s Foundation. Advance tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-838-3006 or in person at Bagels, Too or Bisque, Beads and Beyond in Pittsfield.
Beacon Cinema/Berkshire International Film Festival
Beacon Cinema, 57 North Street
Smartphone Film Festival
Feb. 14 & 21 at 6:30pm; Feb. 17 & 24 at 2pm
Free
Beacon Cinema and the Berkshire International Film Festival join together for the Berkshires’ second-ever Smartphone Film Festival—a new take on the film festival scene. Selected shorts will also be featured in collaboration with the iPhone Film Festival (IFF). The complete program of cell phone shorts will be shown on Thursdays, February 14 and 21 at 7pm and again on Sundays, February 17 and 24 at 2pm. 413-358-4780, thebeaconcinema.com
BARRINGTON STAGE COMPANY
St. Germain Stage, Sydelle and Lee Blatt Center for the Performing Arts, 36 Linden Street
10×10 New Play Festival
Feb 14-Mar 3. Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm; Sat/Sun at 3pm
Tickets: $20 Thursday evenings, Sat/Sun matinees; $25 Friday/Saturday evenings; $15 previews 2/14 & 2/15.
Every 10 minutes, a new play begins! Join Barrington Stage for an evening of ten 10-minute plays by 10 playwrights, featuring seven dynamite actors – playing for an extended 3-week run. Featured playwrights are John C. Davenport, Jacqueline Goldfinger (BSC’s 2012 10×10 New Play Festival), Donna Hoke, Brett Hursey, Christopher Innvar (BSC Associate Artist), James McLindon, Martha Patterson, Craig Pospisil, Amelia Roper and Aurin Squire. The 10X10 Repertory Company features Elizabeth Aspenlieder, Emily Taplin Boyd, Dustin Charles, Scott Drummond, Shea McIlquham, Matt Neely and Peggy Pharr Wilson. Directed by Julianne Boyd, Christopher Innvar, Frank La Frazia and Kristen van Ginhoven. All seating is reserved. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Barrington Stage Box Office at 413-236-8888 (toll free: 855-TIX-2BSC) or online at barringtonstageco.org.
Mission Bar + Tapas
438 North Street
10×10 Music
Thur-Fri, Feb. 14-15 & Mon-Fri, 18-22 at 9pm nightly
No cover
The line-up of singer-songwriters at Mission includes outstanding performers from the Word X Word festival and represents the best of the young talent from the Berkshires and beyond. Performing artists include the Picky Bastards, Last Chance Band, 8 Foot River, Andy Wrba & Friends and Billy Keane. No cover. missionbarandtapas.com
Y BAR
391 North Street
WordXWord 10×10 Poetry
Sun-Tues, Feb. 17-19, Wed-Sat Feb. 20-23 at 8pm nightly
No cover
The line-up of poets at y bar, home to the successful weekly program Writers Room, includes outstanding professional performers from the WordXWord festival and represents the best of the young Berkshire talent. Performing poets include teenagers from local schools, the best of New York’s Capital City and individual talents of Melissa Quirk, Mary-Elizabeth Mali and Pittsfield native Nakeida Bethel-Smith. ybarpittsfield.com
BERKSHIRES JAZZ
Baba Louie’s Backroom, 34 Depot Street
10 Decades of Jazz Composers: 1900-2000
Feb. 15 at 8pm
Tickets: $20
The Armen Donelian Trio explores the music of 10 American composers whose inspiring work spanned jazz’s first century. Accompanied by Dave Clark on bass and Conor Meehan on drums, Donelian and company performs unique interpretations of 10 pieces by 10 masters of jazz’ first 10 decades, including Jelly Roll Morton to Chick Corea, Art Tatum to Duke Ellington and others.
THOMAS ATTILA LEWIS
Spice Dragon, 297 North Street
10×10 Comedy Show
Feb. 16 & 23 from 8pm-10:30pm
Tickets: $12/each, three or more guests $9/each
Ten minutes of original material each by 10 stand-up comedians from the Berkshires and far beyond. Led by Thomas Attila Lewis, this event is for adults age 18 years and older, based on the nature of the comic material, with headliners Nick Vatterott on Saturday, February 16th and James Goff on Saturday, February 23rd.
