Adams Theater and Images Cinema Collaborate on a Classic Film Series

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ADAMS, Mass.—Images Cinema and the Adams Theater will hold a series of film screenings this fall.

The theater will show selections from the 1930s-1960s from September 12 - October 10. All shows are at 7 PM and are ticketed events; visit the Adams Theater website to reserve tickets. Tickets are $8 ($9.50 including fees). 

The Shows

9/12 - 7 PM: Modern Times

9/19 - 7 PM: The Wizard of OZ

9/20 - 7 PM: Casablanca

9/26 - 7 PM: Rebel without a Cause

10/3 - 7 PM: Vertigo

10/10 - 7PM: The Graduate

These six selections from the 1930s-1960s represent some of the greatest achievements in film, at a time when the original Hollywood studio system was at the height of its power. This period was also when The Adams Theater was originally operating as a movie theater. Come catch a flick and drink in some nostalgia with two Northern Berkshire theaters of a certain vintage.

"We’re excited to present the first of many future collaborations with our friends at Images Cinema," said Adams Theater founder and artistic director Yina Moore. "We have so much history and audience in common, and collaboration is at the heart of what the Adams Theater does. We’re looking forward to welcoming audience members to relive some Hollywood–and Berkshire–history."  

"Images is especially excited to have The Adams among our collaborators this year, and first out of the gate," says Dan Hudson, Images Cinema Executive Director. "This series is all-killer, no-filler, and we're honored to receive support from an Arts Build Community grant from the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation to support an expansive vision of more film programming around the Northern Berkshires."

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Adams Theater to Host Composer Stephanie Chou for 'Comfort Girl'

ADAMS, Mass.—Composer, saxophonist and singer Stephanie Chou is bringing her 80-minute concert piece/chamber opera, "Comfort Girl" to the Adams Theater on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m.

It's a work inspired by the true stories of Asian "comfort women" abducted into sexual slavery by the Japanese Army during World War II. 

Tickets are available here or at the box office on the day of the show (availability is limited). 

Chou, a Chinese American who grew up in New York, discovered the story of comfort women in her 20s, and was surprised that it wasn't more widely known. "People didn't talk about this for 50 years," she said. "I wanted to spread awareness about this topic." 

Based on survivor testimony, the jazz-opera/song-cycle gives voice to 200,000+ women and survivors who were silenced for 50 years. It centers around protagonist Lian, with singers that perform as soldiers, her fiance, and other characters key to understanding the history. It's not quite a staged show–more a concert, Chou said–and includes lots of historical context, including projections and a narrator who helps keep a throughline. 

To create this work, Chou spent time researching and reading deeply about comfort women and their experiences during and after the war. She also traveled to Shanghai to meet with lead researchers on the topic who have interviewed many survivors and their families.

"There aren't a lot of artistic pieces about this topic out there that aren't documentary-based," she said. 

Chou has also assembled a wealth of additional information on her site for those wishing to learn more, and she'll be presenting a workshop at MCLA (with the narrator's role played by Western Mass-based Zoe Laiz) during her time in the area. 

"I have had many audience members come to me crying and tell me they were moved by this piece," Chou said. "When I wrote it, I had never done anything like it before. It feels incredibly rewarding to hear such a strong audience response, and inspires me to continue to tell this story." 

"Comfort Girl" will also be presented at Smith College on Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, and a recorded album of the piece will be released in early 2025.

Musical Cast

Stephanie Chou - voice, alto saxophone, compositions

Lito Villareal - voice

Andy Lin - erhu, viola, violin

Angelina Ai - piano

Ike Sturm - bass

Ronen Itzik - drums, percussion

Reserve tickets at www.adamstheater.org/present

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