KIDS & FAMILIES

Battenkill Books

Cambridge, N.Y. 518-677-2515

Tuesdays through Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. -- Summer Story Time, for ages 2-6 with caregiver. Free. Images Cinema

Williamstown, Mass. 413-458-5612.

On Morgan Lawn, top of Spring Street; rain location is at Images.

July 29 at sundown (about 8:15 p.m.) -- Family Flicks Under the Stars, "The Sound of Music." Free.

Off the Wall Comedy

At Mt. Anthony Union High School

Bennington. offthewallproductions.com

July 28 at 7 p.m. -- Family Friendly Standup Comedy Show, to benefit Bennington Banner Newspapers in Education program. Tickets at the Banner or at the door.

Robert Frost Stone House Museum

Shaftsbury. 802-447-6200.

Aug. 5 at 2 p.m. -- Friends of Robert Frost’s "Sunday Afternoons with Robert Frost" series presents "Robert Frost Comes Alive for Young Readers," and interactive presentation by Pat Gibbons, school teacher at the North Bennington Graded School, in the Little Red Barn on the Museum’s grounds. Free.

Town Hall Concert Series

Bennington. 802-442-9169.

Aug. 3 from 6-8 p.m. -- Music Jam. Free.

Aug. 10 from 6-8 p.m. -- Sam Clement and his Band. Free.

Aug. 17 from 6-8 p.m. -- Greg Van Houten and Friends. Free.

Aug. 24 from 6-8 p.m. -- TBD. Free.

Aug. 31 from 6-8 p.m. -- Through Seasons. Free.

Sept. 8 -- Season finale "Music Festival" at parking lot of TJ’s Fish Fry. Free.

Village Chocolate Shop

Bennington. 802-447-3789.

Continuing through August -- Funtastic Friday; next one July 27.

Walloomsac Farmers Market

Bennington. bccdvt.org.

July 28 (Saturdays through October) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- at Riverwalk at Bennington Station (Depot Street). Free.

July 31 (Tuesdays through October) from 3 to 6 p.m. -- At Greenberg’s home center parking lot downtown. Free.

NIGHTLIFE

(Drive responsibly!)

Doug’s On Main

Bennington. 802-447-0045.

July 26 -- Solo show by Dave Gutter, of Rustic Overtones and Parinoid Social Club. Cover.

Kevin’s Pub and Resturant

North Bennington. 802-442-0122.

July 27 -- Gary Frost.

July 28 -- Paul Harmonic Duo.

The Publyk House

Bennington. 802-442-7500.

Each Thursday night -- Live music.

LECTURES/READINGS

Bennington Historical Society

At Bennington Museum

Bennington. 802-447-1571.

Northshire Bookstore

Manchester. 802-362-2200.

July 27 at 7 p.m. -- Rebecca Rupp reads from and signs copies of "How Carrots Won the Trojan War," the history, lore, cultural associations, and traditions associated with 23 popular vegetables. Free.

July 28 at 7 p.m. -- James Howard Kunslter reads from and signs copies of "Too Much Magic," a view of the future of America and the world that is wildly divergent from conventional narratives.

July 30 at 4 p.m. -- Anne Hambleton, Vermont horsewoman and author reads from and signs copies of "Raja, Story of a Racehorse," the life of a well-bred Thoroughbred racehorse from the Triple Crown path to the livestock auction and "kill buyers." Free.

Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. -- Jay E. Leutze reads from and signs copies of "Stand Up That Mountain." a story that demonstrates what is possible when local people set their minds to righting a wrong. Free.

Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. -- Bestselling novelist Chris Bohjalian reads from and signs copies of "The Sandcastle Girls." Free.

Palace Theatre

Albany, N.Y. 518-465-3335.

Aug. 12 at 3 p.m. -- Theresa Caputo, "Long Island Medium," from TLC’s television show.

Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. -- Comedy show with Gabriel Iglesias, "Stand Up Revolution" Tour.

Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. -- Bill Cosby Live! Comedic legend and television star.