KAREN LEE
Spice Dragon, 297 North Street
10 Shades of Marilyn
Fri, Feb 15 at 8:30pm and Sat, Feb. 16 at 10pm
Suggested donation
An homage to the life and legacy of Norma Jean Baker. Conceived/choreographed and performed by Karen Louise Lee, this tribute show is a collage of costumes, songs, text and movement that reveal and celebrate the woman who became Marilyn Monroe. Directed by Deirdre Flynn Sullivan.
KAREN LEE
Spice Dragon, 297 North Street
When I Fall in Love
Fri, Feb. 15 at 10pm
Suggested donation
An added bonus original cabaret featuring Ms. Lee and guests including Johnny Segalla, Deirdre Flynn Sullivan and the BurlyQ Boy Band. Music, dance, trivia, laughter and lots of love form the core of this show as we take the audience on a journey to another era of glamour and le joie de vivre!
BERKSHIRE ACTORS THEATRE
Ferrin Gallery, 437 North Street
10 Short Scenes
Feb. 17 at 7:30pm
Suggested donation: $5
Two actors perform 10 short scenes done back to back.
BERKSHIRE MUSEUM
39 South Street
PechaKucha (10+10) × (10+10)
Feb. 19 at 7pm
Tickets: $5, Museum members: Free
Innovative and inspiring PechaKucha presentations return for a fifth installment. Known globally as the 20×20 format where 20 PowerPoint slides progress automatically every 20 seconds, Berkshire Museum brings you the coolest 6-minute-40-second presentations you have ever seen. Refreshments provided by Wandering Star Craft Brewery. www.berkshiremuseum.org
THE MARKETPLACE CAFÉ
57 North Street
10 Singer-Songwriters
Fri., Feb. 21 and & Sat., Feb 22 from 6:30pm-8:30pm
No cover
Two nights of live music featuring five of the region’s best singer-songwriters under 30 years old each night. Thursday Line-up: Christine Bile, Walter Burmer, Jessica Storie, Jordan Franklin, and Ryan Foss. Friday Line-up: Sarah Belitz, Katherine Winston, Seth Stambovsky, Molly Durnin and a surprise! www.ourmarketplacecafe.com
BERKSHIRE THEATRE GROUP/ROYAL BERKSHIRE IMPROV TROUPE
The Garage at The Colonial Theatre, 111 South Street
10 Musicals: Unscripted
Sun, February 24 at 3pm
Tickets: $10
The Royal Berkshire Improv Troupe (RBIT) explores the boundaries of theater improvisation through audience participation and the use of theater games reminiscent of the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? For this special 10X10 performance RBIT will collaborate with musician Carlton Maaia to perform 10 unscripted short musicals. Providing the greatest spontaneous musical theatre ever seen! http://berkshiretheatregroup.org/
ART SHOWS
Lichtenstein Center for the Arts
28 Renne Avenue
TEN SPOT
Feb. 16-March 10, Open Wed-Sat 12-5pm
Opening Reception: Fri, Feb. 15, 5pm-7pm
Free
TEN SPOT is a show of new work by ten contemporary artists from throughout the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. The 10 Berkshire artists featured in TEN SPOT are Tina Sotis, Paul Graubard, Joshua Field, Eric Korenman, Jarvis Rockwell, C. Ryder Cooley, Michael Boroniec, Joel Curran, Susan Hartung and Maggie Mailer. These ten artists will also be highlighted in ten individual billboards around the Berkshires in addition to the show at the Lichtenstein. Admission is free. discoverpittsfield.com
Gallery 25
25 Union Street
10×10×25
Opening Reception with artists, Friday, Feb. 15, 5pm-7pm
Feb. 14-23 Gallery open daily 12pm-5pm
Gallery 25 hosts a show of 10 new works of art by 10 of its best artists. With a broad range of approaches and styles, the focus will be on painters, though elements of mixed media will be present. The artists are Lorraine Klagsbrun, Carolyn Newberger, Franco Pellegrino, Gerard Natale, Jackie Kearns, Pat Hogan, Scott Taylor, Joan Ciolfi, Dan Brody and Marguerite Bride. Admission is free. gallery-25.com
NU ARTS STUDIOS AND GALLERY
311 North Street
10×10 Art Exhibit
Opening reception with artists: Fri, Feb. 15 at 5pm-8pm
Free
A no holds barred exhibit with each artists’ interpretation of what 10×10 means. www.nuartspittsfield.com
ALCHEMY INITIATIVE/WAM THEATRE
y bar, 391 North Street
10×10 on 10
