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Vermont Comedy All Stars Return to Next Stage Arts June 6

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Next Stage Arts will host the Vermont Comedy All Stars Live Stand-up Comedy Showcase on Saturday, June 6, bringing together a lineup of comedians from Vermont, Boston, and New York City for an evening of stand-up comedy in Putney.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at Next Stage Arts, with doors opening at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

The showcase features Bitsy Biron, Raoul Biron, Maddie Cross, Kendall Farrell, and Gordon Clark.

Becky Graber on”Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Arts

BECKY GRABER shows us a sure-fire way to bring folks together in harmony – through singing! Join her and Brattleboro Harmonia (formerly The Brattleboro Woman’s Chorus) for her farewell concert as conductor on Mother’s Day, May 10 at 4pm at the Latchis Theater.

And tune in to hear personal stories of Becky’s life, singing, storytelling, composing, and teaching in the oral tradition.

Twilight on the Tavern Lawn Returns for 23rd Season with Vermont Jazz Center Sextet Opening Night

by hahrenholz | Music

Twilight Music and the Next Stage Arts Project will kick off the 23rd annual Twilight on the Tavern Lawn concert series on Sunday, May 31, with a performance by the Vermont Jazz Center Sextet. The beloved summer series brings a wide range of live music—spanning folk, world, jazz, zydeco, bluegrass, pop, and Americana—to downtown Putney every other Sunday through August 23.

All concerts begin at 6:00 pm on the Putney Tavern lawn. Audience members are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket for outdoor seating. In the event of rain, performances will move indoors to Next Stage Arts at 15 Kimball Hill. The series is free and open to the public, with donations gratefully accepted. Food will be available, creating a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere in the heart of the village.

Baklava Express Brings Border-Crossing Mediterranean Sounds to Putney

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY, VT — On Friday, May 29, Next Stage Arts welcomes Baklava Express, a Brooklyn-based ensemble whose music blurs lines between tradition and innovation, evoking the vibrant energy of an open-air Mediterranean marketplace. The concert begins at 7:30 pm, with doors opening at 6:45 pm, at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill in Putney.

Baklava Express has built a reputation for crafting a rich, high-energy sound that draws from a wide range of musical traditions, including Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Arab, Mizrahi, and Sephardi influences. Their original compositions weave these ancient roots together with subtle elements of jazz, flamenco, and rock, resulting in a sound that feels both timeless and distinctly contemporary.

Exploring Mystery and Memory: Tim Weed Launches “The Gatepost” at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Books

PUTNEY, VT — Next Stage Arts will host a special literary evening on Tuesday, May 26, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, celebrating the release of The Gatepost, a new novel by acclaimed author Tim Weed.

Set against the evocative backdrop of rural Vermont, The Gatepost follows Esme Weatherhead as she returns to her childhood home two decades after her father’s mysterious disappearance. What begins as an attempt to tell his story unfolds into a deeper journey, as Esme uncovers cryptic journals, traces of psychedelic experimentation, and clues pointing to a long-hidden cave in the surrounding forest. With the help of a local geologist, her search pushes beyond the limits of conventional understanding, exploring themes of loss, love, and the enduring mysteries of the natural world.

Tiny Theater Presents “Write It. See It. Stage It.”

by tinytheater | Entertainment

JOIN THE ENSEMBLE Tiny Theater is currently forming a three month (90 Day) workshop for playwrights and screenwriters who believe the only way to find a story is to put it on its feet. By integrating a core group of trained Tiny Theater character actors in stage and screen, we transform the traditional “reading circle” into a high-functioning rehearsal hall and film set. The Multi-Phase approach includes the following progression

1. WRITE: Create & Develop Original Development: Develop original plays and screenplays in a generative, supportive setting. Structured Feedback: Move beyond simple critique with feedback designed to help you shape and evolve your work. Ensemble Engagement: Engage with a full creative ensemble of writers, directors, actors, and dramatists from the very first page.

Joey Morgan’s “Forgotten Not Gone” Opens at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Arts

PUTNEY—Next Stage Arts presents Forgotten Not Gone, a powerful new exhibition by Brattleboro-based artist Joey Morgan, with an opening reception on Sunday, May 24 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Next Stage, 15 Kimball Hill. The event is free and open to the public; RSVPs are encouraged at nextstagearts.org.

This new body of work—comprising 12 mixed media collages—emerges from the remnants of Morgan’s earlier project, Have You Ever Loved Me?, much of which was lost in a flood. Rather than reconstruct what was destroyed, Morgan has transformed those fragments into something entirely new. Forgotten Not Gone is an intimate and deeply affecting exploration of personal rupture, tracing the emotional terrain of betrayal, loss, and transformation.

Alan Dater Presents: The Nashville Sound Comes to Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

PUTNEY, VT — The next installment in the ongoing film series curated by local filmmaker Alan Dater brings audiences deep into the heart of country music history. The Nashville Sound, a rarely screened concert film captured at the height of the genre’s golden era, will be shown on Saturday, May 23 at Next Stage Arts.

Filmed in 1969 at the legendary Ryman Auditorium during the Grand Ole Opry birthday celebration, the film offers an intimate look at performances from some of country music’s most iconic figures, including Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn. With its unfiltered, onstage perspective, the film captures the energy and authenticity of a live Opry performance at a pivotal moment in American music.

