More than a hundred events over ten days in a dozen locations up and down North Street will see the City of Pittsfield come alive during its first midwinter arts festival, running daily from February 16-26, 2012. The offerings are diverse, with something to please just about everyone. Scroll down for our complete listing of all the offerings.

There will be art, and there will be rock. You will find both visual arts in the making and on display. Lots of live performances, some rehearsed, some old favorites, and many impromptu.

Want the new and different? You can take part in a Smartphone Film Festival at the Beacon Cinema or watch a lineup of singer-songwriters at Mission Bar+Tapas. You can stroll the galleries to see the work of local artists, or take part in a pub quiz and live sketch show at the New Stage Performing Arts Center.

Really offbeat stuff too, like 10-minute Tangos at Pittsfield Bra and Girl, poets at the Y Bar and “Local Ink” at Shawn’s Barber Shop. As you can see, this is no hoity-toity black tie affair, it’s just some of our most talented residents shoving old man winter aside and having a good time doing it. Even if it is snowing, if you can make it down to North Street, you’re going to have a great time. Everything is indoors, so you will be warm and cozy.

Ten Minute Plays

Most of you have heard of Samuel Beckett and his short plays, like Come and Go which runs ten minutes. If that is the paradigm for a strong shot of theatre, then 10×10 on North is the equivalent of a more theatre than you have ever seen crammed into one evening (or matinee).

For this event at Barrington Stage Company, the actors seen below have a real task on their hands, since many of them are in more than just one play, and will have to shift gears as they change roles and personalities from one offering to the next. Talk about the Three Faces of Eve.

Featured playwrights are Suzanne Bradbeer, Sara Cooper (BSC’s The Memory Show), Laura Shaine Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Eno, Jacqueline Goldfinger, Mikhail Horowitz, Maureen McGranaghan, Chris Newbound, Marisa Smith and Cait Weisensee. The 10X10 Repertory Company includes Lily Balsen, Emily Taplin Boyd (BSC’s A Streetcar Named Desire), Matt Neely (BSC’s The Crucible), Ryland Thomas, Peggy Pharr Wilson (BSC’s Guys and Dolls) and Robert Zukerman (BSC’s The Crucible).

“We found ten exciting playwrights and six versatile actors who will create a diverse and lively world of stories in all genres, spinning off the theme of ‘Entrances & Exits’. The plays we’re presenting are about people connecting with each other in various ways – funny, sad, cautious, competitive, half-hearted, romantic, and even hostile.” – Julianne Boyd, artistic director of Barrington Stage Company

Tickets

Tickets: $15 and $20 and may be purchased by calling the Barrington Stage Box Office at 413-236-8888, visiting 30 Union Street in downtown Pittsfield or online at barringtonstageco.org.

The Plays

“God in the Goat” by Suzanne Bradbeer. On a stoop in New York City, a member of the paparazzi starts a conversation with an old girlfriend of the celebrity who recently passed away in the building across the street. With Lily Balsen and Matt Neely; Directed by Frank La Frazia.

“Another Cup of Coffee” by Cait Weisensee. A man cares for his wife, who is suffering from a degenerative brain disease and cannot remember the facts—big or small— from moment to moment. With Robert Zukerman, Peggy Pharr Wilson and Emily Taplin Boyd; Directed by David Sernick.

“Tenderness” by Maureen McGranaghan. A young woman wakes up in the middle of the night, to find the man she had just slept with sneaking away. With Emily Taplin Boyd and Ryland Thomas; Directed by Tom Gladwell.

“The Story” by Mikhail Horowitz. In an absurdist scene, two men in a cave discuss how to tell a good story. With Robert Zukerman and Matt Neely; Directed by Mark St Germain.

“Lannie’s Lament” by Jacqueline Goldfinger. A Southern Gothic tale about Little Lannie and a funeral. With Peggy Pharr Wilson; Directed by Mark St Germain.

“Things I Left on Long Island” by Sara Cooper. A young woman moves back home to Long Island to live with her mother, grandmother and younger brother. With Lily Balsen, Peggy Pharr Wilson, Ryland Thomas, and Robert Zukerman; Directed by Julianne Boyd.

