ShoutOut
ALL THAT JAZZ
Jazz is alive and vibrant with Berkshires Jazz , Inc ., celebrating its 15th anniversary . On June 16 at 4 p . m ., a return-by-popular-demand Father ’ s Day concert by the Django Festival Allstars , with Ludovic Beier on accordion , will be held in the Bernstein Theatre at Shakespeare & Co . in Lenox . And on July 13 , 4 – 8 p . m ., the free outdoor Berkshires Jazz Summer Showcase will be at Pittsfield ’ s First Street Common . In north county , the Clark Art Institute and Jazz in the Berkshires present one of jazz ’ s greatest living artists , Eddie Henderson , on Saturday , May 4 , 6 – 8:30 p . m . Henderson will perform with drummer Mike Clark , bass player Gerald Cannon , and pianist Joe Mulholland . Henderson worked with Art Blakey ’ s Jazz Messengers , Pharoah Sanders , and Norman Connors before joining the Latin-jazz group Azteca and ultimately fronting his own bands . ( Look out for a just-released PBS documentary film , Dr . Eddie Henderson : Uncommon Genius .) berkshiresjazz . org ; jazzintheberkshire . org
This , that , and the other things
B y A n a s t a s i a S t a n m e y e r
On Democracy and W . E . B . Du Bois
The W . E . B . Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy in Great Barrington has a new executive director : Ny Whitaker , a former White House senior advisor and NYU professor with more than 20 years of corporate , nonprofit , and public sector leadership experience . Whitaker will lead the transformation of the historic Clinton A . M . E . Zion Church into an African American cultural and heritage center dedicated to celebrating Du Bois in his birthplace . This year ’ s theme is “ Reflections on Democracy ,” and a highlight of this season ’ s programming is a fourpart Scholars Salon Series moderated by inaugural Visiting Scholar on Democracy Michael Blake , a former Harvard visiting scholar and Obama staffer . duboisfreedomcenter . org
Dancing in the Street
First Fridays at Five kicks off in May in downtown Pittsfield , featuring live music , art , food , shopping , and entertainment on five evenings through summer . “ Come downtown to experience the event and stay downtown for dinner and a show afterwards at one of our award-winning theaters ,” says Pittsfield Mayor Pete Marchetti . First Fridays at Five will be May 3 , June 7 , July 5 , August 2 , and September 6 , from 5 to 8 p . m . A portion of North Street will be closed during the event . And in North Adams , First Fridays continues every month , also typically 5 to 8 p . m ., where people can explore downtown businesses , discover local artists , and connect with the community . cityofpittsfield . org ; nachamber . org
SEE ME , FEEL ME
Ali Louis Bourzgui is from Pittsfield . You can find him this summer in his Broadway debut , though , in the newly reimagined production of The Who ’ s TOMMY at the Nederlander Theatre . More than three decades after the epic pop culture musical theatre sensation first bowed on Broadway , original Tony Award ® -winning creators Pete Townshend ( music , lyrics , book ) and Des McAnuff ( book , direction ) have reunited to bring the story of Tommy Walker to today ’ s audiences . Bourzgui , 24 , reprises the leading role on Broadway after starring in Chicago ’ s Goodman Theatre last summer . Bourzgui had his start in the Berkshires , performing in shows at Pittsfield High , as well as Berkshire Theatre Group and Barrington Stage Company . Now , see him on Broadway ! tommythemusical . com
6 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE May / June 2024
The Garage Trail Walk
Now in its 24th year , the Garage Trail Walk will be held on Sunday , May 19 . Registration begins at 8:45 a . m . at The Guthrie Center , 2 Van Deusenville Rd ., Housatonic . The six-mile walk starts at 10 — retracing Arlo Guthrie ' s famous journey immortalized in the song " Alice ' s Restaurant Massacree ”— to raise money and awareness for Huntington ' s disease . Guthrie ' s father , Woody , was afflicted with Huntington ' s disease and died of complications from it in 1967 . On the day of the Garage Trail Walk , participants sign in at the center , then vintage VW Microbuses whisk walkers to the site of Alice Brock ’ s original restaurant , where the trail begins . It passes the “ Police Officers ’ Station ” in Stockbridge Center , onto the erstwhile dump that was “ closed on Thanksgivin ’,” and ends back at the center , the setting for that Thanksgiving dinner that “ couldn ’ t be beat !” garbagetrailwalk . org
The Race is On
Berkshire Running Foundation has a busy schedule ahead ! It ’ s a worthwhile and fulfilling lineup of races for the foundation , which was established as a 501 ( c ) 3 last year . It donated just over $ 48,000 to local nonprofits as a result of its eight races in 2023 . There will be even more races this year , and students 12th grade and under run for free . The season begins May 12 with the Mother ' s Day 5K at Berkshire Running Center . The event , which benefits the Elizabeth Freeman Center , is in its 48th year , making it the longest consecutively run all-female running event in the country . Other races include MountainOne Steel Rail Races on May 19 , Lee ’ s Lions Memorial 5K on May 26 , Berkshire Pride 5K on June 2 , High Lawn Farm Keep Moo ’ ving 5K on July 28 , and more . berkshirerun . org
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