Rensselaerville Festival of Writers

At Carey Conference Center

Rensselaerville, N.Y. 518-797-3949.

July 28 at 8:30 p.m. -- Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead reading from her new book of essays "Lizz Free or Die," as part of festival running July 26-29 (complete information at rensselaervillelibrary.org). Benefit for the historic Rensselaerville Library. Donation.

Water Street Books

Williamstown, Mass. 413-458-8072.

Aug. 2 at 6:30 p.m. -- Hy Conrad and Jeff Johnson, Pownal residents, read from and sign copies of "Things You Dogs Don’t Want You to Know." Free.

FILM

Cinema7

Bennington. 802-442-8179

Call for regular film schedule.

The Clark Art

Williamstown, Mass. 413-458-0524.

Hathaway’s Drive-In

North Hoosick, N.Y. 518-659-6098.

Call for regular film schedule.

Images Cinema

Williamstown, Mass. 413-458-5612.

Call for regular film schedule.

DANCE

Ballet Mancheter

At Southern Vermont Arts Center

Manchester 802-379-0759.

Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m. -- A performance of international ballet stars including principal dancer Charles Askagard, formerly of the New York City Ballet.

Bennington Contra Dance

At the Masonic Lodge

Bennington. 802-447-2173.

Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m. -- Community dance and lessons with callers.

Jacob’s Pillow

Becket, Mass. 413-243-0745.

MUSIC

Bennington Center for the Arts

Bennington. 802-442-7158.

Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. -- Classical pianist Mackenzie Melemed, young pianist who has performed at the White House and on the PBS television show "From the Top: Live from Carnegie Hall."

Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. -- An Evening with Tom Rush, a night of humor and musical entertainment.

Berkshire Choral Festival

Sheffield, Mass. 413-229-8526.

July 28 -- "A Night at the Opera," with scenes from works by Puccini, Bizet and Verdi.

Aug. 4 -- Schubert’s "Mass in A-flat" and Hayden’s "Lord Nelson Mass," both in Latin.

Carriage Barn Concerts

at Park-McCullough House

North Bennington. 802-442-5441.

Reception after each concert.

Aug. 5 at 4 p.m. -- Bennington Cellos (Michael Finckel, Marc Humburg, Perry Morris, Maxine Neuman, Nat Parke, William Peck, Steven Reid, and Jared Shapiro) program includes works by Bach, Shawn, Calabro, Nowak, and Villa Lobos.

Aug. 19 at 4 p.n. -- Brahms with George Lopez, Andrea Schultz, and Michael Finckel, program includes Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes and "Piano Trio in B Major."

The Clark Art

Williamstown, Mass. 413-458-0524.

July 31 at 8 p.m. -- The Clark Chamber Music Concert Series presents Ying String Quartet performing ‘Musical Dim Sum’ program

Jamaica Community Arts

At Jamaica Town Hall

Jamaica. 802-896-6810.

Aug. 1-3 -- Pikes Falls Chamber Music Festival, featuring musicians including New York City Ballet concertmaster Kurt Nikkanen. Free. (pikesfallschambermusicfestival.com).

Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. -- John and daughter Ida Mae will provide some fabulous fiddling, as part of Summer Music Series.

Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. -- Blues guitarist and historian, Scott Ainslie , as part of Summer Music Series.

Killington Resort

Killington. 802-345-9513.

July 28 from 4-6 p.m. -- Multi-platinum band Rusted Root, kicking off the Town of Killington’s "Cooler In The Mountains" concert series. Free and open to all ages.

Lake Paran Bluegrass Festival

North Bennington. 802-688-6270.

July 28, opening at noon -- One-day bluegrass festival with headliner Goldtown, as well as Moe Harrington, Buzz Saw Boys, Addison County Clay, tophenjamin, Lousy Cowboy Music, Ransom Notes, Dusty Pilgrims. Fundrasier for the Lake Paran Recreations; camping available.

Manchester Music Festival

At SVAC’s Arkell Pavilion

Manchester. 802-362-1956.

July 26 at 7:30 p.m. -- Orchestral concert featuring works by Beethoven with soloists Joana Genova on violin, cellist Benjamin Katz and pianist Julio Elizard.

Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m. -- "Northern Skies and Velvet Tones" concert featuring classical saxophonist Michael Ibrahim playing the music of Antonin Dvorak and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. -- Russian chamber music with violinist Stefan Belinkovich and pianist Daniel Devoe.

Marlboro Music

Marlboro. 802-254-2394.

July 28 at 8:30 p.m., and July 29 at 2:30 p.m. -- Resident Artists in Works by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Schnittke, Webern and resident composer Lera Auerbach’s String Quartet No. 2.

MASS MoCA

North Adams, Mass. 413-663-8548.

Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. -- "Girl Walk//All Day" Dance Party, music from the dance film "All Day."

Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. -- Real Estate, called "riffs that resemble R.E.M. (or Built to Spill or even Fleetwood Mac)".

Music From Salem

At Hubbard Hall

Cambridge, N.Y. 518-677-2495.

Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. -- "Northern Lights: Brahms/Chardon/Hovhaness/Onslow." The trumpet, rarely heard in mixed chamber music with strings,will be featured. Pay what you can.

Aug. 12 2 p.m. -- "Contours: Cage/Debussy/Mozart/Ravel"; program includes Ravel’s "Introduction and Allegro"; pay what you can.

Palace Theatre

Albany, N.Y. 518-465-3335.

Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. -- Sandy Hackett’s "Rat Pack Show," with music by impersonators of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Joey Bishop, with voice overs by the late comedian Buddy Hackett.

Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. -- "An Evening with Johnny Mathis."

Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. -- Return of "The Australian Pink Floyd Show" and its "Exposed to the Light" production.

Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. -- Straight No Chaser," male a cappella group that is neither straight laced or straight faced.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. spac.org.

July 29 to Aug. 14 -- Saratoga Chamber Music Festival.

Aug. 1-18 -- The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Aug. 19-28 -- Live from the Algonquin at SPAC, cabaret series.

South Mountain Concerts

At Mass. routes 7 and 20

Pittsfield. Mass. 413-442-2106.

Sept. 2 at 3 p.m. -- Kalichstein, Laredo, Robinson Trio; program includes Beethoven’s "Trio in G Major."

Sept. 9 at 3 p.m. -- American String Quartet; program includes Mozart’s "Trio in E Major Flat."

Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. -- Emerson String Quartet; program includes Dvorak’s "Quartet in F. Major."

Sept. 30 at 3 p.m. -- Brentano String Quartet; program includes world premiere of Eric Moe’s "Of Color Braded All Desire."

Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. -- Saint Lawrence String Quartet; program includes world premiere of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s "Voyage for String Quartet."

South Street Café

Bennington. 802-447-2433.

July 28 at 7 p.m. -- Tony Yasi. Free.

THEATER

Dorset Theatre Festival

At the Dorset Playhouse

Dorset. 802-867-2223.

Through July 28 -- Mark Camoletti’s French farce "Boeing-Boeing," directed by Jenn Thompson.

Aug 2-11 -- World premire of Pulitzer and Tony award winning actor/playwright Michael Cristofer’s "The Whore and Mrs. Moore," starring Judd Hirsch.

Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. -- New Play Reading Series featuring new works-in-progress by Laura Easib abd Cusi Cram.

Aug. 16 to Sept. 1 -- Murder and Mayhem Series presents Ira Levin’s "Deathtrap," directed by Givoanni Sardelli.

Fort Salem Cabaret

Salem, N.Y. 518-854-9200.

July 27 at 8 p.m. and July 28 at 2 p.m. -- Nashville singer/songwriter Angela Kaset, composer of hit "Something Red."

Opening Aug. 3-12 -- Tour de force one-woman show, "Adorable Me! The Totie Fields Story," starring Nancy Timpanaro-Hogan.

Hubbard Hall Opera Theater

Cambridge, N.Y. 518-488-7733.

Aug. 8-19 -- Mozart’s "The Magic Flute," directed by Paul Houghtaling with music conductor Kelly Crandell.

