Entertainment

For stories about entertainment

Bread & Puppet Returns to the Bandwagon Summer Series with “The Upside Down World Circus”

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

BRATTLEBORO—The internationally renowned Bread & Puppet Theater returns to the Bandwagon Summer Series on Saturday, August 1, bringing its newest outdoor spectacle, The Upside Down World Circus, to Retreat Farm in Brattleboro.

The performance begins at 4 p.m., with gates opening at 3 p.m. at Retreat Farm, 45 Farmhouse Square. Tickets are $24 in advance, $28 at the gate, and free for children under 12.

Known for its towering papier-mâché puppets, stilt walkers, live brass band, and unmistakable blend of political theater and joyful spectacle, Bread & Puppet’s latest production asks audiences to confront what artistic director Peter Schumann calls “our upside-down situation.”

Peter Tavalin Accompanies Safety Last! Live at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

PUTNEY, VT — Next Stage Arts presents a special screening of Harold Lloyd’s classic 1923 silent comedy Safety Last! on Friday, July 17 at 7:00 p.m., featuring a live improvised musical score by acclaimed pianist and composer Peter Tavalin. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill in Putney. Tickets are $10 and available at nextstagearts.org.

Silent films were never truly silent. During the early days of cinema, live musicians accompanied screenings, enhancing the action, emotion, and humor unfolding on screen. Tavalin continues that tradition with a spontaneous score created in real time, making each performance a unique artistic experience.

Vermont Suitcase Company Brings Silent-Film Comedy My Lady of Whims to Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

PUTNEY, VT — Next Stage Arts presents Vermont Suitcase Company in My Lady of Whims, a fast-paced theatrical adaptation of the 1925 silent film, on Friday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill in Putney. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Filled with action, intrigue, romance, and comedy, My Lady of Whims follows a frantic race against time as a councilman’s daughter disappears just before a crucial fundraising gala. With scandal threatening to derail a political campaign, a hired gun and an ambitious maid set out on a rescue mission that becomes increasingly tangled with bohemians, bankers, and the fate of a historic hotel headquarters.

Vermont Suitcase Company Brings “New Clothes” to Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

PUTNEY — Vermont Suitcase Company will screen its feature film debut, New Clothes, at Next Stage Arts in Putney on Friday, June 19, at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 p.m.

Based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen, New Clothes reimagines the classic fable through the lens of the Vermont touring theater troupe’s fast-paced, inventive style. The film follows two struggling swindlers who scheme their way into a royal palace, hoping to trick the Emperor and his court out of the very clothes on their backs.

Far Out: Life On & After the Commune Screens at Next Stage Arts June 12

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

PUTNEY — The acclaimed 2024 documentary Far Out: Life On & After the Commune, directed and edited by Charles Light, will screen at Next Stage Arts on Friday, June 12, at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 p.m.

The screening will take place at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill in Putney. Tickets are $10 general admission and are available at nextstagearts.org.

A Q&A with director Charles Light, commune resident Verandah Porche, and composer and performer Patty Carpenter will follow the screening.

The City That Slept – Summer Series at Sandglass Theater

by SandglassTheater | Entertainment

Sandglass Theater opens its New Visions Summer Series with The City That Slept, an imaginative puppetry performance by Tom Tuke, on June 5 and 6 at 7pm. The production blends shadow puppetry, lantern puppets, and large-scale marionettes with sound recordings collected in New York City’s Union Square. The performance also features an original technique developed by Tuke: floating shadow puppets that glide across a pool of moving water, creating luminous images of motion and reflection.

Originally from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Tuke studied at the University of Connecticut’s Puppet Arts Program and has performed with Bread and Puppet Theater.

Casting 2 African American Individuals for Words Trail!

by Bobmarcus | Entertainment

Tiny Theater has been selected to participate and perform at the celebration of the Amtrak Brattleboro Words Trail Mural at the new Amtrak Station unveiling , at both the Amtrak station/and Library on June 24th .

We are looking for 2 African-American individuals (M/F) who can portray Frederick Douglas and Lucy Terry Prince.

