For stories about 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.
Next Stage Arts in Putney welcomes acclaimed comedian and storyteller Adam Strauss for a special two-night run, Friday and Saturday, October 17 and 18. Each night features a different solo performance, blending stand-up, true storytelling, and fearless honesty that has won Strauss praise from critics and audiences across the country.
Friday, October 17 – The Mushroom Cure
Showtime: 7:30 pm (doors open at 6:45)
Tickets: $22 advance / $25 at the door / $35 advance for both nights
Strauss’s breakthrough show, The Mushroom Cure, is the true story of how he attempted to treat his severe obsessive-compulsive disorder with psychedelics. It’s as outrageous as it is uplifting. The New York Times called it “mining a great deal of laughter from disabling pain.” The Chicago Tribune hailed it as “arrestingly honest and howlingly funny.” Michael Pollan praised it as “brilliant, hilarious, and moving.” Time Out New York named it a Critics’ Pick, calling it “a true-life tour de force.”
Putney, VT — Friday, October 3 at 7:30 PM (doors at 6:45 PM)
Next Stage Arts will once again fill with laughter as Gordon Clark and the Vermont Comedy All Stars return for a high-energy stand-up showcase featuring some of the region’s sharpest comedic talents. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.
This edition’s lineup promises an unforgettable night of quick wit, bold storytelling, and delightfully offbeat perspectives:
JULIAN GERSTIN has traveled around the world exploring cultures and drumming traditions. His enthusiasm and love of music infuses his composing, teaching and performing at the Vermont Jazz Center and the Julian Gerstin Sextet. Tune in for some intriguing stories. And keep an eye on local calendars for his upcoming gigs and shows.
Showings at the Latchis Theater. August 23 and August 24 at 4pm.
Reich teaches his final “Wealth and Poverty” class to 1,000 students at UC Berkeley, ending a 40-year career that reached 40,000 students.
PUTNEY — The Vermont Suitcase Company returns to the stage this summer with an all-new, puppet-filled mystery, The Duke Is Dead: A Vermont Suitcase Mystery, coming to Next Stage Arts in Putney on Friday, July 25 at 7:00 PM.
Equal parts comedy, mystery, and theatrical whimsy, this one-hour, family-friendly show invites audiences to join a cast of colorful characters—and plenty of puppets—as they attempt to solve the curious case of Duke Didi’s untimely demise. When the Duke is found unresponsive the day before his prized art collection is set to be unveiled at the national gallery, everyone becomes a suspect. Is it his sly niece and only heir? The all-knowing butler? The clueless constable? Or could the national curator herself have something to hide?
PUTNEY, VT – On Sunday, June 22 at 5:00 PM, join Next Stage Arts for an unforgettable evening of cinematic storytelling and exquisite cuisine as part of the NXT Feast & Film Series. This unique community event features a screening of Ang Lee’s classic 1994 film Eat Drink Man Woman, paired with a prix fixe dinner by the acclaimed Cai’s Dim Sum Catering.
Curated by James Beard Award-winning food writer Deborah Krasner, the Feast & Film Series pairs meaningful films with meals inspired by their themes. In Eat Drink Man Woman, food is both a familial bond and a silent battleground. The story follows Master Chef Chu and his three daughters as they navigate life, love, and generational change in Taipei—with Sunday dinners anchoring their emotional journeys.
PUTNEY, VT — Get ready to laugh until it hurts! On Friday, June 20 at 7:30 pm, Next Stage Arts will be shaking with laughter as Gordon Clark and his Vermont Comedy All Stars return for another unforgettable evening of stand-up comedy. This all-star lineup of local and regional talent is guaranteed to bring the house down in one of southern Vermont’s most cherished performance spaces.
Next Stage Arts invites the public to a special screening of Bills Lumber, a deeply moving 45-minute documentary that captures the final chapter of an iconic Vermont family business. The screening takes place at 4:00 PM on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
Bills Lumber tells the story of the Bills family’s 86-year-old sawmill in Wardsboro, Vermont, through the eyes of octogenarian brothers Alan and Everett Bills and their niece, Debbie Bills Bauer. Following the sale of the mill and its 433 acres of forest, the documentary chronicles the dismantling of the mill their father, Melbourne Bills, founded in 1936.
Join Next Stage Arts on Thursday, April 17th at 7:00pm for an exclusive sneak peek of Riding Home, a documentary in progress that follows longtime Putney resident Caryl Richardson as she navigates the final chapter of her life, surrounded by the horses, land and people she loves.
