Easthampton Theater Company to present ‘Enchanted April’
Easthampton Theater Company is back with its first production of 2026, “Enchanted April,” a graceful comedy about renewal, friendship, and second chances that will open on Saturday, March 14, at Williston Theater.
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NORTHAMPTON
‘Mean Girls’ production graces NHS stage for four days in March
The Northampton High School Theatre Department is bringing the burn book to the stage in its upcoming spring musical production of “Mean Girls: High School Version.”
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NORTHAMPTON
‘MELLOW’ captures local man’s meditation trip
Billy Rosenbeck spent World Meditation Day last spring road tripping across the region to lead 10 different meditations in 10 different locations to the public.
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HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
Moulton would focus on affordability, abolishing ICE
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Rep.
Seth Moulton wants the Pioneer Valley to know that he has a plan.
Moulton, who is running to unseat U.S. Sen. Ed Markey this fall, visited three cities in the Pioneer Valley as part of a listening tour. The Feb. 20 stops in Holyoke, Springfield and Westfield gave Moulton a chance to present himself to voters outside of the 6th District, which includes Salem, Gloucester and Andover.
Roughly 35 people gathered at Socialite Coffee Bar in Springfield to hear Moulton’s positions and share their concerns.
“I don’t think we can afford to wait six more years for new leadership,” Mouton told them. While he said that he had “great respect” for Markey, he added, “There comes a time to pass the torch to a new generation.” Markey was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1976, two years before Moulton was born. He has served in the Senate since 2013. Moulton was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014.
Moulton laid out the issues he sees in the country. “There’s really two Americas,” he said. “There’s an America for the wealthy and the well connected, with the airline miles and the hotel perks and the tax loopholes, and if you’re really wealthy, you get to fly your private plane to Washington and get a pardon for any law you break.”
He continued, “And then there’s America for everyone else. That’s struggling to pay rent, that maybe has a college graduate that just moved back home because he or she can’t get a job, that’s turning down their thermostats as it gets cold out because they
can’t afford their electricity bills or their gas or oil bills.”
Moulton presented himself as a more progressive candidate than Markey with messaging that will resonate with voters. “Everyone knows we’re opposed to Trump,” he said. “But we also have to stand for something ourselves.” His three-pronged affordability platform focuses on housing, health care and education, which he said are “human rights.”
Referring to President Barack Obama’s signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act, by its nickname, Moulton said, “Obamacare dramatically expanded health care. Millions of Americans have health care, so it’s a huge step in the right direction, but it’s not perfect.” Moulton is in favor of a public option. “That means that you can have Medicare if you want it. It doesn’t mean we’re going to force you onto Medicare,” he said, adding that a public option would drive down the cost of commercial health insurance plans and improve the efficiency and outcomes. He said, “We need that force in the market because health insurers, frankly, are extracting way too much out of the system.”
Moulton also spoke about eliminating pharmacy copays, saying their purpose is to ensure people don’t abuse medicine. “But we should trust our doctors to just give you the medicine that you actually need,” he said, adding that there is inequality built into how much people pay based on what insurance they have.
Moulton later told Reminder Publishing, “I think the reality is a lot of Republicans look at Democrats and say, ‘All they want is Medicare for all.’ And this is a compromise. A public option is not Medicare for all. I actually think it’s a better compromise be-
cause it preserves competition.”
A teenager asked Moulton about the dismantling of the Department of Education. While not in favor of eliminating the department, he told them that the 50-year-old department has not changed much even though education has. He said he was in favor of universal preschool and expanded vocational training, because people ask for it. While computer programmers might have jobs taken by artificial intelligence, he said plumbers would always be needed. When rebuilding the department, he said, “We got to rebuild it for the future, for the jobs for the next 30 years.”
The representative also called for the abolition and prosecution of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “You can’t be above the law if you think you can enforce the law,” he said. He touted legislation he has sponsored to allow people to sue ICE officers for violating their constitutional rights and to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
Moreover, Moulton pointed to legislation he had introduced that would prohibit federal troops in
polling places without congressional approval, as Trump ally Steve Bannon has pushed for. Federal law already prohibits this and punishes anyone who “has under his authority or control any troops or armed men at any place where a general or special election is held” with a fine and not more than five years in prison, as well as disqualification from holding office.
