New exhibit at Emily Dickinson Museum
‘THE GREAT GATSBY’: The World Ballet Company reimagines the classic novel, D4
‘SOWING HISTORY’: Art exhibit about the slave trade on display at UMass, D5
OFF THE MENU: Restaurants offer gift card deals for Mother’s Day, D7
Rob Wolfe of ‘American Pickers’ to appear at first Brimfield market of season, Page D2
Rob
By K eith O ’C onnor Special to The Republican
You know how the old saying goes, “If you snooze, you lose.”
It is exactly the proverb that visitors to the Brimfield Antique & Flea Market — spreading along a milelong stretch covering 150 acres of land along Route 20 in Brimfield — should adhere to when its first of three runs this year begins on Tuesday, May 13, and ends on Sunday, May 18. Picture this.
When Dealers Choice Antiques Shows opens on May 13 at 11 a.m., hundreds of buyers will literally run through the gates to be among the first to shop the field and get a bargain or treasure — or both — before anyone else. It is called the “Brimfield Rush” and it is a popular tradition each year when buyers line up outside the many fields opening on the first day of each show.
“It’s so crazy to see them running through the gates, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Everyone wants to be the first to get to a particular dealer, often their favorite, in hopes of finding their own personal treasure before anyone else has a chance to buy it,” said Lori Faxon, owner of Dealer’s Choice.
As for beating everyone else to the dealer’s table, shoppers may have a little more competition this year.
Rob Wolfe of History Channel’s popular reality show “American Pickers” will be a special guest at Brimfield Auction Acres’ field on Friday and Saturday (May 16-17) and also has a little shopping of his own planned.
For some four decades, Wolfe has pursued his passion
for all things vintage and motorized. His unrelenting quest has taken him to the far corners of the world, unearthing treasures and unraveling the captivating stories behind each piece he discovers. Guided by the belief that every object holds a narrative waiting to be retold, he strives
to restore these treasures to their rightful place in history.
Along with his brother Mike, they have traversed the length and breadth of the United States, delving into forgotten barns and garages, unearthing what they affectionately term “rusty gold” to showcase on “American Pickers.”
“It’s been about 10 years since I’ve shopped Brimfield. Somehow my schedule always gets in the way, but this year it all worked out,” Wolfe said. He will be out and about throughout the day, interacting with dealers and shoppers with two scheduled “meet and greet” sessions on the
property at the field’s Brimfield Winery Wine Garden. The Friday session will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. and Saturday from 2-3:30 p.m.
And there is still more.
Wolfe will be standing alongside Kate Corriveau, owner of Brimfield Auction Acres, for their “Brimfield Rush” when they open their gates on Friday at 8 a.m.
“I’ve never opened a Brimfield Rush with a celebrity before,” said Corriveau.
And Wolfe is excited, too.
“It’s definitely a rush, pretty crazy and not many people
Johnny Memphis will celebrate his birthday this year by having his band play the Iron Horse on May 15.
But even though Memphis is hitting the ripe old age of 70 and has been playing music alongside others for decades, this year marks just the 11th year his own band has been in existence.
“I really should have started a rock ’n’ roll band much earlier. I have a song called ‘Running Late,’ which speaks to that,” he said.
Memphis, who is known for his days as a longtime DJ and sideman in Big Bad Bollocks, talked about his band, his approach to now being a frontman, and why he still is willing to lug gear in and out of clubs at age 70 in a recent interview.
Q. How has the band changed or evolved over the past decade?
A. The Johnny Memphis Band changed when we added a banjo in 2022. I didn’t know we needed a banjo full-time in the band, but I was recording a song about my brother Dan who loved bluegrass. We got Laurie Rozenfeld to play on the recording and she was so good and so fun, we just kept her in the band. As it turns out she was also a great singer who has gotten us doing three part harmony. That has taken us to another level.
Q. How often does the band play out and is it hard to book and keep everyone fresh between gigs?
A. We play out sporadically. I try to get good gigs. As I like to say, “Not too late, not too loud, not too long.” Every Tuesday we play at my house in what I call a tuneup. I don’t like to use the words “practice” or “rehearse.” Every time we play together is a special occasion. The tuneups are as much fun as the gigs.
THURSDAY
Drawing Board Brewing Company: Song Share
Sessions: Nonbinary, Trans & Women Singer Songwriters. 36 Main St., Florence
The Drake: Palmyra with special guest Joseph Terrell. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Uno Chicago Grill: Country Music. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
FRIDAY
Q. What makes you want to keep playing live at age 70, and do you ever see yourself stopping?
Q. How would you describe the music for those who have never heard the band?
A. We are a quintet that plays rootsy rock ’n’ roll with electric guitar, bass and drums, alongside banjo, fiddle and sometimes mandolin. I like being both electric and acoustic. Our sets are mostly originals with a few covers of songs by people like Prince, Los Lobos and Louis Prima.
Q. When you put out your first album, you had 30 years of your original songs to choose from. How do you choose which songs to record now?
A. The whole reason I started a band was because I had a bunch of songs that I thought were worthy, and I needed people to help me manifest them. I got great musicians like Katherine First, Paul Hartshorne and Jason Smith to help me. When I get a new batch of good songs, we will record again. Living in the age of distraction, our recordings have gone from eight songs, to six songs, to four songs. Looks like a double-sided single might be next.
Q. You’ve now been a
frontman for more than a decade. You were obviously immediately comfortable with that, having been a DJ and of course played as a sideman for other great frontmen. Has your stage presence evolved or changed over the years?
A. Having been a radio deejay for decades, I am comfortable talking into a microphone on a stage in front of an audience. It’s not rocket surgery. Read the room. Be yourself. What I have tried to improve is opening my eyes and looking out when I sing. I think it helps for the audience to see your eyes.
Q. You largely play bass in your band. Was that a conscious specific choice on your part because that’s what you feel best at, or more of a Paul McCartney-like “no one else wants to do it” decision?
A. I played bass in the first band I was in, The Suburban Headswappers, and I found that I loved it. I like being down in the engine room, making a groove, connecting the drums with the other instruments. When I joined the Big Bad Bollocks, I picked up the mandolin to fit in with their jigabilly.
A. At this point it’s too much fun to stop, plus the band keeps getting better. I try to gig at places that have their own P.A. and sound engineer, but sometimes you have to bring your own. I try to convince myself that lugging gear is like going to the gym.
Q. Any new recordings on the horizon?
A. I am going to make a holiday album called “Yuletide Shindig.”
MGM Springfield: MGM Roar Comedy Club: Eddie Ifft. 1 MGM Way, Springfield
Tangle Chocolate Lounge: Open Mic. 5 Main St. Route 9, Williamsburg
The Drake: Splendid Torch with High Tea. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
The Meeting House: Dave Brinnel. 827 Williams St., Longmeadow
Theodores’: The Eric Ducoff Band. 201 Worthington St., Springfield
Uno Chicago Grill: Roots, Blues and Rock. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
West Springfield’s Irish House Restaurant & Pub: Lower Valley Guys. 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield
By K eith O ’C onnor
Special to The Republican
You may have read the book and seen the movie — or even the Broadway play — but chances are you have never seen “The Great Gatsby” turned into a ballet with lavish sets and costumes, an original jazz-inspired score, and a cast of 40 internationally renowned professional dancers, multimedia effects, acrobatics and more.
Now is your chance to see “The Great Gatsby” in a new light as the World Ballet Company tours more than 140 cities across the country, including a stop on Sunday, May 11, at the Academy of Music in Northampton, with its all-new Broadway-style take on the classic story.
