A special holiday reading of two treasured American stories that capture the heart of the season of giving. One performance only. Friday, December 20, 2024 at 5 pm BECKET ARTS CENTER will present a reading of two beloved holiday stories by iconic American author Truman Capote. Capote’s notoriety often outshadows his more lyrical and heartfelt writing based on his boyhood growing up in Alabama. The two stories, THE THANKSGIVING VISITOR and A CHRISTMAS MEMORY recall the deep connection between the young Capote - a misfit boy, and his closest friend - his eccentric spinster aunt, who he names Sook. The two have a special bond remembered in these two unforgettable tales that make for a perfect evening of storytelling. At BAC, the story will be told by three actors, Paula Langton, Jim Petosa, and Ryan Winkles. Each story is 45 minutes. There will be one brief intermission.

Permission for this reading is curtesy of the Truman Capote Literary Trust

$10 (Free for BAC Members)

FOR TICKET INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS click the button below.

Free gift from Rima to you!

✨ Celebrate Hannukah with the Becket Arts Center! ✨

Join us for the first-ever Hannukah celebration at BAC. Let’s fill the evening with light, laughter, song, and community spirit!

$10 per person (free for BAC Members)

It will be an evening of warmth and light, featuring Hannukah stories, traditional songs, holiday refreshments and an opportunity to share your own cherished Hannukah memories.

All are welcome to join in the celebration and learn about this beautiful tradition. Bring your family, bring your friends, and help us fill the Arts Center with the warm glow of Hannukah!

$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.

Meeting once a month on the first Monday of the month, (except not in January) our BAC Writing Group will be a haven of non-judgmental creativity and spontaneity.  Based on the work of Natalie Goldberg, as expressed in her popular book WRITING DOWN THE BONES, the group will be facilitated by Jim Petosa, (Professor Emeritus, Boston University College of Fine Arts) who has been leading a Writing Group at the Unitarian/Universalist United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts for more than ten years.

Here’s what one review of Goldberg’s book has to say about her method.

“The secret of creativity, Natalie Goldberg makes clear, is to subtract rules for writing, not add them. It’s a process of ‘uneducation’ rather than education. Proof that she knows what she’s talking about is abundant in her own sentences. They flow with speed and grace and accuracy and simplicity. It looks easy to a reader, but writers know it is the hardest writing of all.”  

Such is the spirit of our BAC Writing Group!  We will work from prompts and we will share our words by speaking them to each other at the culmination of ⁶each session. (Participants can always opt out of public sharing.). At the end of a season of work, we will create an evening of public reading (voluntary) that highlights the work of each participant

Participants can feel free to come to ALL sessions, or to come to as many as they are able, or to come just once to try it out!

FREE to BAC Members in good standing. $5 Per session for non-members.

How to Coil a Basket Using Materials Found in Nature with Elizabeth Whyte Schulze

A Becket Athenaeum Big Read Program

Learn to coil a basket using pine needles from Florida and hand dyed raffia. Coiling is one of the oldest basketry techniques and was used by several tribes in the American Southwest. We will be using pine needles for the core and raffia to bind and stitch the rows of the basket. As the basket develops, we will add some color and create a design with our stitches, This class will be fun for all skill levels.

Elizabeth Whyte Schulze

For over a decade, Elizabeth’s fiber art has been informed by her travels. Visiting petroglyph sites in the American Southwest to an Aboriginal Art Center in Australia’s outback, each destination is an opportunity to experience art and culture of diverse communities. On her baskets, she layers images by intersecting and overlapping figure, design and text. Her approach to working on the basket is to present a complex landscape of imagery that is visually challenging and personally satisfying. Elizabeth's work is represented by Mobilia Gallery in Cambridge, MA. She is the recipient of the 2009 Artist Fellowship of Massachusetts. Her work is in the permanent collections of the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh, RAM in Racine, WI , American Embassy, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Africa and in numerous private collections throughout the US. 