Moulton said he is “absolutely” concerned that the Trump administration may try to invalidate of otherwise influence the 2026 election. “I think it’s a very legitimate threat. And that’s why I’m proposing legislation to address this. We’ve got to be all on our toes and doing what we can to fight it.” He admitted it would be hard to secure enough votes to pass it but said making elected officials declare their position furthers the discussion. “It’s very hard to argue that we should have troops in our election centers,” he said.
Taking a poll of the room,
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who is running for Senate, speaks with voters at Socialite Coffee Bar in Springfield.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
See MOULTON on page 2
STRM: Gionfriddo and Sullivan discuss the upcoming Big Broadcast
By Tyler Garnet tgarnet@thereminder.com
SOUTH HADLEY — On the latest episode of “So That Reminds Me,” hosts Ryan Feyre and Dennis Hackett sat down with Mount Holyoke College Jazz Ensemble Director Mark Gionfriddo and Maureen Sullivan, who handles PR for the Big Broadcast, to discuss the upcoming event on Saturday, March 7. According to the organizers, performances for the event are at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in Chapin Auditorium at Mount Holyoke College, 50 College St.
This year marks the 21st year of the showcase, which Gionfriddo started because he thought it would be fun to do something “a little bit different.”
“We were noticing that there was really nothing like this around, and especially for a college jazz program to put something like this on is really kind of unusual right from the bottom up of writing the whole thing and costuming it, and they do the hair and the makeup and all of that stuff,” he said.
Gionfriddo, who is reprising his role as bandleader “Matt Morgan,” and the college’s jazz ensembles are polishing the best Big Band songs, solos and com-
Moulton
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Moulton asked how many people could describe the Democrats’ immigration policy. No hands went up. He laid out his ideas, including streamlining legal immigration as an alternative for those who would otherwise come into the country through other means. For those already in the United States, particularly those brought here as children, he was in favor of a pathway to citizenship. When asked by a voter what he would do differently from Markey, Moulton said Markey and Senate Minority Lead-
mercials from the 1940s.
“It’s kind of our idea of what it would be like to be in the audience of a 1940s radio variety show; this one particularly happening at a remote location,” Gionfriddo said when describing the show.
The idea was conceived after students approached Gionfriddo about how the theater department at the college only conducts a musical every four years. They asked if he ever thought of doing a semi-theatrical production.
Gionfriddo used to produce a show with a cabaret group in the 1990s called “Puttin on the Ritz,” which was a fictitious radio variety show that took place at a radio station where singers would appear as “stars” of that era to sing on the air.
After he began directing in the Jazz program at Mount Holyoke College in 1999, Gionfriddo said he felt like himself, and his students were ready to take on a similar project. The Jazz Ensembles produced the first “Big Broadcast” in 2006.
Regarding the location of the broadcast, Gionfriddo said Chapin Auditorium looks “very, very period.” He later found out that The Glenn Miller Band performed on the same stage as the
er Chuck Schumer have not put forward “an aggressive agenda on affordability.” He said, “It’s all next generation leaders coming up with these ideas.” Among them, he named himself, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and newly elected Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
“We also, as Democrats, have to look ourselves in the mirror and said, ‘Why are we losing touch with working people?’” He said many people see the Democratic party as being for the “ultra-rich and the ultra-poor.” He said the party only began talking about affordability in the past year.
“I am not going to get elected on a platform of next genera-
Big Broadcast in February 1939.
The Glenn Miller Band and Andrew Sisters are two bands that Gionfriddo says he focuses on for the production, among other artists of the time period.
Besides the music from the 1940s, Mount Holyoke College students help write the show, including the introductions and outros for TV22 meteorologist Brian Lapis, who emcees as “Fred Kelly.” The students also select period commercials and news stories from the period for the production.
Gionfriddo mentioned how it is a great way for the students to learn about music and stories from the 1940s.
During the first few years of the show, he said a majority of the crowd were those who grew up in the time period of the 1940s and 1950s, but as the years have gone on, more students have attended the performance, with some expressing interest in helping.