Showtime is 6 p.m. and tickets — available online at aomtheatre.com — range in price from $47-$89.
The multimedia show adapts the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of ill-fated love and the American Dream into ballet form, taking audiences back in time to the lavish decadence of the Roaring ’20s. The production features an all-star creative team, including sensual choreography from Ilya Zhivoy performed to an original, lively jazz score from Anna Drubich; sumptuous sets by Sergei Novikov; video projection by Mikki Kunntu and glamorous costumes by Sonya Vartanyan that capture the allure of the Jazz Age.
Led by Sasha Gorskaya and Gulya Hartwick, the World Ballet Company is driven by the belief that ballet is for everyone. Performances are designed to appeal to both newcomers and seasoned
balletgoers alike. The company attracts international artists and comprises renowned professional dancers representing more than 10 countries. To date, World Ballet Company has traveled to more than 300 cities and has reached an audience of more than 450,000, many of whom are first-time attendees to a ballet.
From the company’s base in Los Angeles, Hartwick took the time to talk more about the World Ballet Company and its production of “The Great Gatsby” before it arrives in Northampton this weekend.
Q. What was the idea and hope behind your founding World Ballet Company along with Sasha Gorskaya?
A. The idea was and still is to make ballet more accessible. We truly believe there are audiences for ballet across the country and it has become one of the mainstream artforms and not just an exclusive niche for some people. I got invited a long time ago to go to the ballet and wasn’t sure about it, was afraid to go because I wouldn’t under-
stand it. And I know for a fact that there are many people like me back then who today feel the same way.
I have a new neighbor on our street who one day asked me what I did. I told her that I run a ballet company to which she responded, “That is too sophisticated for me.” And I realized at that point that something is wrong with the world when we think and feel that we are not good enough for something like ballet. I truly believe that ballet is not supposed to be thought of like that, that there is a full spectrum of emotions to be shared when watching ballet — joy, laughter, and sadness. The way we put together our productions, it is clear that they are easy to watch. We keep you on the edge of your seat and it is not boring. And that is what we have been doing for the past 10 years.
(Editor’s note: According to audience surveys, more than 60% of World Ballet Company audiences experience ballet for the first time with these productions, which is crucial to the company’s mission.)
Q. Is it unusual to turn a classic piece of literature such as “The Great Gats -
by” into a ballet?
A. It is just another way of telling a story through the language of dance with the use of scenery and lighting and costumes and video projection. I believe ballet is a great way to tell a story and “The Great Gatsby” is so cinematic that it lends itself to be transformed into a ballet for the stage.
Q. How did you accomplish turning “The Great Gatsby” into a ballet?
A.First, you have to fall in love with the story, which we did immediately after reading the book. Then you have to gather a team together of like-minded individuals. And that is how we found our wonderful choreographer, Ilya Zhivoy, a mastermind behind the dazzling dancing that audiences will see in “The Great Gatsby.” Then we were struggling with the decision of whether to adapt some music from the 1920s or write our own. It wasn’t an easy decision because every time you
SEE GATSBY, PAGE D12
Art exhibit about the slave trade in the northern U.S., Canada on display at UMass
By Namu Sampath nsampath@repub.com
Kumbuka is a happy 11-yearold from East Africa.
One day, strangers pick him up and take him far, far away from his home. He doesn’t understand why.
On his journey across oceans, Kumbuka befriends Moise, a magical rat who speaks multiple languages.
This, of course, is a fictional story. But it illustrates the real histories of the millions of African children who were forced into slavery.
It’s also a story of “bravery, friendship and never forgetting who you were,” reads Emmanuel Nkuranga, the author of the tale and a Ugandan art history and architecture master’s student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Nkuranga’s book is one of 18 illustrated children’s books on display at the university for the next seven weeks as part of an art exhibit called “Sowing History.”
His book features artwork he drew, which was inspired by images from the 18th and 19th centuries.
The boy from his story, Kumbuka, and his friend rat, Moise, are lit by the blue night sky and a yellow moon. Moise, Nkuranga said, means “moon” in Swahili.
The books were a project in Charmaine A. Nelson’s “Visual Culture of Slavery” class at UMass and were written to help educators in the northern region of the U.S. and Canada teach young learners about history that is often neglected.
“When people think of slavery, they think of the ‘plantation South’ or the Caribbean,” Nelson said. “We had to tackle the dearth in this void.”
Nelson said that there is a deficit in children’s books that talk about slavery in the northern U.S. and Canada, where she grew up.
Through her initiative called Slavery North, Nelson is working to help the public understand the social and cultural effects of trans-Atlantic slavery and its legacies, including how that history manifests in anti-Black racism today.
“The idea that slavery never even happened in the north is a misconception,” she said.
Georgia Brabec, a first-year masters student in art history and architecture and another student of Nelson’s, talked about her project: “Charlotte and The North Star,” a story about a young Black girl who is enslaved at Fort Snelling in Minnesota, where Brabec is from.
Hers is also a fictional story, she said, but it’s based on real events.
During the French and Indian War, soldiers from around the U.S. went to Minnesota, and oftentimes they would bring enslaved people with them, Brabec said.
“Even though it was technically a place where slavery had been abolished, the U.S. Army basically turned a blind eye and allowed for people to live in bondage in that territory,” she said, especially children because they were the most “affordable unpaid labor.”
Brabec said her story, which she illustrated with her own drawings and watercolors, was a “reckoning with the place that I’m from,” explaining that she would drive past the fort on the way to her grandparents’ home as a child.
While some of the stories are fiction, others are nonfiction.
River Riddle, a senior undergraduate student at
Georgia Brabec is a first-year master’s candidate in art history and architecture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is one of the students who created a book for an exhibition of illustrated children’s books shedding light on slavery in the north of the continent. Her book is titled, “Charlotte and The North Star.”
(DOUGLAS HOOK / THE REPUBLICAN)
UMass studying comparative literature, said her story was based on the Amistad Rebellion.
The rebellion, which took place in 1839, was one of the only times when African slaves were returned back to their home country, Sierra Leone, rather than being displaced in the Americas.
“The fact that they were returned to their place of origin is extraordinary,” she said.
Unlike the other two children’s stories, which feature heavy topics about children being enslaved in the U.S. and Canada told in ways that are digestible for young readers,
River Riddle, right, is a senior honors undergraduate student in comparative literature at UMass Amherst and is one of the students who created a book for the exhibition of illustrated children’s books shedding light on slavery in the north of the continent. Her book is titled, “The Amistad Rebellion: A Children’s Retelling.” (DOUGLAS HOOK / THE REPUBLICAN)
Riddle said her story had an angle of “hopefulness,” which made her story easier from the get-go.
“That’s what a child needs in order to be able to kind of get through a narrative like this,” she explained, “whereas us adults, we can sit in the finality of death and understand that.”
Riddle’s book is filled with colorful art from ArtStor, a library archive of art, and was chosen specifically because she was putting together a children’s book.
“Sowing History” is on display at UMass Amherst until June 6 at 472 N. Pleasant St.
Emmanuel Nkuranga’s book is titled, “Kumbuka: The Boy Who Was Stolen From Africa.” It features artwork he drew, which was inspired by images from the 18th and 19th centuries. (DOUGLAS HOOK / THE REPUBLICAN)
TUESDAY
Chicopee Elks #1849
431 Granby Road, Chicopee 413-592-1849
Bingo Tuesday
Doors Open at 4PM
2 Progressive Jackpots 6:15PM Early Bird
6:20PM Start
Min. Entry Package $15
Open Seating
2 Halls for Players
Handicap Restroom 1st Floor
WEDNESDAY
Polish American Citizens Club 355 East Street, Ludlow, 583-6385
Bingo Wednesdays 6:30-9:30pm
Doors Open at 4pm. Minimum Admission $50
1 - 1199 Progressive Betty Boop 50/50 Prize $900
2 - $500 Cover Alls
3 - $400 Special Games All regular games $100 with 80 people or More. All Cards are included with Admission. Prizes climb with additional attendence. Full Kitchen 4-6:30pm.