$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.

Stop by the Becket Arts Center and peruse our gift shop on Small Business Saturday.

We carry handmade and crafted artisanal items that make perfect gifts.

We will be offering discounts and sales throughout the gift shop!

When you shop small, you are supporting local businesses and artists in your community❤️

We will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday. We hope you enjoy time with friends and family❤️

And don’t miss Small Business Saturday! Discounts throughout our gift shop! 10-4pm

A Fundraiser in support of our “Music Brings Communities Together” series.

We’re turning up the heat with local band ‘D-Rod and the Uprising’. Known for their upbeat original and cover songs sure to get you on the dance floor.

Help us to raise funds while gettin’ down on the dance floor. Open to all ages. Beverages and light refreshments will be available for purchase.

$10 Non-Refundable Ticket.

$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.

Tina Sweet has been felting for 18 years. Her commissioned artwork has included life-sized chickens, stylized gnomes, personalized penguins, a West Highland White Terrier, and a 19” x 13” super-hero from a children’s book (Kids Super Journal, by Elizabeth Heller). In April of 2023, she was honored to have two wool paintings (mixed media) selected for "Rural Berkshires: Always Adapting", a juried show through the Bushnell-Sage Library and Dewey Hall in Sheffield, MA. Tina has taught felting at the American Cancer Society's AstraZeneca Hope Lodge in Boston, MA and to many others over the years.

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*A Note About Tiered Pricing for BAC Members: We are committed to accommodate those who have a financial barrier to participation by offering Card to Culture memberships and tiered pricing options. What this means is that we offer 3 different pricing options and members can choose which fee they are able to pay. These options are $20, $40 or $60.

A Christmas Journey includes 16 of O’Hara’s annual Christmas columns published in The Berkshire Eagle. The stories range in subject from tales of his growing up in Pittsfield to poignant tales of his time as a psychiatric nurse at Berkshire Medical Center to his Christmas celebration in an Irish pub at the conclusion of his famous travels in Ireland with Missie the donkey.

O’Hara is also the author of Last Of The Donkey Pilgrims, about his travels with Missie around Ireland; A Lucky Irish Lad, about his boyhood; and Ins and Outs of a Locked Ward, which chronicles O’Hara’s three decades as a nurse in Berkshire Medical Center’s psychiatric ward.

$5 Per Person/ Free for Members

$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.

Artists, Crafters, and Bakers! Tour the galleries of Becket Arts Center and visit the tables of these amazing vendors.

$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.

We’re forming a new circle of writers group at the Becket Arts Center.  Meeting once a month on the first Monday of the month, (except not in January) our BAC Writing Group will be a haven of non-judgmental creativity and spontaneity.  Based on the work of Natalie Goldberg, as expressed in her popular book WRITING DOWN THE BONES, the group will be facilitated by Jim Petosa, (Professor Emeritus, Boston University College of Fine Arts) who has been leading a Writing Group at the Unitarian/Universalist United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts for more than ten years.

Here’s what one review of Goldberg’s book has to say about her method.

“The secret of creativity, Natalie Goldberg makes clear, is to subtract rules for writing, not add them. It’s a process of ‘uneducation’ rather than education. Proof that she knows what she’s talking about is abundant in her own sentences. They flow with speed and grace and accuracy and simplicity. It looks easy to a reader, but writers know it is the hardest writing of all.”  

Such is the spirit of our BAC Writing Group!  We will work from prompts and we will share our words by speaking them to each other at the culmination of ⁶each session. (Participants can always opt out of public sharing.). At the end of a season of work, we will create an evening of public reading (voluntary) that highlights the work of each participant

Participants can feel free to come to ALL sessions, or to come to as many as they are able, or to come just once to try it out!

FREE to BAC Members in good standing. $5 Per session for non-members.