Sullivan talked about the audience and atmosphere from the past few years, sharing, “I have to say that over the years being in the front of the house that people, when they come in, that they’re just in such great moods. People are happy to be there, and it’s always a great audience.”
tion leadership in Massachusetts and go to Washington and support Chuck Schumer,” as leader of the Senate, Moulton said. “I don’t think people look at Chuck Schumer and think, ‘He’s going to figure out AI,’” Moulton said, adding that he is concerned with the issue because it will affect future generations, including his young children. He said, “I’m thinking about where we’re going to be in a century, not just where we’re going to be in six years.”
Moulton does not think that an emphasis on “next generation leadership” will split the Democratic party. “I think Democratic unity really matters, and I’m very proud to have a lot of voices in
She added, “Some of these songs from the Great American Songbook have been done by a lot of artists over the years, so I think that younger people would be surprised to hear some of them and realize, ‘oh actually I know that song.’”
Gionfriddo also talked about why the focus of the production is on the 1940s. “We like the [1940s] because big hairstyles, and there was a lot of stuff going on,” he stated. “Obviously it’s very, very different from contemporary times, so it’s very interesting because some of the student, they’re kind of like, ‘oh, wow there’s a lot of stereotyping, there’s a lot of provincial, some
the Democratic party,” he said. “If we really want to win, we need to reach out to some of these independents who do feel alienated who used to vote Democratic, you know, a lot of these union guys who voted for Obama and then voted for Trump, and say, ‘Hey, you’re welcome back in, we want you.’” Democrats may not agree on everything, he said, but it is important to “build a team.”
In 2018, Moulton started the Serve America political action committee to support Democrats running for congressional seats held by Republicans across the country. Since its inception, 24 of those candidates have been elected and another four are mounting challenges in the 2026 race. Moulton said, “We can have better leadership here in Massachusetts, but if we don’t win majorities in the House and Senate, we’re not going to be able to advance this agenda.”
Moulton, who is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was asked how he feels about Trump’s use of the military and how his actions have “eroded” NATO.
of it is rather offensive,’ but they all understand that it’s kind of a historical piece, like a typical theatre piece.”
At the beginning of the program, the Big Broadcast makes sure to note that they are not glorifying or promoting the themes of the time period, according to Gionfriddo.
Tickets are available at the Odyssey Book Shop in South Hadley, and online at mhc.ludus. com and at the door.
To hear the full episode, visit thereminder.com/our-podcast or search “So That Reminds Me” on your favorite podcasting platform.
“It’s hard to think of something that frustrates me more,” Moulton told the person. He said the trust in the military has fallen since Trump’s first term began in 2016. “He is directly abusing the military for his own purposes,” he said, referring to National Guard troops being sent into American cities. He referenced a 2018 quote by the president, who said the American soldiers buried at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery were “losers” and the Marines who died in the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood were “suckers.”
“What’s lacking in Washington isn’t intelligence, it’s just courage. It’s the courage to take the right vote, to do the right thing, even when you’ve got political pressure in the other direction,” Moulton said. “And it really pisses me off, frankly, when I see colleagues of mine show a lot less courage in a very comfortable seat in the Senate or the House of Representatives than our 18-yearold soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, guardsmen show every single day on the front lines.”
Maureen Sullivan (front left) Mark Gionfriddo (back left) sits down with “So That Reminds Me” hosts Ryan Feyre and Dennis Hackett. Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet
Easthampton Theater Company to present ‘Enchanted April’
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
EASTHAMPTON —
Easthampton Theater Company
is back with its first production of 2026, “Enchanted April,” a graceful comedy about renewal, friendship, and second chances that will open on Saturday, March 14, at Williston Theater.
The production of “Enchanted April” was written by Matthew Barber, who adapted the play from the novel by Elizabeth von Armin. The charming and witty play will be presented live on stage, offering audiences warmth, humor and unexpected transformation, according to the show’s organizers.
“With ‘Enchanted April,’ we’re inviting audiences into a story that celebrates hope and the possibility of renewal,” said Director Gilana Chelimsky. “It’s a story about friendship, love, and the quiet courage it takes to open yourself to joy again.”
Set in 1920s England and Italy, the play follows four very different women who, stuck in their ordinary lives, pool their resources to rent a secluded villa on the Italian Riviera during the month of April. A practical arrangement quickly turns into a transformative journey, as the setting and unexpected connections reshape the characters in unforeseen ways.
