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Clockwise from left are Leon Levinstein, Handball Players, ca. 1969; Garry Winogrand, New York City, ca. 1970; Leon Levinstein, Central Park, 1974; Garry Winogrand, World's Fair, New York City, 1964. (Photos courtesy of Weber Fine Art)
‘Feeling Groovy’ STOCKBRIDGE — The Norman Rockwell Museum will present "Feeling Groovy" tonight [Thursday, July 1] at 5:30 as part of its Rhythms and Change music and lecture series. The band Feeling Groovy, led by drummer Terry a la Berry, will perform music inspired by the “British Invasion” and American folk scene of the 1960s. Admission to the event is $12; $6 for members, children free. Advance registration is requested at 298-4100, ext. 220. Terry a la Berry is the comic drummer for David Grover and the Big Bear Band. He also fronts Terry a la Berry and Friends, alongside the mother-and-daughter team of musicians LuAnn and Jenelle Herring and toured for 14 years with Arlo Guthrie in the United States, Europe and Australia. Rhythms and Change is a performance and lecture series inspired by the museum’s current show, "Hometown Hero, Citizen of the World: Rockwell in Stockbridge,” which will be on view through Oct. 31. Programs are scheduled on Thursday evenings at 5:30 throughout the summer. Information: 298-4100, ext. 220, or www.nrm.org. Theater Barn NEW LEBANON, N.Y. — “The Honky Tonk Angels,” a musical comedy, will open at The Theater Barn tonight [Thursday, July 1]. Created by the writers of “Always, Patsy Cline,” it follows the paths of three good ol’gals from different walks of life who share one dream and join forces to make that dream come true. Country western classics make up the score of this look into the lives of Angela, a story-telling housewife with a trailer full of kids; Darlene, a loyal daughter with a broken heart and Sue Ellen, a d-i-v-o-r-c-e-d secretary who keeps her boss at bay. They all long for independence, a clean slate and a chance to sing. When they meet on a one-way passage to “dreams come true,” they share romance problems, life lessons and a love of the Grand ‘Ole Opry songbook. They decide that there is power in numbers, and together they are unstoppable in attaining their dreams. Theater Barn newcomers Aina Austin, Tina Fuentes and Kristin Stewart round out the cast, directed and choreography by Daniel Haley, The Theater Barn’s “Can-Can.” Sings include “Delta Dawn,” “I Will Always Love You,” “9 To 5,” “Ode To Billy Jo,” “Stand By Your Man” and “Harper Valley PTA.” “The Honky Tonk Angels,” will run through July 11 at the fully air-conditioned Theater Barn, with performances on Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 5 and 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $19 for all evening performances, and $17 for the Sunday Matinee. Reservations: 518-794-8989. MoCA film NORTH ADAMS – “The Ugly American,” the 1963 movie starring Marlon Brando as an uninformed and out-of-touch American ambassador to a fictional Southeast Asian country, will be shown on Friday, July 2, at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. The screening will be in Courtyard C at 9 p.m. Tickerts are $6, and Mass MoCA members will receive a 10 percent discount. In addition to Brandon and Ejji Okada, the film features Pat Hingle, Sandra Church and Jocelyn Brando. Kukrit Pramoj, who plays the Sarkhanese premier, served as a consultant for the film and later became Thailand’s real-life premier. Tickets are available through the Mass MoCA box office, off Marshall Street, from 11 to 5 (closed Tuesdays), by calling 662-2111 during box office hours or at www.massmoca.org. Chamber Concerts GREAT BARRINGTON — The opening concert in the Stockbridge Chamber Concerts summer festival of six concerts at Searles Castle will take place on Tuesday, July 6, at 8 p.m. and will be followed by a reception in the atrium and on the terraces. Early and late works of Brahms, as well as a trio arranged by Beethoven from his sextet are scheduled. The Liebeslieder Waltzes Op.52 of Brahms, will be performed by a vocal quartet consisting of well known soloists Madonna Meagher, soprano; Rachel Flynn, alto; Douglas Schmolze, tenor; and Jack Brown, bass. Jean Stackhouse and Elizabeth Hagenah, pianists, will perform the four-hand piano accompaniment. Also on the program are the Brahms, Last Four Serious Songs Op.121 for bass and piano