No acting skills are required. This is simply an opportunity to portray these notable authors and read some of their writing selections, and interact with our other actors. You will read from selected works (no memorizing). The effort for each performance is about 45 minutes at each event. 11:30am at Amtrak and 6pm at the Library will take no more the 30-45 minutes of performance time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

NXT Rockumentary Series Shines Spotlight on an Outsider Musician

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

PUTNEY — Next Stage Arts continues its acclaimed NXT Rockumentary Film Series on Wednesday, April 8, with a powerful documentary exploring the life of an outsider musician. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with the screening starting at 7:00 p.m. A suggested donation of $8 is requested.

The film offers a thoughtful and compassionate look at the struggles and triumphs of a musician working outside the mainstream. Audiences will be drawn into the beauty and vulnerability of his art while witnessing the challenges he faces in everyday life. The documentary delves into the intersection of creativity, mental health, and the relationships that sustain him, creating a moving portrait that lingers long after the music ends.

Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music 🎸🖤 An Intimate Cinéma Vérité Portrait — Onstage and Off

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Next Stage Arts invites you to a rare and powerful evening with one of America’s most iconic artists.

Filmed in 1968, Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music (1h 34m), directed by Robert Elfstrom, captures Johnny Cash at a pivotal moment in his career. Shot in an unvarnished, up-close cinéma vérité style, the film follows Cash on the road and in concert with June Carter, the Carter Family, the Statler Brothers, and Carl Perkins.

The film is also deeply personal. Viewers are taken inside Cash’s home life with June Carter in Hendersonville, Tennessee; introduced to his parents and children in California; and brought back with him to his childhood hometown in Arkansas. One of the film’s most moving sequences was shot at the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, including footage at the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year

by ACCVT | Entertainment

The Asian Cultural Center of Vermont (ACCVT) celebrates the Lunar New Year of China, Korea and Vietnam Sunday, February 8, 1:00-3:00. You don’t have to be Asian or know anything about Asia to participate! Join us at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center to usher in the year of the Red Fire Horse ushering in  a year focused on bold moves, exploration ,and potentially transformative change.

Join us for traditional Chinese Performances with Li Fei Osborne and her Mandarin language students, Chinese morning exercises and Qigong led by Cai Xi, and traditional New Year songs and crafts. We end our celebration with a Dragon parade up from the Museum towards Main Street to bring us luck for the coming year. 

Beat the Winter Blues with Cereal & K-Pop at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

If winter cabin fever has your household climbing the walls, Next Stage Arts has the perfect cure. On Saturday, Jan. 24 at 10:00 AM, families are invited to a lively, low-pressure morning event in Putney: Cereal & K-Pop: Cabin Fever Cure!

Held in the Next Stage Arts Community Room (15 Kimball Hill, Putney), this family-friendly gathering is designed to get kids—and adults—out of the house and having fun together. The morning kicks off with a build-your-own cereal bar, followed by about 30 minutes of classic indoor fun: board games, card games, and even Twister to shake off those winter cobwebs.

Adam Strauss Returns to Next Stage for Two Nights of Comedy and Storytelling

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Next Stage Arts is thrilled to welcome back award-winning comedian and storyteller Adam Strauss for a special two-night engagement, featuring two of his acclaimed solo shows: The Mushroom Cure on Friday, January 9, and Before I Forget on Saturday, January 10.

Tickets are $22 in advance / $25 at the door or take advantage of a special $35 advance package for both nights. Tickets and details are available at nextstagearts.org.

King Wenceslas Returns: Vermont Suitcase Company’s Holiday Adventure

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

Back by popular demand, Vermont Suitcase Company returns with The Continuing Adventures of King Wenceslas and His Page Edith at Next Stage Arts in Putney on Friday, December 19 at 7:00 PM. Doors open at 6:15 PM.

Join King Wenceslas and his loyal page as they embark on snowy new adventures filled with humor, heart, and holiday cheer. The evening opens with festive songs by Heedless of the Gale, setting the perfect mood for laughter and song.

Come See Marlboro Morris and Sword This Weekend!

by bmorrison | Entertainment

Marlboro Morris and Sword will perform our annual sword dances and mummers’ play Saturday and Sunday, October 11 and 12. English Longsword Sword dancing is a mid-winter street performance celebrating the cycle of the seasons. The dance is often accompanied by a comic play with a death and resurrection involved, signifying the continuation of life after the winter. All performances are free.