“Lunch with Amanda” by Chris Newbound. A man seeks out a woman at lunch after he accidentally hits her with a softball during a company game. With Lily Balsen and Ryland Thomas; Directed by Frank La Frazia

“Behold the Coach, In a Blazer, Uninsured” by Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Eno. ” A sports coach, in a press conference, reckons with winning, losing, and certain areas of the Universe. With Matt Neely; Directed by Mark St. Germain.

“Total Expression” by Marisa Smith. An American woman gets some unexpected advice from a Russian model. With Emily Taplin Boyd, Peggy Pharr Wilson and Robert Zukerman; Directed by Tom Gladwell.

“Fugu” by Laura Shaine. Two couples meet as part of an ongoing culinary rivalry as to which couple can prepare the most obscure haute gourmet dinner. Matt Neely, Lily Balsen, Emily Taplin Boyd, and Ryland Thomas; Directed by Julianne Boyd.

Natasha Sinha is Associate Producer, Jeff Roudabush is lighting designer, Andy Reynolds is sound designer and Michael Andrew Rodgers is production stage manager.

Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are $15 Thursday evening and Saturday/Sunday matinees; $20 Friday and Saturday evening. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Barrington Stage Box Office at 413-236-8888 or visit www.barringtonstageco.org. Barrington Stage Company’s Box Office is located at 30 Union Street in Downtown Pittsfield.

Who’s Who: About 10×10 on North

The 10X10 On North festival is a collaborative effort, spearheaded by Barrington Stage Company, with partners the Beacon Cinema, Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF), Downtown Pittsfield Inc., Gallery 25, Lichtenstein Center for the Arts and the City of Pittsfield, Mission Bar + Tapas and Y Bar, New Stage Performing Arts Center, Pittsfield Bra & Girl and Shawn’s Barber Shop, among others. 10X10 on North is generously sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union, Berkshire Gas, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The Berkshire Eagle is the lead media sponsor. For updates to this schedule, visit: www.discoverpittsfield.com/10×10

Smartphone Film Festival

BEACON CINEMA/BERKSHIRE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
57 North Street
Feb. 16 & 23 at 7pm; Feb. 19 & 26 at 2pm

Beacon Cinema and the Berkshire International Film Festival join together for the Berkshires’ first-ever Smartphone Film Festival – a new take on the film festival scene. Among the local filmmakers participating are Ben Hillman, Kevin Sprague and the Flying Dago Brothers. Selected shorts will also be featured in collaboration with the iPhone Film Festival (IFF). The complete program of cell phone shorts will be shown on Thursdays, February 16 and 23 at 7pm and again on Sundays, February 19 and 26 at 2pm. Individual shorts will be featured throughout the week before the regularly scheduled films. Admission is free for the full program. 413-358-4780, thebeaconcinema.com

One Man Show 10X10

BERKSHIRE ACTORS THEATRE/FERRIN GALLERY
437 North Street
Saturday Feb. 25 at 6pm and 10pm

One night only! One man portraying 10 characters in 10 minutes. Directed by Berkshire Actors Theatre (BAT) Founding Artistic Director Clover Bell-Devaney, and performed by local Berkshire actor Colin Gold. A sweet, silly, simple snippet not to be missed, this performance follows BAT’s mission to put local actors at the forefront, and to perform actor-driven, small scale pieces. Admission is free. berkshireactorstheatre.org

Burlesque 10X10

FERRIN GALLERY
437 North Street
Friday, Feb. 17 and Saturday, Feb. 18 at 8:45pm

Burlesque 10X10 is a 10-minute performance piece including poetry, dance, music and the history of burlesque. Created especially for the 10X10 festival, Ms. Karen Lee and her creative partner of Burlesque for Books, poet Marc Zegan’s Burlesque 10X10 will educate and titillate, tease and please. Ms. Lee has become known as the pioneer of burlesque in the Berkshires; together with Mr. Zegans, these two will multiply 10×10 times over the spirit, joy, beauty and fun of burlesque, capturing the very essence of this essential genre in American musical theater history. This performance will be offered at Ferrin Gallery with added viewing pleasure from North Street. Admission is free. karenleecentral.com

10x10x25

GALLERY 25
25 Union Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Opening Reception with artists, Friday, Feb. 17, 5-7pm
Feb. 16-26. Gallery open daily 12-5pm.

