'Tales from the Graveyard' at Ventfort Hall

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LENOX, Mass. — Come explore the history of "rural" cemeteries in America at Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion & Museum on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 5:30 pm.
 
Participants can hear the tale of the Black Angel that haunts a cemetery in Council Bluffs, Iowa, as well as the tragic story of the model who posed for the memorial. 
 
Also, the true story of Mercy Brown and the New England vampire panic of the 1800s, which resulted in family members accusing each other of slowly consuming the lives of their loved ones from beyond the grave. 
 
The talk will be followed by a Witch's Brew Tea Party and Costume Contest.
 
Levy is a 1990 graduate of Syracuse University with a BA in Art History. She grew up in New Jersey and has made the northwest corner of Connecticut her home for over 30 years. Levy worked as a tour guide at Chesterwood for over a decade and gave specialty talks there on Abraham Lincoln as well as American Art History. She has recently joined the staff at Ventfort Hall. Her talks range from cemetery symbolism to the civil rights movement. She has a lifelong fascination with Abraham Lincoln and loves to read anything she can on him and his life. She likes to spend her spare time either hiking in the woods or visiting museums and historic sites. 
 
Tickets are $40 for members and with advance reservations, $45 on the day of the event, and $22 for students 22 and under. The ticket price includes access to Ventfort Hall on the day of the event. Reservations are highly encouraged as seating is limited, with walk-ins accommodated as space allows.
 
For reservations, visit https://gildedage.org/pages/calendar or call (413) 637-3206. Please n

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Puppeteer To Present 'Little Red Riding Hood' At Ventfort Hall

LENOX, Mass. — The puppeteer Carl Sprague will return to Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum in Lenox with "Little Red Riding Hood" for two holiday vacation week marionette performances.  
 
The dates and times are Friday, Dec. 27 and Saturday, Dec. 28, both at 3:30 pm. The audiences will have the opportunity to meet Sprague.
 
Accordind to a press release: 
 
Little Red Riding Hood is a fairy tale about a young girl and a sly wolf. The young girl is bringing food to her grandmother and encounters the wolf on her walk through the woods. Its origins can be traced back to several pre-17th-century European folk tales. The two best known versions were written by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm.
 
Sprague, who has appeared annually at Ventfort Hall, has been a puppeteer since childhood.  He inherited a collection of 60 antique Czech marionettes, each about eight inches tall that were assembled by his great-grandfather, Julius Hybler.  Hybler's legacy also includes two marionette theaters. 
 
Also, Sprague has been a set designer for such motion pictures as "The Royal Tenenbaums" and Scorcese's "The Age of Innocence," as well as for theater productions including those of Shakespeare & Company. 
 
Admission to the show is $20 per person; $10 for children 4-17 and free for age 3 and under. Children must be accompanied by adults.  Ventfort Hall is decorated for the holidays. Reservations are required as seating is limited and can be made on line at https://gildedage.org/pages/calendar or by calling (413) 637-3206. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space allows. 
 
All tickets are nonrefundable and non-exchangeable. Payment is required to make a reservation for an event. The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.
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