“Enchanted April” earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Play in 2003, as well as a 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New American Play and a Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Play. Performances will take place
March 14, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., and on March 15 and 22 at 2 p.m., and all shows will be performed inside Williston Theater.
Chelimsky said she pushed for the theater group to take on this production due to the play’s themes on the importance of platonic relationships, friendships among women, self-care and rediscovering who you are when life has caused you to lose yourself.
“I really felt like Enchanted April, it speaks to a lot of the same things that we are dealing with. Particularly, they’re dealing with stuff in a post-World War 1 way; we’re sort of dealing with stuff in a semi-post-pandemic way. A lot of the stuff is the same; it’s a lot of feelings of isolation, loss of community, the sort of grind that we ended up getting back into, things like that,” explained Chelimsky. “Some of it’s about uncertainty
about how to deal with trauma. We have a number of characters responding to different traumas in different ways, but in the end, it’s deeply, deeply about how valuable community is, how valuable it is to have deep platonic connections. Because our central characters are all femme, a lot of it is about sisterhood of some sorts.”
While it is not a conventional romance, “Enchanted April” serves a richly layered story filled with wit, emotional insight and profound transformation, according to show organizers.
“This play sneaks up on you,” said Michael Budnick, producer, co-founder and president of Easthampton Theater Company. “It’s funny and sharp, but also deeply human. By the end, audiences realize they’ve been part of something quietly extraordinary.”
Chelimsky added, “It’s really
about how taking time for ourselves, and also [about how] creating a community for ourselves really helps us through complicated times, through traumas, through loss of self-identity and so forth.”
Chelimsky said every production from Easthampton Theater Company aims to have a solid balance of themes and ideas for audiences to engage in. Whether in “Torch Song,” “God of Carnage,” “On Golden Pond,” or “Guys and Dolls,” the theater company has captured audiences’ attention through a wide range of themes.
“I think we really like to do a combination, and we also really want to sort of reflect the people, the interest and the experiences of local communities as well,” said Chelimsky, adding that this upcoming show is another example of this effort.
“Even as a kid, a teenager and
a young adult, what’s stood out is the sort of power of connection and the power of community, but also the power of taking time for yourself, which is a lot of what this boils down to also; the concept of, it doesn’t always have to be the hustle, it doesn’t always have to be the grind,” said Chelimsk. “You will burn yourself out or lose track of yourself, and the importance of just taking the time, taking rest, things like that. Which is another thing I think we tend to forget about, the importance of rest. And I think these are things that anyone can connect to.”
Humor sparkles throughout the new play, but it is balanced by moments of honesty, vulnerability and hard-won grace, while acknowledging the importance of love in its many different forms.
From left: Jennie Coletta (left) as Lottie Wilson, and Schuyler Evans (right) as Rose Arnott. Both are featured in Easthampton Theater Company’s upcoming production of “Enchanted April.” Jane Barish play’s Mrs. Graves in Easthampton Theater Company’s upcoming production of “Enchanted April.” Randy Garfield (left) plays Anthony Wilding alongside Schuyler Evans as Rose Arnott in Easthampton Theater Company’s upcoming production of “Enchanted April.”
NORTHAMPTON
‘Mean Girls’ production graces NHS stage for four days in March
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton High School Theatre Department is bringing the burn book to the stage in its upcoming spring musical production of “Mean Girls: High School Version.”
The high-energy rock musical is based on the 2004 Mark Waters film about school hardships, superficiality and the triumph of genuine friendships. Packed with sharp humor, big dance numbers and unforgettable one-liners, Mean Girls spotlights the best — and worst — of high school cliques.
The production will feature a live pit band and a cast of 46 NHS students, and organizers promise a production that can simply be described as “so fetch.”
“Mean Girls: The High School Version” will run from Thursday, March 12, to Sunday, March 15. The show begins at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
The musical centers on Cady, a teenage girl who transfers to a public high school after being homeschooled her whole life in Africa. At school, she befriends outsiders Janis and Damian, who persuade her to infiltrate the “Plastics,” a clique consisting of wealthy but insecure Gretchen, sweet but dimwitted Karen and “Queen Bee” Regina.