THURSDAY
Fairview Knights of Columbus 1599 Memorial Drive, Chicopee (413) 532-2011
DOORS OPEN 4:30PM MASKS OPTIONAL Progressive Jackpot 6:15pm Early Bird 6:20pm Start
Electronic Bingo Aval. Snack Bar, Open Seating, Handicap Restrooms
Min. Entry Package $15
IT’S NOW THE MERRY, merry month of May and I have two spring sprigs of beer news, but I also have a few follow-ups to some previous recent columns, so let’s get to those first.
Going back to the end of January, I wrote about Incandescent Brewing, a new brewery that had taken over the space formerly occupied by Hitchcock Brewing in Bernardston. While Incandescent had opened for brewing then, it took a bit longer to open the taproom where folks could gather. That has since happened and seems to be a rousing success.
I also got my hands on some Incandescent beers since then, and while they are all excellent, I’d like to highlight Great Big World, the brewery’s take on a German-style pilsner. My preference usually leans toward Czech or Bohemian-style pilsners, but I have to say Great Big World has expanded my boundaries. It’s a bit more bitter than a classic German pilsner, but the tasty bread-like malt foundation keeps things balanced. I look forward to knocking back a few of these on hot summer days.
Next up is a follow-up about Sierra Nevada’s Hazy Little Thing series, which I wrote about at the beginning of April: Sierra Nevada had just also released a new version of Big Little Thing Imperial IPA, and I didn’t get to try it alongside the others, but now
I have. Although I’m a bit weary of hazy beers, this one is an exception.
As I had hoped, the new version is every bit as good as its predecessor. I wouldn’t say it’s better, but it’s just as tasty, with an accent on expanding the citrus fruit spectrum. The Citra hops lead the way here, and Sierra Nevada has also cranked up the alcohol level from 9% to 9.5%, so proceed with caution. If you’re a fan of this series and like the imperial IPA version, seek this one out.
Follow-up No. 3: Two weeks ago I interviewed Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head about throwing out the first pitch at a Red Sox game, which he did during Grateful Dead night at Fenway to coincide with the new Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale. I wasn’t able to get my hands on it at first, but now I have, and its combination of pineapple juiciness, soft bitterness at the end and overall welcoming drinkability will mean that this beer will be in
My last Wine Press wine column, way back in January, was about whether wine is bad for us.
Or, to put it another way, should we drink wine?
I’m not going to dive back into that debate. I’ll leave that personal question up to you and the medical professionals.
But I also realize it’s a thing — not drinking alcohol — that many people do for a variety of reasons for various periods of time.
Some people stop consuming alcohol every January. Others choose to not drink certain days of the week or other times of the year.
Personally, I have never taken an extended break from drinking wine — until this year.
What changed?
An unexpected medical emergency.
It’s OK. I’m OK. I don’t want to get into the details. I’ll simply say I sustained a serious injury, but I’m doing much better and I’ll be fine long-term.
It all started in late January. One week, I was blissfully visiting wineries in France’s Burgundy region. The next, I was a patient in a hospital in Springfield.
For the next five weeks, I was in several medical facilities recovering from two surgical procedures. And while I was recovering the last thing on my mind was wine. Instead, I was craving chicken noodle soup, orange sherbet and cherry Jell-O.
So, without warning, I suddenly started my own Dry January experiment, which quickly gave way to Wine Free February, followed by Maybe Not March.
Eventually, on a cold Saturday afternoon in March, I returned home. That day, I was eager to try some wine and one of my other favorite drinks — single malt Scotch, a type of whisky from Scotland
that’s perfect for cold winter days and nights.
So, soon after I got home, I had a small sip of one of my favorite single malt whiskies. Normally, this Scotch tastes silky smooth and caramel-like. Instead, it tasted like what I imagine battery acid tastes like — bitter and harsh.
The same was true a few hours later when I had a sip of a red wine I normally love. Instead, I couldn’t stand the taste of it.
What was happening?
I suspect it had something to do with all the different foods I had been eating for weeks in medical facilities. Or maybe it was because my body was working overtime to repair my injury.
In addition, I was still taking several medications, so I didn’t feel like drinking at all. That’s what I kept telling myself. That’s why it was OK that I suddenly didn’t like wine.
However, deep down, I was concerned — very concerned. What if it wasn’t temporary?
What if I didn’t like wine anymore?
This is a big deal. Wine has become more than just a beverage for me. It’s part of my identity. I write a weekly wine column. I occasionally teach wine tasting classes. I often travel to visit wineries and interview winemakers. And it’s something I have enjoyed drinking and learning about for years.
What now?
What if I wasn’t “the wine
guy” anymore?
A few weeks went by. I didn’t have any wine. I tried not to think about it. Frankly, it was pretty easy. I had many other things to worry about than whether or not I loved wine. But it was still in the back of my mind.
Then, a few weeks later in March, my wife was having some white wine on a Friday night — the 2022 Appassionata Uber Sauvignon Blanc ($40 Suggested Retail Price). She had just opened the bottle. I took a tiny sip. The wine tasted “normal.” And by that, I mean it tasted fantastic — delicate and slightly floral with hints of lemon and toasted butter.
I debated having a glass of wine right then and there. But I also didn’t want to spoil the moment. Why? I think I was scared — afraid that my moment of bliss could suddenly turn into another wine nightmare.
The next day felt like the perfect time to have a glass of wine. Sometimes on Saturdays or Sundays, my wife and I will split a ribeye steak for lunch at home.
That Saturday, I decided to open something special to celebrate my first official wine since my injury — a bottle of 2018 Tenuta Sant Antonio Castagnedi Amarone Della Valpolicella ($50 SRP).
I’ve always been a huge fan of Amarone wines. Made with a specific blend of red wine grapes (including Corvina and Rondinella) from Italy’s Valpolicella region, Amarones are famous for being austere red wines with a smooth, elegant finish.
So how did this particular Amarone taste?
After not drinking any wine for nearly two months, let me simply say that absence definitely made this heart grow fonder.
The first sip was tight and austere, exactly the way an Amarone should taste straight out of the bottle.
TAKING MOM OUT to dinner (or brunch) isn’t the only way of celebrating Mother’s Day. Many restaurant brands, primarily those in the quick service and casual dining segments of the industry, have come up with their own strategies to get a cut of the Mother’s Day action.
This year a number of chains have taken a page from their Christmas playbook and are promoting gift cards special for mom. Many of these gift card deals are digital and require that purchases be made through the brand’s smartphone app or website.
In addition to creating a new breakfast item expressly for Mother’s Day, Denny’s, the family diner chain, is offering an online gift card promotion, with each $25 gift card purchase through the chain’s app or website earning the guest a $5 bonus coupon.
The newly developed Mother’s Day breakfast feature at Denny’s is the Berry Waffle Slam; it features two Liegestyle waffles topped with seasonal berries and sea salt caramel sauce. Two eggs, bacon strips, and sausage links complete the Slam presentation.
Dunkin’ has created eGift Cards with custom designs for Mother’s Day gift-giving. Additionally, the brand will be offering bonus Dunkin’ Rewards points on large donut purchases during Mother’s Day weekend.