to be performed by Jack Brown, noted bass-baritone, and Jean Stackhouse, pianist and faculty member of the New England Conservatory and the Westminster Choir School in Princeton. The Beethoven Trio in E-Flat Op.38 will be performed by William Hagenah, prize-winning clarinetist of New York City; Elizabeth Hagenah, acclaimed pianist; and Joel Moerschel, cellist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Tickets may be purchased ahead by credit card by calling 888-528-7728 or by sending a check to SCC, Box 164, Stockbridge, MA 01262. The cost of the concert and gala reception is $25, and tickets may also be purchased at the door, based on availability. Tours of the historic castle will begin at 7:15 p.m. on the evenings of the concerts for a minimal fee and are conducted by students of the John Dewey Academy, housed in the castle. Subscription tickets are available, which save the cost of one concert. Children and students with ID are invited free to all concerts. African music NORTH ADAMS — The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will feature the band Jabali Afrika as part of its summer Education Leadership Program. The group will perform a free concert on Sunday, July 4, at 7 p.m. in Venable Gym on the MCLA campus. Jabali Afrika originates from East Africa's Kenya, although its original sound is attributed to its own unique mixture and special fusion of African rhythms. The multifaceted band plays a variety of instruments while blending voices into harmonious sound and entertaining with dance. The band originates from the Kenya National Dance Troupe. Those forming the group chose the name because the word Jabali is Kiswahili for "rock." Jabali Afrika has won numerous awards and honors, including the Best Traditional Adaptation Award at Nairobi's National Talent Search. The group has toured Europe and Japan extensively and is making its way through the United States, most recently performing at the 2002 Winter Olympics as well as on "Good Morning America" and numerous other venues. The MCLA performance is free and open to the community. Information: 662-5543. Watkins Gallery LENOX — Watkins Gallery, at 56 Housatonic St., will show the works of Hilda Maria Alhach in “Mapping the Mind” through July 12. The artist describes her series of ceramic sculptures as “tactile” and “meant to stimulate thinking and observing.” The exhibit is with artist Kevin Downey, who will be at a reception with Alhach on July 7. Summer gallery hours are Thursday to Monday, 10 to 6. Artists’ receptions are held every Wednesday from 5 to 7. Information: 367-3665, www.watkins-gallery.com or www.denigdesign.com. Clark concerts WILLIAMSTOWN — Mac McHale and the Old Time Radio Gang will lead off this summer’s free band concerts at the Clark Art Institute, offered every Tuesday in July. The group will bring its renditions of classic American country music of the 1930s and 1940s to the Clark's South Lawn on July 6 at 6 p.m. Picnics, lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged for the concert at 225 South St. The Old Time Radio Gang presents a varied program of spirited fiddle tunes, gospel, train songs and ballads that tell tales of the Depression, of heartbreak and love. Members of the Maine-based group are McHale on guitar, Smokey Valley on fiddle and dobro, Dick Monroe on accordion, John Roc on mandolin and Sally Roc on bass. At the Clark, they will be joined by special guest Larry Neu, on banjo. Other concerts at the Clark will include French-Canadian group Matapat on July 13; pops brass ensemble Innovata on July 2, and The Eagles Band of Pittsfield on July 27. In the event of rain, the concerts will be held in the auditorium. The galleries are open daily from 10 to 5, and on concert evenings until 6. Gallery admission is $10 (members, students and 18 and under free). Information: 458-2303 or www.clarkart.edu. Main Street NORTH ADAMS — The Main Street Stage at 57 Main St. will present the Sonny & Perley Band performing “Music From The Great American Songbook,” in concert on Friday, July 2, at 8 p.m. Redentor Records recording artist Sonny Daye and Perley Rousseau have delighted audiences from New York to Europe with their unique blend of jazz, Brazilian and international cabaret, according to the evening’s organizers. The husband and wife keyboard and percussion duo perform love ballads, Bossa Nova and swing samba