More than just a portrait of one woman’s journey, Riding Home seeks to crack open the conversation around death, dying, and end-of-life choices. In a culture that often avoids these discussions, this film invites us to bear witness, reflect, and engage with the complexities of mortality with honesty and grace.
Next Stage Arts presents indie rock band BETTY, plus DJ ezGirl at Next Stage on Friday, April 25 at 7:30 pm.
The award-winning Indie Rock trio BETTY, Alyson Palmer (vocals, bass, guitar), Elizabeth Ziff (vocals, guitar, electronic programming) and her sister, Amy Ziff (vocals and cello), uses beguiling melodies, compelling lyrics and signature harmonies to create energetic live shows that mix music, performance art, politics and comedy.
BETTY sings of joy, love, longing, lust, food, heartbreak, and the universal hilarity of human existence. More than a band, BETTY uses music to channel their passion for representation, fairness and equality. From the beginning, they’ve blended their voices for causes they fight for, their talents in collaboration with other artists of every medium, and their time in support of women and girls, worldwide.
March 2025, Guilford, VT… Stories, music and great desserts return to Guilford once again as the popular program, Back Roads Stories, welcomes in spring. Please join friends and neighbors from around our region at the Broad Brook Community Center, 3940 Guilford Center Road, on Sunday, March 30, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 pm for a show that has always delighted audiences.
“We are thrilled to host the return of Back Roads Stories at the Broad Brook Community Center,” said Ada Brown, Manager and Program Coordinator. “This program is not only a celebration of the art of storytelling but also an opportunity to connect with our neighbors in a deep and meaningful way.”
Michael Cruz Kayne is a comedian and writer on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. However, his life isn’t always funny. The loss of his young son profoundly changed his world and his family. In this hilarious, difficult, and touching show about grief, Cruz finds moments of humor, compassion, and ultimately some assemblance of acceptance. If everyone dies, why does nobody talk about it?
A Q&A will follow the performance.
Guilford Center Stage is cancelling the Sunday, Feb 16, matinee of the play “Love Letters”. Ticket holders for that performance are welcome to attend either of the other 2 shows (Fri 14 and Sat 15 at 7:30 pm.) For info see the Events listing on this site.
Notice how Downtown Events just keep getting better & better? And now Plaid Friday and then Market on Main for 3 weekends in December. We have KATE TRZASKOS and her mighty team at Downtown Brattleboro Alliance to thank ! Check out this show for Kate’s creative ideas, and hear stories of how she got here, how she does it all, and her very cool side hustle – curating vintage clothes just for you!
TARA CHENEY has created HEART ROSE CLUB, a dynamic community space located in the majestic old Shriner’s Building. Tara has won many awards as a leader in our community – Check out this show and hear about the creative ways she’s strengthening our town, including dinner/dance events, yoga retreats and live music……..And in her other business, Vermont Roadworks!
“FAR OUT: Life On and After the Commune” is winning awards and acclaim – CHARLIE LIGHT’s new documentary is a celebration and a tribute to the power of late-60’s activism and creativity. And the film is a blast to watch! Tune in for some great back stories of those exciting years.
Next Stage Arts screens “Family Matters: A Tour of Vermont Short Films” on Saturday, October 19 at 6:00 pm at Next Stage.
Presented by The Vermont Production Collective, a group of four award-winning filmmakers explore what it means to be a family in Vermont. The program features four short fiction films that offer a uniquely Vermont perspective on the pains and joys of being a family. The film screening will be followed by a filmmakers mixer in the Next Stage community room. All are welcome to join and build the Southern Vermont creative community.“Bloodroot” is a tender relationship portrait of two brothers, told over the course of their lives. In
“Bad Mother,” a mother copes with her husband’s confession of infidelity on the eve of a funeral. “I Guess It Might Be Selfish” is a poetic reflection on the clash between individual and family needs. “The Thaw” is a beautifully rendered 19th century Vermont horror story.
Exciting events and performances are coming to the ESTEY ORGAN FESTIVAL this weekend, and GEORGE WIESE tells us all about it. Tune in to hear George’s vibrant connection to the Estey Organ Museum, and fun tales of his life as a musician and conductor.
Lyndsey’s lively positive energy radiates all around her. She talks about living from that and bringing it to others – as an entrepreneur, a parent, a queer person, a wellness coach and as part of the ever-welcoming team at Vegan A.F. restaurant.