Panera Bread cafe locations, meanwhile, are offering 15% off all online gift card purchases through May 14. The chain is also conducting a social media contest, with the prize of free food for a year to the winning photo posted and tagged on social media that shows mom enjoying a celebration at Panera.
In addition to a special Mother’s Day menu, 99 Restaurant & Pub locations, from now until May 12, are pricing $50 eGift Cards at $40 and $100 eGift Cards at $75. For those who prefer to not operate in the digital space,
some other restaurant chains have more traditional Mother’s Day deals available.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations are, for instance, offering bounce-back coupons with any purchase made over Mother’s Day weekend (May 9-12).
Friendly’s Restaurant locations will be giving moms a free scoop of ice cream on Mother’s Day. Contact individual Friendly’s locations to confirm their participation in the giveaway.
Enjoying a BOGO deal on the chain’s signature chicken wings is the way Hooters is proposing that mom be honored. Purchasing a 10-count order of wings on May 11 will entitle customers to a complimentary second order, dine-in only.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews is promoting some Mother’s Day special deals on beverages, including a $4 milkshake, a $4 Momma’s Margarita, and a special $5 price on house wine. Red
Robin is also offering $10 in bonus rewards for every $50 gift card purchased.
Side Dishes
• On Wednesday, May 21, the Table 3 Restaurant Group in Sturbridge will be presenting another of its “Cooking with Rico” programs. In presenting this month’s demonstration/sampling, Table 3 Executive Chef Enrico Giovanello will be paying tribute to Emeril Lagasse, the chef and food personality who has done so much to introduce New Orleans-style cookery into the culinary mainstream.
Giovanello will be preparing some of Lagasse’s best known recipes: New Orleans BBQ Shrimp, Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo, and Sweet Corn Maque Choux with Poblano-Cheddar Grits.
The program, which is to be held at Avellino in Sturbridge, will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are $59 per person, not including tax or tip.
Call 508-347-2321 for more details or to make reservations.
• As of May 5, Chicago-based McDonald’s Corp. has rolled out its first new permanent menu item in four years.
The new product, dubbed McCrispy Strips, is 100% white meat chicken finished with a crispy coating that’s flavored with black pepper. The new strips also come with a dipping sauce that introduces a new experience into the McDonald’s flavor
arsenal — Creamy Chili Dip, a condiment that’s described as “sweet, tangy, and with just the right kick.” McCrispy Strips come in three- or fourstrip orders; other McDonald’s dipping sauces can, on request, replace the Chili Dip.
With the introduction of McCrispy strips, McDonald’s is responding to two trends in the quick-service restaurant world. The first is the seemingly limitless consumer appetite for chicken; the second, the sweet-spicy flavor cravings of today’s consumers.
The last major menu expansion at McDonald’s occurred in February 2021 when the chain introduced the Crispy Chicken Sandwich in three variations — Crispy, Spicy, and Deluxe.
• On Thursday, May 8, the Steaming Tender Restaurant in Palmer is collaborating with the Berkshire Brewing Company of South Deerfield to present a Free Beer Tasting.
The tasting, which will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., is to include giveaways as well as a complimentary special dessert for those who purchase a Berkshire Brewing pint.
For more information, contact the Steaming Tender Restaurant at 413-283-2744.
• For the first time in five years, KFC is bringing back Chicken & Waffles and featuring the combination in a series of meal deals. These Chicken & Waffle offerings incorporate KFC’s Original Recipe chick-
en, Liege-style waffles and Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup.
Digital orders of Chicken & Waffles will earn double KFC Rewards points, and KFC is also offering special Mother’s Day pricing on digitally-place delivery orders.
There are KFC locations on Center Street in Ludlow, on Memorial Drive in Chicopee, and on King Street across from the Stop & Shop Plaza in Northampton.
• Fletcher’s BBQ Shop & Steakhouse in Longmeadow is offering a prix-fixe brunch on Mother’s Day, which will be served from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Priced at $30, the brunch includes a choice of entree and cocktail. Available entrees include stuffed French toast, pastrami hash, crab cake benedict, Mediterranean salmon and more. There also will be a special Kids Prix Fixe. Reservations can be made online at resy.com; Fletcher’s BBQ Shop & Steakhouse answers at 413-384-2923.
• The Munich Haus German restaurant in Chicopee is bringing back its Lobsterfest events this summer, with monthly “Fests” planned through September.
The first of these Lobsterfests will be held on Tuesday, May 13, starting at 6 p.m. The main attraction is to a 6-to-8 pound lobster served with seasonal vegetable and boiled potatoes. A house salad and a cup of the restaurant’s
There were also hints of sandalwood, cedar and a dry, smoky finish.
A few minutes later, those tight, knot-like flavors loosened up and gave way to more subtle, ripe, fruit-like aromas and flavors.
Nearly half an hour later, the wine hit its sweet spot — a subtle mix of dense, dark fruit flavors mixed with a long, subtle, soft finish.
I loved the wine and I loved the whole experience. I felt like me again.
Once I cleared that hurdle, I was excited to try more wines.
The next day, I had a glass of another outstanding Italian red wine — a 2020 Famiglia Pasqua Ripasso ($25 SRP). I felt like this was the prefect
CONTINUES FROM PAGE D6
heavy rotation throughout the summer for me.
Last but not least on our list is a follow-up on last week’s column about Bunker Brewing’s superb Chick-ADee English Style Bitter. As I mentioned, I also wanted to try the brewery’s Barn Cat. As I suspected, Barn Cat was stunning. There are subtle hints of cocoa and molasses in the malt base, with just a hint of hops to keep it from being too sweet. Bunker Brewing is a small brewery described as
wine to follow up an Amarone. That’s because Ripasso wines are made with leftover grapes used to make Amarone wines.
This particular Ripasso had hints of tobacco and ripe fruit flavors mixed with dense layers of morning fog, toasted almonds and dried fruit.
Since then, I’ve learned to love single malt Scotch again in small amounts. I’ve also enjoyed tasting a wide range of other wines.
The 2020 E. Guigal Cotes Du Rhone ($14.99 at Table & Vine in West Springfield) — one of my all-time favorite red wines from France’s Rhone region — is dense and delicious, with dark fruit flavors (especially blackberry) abound.
The 2017 Bozen Bolzano Sudtirol Alto Adige Eisacktaler Muller Thurgau ($18 SRP) is an under-the-radar Italian white wine made with the
often-overlooked Muller Thurgau grape. Here, the flavors are straw-like with a floral finish.
The 2020 Renato Ratti Barolo Rocche Dell’Annunziata ($150 SRP)? Mama Mia, what a powerhouse! We cracked open this gem from Italy’s Barolo region made with Nebbiolo grapes for Easter. Here, the flavors start off spicy, then quickly turn licorice-like and silky smooth in this subtle red wine.
But more than anything, I’m simply thrilled that any wine tastes great again.
This might not seem like a big deal. But with everything that’s happened since January, anything that feels remotely normal feels great.
Cheers!
Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s Weekend section every Thursday.
Barbra Streisand introduces “BlacKkKlansman” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
By Jami Ganz New York Daily News
own clam chowder are also included; a strawberry sundae is served for dessert.
New to Lobsterfest in 2025 is a reservations policy that requires full payment the Sunday before each event. Price for one lobster with all the “fixin’s” is $120; two guests can split a lobster between them for $140.