Feb. 16-17, 21-24; exhibit hours 5:30pm-9pm; performances 6pm; Opening Reception: Feb 16 5pm-6pm; Closing Reception: Feb 24 7pm-8pm
Tickets: $10
Alchemy Initiative and WAM Theatre collaborate to present 10×10 on 10, a multi-media theater and visual art exhibition exploring women’s lives and inspiration throughout life’s decades. Six performances, along with opening and closing art receptions, take place at y bar. With limited seating and show dates, pre-ordering tickets is encouraged at www.wamtheatre.com or by calling 800-838-3006. http://www.wamtheatre.com/ http://alchemyinitiative.org/
BERKSHIRE ART ASSOCIATION/STOREFRONT ARTIST PROJECT
Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street
10×10 RAP (Real Art Party)
Feb. 14-20; Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12pm-5pm
Preview Party (in concert with PechaKucha): Feb. 19 at 7pm
Reception: 5:30pm-9pm
In collaboration with the Berkshire Museum, Berkshire Art Association and Storefront Artist Project present 10×10 RAP (Real Art Party), a fundraiser benefitting Berkshire County art students. The show features over 100 10×10 inch original artworks donated by local artists. http://berkshireartassociation.org/
FOR THE FAMILY
MISS HALL’S SCHOOL
Pittsfield’s City Hall, 70 Allen Street
The Teen Ten
Thur-Sun, Feb 14-24, Open weekdays from 8:30am-4pm
Opening Reception: Feb. 14 from 4pm-6pm
Free
Ten artworks by Berkshire County high school students as chosen through online Juried voting and organized by Miss Hall’s School juniors. Votes are being accepted online thru February 9: http://woobox.com/6ut4rz
HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE
TREEHOUSE Children’s Boutique, 305 North Street
10×10 Shaker Faces
Feb. 14-24, Tues-Thur 10am-5pm, Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm
TREEHOUSE Children’s Boutique and Hancock Shaker Village bring you a historical photography exhibit entitled 10×10 Shaker Faces. Have you ever been to Hancock Shaker Village? Shakers lived there until 1960, and you can meet some Shakers from the past in this photography exhibit. They are young and old, tall and short and lived in special villages from Maine to Kentucky. Learn a little about their lives and see if you can compare them to your life today.
BISQUE, BEADS & BEYOND
141 North Street
10 Days of Art Projects
Thur-Sun, Feb 14-24; Tues-Sat from 10am-4pm; Sun from 11am-5pm
$10/project
A different fun project is featured each day such as pottery painting, beading, and fused glass work.
BERKSHIRE MUSEUM
39 South Street
WeeMuse: 10 Days of Play: A Pop-Up Adventure Play
Feb. 14-23, Mon-Sat 11am-3pm, Sun 12pm-3pm
Free with Berkshire Museum admission
Berkshire Museum is supporting child-directed play one cardboard box at time! The Museum invites you to join its staff and patrons in a 10-day play festival. The Museum’s Crane Room will be transformed into, well, anything your children can imagine! With the use of readily available and recyclable materials, your child can be the visionary of his or her own play environment. Presented in partnership with the Transition Team of Pittsfield and Pop-Up Adventure Play. www.berkshiremuseum.org
BERKSHIRE MUSIC SCHOOL
Berkshire Music School Recital Hall, 30 Wendell Avenue
MUSIC by TEN
Sat, Feb 16 at 2pm
Freewill donation
Ten student and faculty musicians each perform 10 minutes of music in a coffee house setting in the Taft Recital Hall. Teas, coffees and desserts will be served, and a raffle will be held following each set (winners must be present to win). At the end of the afternoon, a grand prize raffle will take place for a $100 gift certificate (winner does not need to be present). Performances will include classical, jazz, piano, trumpet, percussion, and voice. www.berkshiremusicschool.org
HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE/TREEHOUSE CHILDREN’S BOUTIQUE
305 North Street
10 Shaker Songs & Dances
Fri, Feb 22 at 10am
Free
A family program where kids will learn 10 Shaker songs and dances. www.hancockshakervillage.org www.treehouse.is