Triplex Screens Norman Mailer Documentary

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Triplex Cinema announces a special screening of "How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer," a documentary film which looks at Mailer's legacy as a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, speaker, filmmaker and cultural icon. 
 
Following the Aug. 9 screening will be a talkback with Mailer's daughter Maggie, who lives in Lenox and Lenox bookstore owner Matt Tannenbaum. Tickets are available at the Triplex Cinema website.
 
According to a press release:
 
Directed by Jeff Zimbalist, the documentary includes frank discussions with some of Mailer's children and ex-wives, and explores the rollercoaster life of one of America's most controversial and bestselling authors of the 20th century. This is the first project to be made with the full access and cooperation of Mailer's family and their extensive archive. The film includes never-before-seen footage, outtakes, audio recordings and numerous interviews. 
 
Jeffrey Zimbalist is a multi-Emmy and Peabody award winning filmmaker, known for many films including "Favela Rising" (HBO), "The Two Escobars" (ESPN), "Momentum Generation" (HBO) and "Pele: Birth of a Legend" (Magnolia), among many others. 
 
Maggie Mailer is an artist whose work explores overlaps between landscape and inner states of being. Her projects include founding The Storefront Artist Project, an ephemeral Artist Residency program in Pittsfield Massachusetts which ran from 2002 - 2012 and presented artists at work in real time as a continual public performance. The project is credited with jumpstarting the revival of the city of Pittsfield, and has been used as a model for the regeneration of other cities across the country. Mailer is the recipient of grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, A.R.T. Grant. 
 
Triplex Cinema, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit showing movies for all, providing a space where people from the Berkshires and beyond discover filmed entertainment - first-run, independent, foreign language, classic, children's and documentary - while also showcasing locally produced films and thematic programming. The Triplex partners with schools and local nonprofits to enable programming that speaks to the needs of our community. Visit us at thetriplex.org.
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West Stockbridge Gearing Up for Zucchini Fest

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

West Stockbridge will be filled with zucchini on Saturday so don't leave your car unlocked.

WEST STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Zucchini, courgette, summer squash — whatever you call it.  West Stockbridge will be full of the vegetable (or fruit) on Saturday.

Volunteers are busy preparing homemade booths, decorations, games, and more for the annual Zucchini Festival from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The first was held in 2003, ran for a decade, and then went on hiatus until it was brought back last year.

Sponsored by the West Stockbridge Cultural Council, the festival has drawn thousands to the town's center over the years and is a testament to its tight-knit community. Chris Powell, one of the many hands who make it happen, explained that the actual event and the preparations unite people from near and far in a special way.

"It's just a bunch of people coming together when they can and kind of meeting everyone where they're at too, what they can put into it, and it's just super fun in that way," he said.

It will kick off with a pet parade where zucchini costumes are encouraged if temperatures aren't too high. Lucky Bucket will end the night playing classic rock, oldies, country, blues, and soul beneath fireworks.  

In between, attendees can enter a zucchini weigh-off or decorating contest, a "zuck" river race, a baking contest, and a poetry contest among many more. These are said to be "quintessential" to the event.

There will also be a food court with vendors offering one to two zucchini-themed options along with their usual fare. Downtown businesses are also participating.

It is free and for all ages, with tickets for games and activities available for purchase. Powell noted that Zucchini Festival merchandise is cash only.

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