Lobsters may be reserved and paid for online at munichhaus. com; the restaurant’s number for phone orders and informa-
a “hidden gem.” I wish it were closer as I’d be there weekly. On to some newer notes, and first up is that I just got the results of the World Beer Cup, held by the Brewers Association each year since 1996. While Massachusetts didn’t grab a lot of medals, the state did win two: a gold medal for Size 6 by Marlborough’s Lost Shoe Brewing in the Belgian-style Dubbel category and a bronze to Boston Beer Co.’s Samuel Adams Summer Ale in the Fruit Wheat Beer category.
And finally is my annual mention of a yearly release from Leadfoot Brewing in Chicopee. This beer is brewed
tion is 413-594-8788.
• The Center Square Grill in East Longmeadow is promoting a three-day weekend of dining experiences by which Mother’s Day can be celebrated this year. Options to honor mom include Prime Rib Night on Friday, May 9, when the restaurant will be featuring, as it does every Friday, slow-roasted prime rib with garlic whipped potatoes and a seasonal vegetable. On Saturday, May 10, the grill will be offering brunch specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., as well as featured dinner items all evening long.
in honor of my great-nephew Justin Lingenberg, who died in 2019 at age 18. Every year, Leadfoot brews a version of the beer, which has changed styles a few times. It was originally named Summer Setter, a wheat beer in honor of Justin’s love of volleyball, and was renamed Justin in 2023. But this year it will be a spring ale called Batch 14.
Proceeds from the beer will be donated to assistance programs that help families with their financial burden during cancer treatment. The release party will be on May 18 at Leadfoot Brewing, 95 North Chicopee St.
For Mother’s Day, May 11, the restaurant’s full dinner menu will be available all day, supplemented by brunchstyle entrees until 3 p.m. and an enhanced selection of dinner specials thereafter. Call 413-525-0055 for more information or to make reservations.
Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community College’s hospitality and culinary arts program and has nearly 50 years of restaurant and educational experience. Robert can be reached online at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com.
Barbra Streisand is releasing a starry follow-up to her 2014 album, “The Secret of Life: Partners,” featuring a dozen A-list collaborations, with contemporaries like Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan, as well as divas Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey. Streisand, 83, announced in an Instagram Reel Wednesday that she’ll release “The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume Two,” her 37th album, on June 27.
“I’ve always loved singing duets with gifted artists. They inspire me in unique and different ways … and
make our time in the studio a joy! My new album … gave me the chance to work and play with some of my old friends, label mates, and new artists too,” said Streisand.
“I admire all of them … and I hope that you’ll enjoy listening to our collaborations as much as I enjoyed recording with all of my wonderful partners.”
In addition to the Beatle, the Bard and the divas, Streisand’s album will feature duets with Hozier, Sam Smith, Laufey, Tim McGraw, James Taylor, Sting, Josh Groban and Seal. Carey, 56, and Grande, 31, will feature on the same track.
FROM PAGE D2
get to experience it. I’ll be standing right in the middle filming people as they rush by me looking for a treasure, and that is just what they will find here at Brimfield,” he said.
Wolfe has been collecting for 40 years. He stuck to the Midwest for the first 20 years before branching out to the East and West Coasts.
“Hands down, the best antiques are found on the East Coast, where America, the industry started. In Maine, for example, you can find things from the 1700s, but in Iowa you will be lucky to find something from the 1850s,” Wolfe said.
The collector and reality TV star noted he has “found a lot of real treasures over the years” at Brimfield.
“I go to swap meets all over the country and always tell people it’s not about a huge treasure hunt and finding 20 good things. To me at the end of the day it is finding that one thing that makes it an especially memorable experience. If I can get one thing that has a great story behind it, as opposed to being a madman and running around to find everything all day, then I’m happy. And you’re likely to find that one item at Brimfield. There truly is no place in the world like the East Coast, it’s top notch, when you want to find something especially unique and memorable,” Wolfe said.
His best find at Brimfield?
“I consider it a trunk I purchased for $500 that when you lift the lid up you see a hand painting on it that depicts a British battleship fighting an American battleship, and that is what dates it. I still own it,” Wolfe said.
And don’t worry about Wolfe “picking” all the goods before you get there. He’s looking for some very specific things to take home with him.
“I’ll be looking for early blacksmith stuff, blacksmith signs, and anything to do with building carriages. I’m a big fan of the advertising industry, a lot of people shy away from wooden signs, which I will be looking for, as well as smalt signs made of ground up glass. These signs reflected light and were helpful in the early days when cars were coming out and there was no electricity along a roadway to power big lamps like we have today,” Wolfe said.
“I will also be going around to other fields and spending a lot of time talking to dealers, some of whom are friends of mine. I want to know what is going on in their world, where is the money going, and if there is anything new I don’t know about that is becoming popular. That’s how we learn things,” he added.
Two shows Wolfe won’t be visiting are Dealer’s Choice and Treasure Trunk
Tuesday, both one-day shows on Tuesday only, before he arrives.
Faxon, who also operates Midway Antique Shows all six days of Brimfield, noted they were the first to introduce a one-day show at Brimfield with Dealer’s Choice.
“We have over 200 dealers at our Tuesday show, some very good high-end antique dealers, as well as a lot of vintage clothing, mid-century and modern furniture and art,” Faxon said.
Any show is always busy on opening day, she noted.
“People with deep pockets tend to come at the beginning of the week when the picking is at its best, although we certainly do see many retail buyers on that one day as well. It is a good day for shoppers looking for finds to sell at their own shops and for others who might not be able to afford a hotel to stay the entire week of the show,” Faxon said.
“Being there on the first day also offers another advantage. A dealer may have something they really don’t know much about and how much it is really worth. And if you are the first person who sees it, then you have hit the jackpot,” she added about the possibility of finding a real bargain.
The Brimfield market began in 1959 with one field owned by auctioneer Gordan Reid, which is now owned by the Corriveau family as Brimfield Auction Acres. Over the years, the Brimfield Antique & Flea Market has grown into 21 individual show fields started by his neighbors filled with dealers selling everything from furniture and garden items to folk and vintage art to collectibles, all kinds of memorabilia and much more.
Corriveau noted they started Treasure Trunk Tuesday for a number of reasons.
“A lot of people come from overseas or California, for example, and have a limited time to shop and don’t stay for the
Frank Desautels, of Putnam, Conn., with a giant Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figure at the Brimfield Antique Flea Markets on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. (HOANG
‘LEON’ NGUYEN / THE REPUBLICAN)
CONTINUES FROM PAGE D3
SATURDAY
BOMBYX Center for Arts & Equity: Heinrich Heine Far and Near, with Peter Shea & Friends. 130 Pine St., Florence
MGM Springfield: MGM Roar Comedy Club: Eddie Ifft. 1 MGM Way, Springfield
The Drake: Spellling with Feminine Aggression. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Theodores’: Peter Parcek & Friends featuring Joe Klompus and Liviu Pop. 201 Worthington St., Springfield
entire week. So, we felt we were missing an important market for those shoppers who we find come earlier in the week and wouldn’t be here for our two-day show on Friday and Saturday. Some dealers also can’t stay for the entire week, and a one-day show offers them the opportunity to still be a part of all the action that Brimfield offers,” Corriveau said.
“On the other hand, some dealers do make their visit to Brimfield a week-long event. Some of our dealers who do our Tuesday show also do our two-day Brimfield Auction Acres show on Friday and Saturday, and in-between they also do their own shopping. About 80% of our dealers at Auction Acres are new to those days, and those who do return will have different merchandise to sell, so shoppers are not seeing the same things,” she added.
You don’t have to pack a lunch for your day or days of shopping. Food trucks line the route and vendors selling food and drink — from a simple snack to full meals — are also located inside many of the fields, as are portable bathrooms.
