The Big Read: Remembering the Vietnam War

Pittsfield's third communitywide bookreading project, The Big Read, kicks off Wednesday, March 31st at 7pm at the Berkshire Museum, located at 39 South Street in downtown Pittsfield, with an opening ceremony and reception. The book is the acclaimed Vietnam War novel, The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, and the Big Read takes place during the month of April, the 35th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, considered the official end of the Vietnam War.

Pittsfield Mayor James. M. Ruberto and State Senator Benjamin Downing will speak, and a panel of Vietnam War veterans, featuring Francis Trembley, Bill Mickle and Tyrone Belenger, will show slides of photographs they took overseas and discuss their experiences in the war. The event is free and open to the public and features a reception afterwards, catered by Joe’s Lunchbox, plus the opportunity to buy copies of The Things They Carried for 20% off (25% for veterans) from Chapters Bookstore.

Big Read programming throughout April 2010 includes four theatre productions, five documentary screenings, three art exhibitions, book discussions, and much more. Click here for a full calendar listing of Big Read events!

Pittsfield Youth Commission Talent Show!

Every year the City of Pittsfield's Youth Commission organizes a community-wide youth talent show that showcases the creative output of middle and high school students. This Friday, March 19, at 7pm expect to see a word class yoyo-er, a ventriloquist and his monkey, pop stars-in-the-making, country singers, a rock band, and dance styles including tutting, pop-locking, and classical pointe! Say that five times fast...!

You'll find all this talent and more at Barrington Stage Company's Main Stage at 30 Union Street in downtown Pittsfield, and tickets are only $3 for students, $5 for adults.

The show is co-hosted by high school senior and Pittsfield Youth Commission member Michelle Atiemo (pictured left) and Carrie Saldo, Director of Communications at Mission Inc., and is cosponsored by the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership and Greylock Federal Credit Union.