Musical Director Susan Dillard and Director Dave Grout, who have been with NHS theatre since 2023, are leading the production. Amherst-based dance teacher Zazie Tobey is leading the choreography.
Dillard, an NHS alum and former member of its theatre program, told Reminder Publishing that the upcoming production has big plans, including wildly creative costumes, bold choreography and laugh-out-loud
performances.
“Each year, when we’re thinking about what musical we should do, we think about the people that we have and what show fits our people first and foremost. I will say that in preparation for this year, we bounced around so many shows that all seemed like good fits at first, but eventually kind of fell away for one reason or another,” said Dillard. “It’s kind of funny, the students would separately come to Dave, come to me, asking, ‘have you guys ever thought about doing Mean Girls?’ and we were like, ‘we’re not doing ‘Mean Girls.’ But they kept chipping away at it, and the more we thought about it, the more we felt like we had the population that can fill the roles. And Dave had a vision he got excited about, so we decided to go with ‘Mean Girls.’”
Dillard shared that the production and direction of the show will have its own uniquely Northampton twist.
“We’re definitely making it our own version in the interpretation of the concept. From Dave’s vision, we’re doing this parallel or metaphor where the students at the high school are animalistic, and we’re going with this wild theme, like the Savannah. The plastics are predators, and other student bodies are potentially prey. So, there’s that element that kind of, we wanted to make it a little different from what you see on Broadway or other productions of it,” explained Dillard.
Organizers say that the theatre program can produce shows that are successful and unique because directors and students in the cast and crew spend a lot of time talking about the best approach to classic productions.
Dillard explained that they consulted with students before auditions to talk with them about the show and its contents.
Following auditions, Dillard
and Grout established a focus group, first with the cast members with the most lines. The group read through the script, and the time allowed anyone to speak up with any concerns or potential changes to the text.
“We read through the script and gave everybody a chance to speak to, ‘is this ok?’ Like the show is mean, it’s supposed to have bite, but how do we deal with it if you’re saying a line that makes you uncomfortable. And in a lot of cases, we had an honest conversation, and in general, we decided to keep a lot of what’s already in the script, and things that felt out of place, we had alternative suggestions put in,” Dillard said.
She continued, “It helps because Dave and I, we would read through the script and say this is hilarious, but also, our students
are going to be saying these lines. We know they think it’s funny, but as soon as they’re the ones saying the line, or as soon as the line is being said about them, it could change. Anyone could be affected by that. After that conversation, we knew our kids could handle it, for lack of a better way of putting it; they really embraced it and took it seriously.”
Dillard expressed much gratitude for the group of talented student actors, singers, musicians, dancers, technicians and craftspeople who came together to make the musical happen.
As a former member of the program, Dillard said that the musical has always been special and close to her heart. She shared that
she hopes the public will once again come out and support the talented youth in another highly anticipated spring production. She credited Grout for being a great collaborator and for leading the program as well as he does. “I’m lucky to have Dave as a partner, and he is so experienced with this. It has become a collaborative effort for two faculty within the school,” said Dillard. “We know our students, and they know us. We have new students every year who are getting to know us, but it always just feels like a community that had such a strong foundation before us, that we both have been just so happy to step into and continue on together.”
Above, NHS Musical Director
Susan Dillard leads the crew through a rehearsal of one of the show’s musical numbers. At right, NHS Theatre during rehearsals in preparation for its spring musical, “Mean Girls.”
Reminder Publishing photos by Trent Levakis.
‘MELLOW’ captures local man’s meditation trip
By Trent Levakis tlevakis@thereminder.com
Billy Rosenbeck, owner of The Mellow Elephant Meditation, spent World Meditation Day last spring road tripping across the region to lead 10 different mediations in 10 different locations, and now a documentary capturing this effort is available to the public.
Rosenbeck told Reminder Publishing at one point in his life, he wasn’t even sure if meditation was for him, but it turned out to become his life’s passion and something that can be used by anyone, regardless of age or background, and that is the message he hopes people can take away from the new documentary.
“It’s always been the idea that, because I didn’t think meditation was for someone like me, it kind of qualified me to teach people who don’t think meditation is for them, and so that is kind of the whole idea. Meditation in places you wouldn’t expect to find it for people who don’t think meditation is for them, and I think that’s what I’m particularly good at communicating,” explained Rosenbeck.