Hours vary depending on which field you plan on visiting, some opening as early as 6 a.m. and ending around 5 or 6 p.m. Not all fields are open every day during the six-day run.
Many fields charge between $10 to $20 for the convenience of parking on their property and some charge to shop their grounds.
Additional shows will run July 8-13 and Sept. 2-7.
A list of the many show fields along with a map, days of operation and times, and admission if any — including May’s Antique Market, Heart O’ The Mart, Hertan’s Antique Show, Sturtevant’s Antique Shows, Grand Trunk Antique Shows, Green Acres Antique Show and others — can be found at brimfield antiquefleamarket.com and brimfield antiqueweek.com.
Uno Chicago Grill: Modern, Contemporary Rock. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
West Springfield’s Irish House Restaurant & Pub: Celtic Music Festival. 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield
SUNDAY
The Drake: Ying String Quartet. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Uno Chicago Grill: Jazz. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
MONDAY
Uno Chicago Grill: 50% off individual deep dish pizza (dine in only). 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
TUESDAY
Uno Chicago Grill: Blues Music. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
WEDNESDAY
The Drake: Music from Ukraine, and For Ukraine. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Uno Chicago Grill: Light Rock. 820 West Columbus Ave., Springfield
The Republican is not responsible for unannounced schedule changes. Listings must be received two weeks before the date of the event. Items should be mailed to Entertainment Guide, The Republican, P.O. Box 1329, Springfield, MA 01102-1329, emailed to pmastriano@ repub.com or submitted to www.masslive.com/myevent
THURSDAY
Friends of the Westfield Athenaeum Book Sale Fundraiser: Thu., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. First United Methodist Church. Thousands of gently used adult and children’s books and puzzles will be available for sale. On Thursday only, a $5 discount coupon will be offered for educators with ID and new Friends members joining at the door. For more information, visit friendsof westath.org. Admission is free, books priced from 50 cents to $2. 16 Court St., Westfield; Link to Libraries Gala “Every Era has a Story.”: Thu., 6 p.m. Basketball Hall of Fame, Link to Libraries gala celebrates the organization’s transformative impact in the community while raising vital funds to ensure children have access to the books and programming they deserve. This year’s gala features a Swifty themed evening inspired by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Guests will enjoy an elegant night filled with cocktails, dinner and an auction. Tickets: $90 per person; $250 VIP tickets. 1000 Hall of Fame Ave., Springfield;
Mass Kids Lit Fest: Comics-Making Workshop with Jonathan Todd: Thu., 4 p.m. Mead Art Museum, space is limited and registration is required. The Jones Library welcomes award-winning graphic novelist for a comics-making workshop tied to his 2024 graphic novel, “Timid!” Attendees will create their own biographical comics during this hands-on session. To register, email kids@joneslibrary.org. 220 South Pleasant St., Amherst. 413542-2000 or www.amherst.edu
Mass Kids Lit Fest: Storytime with Nancy Tupper Ling: Thu, 4:30 p.m. Hubbard Memorial Library, storytime with Nancy Tupper Ling, author of “Hearts in My Pocket.” A craft will follow and kids will have the chance to decorate their own pocket to store hopes, dreams, and messages of encouragement. Space is limited and registration is required, online at makidslitfest. org, 24 Center Street, Ludlow, 413583-3408.
FRIDAY
Da Camera Singers present “Teenagers”: Fri, 7:30 p.m. Wesley United Methodist Church, Concert to include early compositions of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, Fanny Hensel Mendelssohn, Lili Boulanger, Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, and three
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, Fanny Hensel Mendelssohn, Lili Boulanger, Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, and three Renaissance female teenage superstars: Vittoria Aleotti, Francesca Caccini and Maddalena Casulana.
Highlighted will be the premier of “Whispering to the Waves” by contemporary teenage composer, Lilian Pope of Amherst, who won Da Camera Singers’ call for new choral compositions from high school students in Western Massachusetts, Free. 8 Church St., Greenfield.
Dakin’s Will Run for Cookies 5k Run/2k Walk: Sat, 9 a.m. Stanley Park, The Beveridge Pavilion Annex. Will Run for Cookies features a 5K run/walk and 2K walk option. Participants are invited to come spend time with friends and family (furry companions included), run or walk, enjoy a delicious cookie, and most importantly, support Dakin Humane Society and its critical programs to keep people and pets together. By fundraising for Dakin Humane Society, you are helping give animals the food, shelter, and medical treatment they need. $20$40. Western Avenue, Westfield, stanleypark.org
The Opera House Players will present “Anastasia” Fridays through Sundays, ending May 18, at the Enfield Annex at 124 N. Maple St in Enfield. (SUBMITTED)
Renaissance female teenage superstars: Vittoria Aleotti, Francesca Caccini and Maddalena Casulana. Highlighted will be the premiere of “Whispering to the Waves” by contemporary teenage composer, Lilian Pope of Amherst, who won Da Camera Singers’ call for new choral compositions from high school students in Western Massachusetts, Free. 98 N. Maple St., Hadley.
Friends of the Westfield Athenaeum Book Sale Fundraiser: See Thursday listing Mass Kids Lit Fest: Storytime with Britt Crow-Miller: Fri., 2 p.m. Sunderland Public Library. Meet Britt Crow-Miller in person as she reads her new book “World of Rot: Learn All about the Wriggly, Slimy, Super-Cool Decomposers We Couldn’t Live Without.” Afterward, kids will be invited to take part in a STEM activity. Free. 20 School Street, Sunderland. 413-665-2642
or sunderlandpubliclibrary.org.
Opera House Players presents “Anastasia”: Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Enfield Annex, visit opera houseplayers.org/tickets or get tickets at the door, $25 regular; $21 senior 60+, children, students. 124 N. Maple St., Enfield
Suffield Players Presents “Becky’s New Car”: Fri.-Sat, 8 p.m.; Sun, 2 and 8 p.m. Mapleton Hall, Select performances on May 2, 3, and 11 will include subtitles for accessibility. For tickets visit www.suffieldplayers.org, $15 on opening night, $19-$22 remaining performances. 1305 Mapleton Ave., Suffield. 860-668-0837.
Da Camera Singers present “Teenagers”: Sat, 7:30 p.m. Episcopal Church of St. James and Andrews Church, The concerts include early compositions of
global companies such as Microsoft, Google & Travelers and local ones like Womens Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM). For ticketing information and sponsorship opportunities visit: thejourney umass.my.canva.site, $70. 1 Campus Center Way, Amherst.
“Lucky Stiff” (An EHS Production): Sat, 7 p.m.; Sun, 2 p.m. Cultural Center at Eagle Hill, $10. 242 Old Petersham Road, Hardwick; thecenterateaglehill.org
Friends of the Westfield Athenaeum Book Sale Fundraiser: See Thursday listing Heirloom Plants at Garden Sale: Sat., 9 a.m.-2 p.m. First Congregational Church of East Longmeadow. The sale will feature a selection of heirloom plants from the church gardens, including plants, trees, shrubs, herbs, flowering vines, ground covers and perennials for sale. Some herb pots and specialty items will be available for Mother’s Day gifts. In the gazebo will be free coffee and a bake sale. Inside the church there will be a garden-related tag sale, a paperback book sale and a used jewelry sale, Admission is free. 7 Somers Road, East Longmeadow.
