Berkshire Festival of Women Writers

Schedule of Events March 1 through 7

By: Ariel Petrova - Feb 19, 2013

Friday, March 1
Laundry Line Divine Presents: Out of the Mouths of Babes: An Evening of Mothers Reading to Others
Hosted by Suzi Banks Baum and Gina Hyams, with special guest Susan Engel, author and professor at Williams College
Readings by Suzi Banks Baum, Alana Chernila, Nichole Dupont, Janet Reich Elsbach, Michelle Gillett and Jenny Laird
Dewey Hall, Sheffield, 7-9:30 p.m.  $5 suggested donation

Saturday, March 2 
Why Sedna Matters to Women Writers 
Led by Mary Kate Jordan.  Sedna, an ancient Inuit archetype, matters to women who honor- or would like to honor- the rich possibilities of their own life stories. This morning includes storytelling and Q & A, an opportunity to "get beneath the surface of things".
Mason Library, Great Barrington, 10 am to noon

Women of a Certain Age
Reading hosted by Sonia Pilcer, with Allyson Dineen, Barbara Janoff, Susie Kaufman, Ellen Meeropol and Lee Schwartz
Older women share their passions and what they know. Followed by discussion and Q & A.
Mason Library, Great Barrington, 1-3 p.m.

Getting Married and Other Mistakes
Reading with Barbara Slate, graphic novelist
Barbara Slate reads from her autobiographical novel, and talks about her career in the fiercely male-dominated world of comic books.
The Bookstore, Lenox, 4-5:30 p.m.

Made in the Berkshires Presents: Exquisite Dilemmas: Women and Choices
Hosted by Hilary Somers Deely and Barbara Sims, featuring Sally-Jane Heit, Susan Merrill and Joy Spivak
Join us as we eavesdrop on women who are exploring the exquisite dilemma of choosing how to live their lives.
Unicorn Theater, Stockbridge, 7:30 p.m. $20 admission to benefit the 2013 Made in the Berkshires Festival. For tickets, contact the Colonial Theatre box office.

Sunday, March 3
Women Writers and the Role of the Editor
Hosted by Anastasia Stanmeyer, editor of Berkshire Magazine, with Robin Catalano, Nichole Dupont, Ellen G. Lahr, Gladys Montgomery and Abby Wood.
A panel discussion on the challenges of being a woman journalist today, with women who are juggling jobs, keeping a household going, and trying to sustain a writing career, as well as an exploration of the role of the editor.

The New Economics Institute presents: Cows Save the Planet: How to Find and Tell Stories of Ecological and Economic Restoration
Reading and discussion with Judith Schwartz, Billie Best and Alice Maggio
This panel focuses on stories for the new economy and new solutions to problems in which we feel stuck; narratives of resilience and renewal.
American Institute of Economic Research, Great Barrington, 3-5 p.m.

Monday, March 4
Fleeting Reality: Interpreting Place in Words and Images
Featuring Marie-Elizabeth Mali with Lynnette Lucy Najimy
The presenters share their creative works in photographs and words inspired by places on opposite sides of the earth.
Leibowitz International Center, Bard College at Simon's Rock, 7-9 p.m.

Tuesday, March 5
Writing Your Power, Passion, and Play: Letting Your Soul Have Its Way with You
Workshop led by Mary Campbell
This workshop will guide participants into a deeper connection with their divine spark, and allow it to express itself in the world.
Sruti Center, 33 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, 7-9 p.m.

Cuatro Mujeres, cuatro géneros/ Four Women, Four Genres
Multimedia presentation and discussion hosted by Holly Brown
This workshop will showcase four examples of different creative genres by women from Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil - a bilingual event with four student presenters, round-table discussion, and creative writing activity.
Leibowitz International Center, Bard College at Simon's Rock, 7-9 p.m.

Wednesday, March 6
WRites of Passage and the Age of Becoming: Puberty and the Onset of Fertility
Writing workshop hosted by Angela Vuagniaux, with Anni Crofut and Suzi Fowle
Participants will be invited to explore some of the pivotal moments in their lives through writing prompts, discussion, free writing and sharing.
Sruti Yoga Center, 33 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, 7-9 p.m.

Coming to America: A Reading
The Berkshire Immigrant Center presents a reading hosted by Greta Phinney, with Marcela Villada Peacock, Youlin Shi, Liliana Sills and Yuko Takaya
Immigrant women are invited and supported to share their unique and compelling stories, each facing the challenge of writing and reading in a second language. They have taken the theme "Coming to America" in many directions.
Griffin Hall, Williams College, Williamstown, 4:15 p.m.

Thursday, March 7
Kripalu Presents: Salmon in the Stream
A lecture on writing presented by Julia Cameron, best-selling author, who shares her insights on writing and the tools she has used in her own three-decade career in writing for movies, music, poetry and journalism.
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Lenox, 7:30 p.m.  $25 admission. Pre-registration is required. To register call 800-741-7353.

For complete information about the entire month of events throughout Berkshire County: www.berkshirewomenwriters.org
Major funding for the Festival is provided by the John A. Sellon Charitable Trust, the Massachusetts Council on the Humanities, Bard College at Simon's Rock,  and local Cultural Councils of the Massachusetts Council on the Arts, along with many organizations, individuals and businesses.