October Events from Berkshire Stonewall Community Coalition

Of course we are all looking forward to the Out in the Berkshires Weekend in Pittsfield (see previous story) but there is a lot more happening before and after the Columbus Day Weekend. Here's the latest from the Berkshire Stonewall Community Coallition.

BSCC Annual Meeting & Potluck

Wednesday, October 6, 7-9 pm at the Unitarian Church
on Wendell Ave, Pittsfield, MA

Join the Berkshire Stonewall Board of Directors for a potluck dinner at the UU Church to be followed by a community meeting where the board will present an annual report of what we have been up to over the past year, and then we’ll open the floor to questions and comments from the community. Our input is vital to the growth of the organization, so please bring yourselves, your thought and ideas, and a dish to share.


BSCC Halloween Dance

Saturday, October 23, 9pm – 1am at the Elk’s Club
on Union Street in Pittsfield, MA

Berkshire Stonewall will be hosting a Halloween Party on October 23rd from 9pm to 1am at the Elk’s Club. DJ BFG will be joining us once again, and we’re coming up with some crazy decoration ideas. Guests are encouraged to dress in their favorite costumes. Appetizers, DJ, Costume Contest!

Admission: $5 Member/$10 Non-Member ($5 additional fee for entrance in costume contest)

HOWARD CRUSE BOOK PARTY

Saturday, October 16, 2-4 pm at The Bookstore
11 Housatonic Street, Lenox, MA

Cartoonist Howard Cruse will read excerpts from his international award-winning 1995 graphic novel Stuck Rubber Baby, which was reissued this summer in a new, 15th anniversary hardcover edition. The Lenox event will begin with Howard’s reading at 2 to be followed by book-signing and socializing.

Set amid the turmoil of the Civil Rights era, Stuck Rubber Baby centers on Toland Polk, a young, closeted gay southerner struggling to find himself and achieve moral authenticity. When it was first published, Artforum International called the novel “bravura storytelling.” In his introduction to the original edition playwright Tony Kushner referred to Howard as “one of the most talented artists to work in the form.” The book’s anniversary edition includes a new introduction by Alison Bechdel, author of 2008’s highly lauded Fun Home. The founding editor of Gay Comix and creator of the 1980s comic strip Wendel, Howard has lived in North Adams since 2003 with his husband Ed Sedarbaum.

DICK LIPEZ BOOK PARTY

Saturday, October 30, 2 pm at The Bookstore
11 Housatonic Street, Lenox, MA

Richard Stevenson (Dick Lipez) will read from his new book, Cockeyed, the eleventh Don Strachey PI novel by Stevenson, the pseudonym of Becket author Dick Lipez. Cockeyed is as much screwball comedy as mystery. It’s about what happens when Hunny “You go, girl!” Van Horn, Albany’s flamingest working class flamer wins the first New York State Lottery payout of one billion dollars. Strachey is brought in to deal with the skeletons that come tumbling out of Hunny’s non-closet. Cockeyed was published in September by MLR Press. Also just out in East Asia from Monsoon Books is Bangkok Free Fall, which was published last year in the US under the title The 38 Million Dollar Smile.

Out in the Berkshires: October 8-10, 2010

From the August performances of Bill Nelson's All Male Revue: Stanley Bahorek, Orville Mendoza, Claybourne Elder, Bill Nelson, Matt Castle, Frank Galgano. New songs coming in October as part of the renamed "Bill Nelson's Incredible Musical Review."

There's nothing official yet, no press release, just some events that seem to be coming together, but indications are that there will be a second "Out in the Berkshires" celebration in Pittsfield in October. One of the hoped for events has already been scrapped, but hopefully there will be more. Time grows short. This last minute stuff is ok for the locals, but if there is any hope of drawing in some new faces, a little advance publicity - including on the LGBT state tourism pages would help draw from beyond our meager population here.

Of course once the official announcements arrives, (PR goes to BerkshireLarry@gmail.com) I will be sure to put a feature story up in Berkshire on Stage. Meantime, pencil in these dates. Of course, I highly recommend seeing the new iteration of Bill Nelson's (F)all Male Revue. Witty, clever, and very gay.

Friday, October 8, 5-7pm
Out in the Berkshires opening reception
Group art show featuring leading LGBTQ regional artists including Nathan Hanford, Joe Goodwin, Tim Kushi, Autumn Doyle, Kit Restivo, Vaal London-Kane, Donald Clark and others. Location TBA

Friday-Sunday, October 8-10 8pm
Bill Nelson’s Incredible Musical Reviue
Barrington Stage 2

Friday, October 8, 10pm-1am
Karao-Gay Night
with Karaoke MC Ken DeLoreto
NEW Performing Arts Center (above the Beacon)

And there is a page at the New Stage website announcing Karao Gay. As we get notified by the organizers, we will pass along the word.

Kolok Gallery & Berkshire Stonewall Sparkling Wine & Chocolate Saturday Sept 11

Robert Mateo Diago

Born in Puerto Rico, Robert Mateo Diago has lived in Northern New Jersey, NYC and South Florida. He's called Dallas, Texas home for 15 years. He has been a student of art since his early childhood, and by high school knew he'd pursue it as a career. He received his college degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

Diago developed a successful career in Art Direction and Commercial Design over 20 years. About ten years ago painting reentered his life - emerging as an almost primal need during a meditation retreat. Since then he's been creating personal and commissioned works; paintings, collage and sculpture. Two years ago Diago made the significant and official switch into making art his fulltime endeavor.

Having planned on constructing only a studio addition, the artist, a proponent of 'green' living, recently built a sustainable USGBC LEED Platinum certified home with a spacious, light-filled studio. The versatility of his new work space allows him to create and showcase large paintings including diptychs and triptychs while also providing him with space suitable for making other works such as sculpture and mixed media assemblages.


Ongoing at Kolok Gallery:

A rotating inventory including sculptures, paintings and prints by artists David Bradshaw, William S. Burroughs, Gregory Crewdson, Shannon Donovan, Joshua Field, Limor Gasko, Brandon Graving, Cai Guo-Qiang, Melissa Matsuki Lillie, Mark Mulherrin, Shuli Sade, Ryan Scheidt, Glenn Paul Smith, Weronika Zaluska, and others.