Lander Grinspoon Academy Third Grade presents original math musical ‘Eureka’
Third-grade students at Lander Grinspoon Academy in Northampton presented an original math musical, “Eureka,” on Friday, May 1. The musical tells the story of Archimedes, the ancient Greek mathematician tasked by King Hiero II with determining — in just three days — whether a crown was made of pure gold. Through this story, the play explores weight, density, volume and displacement. The fable of the crow who finds an ingenious way to get water from a pitcher is also woven into the narrative.
Beyond illustrating math concepts, the play highlights problem-solving and maintaining a growth mindset. It was written by the third-grade class in partnership with their teacher, Cindy Kassell, and features original songs such as “Think Big, Start Small,” “Wait/Weight a Minute,” “Va Va Volume,” and “The Growth Mindset Song.” The performance was well received by students, families and friends alike.
Transhealth to host ‘Freedom to Be Ourselves’ annual benefit
Transhealth, the only independent, nonprofit healthcare organization in the U.S. devoted solely to serving transgender and gender-diverse communities, marks its fifth anniversary on May 4. Based in Northampton, the healthcare center stands proudly as a life-line for Massachusetts and Greater New England amidst growing federal attacks on healthcare for trans youth and adults.
In celebration of this milestone, Transhealth will be hosting its “Freedom to Be Ourselves” annual benefit on Saturday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy of Music in Northampton. The event will feature speakers from Transhealth, an awards ceremony celebrating local trans community leaders, and a fireside chat with social media star and advocate, Mercury Stardust, widely known as the “Trans Handy Ma’am.”
Tickets to the event can be purchased at aomtheatre.com/aom_event/freedom-to-be-ourselves-annual-benefit-for-transhealth.
Gallery A3 in Amherst presents new exhibits
Gallery A3 in Amherst presents a dual exhibition featuring mixed media works by Sue Curran and reverse glass paintings by GK Khalsa, running from May 7-30. The show, featuring Curran’s textured collages and Khalsa’s train-inspired paintings, will hold an opening reception on May 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cinema Courtyard location, located at 28 Amity St. 1D.
Inspired by looking at all kinds of art, people-watching and physical activity like swimming and riding a bicycle, Curran turns to gouache, ink and watercolor crayons for her mixed media work on paper, according to a press release. As she adds and removes layer upon layer of texture, she creates a kind of dream landscape in collage. “I return to the image of two women frequently,” Curran said. “The two figures represent the duality I experience in everyday life: memory and anticipation, emptiness and abundance, convergence of past and present, and the desire to connect with an impulse to isolate.”
With historic black-and-white photographs of trains as source material, GK Khalsa uses the technique of reverse painting directly on glass to look back in time.
“I’m not aiming for photo-realism,” he explains, “but the spirit of the times and the sense of adventure of traveling by train.”
In some images, locomotives speed across an open landscape; in others, a human figure is tightly juxtaposed with, and often dwarfed by, powerful, large-scale engines.
Third annual Downtown Market Vintage & Vinyl returns to Northampton on May 9
The third annual Downtown Market Vintage & Vinyl returns to 33 Hawley, The Northampton Center for the Arts, on Saturday, May 9, featuring more than 30 local and regional dealers offering curated records and vintage clothing. The event, hosted by DJ Quills with live vinyl sets, offers free general admission from noon to 4 p.m., with $5 early access starting at 9:30 a.m. A raffle will be drawn at noontime.
Sparks The Rescue to play The Drake
Following a massive 20th anniversary celebration last year at State Theatre in Portland, Maine, rock band Sparks The Rescue is excited to get back on the road this spring for their upcoming East Coast tour. The band — formed in 1999 by Toby McAllister, Ben Briggs, and Nathan Spencer, and later including Patrick O’Connell, Marty McMorrow and Alex Roy — will perform at The Drake in Amherst at 8 p.m. on May 15. The show will also feature a performance from Connecticut-based rock band Signal The Escape and Maine-based alternative/pop-punk band Broadwing.
Standing-room-only, general admission tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the show. For more information, visit thedrakeamherst.org/events/sparks-the-rescue.
Pioneer Valley Ballet to present Cinderella with a playful new twist at the Academy of Music
On Saturday, May 9, Pioneer Valley Ballet brings a fresh take on a beloved classic to the stage with “Cinderella…With A Twist,” presented for two performances at Northampton’s historic Academy of Music.
According to a press release, in this adaptation, audiences meet a kindhearted Cinderella living under the watchful eye of her cruel stepmother and stepsisters — and a bookish, introverted prince struggling to live up to royal expectations. When a magical fairy godmother intervenes, Cinderella and the prince are both transformed, and the two unlikely heroes meet and fall in love at the royal ball.
The cast includes professional dancers alongside hundreds of Pioneer Valley Ballet students and community performers from across western Massachusetts.
Performances are scheduled for Saturday, May 9 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-$56 including service fees. Tickets can be purchased at aomtheatre.com, in person at 274 Main Street in downtown Northampton, or by phone at 413-584-9032 ext. 105.
Ne exhibit opens at the Amherst History Center
A new temporary exhibition will open at the Amherst History Center on May 7. “A Wider Lens: An Intergenerational Arts Partnership” brought students at Amherst Regional High School together with Amherst-area elders for a series of collaborative sessions. Students welcomed elders to the ARHS library for oral history interviews and conversation as well as black & white film portrait sessions. This partnership facilitated intergenerational connections among participants and challenged art students to create work based on authentic content. ARHS student paintings and photographs honor the experiences and perspectives of our community elders.
The exhibition of all student work will be on display from May 7-May 16 at the Amherst History Center, located at 45 Boltwood Walk in downtown Amherst. A community reception will take place on May 14 from 6-7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. This work is funded by the Amherst Educational Foundation.
Wistariahurst Museum presents ‘Flowers Inside and Out’
Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke will present “Flowers Inside and Out,” a new exhibit featuring watercolor paintings by artist Nancy Howard alongside selected historic vases from the museum collection. An opening reception for the free exhibit will be held on May 7, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., with the display running through June 9.
This program is funded in part by a grant from the Holyoke Local Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Registration is encouraged, but not required. To register for this event, visit eventbrite.com/o/64788818143.