In keeping with the 10X10 contemporary theme, Gallery 25 hosts an exciting show of 10 new works of art by 10 of its most celebrated artists. With a broad range of approaches and styles, the focus will be on painters, though elements of mixed media will certainly be present. The artists showing work include Marguerite Bride, Joan Palano Ciolfi, Ellen Joffe-Halpern, Jackie Kearns, Annie Laurie, Leo Mazzeo, Sean McCusker, Lisa Merullo, Scott Taylor and Rosemary Wessel. Admission is free. gallery-25.com

TEN SPOT

LICHTENSTEIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS
28 Renne Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Opening Reception, Thursday, Feb. 16, 5-7pm
Feb. 16-March 10. Open Wed-Sat 12-5pm

TEN SPOT is a show of new work by ten contemporary artists from throughout the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. The ten Berkshire artists featured in TEN SPOT are Ven Voisey, Melissa Lillie and Sean Riley of North Adams; Marianne Petit and Brent Whitney of Adams; Richard Britell, Joe Goodwin and Olive Thomas of Pittsfield; Bart Arnold of Lenox and Kiki Dufault of Great Barrington.

These ten artists will also be highlighted in individual billboards around the Berkshires in addition to the show at the Lichtenstein. The show is curated by Lauren Clark owner of Lauren Clark Fine Arts in Housatonic, Jonathan Secor, Director of MCLA’s Gallery 51 in North Adams, and Megan Whilden, Director of Cultural Development in Pittsfield. Admission is free. discoverpittsfield.com

Art Show & Live Painting

MASSIVE GRAPHICS
163 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Friday, Feb. 24 4pm-8pm

Massive Graphics will host a DJ and live painting performances by ten local artists. The featured artists will have their other artwork on display and for purchase. The first 50 people through the door will receive a custom 10X10 On North t-shirt printed on the spot while enjoying the art and music. Admission is free. 413-445-5335. massivegraphicsma.com

10 Singer-Songwriters

MISSION BAR + TAPAS
438 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Feb. 16-26. 9pm nightly. No cover.

The line-up of singer-songwriters at Mission includes outstanding performers from the Word X Word festival and represents the best of the young talent from the Berkshires and beyond. Abbie Barrett (Feb. 16), Billy Keane (Feb. 17), Chris Merenda (Feb. 18), Melissa Brinton (Feb. 19), Glenn Geiger (Feb. 20), Jenna Moynihan (Feb. 21), Justin Allen (Feb. 22), Tom Gizzi (Feb. 23), Emily Mure (Feb. 24), Chris Vecchia (Feb. 25), Heather Maloney (Feb. 26). No cover. missionbarandtapas.com

Known Unknowns

NEW STAGE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
55 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Fri., Feb 17 at 7:30pm

Combining elements of a traditional pub quiz and a live sketch show, Known Unknowns is a freewheeling, interactive game show that’s as much fun for those who don’t know the answers as those who do. Compete with a group in the team rounds to play for the grand prize, or test your luck up on stage in the individual round, where you may be asked to solve a math equation based on James Bond characters, or simply sing the Full House theme song from memory. This month’s show will be 10X10-themed, featuring categories and questions inspired by the 10X10 On North festival and the City of Pittsfield. Tickets: $5; $20 for a group of five; available at the door. newstageperformingarts.org

The 10×10 Variety Show

Sat., Feb 18 at 8pm
Ten acts each perform a ten minute comedic set – monologues, music, stand up, sketch, improv, film – whatever’s funny and strange will be on display as acts from all over the Northeast take the stage in a night of comedy that’s not to be missed. Tickets: $10 at the door. newstageperformingarts.org

10 Minute Tangos

PITTSFIELD BRA & GIRL
123 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Monday, Feb. 20, 6-7pm

Pittsfield Bra &Girl celebrates the art of dance with 10 Minute Tangos performed by TangoPulse on Presidents Day evening beginning at 6pm. Come enjoy the sultry art of Tango in a beautiful space designed to celebrate the inner and outer beauty of every woman.