Aug. 17-18 -- Opera Select Conservatory presents "Cox and Box" and "Trouble in Tahiti," directed by Jason Dolmetsch and musical direction and piano by Elizabeth Bonomo. (Pay what you will.)

Sept. 28-30 -- Guerilla Opera presents "Rojahn, Heart of a Dog," with chamber orchestra. (Pay what you will.)

Oct. 27 (at Dorset Playhouse) and Oct 28 (at University of Albany) -- Puccini’s "La Boheme," piano, reduced version, semi costumed and staged.

Feb. 7-15 -- Verdi’s "La Traviata," fully costumed and staged and sung in Italian, at Proctors Theater in Albany, N.Y.

MHCA

(formerly Memorial Hall Center for the Arts)

Wilmington. 802-464-8411.

Shakespeare & Company

Lenox, Mass. 413-637-3353.

Through Aug. 19 -- Shakespeare’s "The Tempest," directed by artistic director Tony Simotes, and starring Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis; in Founder’s Theatre; Shakespeare’s "King Lear," directed by Rebecca Holderness, and staged in 1909 Imperial Russia; in Founder’s Theatre.

Through Sept. 1 -- Charles Busch’s "The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife," directed by Johnathan Croy; in Bernstein Theatre.

Through Sept. 2 -- Norman Plotkin’s "Cassandra Speaks," directed by Nicole Ricciardi; in Bernstein Theatre; Mark Robert’s "Parasite Drug," directed by Stephen Rothman; in Bernstein Theatre.

Aug. 22 to Sept.16 -- New England premire of Terry Teachout’s "Satchmo at the Waldorf," directed by Gordon Edelstein, and starring John Douglas Thompson; in Founder’s Theatre.

Vermont Arts Exchange

North Bennington. 802-442-5549.

Weston Playhouse

Weston. 802-824-5288.

Opening Aug. 2 through Aug. 25 -- Tony Award winning favorite "Fiddler on the Roof," the unforgetable tale of family and love narrated by the inimitable Tevye.

Williamstown Theatre Festival

Williamstown, Mass. 413-597-3400.

Closing July 29 -- "Far From Heaven," book by Richard Greenberg, music by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie, directed by Michael Greif, on Main Stage.

Opening weekend through Aug. 5 -- "The Elephant Man," by Bernard Pomerance, directed by Scott Ellis, on Nikos Stage.

Opening Aug. 1 through Aug. 19 -- "A Month in the Country," by Ivan Turgenev, translated by Richard Nelson, Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, directed by Richard Nelson, on Main Stage.

Opening Aug. 8 through Aug. 19 -- "WHADDABLOODCLOT!!!" by Katori Hall, directed by May Adrales, on Nikos Stage.

MUSEUMS/GALLERIES

Opening, Closing, Special Events

North Adams Artists’ Co-Op Gallery

North Adams, Mass. 413-664-4003.

Opening reception July 26 from 6-9 p.m. (through Aug. 27) -- "Out of the Dust ... Back to the Earth," a dialogue in ceramics and oils by Lori St. Pierre and Judith Kniffin. Free.

studio21south

North Adams, Mass. 413-652-2141.

Opening reception July 26 from 6-9 p.m., through Aug. 31 -- "Black and White (more or less)," paintings, engravings and drawings by Frank Curran, Bob Lanfond and Karen Walter. Free.

North Bennington Art Park

And Train Station Gallery

North Bennington. northbennington.org.

Just opened; through summer -- 15th Annual North Bennington Art Park, located on the grounds around the North Bennington Post Office and train station including Welling Town House and the Aldrich property next door. With artists including Fred Brownstein, Willard Boepple, Joe Chichirillo, Matthew Perry, sculptors from Salem Art Works; gallery show with the works of Pat Adams, Kevin Bubriski, Susie Cronin, Ann Pibal, Leslie Parke, John Recco, Barbara Sussman and Elaine Witten. Free.

EMPAC at RPI

Troy, N.Y. 518-276-3921.

Closing July 28 -- Ben Rubin "A Shakespeare Accelerator: Experiments in Kinetic Language. In public spaces. Free.

