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Marshall Miles interviews:

Derek Brashears who the director

Hotchkiss Dramatic Association Presents “Shockheaded Peter: A Junk Opera”

April 27 – 29

The Hotchkiss Dramatic Association is pleased to present Shockheaded Peter: A Junk Opera, April 27 & 28 at 7:30 p.m. and April 29 at 2:30 p.m. The production is directed by Derek Brashears, Director of Theatre, Resident Designer, and Technical Director at The Hotchkiss School. Shockheaded Peter epitomizes this season’s theme of “Dreams & Nightmares” and is based on the 1845 German children’s book of poems, Struwwelpeter or “slovenly Peter” by Heinrich Hoffmann. In 1998 the book was adapted for performance by the London based avant-garde cabaret group, The Tiger Lillies, with Julian Bleach, Anthony Cairns, Tamzin Griffin, Jo Pocock and Graeme Gilmour. The show was first commissioned by the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds and the Lyric Hammersmith, London and won the 2002 Olivier Award for Best Entertainment.

Set to music adapted for Hotchkiss by students in the show’s band, the poems are cautionary tales of the fates that befall the naughty, mischievous children Hoffman created. The production features puppets designed and built by Brashears with the cast of Hotchkiss students as puppet masters. The tone of the production is darkly comic and may not be appropriate for children under the age of 12.

All performances take place in Walker Auditorium. Tickets are $10; $5 for students and seniors. Cash or check is accepted and patrons may buy tickets at the door; no reservations are necessary. As per long tradition, the Sunday matinee performance will benefit a local charity to be determined.

Belle of the Fall  At Infinity Hall in Norfolk, CT

Sun, Apr 22 @ 7:30PM

Acoustic folk duo Belle Of The Fall has proven that musical soul mates do in fact exist.” -Vents Magazine

“To say that Belle of the Fall lead singer, Julia Autumn Ford possesses the voice of an angel is beyond obvious. Soft, tender and raw all at once; Julia’s vocal delivery is light as a feather yet powerful enough to knock down an entire city block with one turn of a phrase. her partner in crime, bassist Tracy Walton rounds out Belle of the Fall’s folky yet modern sound. You will want to take note of this performance as it’s one of those ‘I saw them when they were still playing bars’ moments.” -Block Island Music Fest

Belle of the Fall is Tracy Walton and Julia Autumn Ford, an indie folk rock pop alternative americana duo from CT.

Belle of the Fall met when Tracy produced Julia’s debut solo album in 2014 at his studio, On Deck Sound Studio. They spent the better part of the next year touring together as solo artists. Eventually they began to play on each others sets and sing harmonies together. In July of 2015,  Tracy and Julia wrestled with the idea of remaining separate solo artists or committing to a duo. They obviously chose the latter. Tracy’s weathered voice and upright bass seem to be built to compliment the world class vocals of Julia. Tracy owns On Deck Sound Studio in CT and Julia now works there in the videography department. In April of 2016, Belle of the Fall released their debut album; “Earthbound.”  23 states and 175 gigs later and they are about to release their second full length on April 6th, titled “Rise Up.”

Registration Information:

The Salisbury Hand Drummers is inviting the public to join us Tues April 10th.  We meet every Tues. 7 P.M. at the Scoville Library in Salisbury. This will be an excellent opportunity for anyone interested  in learning about hand drumming. We will have drums available for people to play. We will have a class teaching the basics of hand drumming, led by John Marshall.  Experience playing the drum is not necessary. If you find drumming enjoyable and want to join our group we would be happy to have you as a member.  

Basic decluttering and organizing principles are taught with an emphasis on how Boomers and Seniors can begin the downsizing process and/or age in place safely. Years’ worth of accumulations and collecting can overwhelm home owners who strive to live a simpler existence, plan on moving to smaller accommodations, or don’t want to burden their families after their gone.  Participants will learn about how to deal with sentimental belongings and how other family members come into play during the “rightsizing” transition.  No supplies are necessary but note-taking is suggested. Registration via Berkshire Community College is necessary

Julie Ulmer is a Columbia and Rensselaer County, New York native who has built an extensive business as a professional organizer and speaker since 2003. Even in childhood, Julie always had a desire to “set things to right” and later her organizational

skills were vital as a radio broadcaster, an administrative assistant and a busy working mom. Her former career as a cook and chef at some of the area’s finest restaurants helped her continue to develop her natural talent, and encouraged her pursuit of simplicity, efficiency and productivity.

Julie’s special knack of helping people manage their possessions, homes and offices has benefited busy professionals, small business owners, retirees, the chronically disorganized, those struggling with ADD/ADHD, families dealing with their loved one’s estates, and stay-at-home parents, as well as second home owners.

An animal lover, Julie enjoys gardening, comedy, nature, home improvement, continuing education, radio/podcasts, history, things from eras gone by and everything Halloween.

TLC is a non-profit membership organization providing the opportunity for lifelong learning to residents of the Northwest Corner of Connecticut and adjacent communities in New York and Massachusetts.

TLC’s courses cover a wide variety of academic subjects taught by volunteers, all experts in their fields. Click on Course Listings on the left to see what courses we offer.

Annual membership donations of $60 per person are fully tax-deductible and are much appreciated. There are no set fees. Individuals may sign up for any number of courses. Classes lasting two hours are held once a week at one of our three conveniently located venues.

Attendees are free to come and go as they like; there are no exams. Those taking advantage of TLC’s program will rekindle the excitement of learning, expand their horizons, be able to share their knowledge, have fun and make new friends.

TLC is a wonderful way to stay involved and well informed. Join today! For more information, click on an item on the left, or contact us by mail or by phone.

Taconic Learning Center, Inc.

McTeigue & McClelland

We buy gold, diamonds, antique and estate jewelry and precious gemstones. We offer expert evaluations, competitive prices, and immediate payment.

Four Generations of Expertise

With a global network of clients and collectors, McTeigue & McClelland is able to pay the highest prices for diamonds and precious jewelry. If you have jewelry that you no longer wear or are considering selling please contact us to arrange for an expert evaluation.

Emphasizing groundbreaking design, exceptional gemstones and superior craftsmanship, the McII collaboration blends Walter McTeigue’s diamond and gemstone expertise with the creativity of his friend the artist and master jeweler Tim McClelland.

Informed both by Walter’s heritage in classic design and traditional craftsmanship and Tim’s fascination with experimenting and innovating, their work is at the same time fresh and timeless. Everything is hand crafted by an exceptionally talented team of gemologists, artisans and craftsmen using traditional old world tools and techniques in their Great Barrington atelier.

Availability is limited.