TangoPulse performers will demonstrate three dances beginning at 6:30pm. Performers will then provide tango lessons and host a general discussion about tango culture. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free. braandgirl.com

Local Ink

SHAWN’S BARBER SHOP
442 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Feb. 16-26. Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-3pm

Local Ink, curated by local artist Phil Bastow, will feature 10X10 graphic stories by local artists Phil Bastow, Eamonn Berry, Michael Bushey, Joe Wilk, and others, at Shawn’s Barber Shop, the latest downtown home for the alternative art scene. 413-443-9642

10 Poets

Y BAR
391 North Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Feb. 16-26. 8pm nightly. No cover.

The line-up of poets at Y Bar, home to the wildly successful weekly Writers Room, includes outstanding performers from the Word X Word festival and represents the best of the young Berkshire talent. Gabriel Squailia (Feb. 16), James Burden (Feb. 17), Matt McFadden (Feb. 18), Matt Bialer (Feb. 19), Greer Hed (Feb. 20), Emily Pulfer-Terino (Feb. 21), Jim Benson (Feb. 22), Cynthia Quinones (Feb. 23), To Be Announced (Feb. 24), Curtis Asch (Feb. 25) and Kate Abbott (Feb. 26). No cover. ybarpittsfield.com

But wait, there’s more!

Additionally, there will be creative arts classes and workshops offered for youth throughout the week, with more details to be released soon. North Street restaurants and shops will also be offering special discounts and events throughout the festival, thanks to the support of Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. See below for a full list of specials.

Downtown Business Specials During 10X10 On North

$10 Lunch for Two at On a Roll Cafe

Order two lunch entrees from the special 10X10 on North menu at On a Roll Cafe and only pay $10. Dine-in only.
February 16-26 | 11am-3pm | On a Roll Cafe & Catering | 75 North Street | 413-445-5335

Give a Tie, Get a Tie for 20% Off at Steven Valenti’s Clothing for Men

Bring your 10-year-old, ratty, soup-stained tie to Steven Valenti’s Clothing for Men and get 20% off the purchase of a brand new tie.
February 16-26 | During Regular Store Hours | Steven Valenti’s Clothing for Men | 157 North Street | 413-443-2569 | Contact Store for Offer Details

Free $25 Gift Card Give-Away Every Day at Baba Louie’s

Baba Louie’s customers are eligible to enter their name into a drawing to win a $25 Baba Louie’s Gift Card. A new winner will be drawn each day for ten days.
February 16-26 | During Regular Restaurant Hours | 34 Depot Street Location Only | 413-499-2400 | Contact Restaurant for Offer Details

Storytime & Play Group at Treehouse

At 10am each day, parents and their children aged four and younger can enjoy storytime and play group at Treehouse. The storytime featured book will be available for 10% off. There is no charge for the storytime or play group.
February 16-26 | 10am | 305 North Street | 413-344-4435 | Contact Store for Details

10% Off with 10X10 on North Event Participation at Trattoria Rustica

Participate or visit any of the 10 X 10 on North events or activities and get a 10% off coupon to redeem at Trattoria Rustica. Coupons will be available at participating venues. Offer does not apply to the prix fixe menu.
February 16-26 | Open Each Day Except Tuesday | 5pm to Closing | Trattoria Rustica | 27 Mckay Street | 413-499-1192

Mind, Body & Spirit at V Baird Connections

V Baird Connections will host various practitioners to serve your mind, body and spirit (i.e.: reiki, massage, readings, biofeedback and more). Whether it’s a $10 special offer or 10 minutes to getting to know more about yourself, you’ll have no other choice but to stop by and see what each person has to offer to get in touch with the one thing that is most important in this world…you.
February 16-26 | During Regular Store Hours | V Baird Connections | 75 North Street | 413-499-2060 | Contact Store for Schedule, Special Offers & Details

10X10 On North 10% Off Discount at Select Downtown Pittsfield Locations

Select downtown Pittsfield locations will offer 10% off regular priced merchandise February 16-26. See store for details as some restrictions or exclusions may apply. Visit downtownpittsfield.com for most up-to-date list of participating locations.

Westside Clock Shop | 449 North Street | 413-442-5484
Museum Facsimiles | 429 North Street | 413-499-1818
Jim’s House of Shoes | 239 North Street | 413-445-4655
Pateez Boutique | 141 North Street | 413-499-0008
Persnickety Toys | 141 North Street | 413-236-8697
Unusual Wedding Rings and More | 137 North Street | 413-236-9300
The New Berry Place | 75 North Street | 413-997-5300