The Rogovoy Report: Berkshire & Hudson Valley Cultural Preview
Jan 5-13, 2024
THANK YOU to all who have heeded the call and have upgraded to a paid subscription to the Rogovoy Report (or to my other newsletter, Everything Is Broken). Thanks to you, we have achieved our goal of reaching over 100 paid subscribers — which without my even being aware has earned me the title of “Substack Bestseller.”
That being said, with a total of over 3,000 subscribers, it would be great to get paid subscriptions from 10% of those receiving one or both newsletters. I guess that’s a goal for 2024. It would also help to grow the subscription list significantly - so please share the newsletters widely with friends and/or on social media using the built-in share button.
In its 15 years of existence, the Rogovoy Report has always been free. This is a commitment I made at the outset, and I still stand by it.
Fortunately, over the years, there have been plenty of readers who – with little prompting -- have expressed their appreciation for the work and time that goes into creating the weekly Rogovoy Report and its companion newsletter, the Weekend Cultural Preview, in the form of voluntary paid subscriptions.
To all of you who have already chosen the path of voluntary paid subscribers, thank you. I cannot overstate how much your enthusiasm and support mean to me.
Subscriptions are $5 monthly or $50 annually. I know this all adds up quickly – believe me, I pay for subscriptions to way too many Substacks and even more to the news sites and online magazines from which I gather and curate the news to present to you – but it would be a great help to my efforts. At least it would help defray some of my expenses.
If you would like to pay something less than $50 or $60 per year, how about you sign up for the $5 monthly subscription and then just cancel your payments after a few months, at the point when you feel like you have paid enough for the year. Really, I won’t mind this at all. And you will still continue to receive the Rogovoy Report after you cancel your payments. What a deal!
Thank you so very much.
Seth Rogovoy
Editor, The Rogovoy Report
ABSURDIST JAPANESE TAKE on ‘HAMLET’ at PS21
Hamlet | Toilet, a “hyper-nonsensical absurdist philosophical comedy” from the acclaimed Japanese theater company Kaimaku Pennant Race, comes to PS21 in Chatham, N.Y., on Friday, January 5, at 7pm, and on Saturday, January 6, at 2pm. The Tokyo-based ensemble is known for its hilarious reimaginings of works by William Shakespeare, fusing profound interpretations of Elizabethan-era tragedy with bursts of Japanese pop culture references that illuminate the works in sensational and surprising ways. The company is celebrated for its antic movement style and for performing in full-body white unisuits. (Fri-Sat, Jan 5-6)
REED FOEHL BOOKENDS REGION with ORIGINAL AMERICANA
Grammy Award-nominated Americana singer-songwriter Reed Foehl bookends the greater region with performances at Berkshire East Mountain Resort in Charlemont, Mass., on Friday, January 5, at 6:30pm, and at the Colony in Woodstock, N.Y., on Saturday, January 6, at 8pm. Perhaps best known in the area as the founder and leader of folk-rock jam-band Acoustic Junction, Foehl was nominated for a Grammy for “Fly,” a song he cowrote with Brent Cobb that was covered by country queen Lee Ann Womack. (Fri-Sat, Jan 5-6)
NORA BROWN and STEPHANIE COLEMAN BRING APPALACHIAN FOLK to REGION
Finger-picking banjo marvel Nora Brown and master fiddler Stephanie Coleman combine to bring Appalachian folk music to the Parlor Room in Northampton, Mass., on Saturday, January 6, at 7:30pm, and to Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Sunday, January 7, at 7pm. The duo has brought its haunting harmonies and old-time instrumental music to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts and performed across the US, Europe, and Japan. (Sat-Sun, Jan 6-7)
JULIA BULLOCK BRINGS CLASSICAL VOCALS to UNION COLLEGE
Classical vocalist Julia Bullock brings a diverse program of songs by Barber, Strauss, Kurt Weill, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and others to Union College’s Memorial Chapel in Schenectady, N.Y., on Sunday, January 7, at 3pm. Bullock’s enchanting voice has catapulted her to the forefront of the classical music world, resulting in engagements with the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics and residencies at the Metropolitan Museum and San Francisco Symphony. Bullock will be accompanied by pianist Bretton Brown. The concert is presented by Capital Region Classical. (Sun, Jan 7)
ZAINAB JOHNSON BRINGS UNIQUE COMEDY to MASS MoCA
Stand-up comedian, actor, and writer Zainab Johnson brings her unique point of view, which was shaped growing up as one of thirteen siblings in a Muslim family in Harlem, to Club B10 at MASS MoCA in North Adams on Saturday, January 13, at 8pm. Johnson debuted her first one-hour comedy special “Hijabs Off” on Amazon Prime Video and is currently a series regular on the Amazon Original hit series “Upload.” (Sat, Jan 13)
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Roll Call: Founding Members
Anne Fredericks
Anonymous (6)
Erik Bruun
Fred Collins
Benno Friedman
Amy and Howie Friedner
Richard Koplin
Paul Paradiso
Steve and Helice Picheny
David Rubman
Elisa Spungen and Rob Bildner/Berkshires Farm Table Cookbook
Julie Abraham Stone
Mary Herr Tally