The Journey Charity Gala: Sat., 6 p.m. UMass Campus Center Auditorium, Graduate Women in Business, in collaboration with Graduate Student Government, with support from on-campus orgs like UMass Fine Arts, UMass Dining, & The Maroon Fund will present The Journey, a charity gala that celebrates the talent, transitions, and triumphs of women. The evening will be filled with music, dance, benefiting Girls Inc. of the Valley and the Care Center in Holyoke, and thought-provoking panel discussion with influential women who have made significant impacts in their fields, as well as a motivating, empowering keynote address. Participants will be from
Mass Kids Lit Fest: 13th Annual Barbara Elleman Research Library Lecture: Sat., 1 p.m. Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, featuring Barbara McClintock. She will talk about how she illustrated Tomie dePaola’s last complete manuscript about his beloved dog Brontë, and fell head over heels in love with them both. In “Where Are You, Brontë?,” children’s book author dePaola tells the emotional and deeply personal story about overcoming his grief after the loss of his beloved dog, Brönte. Book signing to follow program. Can’t make the event? You may reserve signed books online. Free with paid museum admission. Adult $15; Youth (ages 1 to 18), Student, Teacher, or Senior (65+) $8; Members free. 125 West Bay Road, Amherst. 413-5596300 or carlemuseum.org
Mass Kids Lit Fest: Storytime with Carol Joy Munro: Sat, 11 a.m. Milne Public Library, Munro will read from her debut picture book, “Springtime Storks.” Based on a true story, Springtime Storks is an ode to the resilience, dedication, and love between two migratory birds, while also delivering an urgent message of conservation. Following the storytime, kids will make their own stork hand puppets and learn more about storks and their migration patterns, 1095 Main St., Williamstown.
Mass Kids Lit Fest: Storytime with Micha Archer, Bryan Collier, Barbara McClintock and Richard Michelson: Sat, 3 p.m. R. Michelson Galleries, join for a storytime with authors Micha Archer (“Wind Watchers”), Bryan Collier (“Black Boy, Rise”), Barbara McClintock (“Where are You, Bronte?”), and Richard Michelson (“More Than Enough”). Books will be available for purchase and signing following the storytime. Free. 132 Main St., Northampton. 413-586-3964 or michelson.com
Mass Kids Lit Fest: Storytime with Mk Smith Despres: Sat, 1 p.m. Lenox Library, Smith Despres will read from the lyrical picture book “Night Song” and lead an activity, Free. 18 Main St., Lenox. 413-637-2630.
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Mass Kids Lit Fest: Storytime with Phaea Crede: Sat, 10:30 a.m. Monson Free Library, join author Phaea Crede as she reads from her new book about turnip stealing shenanigans, “Oh Deer!” Activity to follow. Space is limited and registration is required. To register, visit makidslitfest.org. Free.
2 High St., Monson. 413-2673866.
Mass Kids Lit Fest: Teen Short Story Writing Workshop with Kip Wilson: Sat, noon, LAVA Center, with YA author Kip Wilson, whose novel “The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin” was a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and named a “Best YA Book of the Year” by the Boston Public Library. Space is limited and registration is required; visit makidslitfest.org. Free. 324 Main St., Greenfield.
Opera House Players presents “Anastasia”: See Friday listing Russian Romances: Sat., 4 p.m. St. John’s Episcopal Church, Join PanOpera artists to celebrate the return of spring by showcasing operatic arias and art songs from the greatest Russian composers of the Romantic era. Vocalists will perform music by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and Mussorgsky, accompanied by pianist, Scott Bailey. The concert is free with donations gratefully accepted. RSVP is highly recommended. Free. 48 Elm St., Northampton;
“Shadow, Sound, Spectacle: Literary Monsters”: Sat, Drawing Board Brewing Company, 7 p.m. A unique Western Mass story is brewing—and it’s got shadows, original music, and a whole lot of creative heart. “Shadow, Sound, Spectacle: Literary Monsters” is a collaborative performance project led by singer-songwriter Jess Martin, puppeteer Amy West, and musician/ visual artist Abby Hanna. They’re reimagining iconic gothic figures — Frankenstein’s creature, Poe’s raven, the Headless Horseman — as symbols of resistance, transformation, and queer identity. The trio brings different perspectives: Martins songwriting and theatrical roots, West’s puppetry work, and Hanna’s vibrant, emerging musical voice, Free. 36 Main St., Florence.
Suffield Players presents “Becky’s New Car”: See Friday listing
WWII D-Day to V-E Day Symposium at Springfield Technical Community College: Sat, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Springfield Technical Community College, World War II Symposium marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. The symposium will feature presentations by Springfield Armory curator Alex MacKenzie, historical fiction author Jane Healey, and author and historian Marty Morgan. The event will be held in the Auditorium at Springfield Technical Community College. Free. 1 Armory Square, Springfield;
SUNDAY
“Lucky Stiff” (An EHS Production): See Saturday listing
A Magical Mother’s and Mentor’s Day: Bloom & Brunch at Rooted Flowers, Sun. at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Rooted Flowers. Learn more online at rootedflowers. com. 501 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam.
Mother’s Day Brunch: Sun., 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Crestview Country Club, featuring complimentary mimosas for mom. Reservations required, call 413-786-2593.
Cost is 9.95 per person, tax and gratuity not included; children ages 4-12 9.95, and free for ages 3 and under. 281 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam. 413-786-2593 or crestviewcc.org
Opera House Players presents “Anastasia”: See Friday listing Suffield Players presents “Becky’s New Car”: See Friday listing
George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum: Permanent exhibit: “Ancient Treasures,” a display of artifacts from ancient China, Greece, Rome and Egypt. On the first Wed. of every month through the end of 2026, admission to the Springfield Museums is free. For more information, visit springfield museums.org.
Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History: Permanent exhibit: More than two dozen Indian motorcycles and related memorabilia.
Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts: “Portraits in RED: Missing & Murdered Indigenous Peoples Painting Project,” through Sept. 7. In this striking series of portraits, artist and activist Nayana LaFond sheds light on the crisis affecting Indigenous peoples,
particularly women, who are eleven times more likely to go missing than the national average. The exhibition is the last time the works will be on view together. At its close, the portraits will be returned to living family members. “Van Gogh for All,” through Sept. 14. Museum a la Carte: May 8, 12:15 p.m. “Finish the Rail Trail: Completing the Mass Central Rail Trail from Boston to Northampton” , free for members. Presented by Craig Della Penna, board president, Norwottuck Network.
Springfield Science Museum: Permanent exhibit features state-of-the-art Zeiss Projector and updated International Space Station exhibit. The live animal center is open as “Living Waters: From Oceans to Valleys”.
The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum: Permanent exhibit. Firstfloor exhibition provides opportunities to explore new sounds and vocabulary, play rhyming games, invent stories, and engage in activities that encourage teamwork and creative thinking, with interactive three-dimensional exhibits. Second floor contains Geisel’s personal memorabilia.
Quadrangle admission: $25 for adults, $16.50 for seniors (60+) and college students with ID, $13 for children ages 3-17; free to children under age 3 and members, Springfield residents are free with proof of residency. Welcome Center and Museum store. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Amelia Park Children’s Museum: Permanent exhibits include spaceship, construction site, library, grocery store. Weekday activities.
Hours: Tue.-Tue., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Open for groups Wed. adults; children (12 months and older); seniors (60+); military personnel & teachers receive a 10% discount off the price of your regular admission. Members/infants free. 29 South Broad St., Westfield or ameliapark museum.org.