with vocal interpretations in English, Portuguese, and French. Their two CDs “Love Dance” and “East of the Sun” have received critical acclaim and generated international play. Tickets are $20 at the door. Loring Gallery SHEFFIELD — British Idiosyncratic Art will debut at The Loring Gallery, Route 7, July through August. The Loring Gallery, long known for its bold and audacious exhibitions of contemporary oils, pastels, watercolors and sculpture, as well as vintage posters, will introduce Britain’s newest genre, which has taken London by storm. Eight artists from London’s trend-setting Portal Gallery will make their debut. From the surreal and magical to the fanciful, dark, and erotic — the art will be at the gallery beginning July 3. An opening billed as “the most eccentric event since the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” will be held July 3, from 11 to 5. All are invited. Jess Wilder, director of London’s renowned Portal Gallery, will give her first comprehensive American lecture illuminating the importance and magic of British Idiosyncratic Art at 1. Unicorn opening STOCKBRIDGE – Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha, A Jungian Fantasy” at Berkshire Public Theatre’s Unicorn Theatre, will open on July 8 and run through July 31. Performances will be Monday through Saturday evenings at 8, with matinees at 2 on Thursdays and Saturdays except for July 8. Tickets are $27, general admission Group rates are available. To many, Hermann Hesse is “The Author of Crisis,” a writer whose vast works vibrantly reflect his own identity crisis. In his adaptation of the author’s 1921 novel “Siddhartha,” playwright/director Eric Hill has added another dimension to the original work by incorporating Carl Jung, Signund Freud and Hesse, who appears as a young and an old man. Hill’s directing credits with the Berkshire Theatre Festival over the past six years include, the world premiere of Beth Henley’s “L-Play,” “My Fair Lady,” “Camelot,” “Life’s A Dream” “The Secret Lives of the Sexists” and last season’s “Peter Pan.” Before accepting the position of chairman of the Theatre Arts Department at Brandeis University, he was the associate artistic director of the Connecticut Repertory Theatre. Scenic designer Yoshi Tanokura will return to the Unicorn, where he has designed two of that stage’s most memorable productions with Hill, “A Dream Play” and “Secret Lives of the Sexists.” Costume designer Marija Djordjevic, who designed “Floyd Collins,” the first Unicorn production this season, joins the designing staff of Hill and Tanokura. The cast includes a number of actors who are returning under the direction of Hill: Jereme Anglin (“Floyd Collins”), Chris Bolden (“Insurrection – Holding History”), Erin Gorski (“Peter Pan’), Alexander Hill (“Dream Play,” “Peter Pan,” “Tommy”), Joe Jung (“Floyd Collins,” “Assassins,” “Tommy,” “American Primitive”), Brad Kilgore (“Assassins”), Michael McComiskey (“Assassins”), Jill Michael (“American Primitive” and “Assassins”), Andrew Michael Neiman (“Assassins”), Brian Sell (“Peter Pan,” “A Dream Play”) and Isadora Wolfe (“Peter Pan”). Marionette shows GREAT BARRINGTON — The Robbins-Zust Family Marionettes summer season of classic children’s tales will open July 6 at the Guthrie Center, 4 Van Deusenville Road, off Division Street. The 2004 summer season is dedicated to Richard Robbins, actor, artist and co-founder of the Robbins-Zust Family Marionettes who died June 1. Dion and Maia Robbins-Zust, Genie Zust and Diedre Bollinger will play the one-hour shows every Tuesday and every Thursday in July and August, plus four special August Mondays. All shows begin at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. The Guthrie Center will sell sandwiches, treats and juice for lunch on the show days. Show titles include “Aladdin,” “Beauty and The Beast,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Three Little Pigs,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” “Winnie The Pooh,” “Rumplestiltskin,” “Peter and The Wolf” among many others. Hoadley Gallery LENOX – More than 30 paintings by Pittsfield native Lucy MacGillis, including still lifes, interior scenes and views of Umbrian towns, will be on display at Hoadley Gallery, 21 Church St., through July 17 This is her second solo exhibit at Hoadley Gallery in two years. In addition, she had a one-artist exhibit in May at