A lively compendium of weekend events in Pittsfield
Gospel, 'Steel Wool' and ‘Rosebud ...’
I don't know about you, but life hasn’t slowed down now that September is here! There are still lots of great things to see and do around town.
This weekend is your last chance to visit the Sheeptacular sculptures en situ, scattered throughout Pittsfield. Pick up a map at the Pittsfield Visitors Center to use as a guide. If you haven't seen them before, there are only a few days left before they begin to leave downtown on the 13th to go to auction on the 18th. If you have done the sheep shuffle (and I bet you loved it!), it’s worthwhile to tour them one more time, especially if you have kids -- I’ve noticed they are particularly enthralled with the sheep. And if you would like to take one home to jazz up your house inside or outside, plan to attend the auction next Saturday at Hancock Shaker Village, or peruse the sheep gallery and bid online at www.sheeptacular.org. What could be more cheerful than to have your very own brightly painted sheep out in the garden on a snowy January day?
Tonight is the last of the Sheeptacular artist talks, and tonight's talk features Pittsfield native Phylene Amuso (she’s a member both of Pittsfield’s Amuso tribe and Phylene tribe!) Phylene created the "Steel Wool" sheep sculpture on the corner of Fenn and North streets. The free talk will take place at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts at 28 Renne Ave. at 7. A member of the Storefront Artist Project, she studied drawing at Massachusetts College of Arts and both drawing and sculpture at Berkshire Community College, and spent 25 years in Boston doing performance art and music.
Tomorrow evening, Pittsfield native and Berkshire Community College alumni Matt Cusson returns to his alma mater, fresh from a tour with Christina Aguilera, to give a free performance with his band. He's been singing since he was 2 years old and has a lovely voice (you can hear a sample on his Web site at www.mattcusson.com). Among other honors, he was one of 12 people chosen out of 300 to perform at the highly competitive "Amateur Night at the Apollo Theatre" in New York City, and he won the competition three times. He’ll perform at 8 in the Robert Boland Theatre of the Koussevitzky Arts Center at Berkshire Community College. For more information, call 499-4660, ext. 291.
On Saturday, St. Joseph's church in the 400 block of North Street will be hosting a multicultural festival titled "Festival of Sharing Roots" on its lovely tree-shaded grounds, in conjunction with Holy Family and Notre Dame churches. The festival will feature music, dance, food and crafts from the Irish, Italian, Polish, French, Hispanic and Vietnamese communities of Pittsfield, united by a common faith. The Festival begins at noon and continues until 6.
For my money, the place to be Saturday night will be the First Methodist Church on Fenn Street for a gospel music concert beginning at 7 and presented by Pittsfield's Victory Temple Church. The splendid voices of Reverend J.P. Morgan Jr. and the the 50-plus member Holy Trinity Gospel Choir from Springfield are headlining the concert. Reverend Morgan has performed the "Star Spangled Banner" at Fenway Park before the Red Sox played and he and the choir performed at Sen. John Kerry’s official presidential campaign announcement. Before becoming a pastor in the footsteps of his father, Reverend Morgan performed with Take 6, George Michaels, Michael Bolton and Judy Collins. I was fortunate to hear one of their recordings at Victory Temple last Sunday at service and they are great. Also performing will be Wayne Henderson and Jeddiah from Providence, R.I., as well as singers from Victory Temple. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $7 for children under 12.
Also on Saturday evening, Berkshire Community College is hosting a free drive-in movie at 7:30. "Cheaper by the Dozen," starring Hilary Duff and Steve Martin will be shown. In case of rain, the movie will be shown in BCC's Paterson Field House. For more information, call 499-4660, ext. 291.
And Hancock Shaker Village serves another candle-lit Shaker Supper of soup, chicken pie, ham, pot roast, herbed rice and roasted potatoes, carrots and more, at 6:30. Reservations required: 1-800-817-1137.
Sunday morning at 10, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church on Park Square hosts another Jazz Mass, featuring jazz drummer/ Lantern Bar & Grill host Mark Papas, singer Vikki True, and their musical compadres. It’s free, everyone’s welcome, and they’re serving lunch afterwards.
Sunday afternoon, at 2 and 6, the Berkshire Music Hall on Union Street downtown will be screening the legendary film, "Citizen Kane," chosen the best movie of all time by the prestigious American Film Institute. Not only was "Citizen Kane" the first film directed by Orson Welles, he was only 25 years old at the time! It won an Academy Award for best original screenplay and was nominated for eight other Oscars. Writer Jorge Luis Borges called the movie a “metaphysical detective story.” Many of us have never had the opportunity to see it on the big screen, so here's our chance, and in a grand old theatre too! Tickets are only $2 apiece to see this still riveting film on the Berkshire’s largest indoor movie screen. For more information, call 499-5446.
Saturday afternoon is the second concert in the South Mountain Concerts chamber music series. At 3 relax to the heavenly sounds of the Tokyo String Quartet, featuring Martin Beaver and Kikuei on violin; Kazuhide Isomura on viola, and Clive Greensmith on cello. The historic South Mountain Concert Hall is just off Route 7 near the intersection of Dan Fox Drive. For more information, call 442-2106.
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