Windham Southeast School District Board Seeks Feedback on Communication

by Not Signed In | Education

The WSESD Board has created a survey to gather stakeholder feedback on two-way communication within the district. Participation is anonymous, and we would sincerely appreciate your assistance. All data collected during this pilot will remain anonymous and we encourage you to share thoughts and feedback. At the end of the survey, you will be given the opportunity to share any feedback about what worked well, what didn’t, and any suggestions for improvements or additional content.

Open Mic Night at Next Stage Arts Brings Community Voices to Putney

by hahrenholz | Music

An evening of creativity and community returns to Next Stage Arts on Thursday, May 21, as Vermont Timbre hosts its popular Open Mic night.

Located at 15 Kimball Hill in Putney, Vermont, Next Stage Arts provides an intimate and welcoming setting for this ongoing series led by Amelia Struthers and Mike Mrowicki. Performers of all kinds—musicians, poets, storytellers, and other creatives—are invited to share their work in 10–15 minute sets, resulting in a varied and engaging evening shaped by local voices.

BLACKOUT: How I Became White in America 

by GeorgeCC | Arts

All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church will present the one-woman show BLACKOUT: How I Became White in America on Saturday, April 25 at 2 pm.  This original show is written and performed by Ethelyn Friend, actor, teacher and writer. Her performance reflects one white woman’s process of facing her direct links to slavery, a somatic, musical, and theatrical exploration of denial, guilt and response.  Friend notes this performance directly addresses “white America.”  The 90- minute show is followed by an optional community conversation.

Twilight Music Presents John Gorka at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY, VT — Twilight Music and Next Stage Arts present an evening with acclaimed folk singer-songwriter John Gorka on Sunday, May 17 at 7:00 pm (doors at 6:15 pm) at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill in Putney.

Described by Rolling Stone as “the leading singer/songwriter of the New Folk movement,” Gorka has spent decades crafting songs marked by emotional depth, wry humor, and a resonant baritone voice. From his formative years at the legendary Godfrey Daniels coffeehouse in Pennsylvania to stages across the U.S. and Europe, Gorka has built a reputation as one of contemporary folk’s most compelling storytellers.

My Visit With Allen Ginsberg

by RDavis | Culture

Reflecting on events in our lives that have helped to create the person we are can help us better understand the person we have become. There are certain times in our lives that pop into our consciousness from time to time, perhaps signaling to us to think about what they mean in our personal evolution.

The year was 1971 or 1972 and a friend and I spent a weekend at Allen Ginsberg’s farm in upstate New York. It was a weekend filled with insight and meaning for me. The world was in flux and the transformations of the 1960’s were lingering in the air.

Queralt Giralt Soler Trio Brings Lyrical, Cross-Cultural Soundscape to Putney’s Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

The Queralt Giralt Soler Trio will bring a distinctive blend of global influences and intimate musical storytelling to Next Stage Arts on Friday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6:45 p.m.

Led by cellist, vocalist, and composer Queralt Giralt Soler, the trio offers an evening of original music and inventive reinterpretations that move fluidly between classical, jazz, and Catalan folk traditions. Giralt Soler’s work is rooted in a deeply personal musical language, where cello and voice intertwine to create textures that are both lyrical and exploratory.

Artwork by Gregory Damien Grinnell at Latchis Gallery 4

by saucer66 | Arts

Guilford VT artist, Gregory Damien Grinnell has worked in multimedia for most of his career, engaging painting, sculpture, film, audio, and site-specific installation to create works that explore both narrative and non-narrative perspectives.

His current practice investigates the sequential nature of these mediums, examining how a body of work can operate as a meta-narrative composed of interconnected sub-narratives. Within this intentionally constructed framework, thematic elements may be read either as deeply interrelated components of a unified environment or as more autonomous actions unfolding within a shared world.

Diana Whitney on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Books

DIANA WHITNEY’s powerful poems tell the truth of her experiences – they are dynamic, subversive, brave. The beauty of her words connect us in their authenticity. Diana is also an advocate for “Out in the Open”, our local LGBTQ+ community, and her new book “Girl Trouble” had just been published.

Sing Sing Thanksgiving: A Legendary Concert Behind Prison Walls

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Next Stage Arts invites the community to a powerful evening of music, history, and film with a special screening of Sing Sing Thanksgiving on Saturday, May 9 at 7:00 PM. This event is the second in a three-film series presented by acclaimed regional filmmaker Alan Dater.

Produced in 1973, Sing Sing Thanksgiving documents a remarkable live performance at New York’s Sing Sing Prison featuring legendary artists B.B. King, Joan Baez, and others. Filmed at a time when few such events were captured on camera, the concert stands as a moving testament to the power of music to transcend walls and connect people across divides. King himself later described the performance as one of the greatest of his career, while the New York Daily News called it one of the most extraordinary moments in live entertainment.

Victoria Redel in Conversation with Robin MacArthur at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Books

PUTNEY, VT — Next Stage Arts presents an evening of literary conversation with acclaimed author Victoria Redel, joined by award-winning writer Robin MacArthur, on Friday, May 8 at 7:30 PM at Next Stage Arts in Putney.

The event will center on Redel’s highly anticipated new novel, I Am You, a sweeping and intimate story set in 1600s Amsterdam. Drawing on historical inspiration, the novel follows the intertwined lives of Gerta Pieters, a young girl raised as a boy in service to a Dutch household, and Maria van Oosterwijck, a painter forging her path in the Dutch Golden Age. Through their stories, Redel explores questions of love, identity, gender, and the constraints placed on women throughout history.