the Galleria Ca’d’oro in Rome. MacGillis began studying art in advanced placement classes at Pittsfield High School, followed by classes at Interlaken School of Art in Stockbridge, now known as IS 183, Art School of the Berkshires. She first traveled to Italy’s Umbria region in 1999 to study at the International School of Art in Monte Castello di Vibio. She has lived in Umbria since she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2000, with majors in art and psychology. Her paintings show luminous interiors, still lifes that offer new interpretations of ordinary objects and landscapes infused with the warm colors of Umbria. Gallery hours are 10:30 to 5, Monday to Saturday and 11 to 5 on Sunday. Hours will be extended in July and August. Information: 637-2814 or hoadley@berkshire.net. Upstairs Gallery BENNINGTON, Vt. — Hand-made paper artwork and mixed media collages by local artists Jeanne McWaters and Kitty Farnham will be on display in the Upstairs Gallery at Jay's Art Shop, 113-15 South St., from July 12-31. An opening reception with the artists will be held on July 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of the downtown Bennington Funky Fridays organized by the Bennington Chamber of Commerce. McWaters is a graduate of Parson's School of Design and taught art in the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union for 20 years. She was an advisor for University of Vermont, Antioch New England and was educational director for the Vermont Arts Exchange. She uses the paper she makes in unique ways to create jewelry, books and boxes as well as framed artwork. Farnham, a theater arts major at Syracuse University, worked in publishing for many years. Her early artistic efforts focused on pencil sketches and dried flowers, and she began to incorporate hand-made paper into her work after taking a series of papermaking classes taught by McWaters and Kate Cowles at the Vermont Arts Exchange. She combines handmade paper and other natural and found objects, including colorful international stamps, to create mixed-media collages. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to 6; Saturday 9 to 5, and Sunday, 11 to 5. Information: 802-447-2342 or www.jaysartgallery.net. Waterfront Media NORTH ADAMS – Berkshire natives Megan Cross and John Lisee are showing examples of their photography at Waterfront Media, on the second floor of the Mass MoCA building. Both work in black-and-white film, developing and printing their own work. The show will be on display until July 16 and is free and open to the public from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. Cross, a North Adams native, is exhibiting works from her series "To Hear the Falling World." Adams native Lisee is showing images from "Decline of an American Mill Town: A Work in Progress." He studied fine arts at Berkshire Community College and has shown his work at the libraries in Adams and Williamstown, North Adams Regional Hospital, North Pointe Cultural Center in Kinderhook, N.Y., and the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. Information: 346-6124. Clark talks WILLIAMSTOWN — A series of lectures at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute will explore great works of art featured in the summer exhibition "Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet!": The Bruyas Collection from the Musee Fabre, Montpellier. At 2 p.m. on selected Saturdays in July and August, Clark curators will present “Masterpieces in Focus,” with each lecture highlighting a different work of art. Admission to the auditorium lectures is free. The schedule follows: July 3: “Gustave Courbet's The Meeting (‘Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet!’),” Sarah Lees, assistant curator and general editor of the exhibition catalogue. July 17: “Eugene Delacroix's ‘Women of Algiers in Their Apartment,’” Mark Ledbury, associate director of the research and academic program. Aug. 7: “Master Drawings from the Bruyas Collection,” James Ganz, curator of prints, drawings and photographs. Aug. 28: “Gustave Courbet's ‘The Bathers,’” Richard Rand, senior curator. The Clark will also offer a related series of lectures by distinguished guest speakers this summer. Information: 458-2303 or www.clarkart.edu/courbet. Weber gallery CHATHAM, N.Y. — A major exhibition of acclaimed photographers will be on view at Weber Fine Art from July 