“MELLOW: A Meditation Road Trip” was released on Feb. 26 and can be viewed through themellowelephant.com/firm or on YouTube via The Mellow Elephant page. Rosenbeck said that the documentary proves that meditation can work anywhere because meditation works everywhere — even in places you wouldn’t expect to find it, even for people who might not think meditation is for them.
During the one-day trip, cameras followed Rosenbeck across Western Massachusetts and briefly in northern Connecticut, where he visited police and fire stations, prisons, schools, senior centers and community spaces. Rosenbeck said he already had prior relationships with some of these spaces because he already led meditation sessions with the people there, but overall, the day was about exposing more people from all walks of life to the practice and its offerings.
“I loved the work I did at the yoga studio, but I found the space kind of attracts a certain type of person who’s already interested,” he said. “I always thought of it like bringing it to the street level.”
Easthampton Mental Health and Wellness Coordinator Emma Riley was featured in the documentary during Rosenbeck’s visit to the Easthampton Public Safety Complex for a session with mem-
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“I know sometimes when I describe the show, it does not sound humorous; it is very funny. We will crack up quite frequently. Particularly, some of our actors are just hysterical,” added Chelimsky. “This is a show that is beautiful and funny, and the actors that we have are really doing an amazing job amping that up.”
Easthampton Theater Company’s production features a talented regional cast and creative team, bringing Barber’s lyrical dialogue and richly-drawn characters to vivid life. The cast list is available on the theater company’s website.
Easthampton Theater Company continues its mission to present compelling stories that resonate with audiences since its debut production of “God of Carnage” in 2023. Chelimsky added that the company was purposefully founded to create a space for passionate performers and crew members to come together and focus directly on putting out high-quality local theater, while constantly being a reminder of why these passionate artists are performing in the first place.
“We really try to make the experience of the crew, the actors, etc., as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Several of us are really heavily of the mindset of ‘why do it if it’s not fun,’” said Chelimsky. “We try to create a re-
bers of the city’s Police and Fire departments. Riley explained in the documentary that she had initial skepticism in bringing Rosenbeck in for a meditation session, in part because of the stereotypes associated with meditation. She said that the common assumption for many, especially in the line of work of a first responder, is that the practice is too closely associated with the “hippie” lifestyle and is not particularly a “macho” way of self help.
This perception is exactly what has helped motivate Rosenbeck in getting the message out there, especially as someone who once had those same feelings before he finally tried the practice as a way to help his mental health.
He also said that as a teacher and a brother to two nurses, the pandemic caused much burnout to everyone, but especially those on the front line, which is why much of his work involves connecting first responders with meditation.
Hampshire County Jail and House of Corrections Education
Director Ann Marie Basile said in the documentary that holistic healing is a major benefit of meditation, especially for the people she works with. She shared that meditation can help change people’s mindsets.
“To see the guys be some comfortable in Billy’s class, to actually shut their eyes and totally relax, says a lot about what Billy offers them,” said Basile. “It gives me chills that they are comfortable doing that, and it gives them a sense of walking out that space and having less stress on them.”
Rosenbeck added, “Those were two places between honest ly, inmates, and police and fire, where I was like, ‘if it’s working for these guys, it has to work for everyone.’ There’s no reason it wouldn’t work in other places.”
Rosenbeck has worked with the Hampshire County Jail for about three years now through regularly scheduled sessions with inmates. He has also collaborated with Easthampton first respond ers for a couple years and hopes to continue connecting with similar populations in the future.
religious affiliation or anything like that. Just real people doing real work in the course of their real day,” said Rosenbeck. “People were so receptive and gracious, the host sites. Organizing, getting people there, promoting it. It was weird because all these places were just a small sample of something bigger. This is ultimately what it came out to be kind of like a love letter to Western Mass., where I’m from, and a thank you to all the people who are willing to give it a shot.”
He added that World Meditation Day was the perfect way to connect with these different groups and bring a session to them. He said the important takeaway should be how one can use this in life consistently.