Anchor House of Artists: Rotating art exhibits, self-staged by fine regional talents. The best leastknown gallery in the Pioneer Valley. Free public receptions on the second Fri. of the month from 5-8 p.m. For more information, email artists@anchorhouseartists.org, go online to anchorhouseartists.org, or call 413-588-4337. 518 Pleasant St., Northampton Connecticut Trolley Museum: 85th anniversary celebration, May 10, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Trolley
Museum has announced a special event celebrating the rich history of rail transportation with a day full of rare exhibits, engaging presentations, and family-friendly activities, with a grand Trolley Parade at 1 p.m. For one day only, visitors will have the opportunity to view select pieces from the museum’s collection that are rarely on public display. Guests can step back in time and experience the golden age of transportation as historic trolley cars glide by in a dynamic parade that captures the spirit of a bygone era. Regular museum admission rates apply. Tickets that include the Guest Motorman Experience are available for 5. Free admission for mothers & grandmothers on May 11, 10 a.m. Mothers and grandmothers are free with paid child or adult admission. Children (under 2) free; children (2-11) ; youth (12-17) 2; adults 3; seniors (62+) 2. 58 North Road, East Windsor or cttrolley. org
East Longmeadow Historical Commission Museum: Permanent exhibit. Open every third Saturday of the month, 1-3 p.m. with free admission. Featuring displays of local history. Guided tours are available. For more information about seasonal events, visit them on Facebook at “East Longmeadow Historical Commission.” 87 Maple St., East Longmeadow
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art: “Open + Shut: Celebrating the art of Endpapers.”
April 19 - Nov. 9, guest Curated by Bruce Handy. “Created in Color: The Picture Book Art of Raul Colon,” through June 1. Permanent exhibit: Gabrielle Healy Carroll Storytime Programs are held Tues. and Fri. 10:30 a.m.; Sat. 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m., free with admission. Museum hours: Wed.Fri, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun, noon-5 p.m. , , 2.50 for a family of four. 125 West Bay Road, Amherst or carlemuseum.org.
Historic Deerfield: “Spicing it Up! Cooking with Flavors of the Past,” May 10, 17, 24, and 31, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To register or for more information, visit historic-deerfield. org; free with museum admission. “Stitch and Twist: Dressmaking with Linda Oakley, Shoemaking with Peter Oakley, and Bobbin Lace Making with Lynne White,” May 10, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., visitor Center at Hall Tavern; included with museum admission. 80 Old Main St., Deerfield or historic-deerfield.org.
Historic Northampton Museum and Education: Permanent exhibit. Hours: Wed.-Sun. noon-5 p.m. suggested donation. 46 Bridge St., Northampton or
historic-northampton.org
Josiah Day House: Permanent exhibit: Featuring guided tours, artifacts, furniture, clothing and documents from 1754-1902. Call for open house schedule and individual tours. Admission: , children 6-12, free for members. 70 Park St., West Springfield, 413-734-8322. Mead Art Museum: Permanent exhibit: Various American and European paintings, Mexican ceramics, Tibetan scroll paintings and more. Museum hours: Tues.-Thu. and Sun. 9 a.m.-midnight; Fri. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 220 South Pleasant St., Amherst, amherst.edu
Mount Holyoke College Art Museum: “Northern Exposure: Painting from the Low Countries in the Permanent Collection,” through May 25. “Mariam Ghani: Like Water from a Stone,” through May 25. Lower Lake Road, South Hadley or mtholyoke.edu
Norman Rockwell Museum: Permanent exhibit: Gallery. Hours: Thu.-Mon., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Advance tickets purchase required; Closed Tuesday and Wed.; in July and Aug, museum open Tuesdays noon7 p.m. $25 adults; $23 seniors, AAA, retire military; $10 college students, free children ages 18 and under, members and active military. “All for Laughs: The Artists of the Famous Cartoonist Course” exhibition, through June 15. Online exhibit: “Imagining Freedom.” The exhibition highlights the important role of Norman Rockwell and other artists in advancing and communicating these ideals, envisioned as core human rights for all people. The fee for accessing “Imagining freedom” is for the general public, available on the museum’s website at NRM.org. “Anita Kunz: Original Sisters Portraits of Tenacity and Courage,” through May 26. 0/5. “Norman Rockwell: Illustrating Humor,” through June 10. “Portraiture Workshop: Capturing a Likeness,” May 10, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Join in an artist-led workshop about portraiture with Anita Kunz, whose work is on view in “Original Sisters: Portraits of Courage and Tenacity.” Learn how to draw a portrait by using a photograph as source material. Participants will be introduced to Kunz’s step-by-step process of careful observation and visual analysis. All drawing skill levels are welcome; technical guidance will be provided. Participants should bring a photograph or other source material they want to use as the basis of their drawing. Drawing materials will be provided. Class size is limited; register in advance. 9 Route 183, Stockbridge or nrm.org.
decide to write from scratch it is a very difficult task. Fortunately, we were lucky to meet Anna Drubich who, with our choreographer, created the masterpiece that audience members will see on stage at the Academy of Music. The music is pre-recorded with a symphony orchestra and jazz band. But the voice, this is the first production that we have created with a live singer. The music overall is so special ... something you have in your head when you go to sleep and is still with you when you wake up in the morning. Anna is a film composer, and this was her first ballet. When writing for Hollywood like Anna does, you get this robust sound that you will immediately notice. This music is something you will remember for a long time.
Q. Is there any speaking in “The Great Gatsby,” since ballet performers use body movements, not words, to tell stories?
A. There will be some surprises, but I don’t want to give any spoilers away. Ushers will be handing out programs with the plot to “The Great Gatsby,”if you are unfamiliar with the storyline.
Q. What about the costumes — they seem spectacular, not something you usually expect to see in a ballet. How do the costumes differ to reflect the many scenes?
A. This is a Broadway-style ballet, and it has to be amazing and sparkling and “wow” the audience. It’s not only the costumes that make the show spectacular, but the ballet itself. The ballet is a unique mix of genres with live singing, acrobatics, projection, and costumes very much in the style of the 1920s along with the scenery. There is enough sparkle to pleasantly surprise the audience. But I must tell you, the audience surprises us in return. The show actually begins when you enter the house before anyone steps on stage.
We usually see so many ladies and gentlemen in the audience dressed in 1920s-style apparel ... all styles of hats and women with feathers in their hair, so you are already immersed in this time period before the curtain rises.
As for the costumes, remember, we are telling a story, and the costumes you will see depend on the scene. For example, when Gatsby meets with Daisy at Nick’s home, he sends a team of maids from his palace to the modest house to make sure it is spotless. The scene is one of the highlights of the show.
Q. The sets are equally as breathtaking as the costumes, according to many reviews of your company’s production. What can you say about them?
A. They are made in a traditional art deco style. Also, for the first time we have played with different textures used in the scenery, some of which allow our dancers to appear and disappear. And projection works beautifully in conjunction with the scenery, revamping the master room in a second and you immediately find yourself in a completely different environment. Everything — the music, the scenery, the dancing — transforms you from one scene to another to allow us to take you on a special journey.
Q. Are there other types of dance incorporated into the ballet?
A. Yes, it is all intermixed. It is amazing how Charleston moves were integrated into classical ballet moves and jazz and everything else in between.
Q. Anything else you would like to say?
A. I just want to invite everyone to the show. It is a wonderful love story, one of the greatest love stories of all time, and you will get to see it come to life on stage. You are going to fall in love with it and all of its dancing, singing, glitter and dazzle that will be hard to forget. So, invite your special someone to accompany you, dress up, and enjoy the show.
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- Fresh Spring Asparagus & Roasted Tomatoes - Garlic & Herb Mini Yukon Potatoes - Fresh Fruit Salad - Lemon Raspberry Drop Cake