Williams College Museum of Art

Williamstown, Mass. 413-597-3178.

Closing July 29 -- "ASCO: Elite of the Obscure," a retrospective of the 1972-87 work of East Los Angeles Chicano performance and conceptional artist Asco. Free.

Bennington Free Library

Bennington. 802-442-9051.

Closing July 30 -- Wallworks exhibit of recent paintings by Shelli Duboff. Free.

Canfield Gallery

At the Martha Canfield Gallery

Arlington. 802-375-6153.

Closing July 30 -- "The Four Seasons in Vermont Valleys," watercolor paintings by Ned Reade. Free.

Continuing

Bennington Arts Guild

Bennington. benningtonartsguild.com.

Through Aug. 20 -- Joint exhibit of photography by Samantha Ambrose and sculpture by Jami Gras. Free.

Bennington Center for the Arts

Bennington. 802-442-7158.

Through Aug. 5 -- "Art of the Animal Kingdom XVII," with special guest Artist Greg Beecham and Kim Diment, and more than 65 pieces will be included.

Opening Aug. 11 (through Sept. 23) -- "The Laumeister Fine Art Competition," artists from around the country and the world are invited to submit work to be included in our fourth annual fine art competition, this year juried by Scott Christensen.

Through Sept. 9 -- "Impressions of New England," more than 60 scenes captured in paint and bronze.

Through Sept. 23 -- "California Art Club" presents "Saving Paradise: The Symbiosis of Landscape Painting and Environmental Awareness."

Opening Sept. 29 (through Oct. 27) -- "Oil Painter of American Eastern Regional Exhibition," about 120 pieces will be on view and for sale this fall.

Bennington Museum

Bennington. 802-447-1571.

Through Aug. 11 -- "Decaying Landscapes," photographs by Ian Creitz, in the Regional Artists Gallery. Free.

Through Oct. 30 -- "Rockwell Kent’s Egypt: Shadow and Light in Vermont," the first comprehensive documentation of Kent’s life and work in Vermont.

Berkshire Museum

Pittsfield, Mass. 413-443-7171.

Through Jan. 6, 2012 -- "Rethink! American Indian Art," contemporary and historic art objects.

Chaffee Art Center

Rutland. 802-775-0356.

Through Aug. 18 -- Annual Juried Award Exhibit.

Doll and Toy Museum of Vt.

Bennington. dollhouseandtoymuseumofvermont.com.

Saturday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. -- Just opened: Beverly Petrellis’ collection of more than 500 vintiage postcards of Bennington. "Dolls of the World" collection; featuring baby dolls and baby bottles, including items from the collections of Arleen Saunders and Tedi Petrelis.

MASS MoCA

North Adams, Mass. 413-663-8548.

Through summer 2012 -- "Oh Canada," billed as the first comprehensive survey of Canadian contemporary art in decades, features more than 100 works by 62 artists, including more than a dozen major new commissions.

Through 2012 -- "Sanford Biggers: The Cartographer’s Conundrum," in Building 5; "New Work" by Anna Betbeze.

Permanent -- Sol LeWitt: "A Wall Drawing Retrospective."

Thorugh January 2, 2013 -- With Williams College/Clark Art, "Making Room: The Space Between Two and Three Demensions."

Through Feb. 4, 2013 -- Group show: "Invisible Cities," titled after Italo Calvino’s book which re-imagines Marco Polo’s poetic descriptions of China’s cities.

Through Feb. 4, 2013 -- Anna Betbeze: New Work.

Valley Artisans Market

Cambridge, N.Y. 518-672765.

Through Aug. 14 -- "Beauty’s Where You Find It" photographs by Diana Spencer.

Vermont Arts Exchange

North Bennington. 802-442-5594.

Through Aug. 13 -- "Mark Barry: The Return of the Prodigal Son and Other Tales," colorful paintings of life. Free.

To have items included in Arts Glance send them to knorris@benningtonbanner.com. No attachments please. Check benningtonbanner.com for Arts Glance updates.