We welcome you to come and enjoy the show! We will be hosting a showcase featuring the talent and skills of Becket Arts Center members. Prepare to be entertained! Everything from music to poetry to comedy, monologues, song etc. Join us as we spotlight the diverse talent within our community.

In partnership with the 2nd annual ‘Becket Day’; an entire day dedicated to celebrating the beautiful town of Becket - the Berkshires not so hidden gem!

$10 for non-members.

Dive deeper into the art of improvisation with our Intermediate class. Building on basic skills, this course explores more advanced techniques in storytelling, character development, and dynamic scene work. Enhance your spontaneity, collaborate with fellow improvisers, and push your creative boundaries in a supportive and fun environment. Perfect for those with some improv experience looking to take their skills to the next level.

Instructors:

Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.

Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia

$10 for non-members.

Dive deeper into the art of improvisation with our Intermediate class. Building on basic skills, this course explores more advanced techniques in storytelling, character development, and dynamic scene work. Enhance your spontaneity, collaborate with fellow improvisers, and push your creative boundaries in a supportive and fun environment. Perfect for those with some improv experience looking to take their skills to the next level.

Instructors:

Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.

Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia

In the true spirit in which the film was originally created, this event celebrates inclusivity, diversity, and the freedom to express ourselves.

Let’s Do The TIME WARP AGAIN!!!!! Join us at Becket Arts Center for a special Pre-Halloween party/screening of the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show! This event celebrates inclusivity, diversity, and the freedom to express ourselves. Let’s come together to create a fun, safe space where we can all dress up, cut loose and embrace our unique identities. Don’t Dream it BE IT! We hope see you there! 

Doors open at 7 PM Come for some pre-show FUN-Raising costume parade… dancing... Time Warp Warm-up…. and game playing. Light Snacks & Refreshments.

We hope you'll consider joining us for a little FUN RAISING at Becket Arts Center!

21+! Costumes encouraged!! Donations appreciated!

$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can.

Dive deeper into the art of improvisation with our Intermediate class. Building on basic skills, this course explores more advanced techniques in storytelling, character development, and dynamic scene work. Enhance your spontaneity, collaborate with fellow improvisers, and push your creative boundaries in a supportive and fun environment. Perfect for those with some improv experience looking to take their skills to the next level.

Instructors:

Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.

Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia

Join us as we close our final exhibit of the season.

Free and open to the public.

WANDA L. HOUSTON, Singer, Actress, Recording Artist, Vocal Coach, began performing in Chicago at an early age in her father's Theater Company, Newer Stiil Production and with her mother, brother and sister in the Houston Singers. FILM: Romance and Cigarettes w/Susan Sarandon and James Gandolfini Dir. John Turturro. The Christmas Path w/ Dee Wallace and Shia Lebouf, Dir. Bernard Salzman. BROADWAY: A Streetcar Named Desire, (Negro Woman), Studio 54. OFF BROADWAY: Menopause the Musical, Sinatra, His Voice, His World, His Way, Radio City. RECORDINGS: "Infinite Joy: the Music of William Finn," Grammy Nominated "Great Joy" Broadway Inspirational Voices. Wanda fronts THE WANDA HOUSTON BAND, jazz trio HETH, BRADLEY & HOUSTON and Blues duo BIG & BIGGER, celebrating release of their third album.

Free and Open to the Public. Donations Greatly Appreciated!

I Remember Better When I Paint, narrated by Olivia de Havilland, is the first international documentary about the positive impact of art and other creative therapies on people with Alzheimer’s and how these approaches can change the way society looks at the disease. The film is by Eric Ellena and Berna Huebner, presented by French Connection Films and the Hilgos Foundation. Among those who are featured are noted doctors and Yasmin Aga Khan, president of Alzheimer’s Disease International and daughter of Rita Hayworth, who had Alzheimer’s. The documentary demonstrates the intersection between the arts, medical and scientific worlds.

Post-film discussion by Dr. Carolyn Newberger

$5/ Free for Members

$10 for non-members.