What happens when you take an entire festival and jam it into one evening at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls with 13 performers who create art upon the theme of “grace?”
A crazy, wonderful New Vaudeville Holiday Spectacular, that’s what, according to its creators.
The show will be held Thursday, Dec. 15, Friday, Dec. 16, and Saturday, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m. There will be a final performance on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m.
When venues for their Full Disclosure and Double Take Fringe Festivals disappeared or became too expensive, at the same time the artists they love working with multiplied and expanded, the folks at Eggtooth Productions had an idea, said Artistic Director Linda McInerney.
What if they did the same thing as their festivals, but included all the acts in one evening?
The response was terrific, and so the New Vaudeville Holiday Spectacular was born, she said.
And what a line up! The acts include dance, theater, installation, cabaret, music, puppets, drag and monologue, each offering a 5- to 10-minute-long performance.
McInerney said the show promises family fun with all children.
Tickets are $15 for adults; children 15 years old and younger are free. They are available at: www.eggtooth.org
“The way it works is that we put out a request for proposals on social media and through email blasts for short performances that embraced the theme of ‘grace,’” said McInerney. “We had a great response, so the evening will be broken up into short pieces that display all different art forms with the uniting theme of grace linking them. I thought that the word was a good way to allow for the celebration of this sacred time of year without imposing religion upon the event.”
McInerney said the intent was to gather and experience something of meaning that is also just fun and beautiful.
“And I love the definition of the word ‘grace,’” she said.
1. simple elegance or refinement of movement.
2. (in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.
3. do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one’s presence.
The acts include:
Lori Holmes Clark of Deerfield in a new solo work of dance.
Nate Martel, front man for the band OUTER STYLIE, sharing his vocal styling — soul-, rock- and funk-based. He performs his solo originals that focus on self-awareness, grace and peace.
Emily MacLeod, Rachel Schneider, Anna Sobel, Maya Rivera, Meghan Zaremba, Anuva Kolli (Thursday andFriday), Lindsay Stamler (Saturday and Sunday).
Their performance interweaves three stories of young women overcoming adversity, each concluding in a moment of grace. Based on “Brave Irene” by William Steig, and the true stories of Kate Shelley, who saved hundreds of passengers on a train in 19th- century Iowa, and Yusra Mardini, a Syrian refugee and Olympian.
The collaboratively written piece will use the style of folk ballads, physical theater and puppetry to show the bravery and courage of these women as they strive against storms, oceans and their own fears.