1 through Aug. 2. The exhibition will feature the works of Garry Winogrand and Leon Levinstein, two of the most famous photographers of the New York School of street photography. In addition, other vintage and contemporary photographs by Paul Caponigro, Peter Henry Emerson, Peter Neumann, Wendy Holmes Noyes, Jack Shear, Edward Steichen, Seneca Ray Stoddard and Brett Weston will be offered for sale. In conjunction with this exhibition, there will be a special gallery talk by noted collector Michael Mattis on Sunday, July 11, beginning at 3 p.m. Following the discussion, there will be a reception and wine tasting at the gallery. Karen Kaczmar of Chatham Wine & Liquor, will host the wine tasting, and will feature wines that compliment summer fare. The public is invited to both the gallery talk and the reception. Weber Fine Art is at 8 Park Row. Gallery hours are Thursday through Monday, from 10:00am - 5:00pm, and by appointment. Information: 518-392-5335 or www.artnet.com/weberfineart.html. Dual exhibits SPENCERTOWN, N.Y. – Spencertown Academy will open exhibits in both its galleries on Saturday, July 3, with an artists’ reception from 4 to 6 p.m. “Roger Mason / Roger Mason,” a show of paintings by Roger Mason, and “Extrapolations,” by Roger Paul Mason, will be in Gallery I. “A Gathering of Glass” will be in Gallery II, showing the work of Elizabeth Crawford and Nathan Hoogs, John and Jan Gilmor, Carolyn Runyon and Tom Stoenner. Chatham-based artist Roger Mason paints in oils on location, frequently painting street scenes in Chatham and Hudson. He has also painted in Argentina, Cuba, French Polynesia, Holland and Italy. When not painting, he is a music producer and bass player. Roger Paul Mason, his son, creates playful sculptural constructions and is known in the area as a scenic artist for the theater. The two Masons worked together to create a mural in Philmont. John and Jan Gilmor founded Gilmor Glassworks in 1977 and produce stemware, bowls, vases and ornaments using mouth-blown and pressed-glass techniques. Their work, complementary to both traditional and contemporary motifs, has been featured in a number of magazines. Their first collaborative efforts toured internationally in the Corning Museum's prestigious New Glass exhibition. Tom Stoenner, recipient of an American Craft Museum design award, has hand blown fine glass for two decades and has shown his work nationally. He trained in glasswork at Stissing Hollow Craftworks and in 1982 co-founded Tundra Glassworks. He is now established in his own studio in the Hudson Valley. Carolyn Runyon, curator of the exhibit, has shown her work in galleries and major craft shows, including the Table Settings exhibit last year at Spencertown Academy as well as the Holiday Craft Shows. The exhibits will be on view through Aug. 8. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Spencertown Academy is on Route 203, between the Taconic State Parkway and N.Y. Route 22. Information: 392-3693 or www.spencertown.org.
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Governor Healey Signs Breast Cancer Screening Bill

BOSTON — Today, Governor Maura Healey signed An Act Relative to Medically Necessary Breast Screenings and Exams for Equity and Early Detection.

This comprehensive legislation will ensure that patients have access to follow-up breast cancer screenings and exams, while also preventing any increase in patient cost-sharing by 2026. 

"We know that early detection of breast cancer saves lives. This legislation will help ensure that cost is not a barrier for women to get the screenings and care they need," said Governor Healey. "I'm grateful to the Legislature for their leadership on this bill, and to the patients, providers and advocates who made their voices heard in support of more affordable and accessible care for Massachusetts residents."  

This legislation would, starting in 2026, require insurers to cover diagnostic exams for breast cancer, digital breast tomosynthesis screening, and medically necessary and appropriate screening with breast MRIs and ultrasounds. This legislation would also prevent any increase in patient cost-sharing, thus removing cost barriers for patients who need more rigorous screenings due to dense breast tissue or abnormalities seen in their initial preventive screening mammograms. 

 

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