Arts Briefs: Belchertown Community Yard Sale, new queer open mic night in Greenfield, and more
The Belchertown Community Yard Sale will return for its second year from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 8, through Sunday, Aug. 10. (The rain dates will be Friday, Aug. 15, through Sunday, Aug. 17.) Yard sale maps will be available at the Town Fields at the Belchertown Senior Center for $5 during the event.
The event will benefit the Belchertown Senior Center and the Council on Aging. Last year, the Community Yard Sale brought an estimated 5,300-plus shoppers and raised more than $3,000 for Better Together Dog Rescue.
Organizer and Belchertown resident Kris Lynds said on the event site, “This event isn’t just about buying and selling — it’s about bringing the community together, supporting local businesses, and raising funds for a worthy cause.”
For more information, visit belchertownyardsale.com.
New monthly queer open mic night
The LAVA Center in Greenfield will host a new monthly queer open mic night, “Smack Dab,” every first Friday of the month, starting Aug. 1, with signup at 6:30 p.m. and performances at 7 p.m.
The event is free and open to all (18+) members of the LGBTQ+ community. Performers can share five to seven minutes of music, poetry, stories, dance, or other performance. (“We’re the friendliest open mic you’ll find,” says the event description, “but we pay attention to time.”)
Smack Dab is modeled after an open mic of the same name in San Francisco that began at Magnet, a health clinic for gay men in the Castro District.
If you have any questions, email [email protected].
‘Speaking drummer’ in Easthampton
Sean Noonan, a “speaking drummer” (a drummer who performs while speaking over his music) and former UMass Amherst student, will bring his show “Silo,” described as “a genre-bending performance that transforms the drum kit into a one-man theatre of sound, speech, and imagination,” to CitySpace in Easthampton on Friday, Aug. 1, at 7:30 p.m.
“‘Silo’ draws on the ritualistic traditions of African griots, the absurdist theatre of Samuel Beckett, and the rhythmic innovations of Milford Graves,” the event description said. “Each performance unfolds like a sonic monologue — a journey where beats speak, grooves morph into characters, and stories emerge through sound.”
Easthampton guitarist/vocalist Jeff Lloyd will open. Tickets are $15 (suggested donation) at the door. For more information, visit seannoonanmusic.com.
Audition for ‘Noises Off’
The JaDuke Theater will hold auditions for its production of “Noises Off” at its building in Turners Falls today, Thursday, July 31, by appointment.
Interested actors must prepare a monologue of their choice (any genre), which does not need to be memorized. Actors may be asked to read from the script.
Here’s the synopsis: “This play-within-a-play captures a touring theatre troupe’s production of ‘Nothing On’ in three stages … dress rehearsal, the opening performance, and a performance towards the end of a debilitating run. We are given a window into the inner workings of theatre behind the scenes, progressing from flubbed lines and missed cues in the dress rehearsal to mounting friction between cast members in the final performance. Brimming with slap-stick comedy, ‘Noises Off’ is a delightful backstage farce, complete with slamming doors, falling trousers, and backstage romances.”
To sign up for an audition slot or learn more about the characters, visit jadukeshows.com/auditions. Roles are open to adults only, and some require a British accent.
’Annie’ in Springfield
Springfield Community Theater of Massachusetts’ production of the classic musical “Annie” will be at 52 Sumner in Springfield on Saturday, Aug. 2, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 3, from 1:30 to 4 p.m.
The musical is about a spunky red-headed orphan named Annie who lives in New York City at the height of the Great Depression. She escapes her orphanage, run by the cruel Miss Hannigan, and is adopted by the billionaire Oliver Warbucks.
The show’s most famous songs include “Tomorrow,” “It’s the Hard-Knock Life,” “Little Girls” and “Easy Street.”
Tickets are $16 general admission via Eventbrite.
Standup comedy and bingo, combined
At Four Phantoms Brewing Co. in Greenfield on Saturday, Aug. 2, from 7 to 9 p.m., New York comedians Joey Rinaldi and Aditya Mayya will be performing a unique comedy show — during the show, audience members will be playing bingo, with joke premises in place of the traditional letters and numbers.
The event will also feature a surprise special guest comedian as the headliner.
Participants will have the chance to win prizes.
Tickets are $17.85 general admission or $23.18 day-of, including fees, via Eventbrite.
Daily Hampshire Gazette