“There’s no better day to meditate than any other day, right? And for me the point of the practice isn’t what happens through any one particular meditation, it’s
As part of the documentary experience, Rosenbeck visited his alma mater Minnechaug Regional High School to lead a session with about 40 student athletes. Overall, Rosenbeck called the day a great success, and he feels like the documentary captures him accomplishing the goal of sharing the practice with people from all walks of life.
“The whole idea was like, no yoga studios, no monasteries, no
ally safe space and create a sense of community. That’s really important to all of us involved and who were part of the creation of this company. We also just wanted to tell a variety of stories. We wanted to have that variety and create a welcoming and comfortable place, and we are extraordinarily proud of the quality of productions we’ve been able to put out, the quality of actors, the dedication of the actors that we’ve gotten and the various crew that we’ve gotten. We’re very proud of everything that’s come of the work from all of us.”
For more tickets or more information on Easthampton Theater Company and its upcoming show, visit www. easthamptontheater.com.
about the consistency of it, like brushing your teeth. If you brush your teeth once a month, that’s probably better than nothing, but you’re probably not going to get much of the benefit. The value of it comes in consistency,” added Rosenbeck.
Rosenbeck said that meditation is “an act of resistance against the speed of the world we’re in, but also a necessary skill for living in the modern world.”
“What I really like about it as an approach is being proactive and not reactive. I think I was lucky enough to get out ahead of larger issues that can come down the line, and so in the same way that somebody goes to the gym to bring a healthy body with them into the world, that’s kind of the idea with what meditation is,” Rosenbeck said.
Rosenbeck shouted out Direc-
Billy Rosenbeck
NORTHAMPTON VS MINNECHAUG
BASKETBALL
The Minnechaug girls basketball team defeated Northampton with a final score of 45-33 in a Feb. 14. match-up.
REMINDER SPORTS PHOTOS TAKEN BY SAM BLAKE
Anna Oravec reaches out for the ball and catches the pass from her teammate.
Liv Joensen reaches out with one arm and gets the rebound.
Emme Calkins makes a one-handed layup.
Keira Cole looks for an open teammate to pass to.
Makayla Fydenkevez gets the shot off while being closely defended.
Emme Calkins jumps in the air and grabs the pass.
Quinn Spears shoots the ball over the defender’s head.
Emme Calkins dribbles around the defender down low.
The Northampton bench cheers and claps as one of their teammates makes a three pointer.
Anna Oravec grabs the loose ball and dribbles down the court with it.
DINING ENTERTAINMENT
Agawam Cinemas to premiere new cult horror movie “Dark Places”
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
AGAWAM — On March 14, the local independent film production company Xposse Productions will be premiering “Dark Places” at Agawam Cinemas at 7 p.m. Tickets can be found for $9.75 on Agawam Cinemas’ website.
The film follows college student Natalie Parker, who grew up homeschooled and is now nervously on her own for the first time. When she meets and begins dating another introverted student, Jason Evans, college professors begin to be murdered. The two team up to figure it out, which leads to an attempt to take down the cult behind it all.
Writer and Director Geno McGahee is an award-winning filmmaker based out of Western Massachusetts and is the mind behind “Dark Places.” He first picked up a camcorder at 12 years old and released his first feature-length film, “Evil Awakening,” in 2001.
“I was always a writer, so I ended up seeing a film called ‘Galaxy Invader,’” McGahee said. “It’s a terribly low budget film, but it’s terribly charming as well … it’s really silly but it made me want to film.”
He got the idea while working on the set of one of his friend’s films, a romance comedy, where he also met the star of “Dark Places,” Lindsey DeLand.
“This idea came into my head of something darker, of putting
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tors of Photography Aiden McDonald and Kayla Ebner from Bold Heart Media, editors of the
them into a scenario where there was a looming force,” McGahee said. “It was a moment of inspiration. I’ve always wanted to do a good cult movie. Many years ago, I made a cult movie, but I wasn’t experienced enough to really get the message out that I wanted.”
McGahee said he’s always been a fan of horror movies and cult films like “Race with the Devil,” so making a film like this has always been in the back of his mind. As far as his approach went, he said it was “Scream” inspired.
“Directing and shooting it, it was such a great experience,” McGahee said. “I have the best team in the world. We’ve worked together now for five years, this great group of people I’ve assembled. Every shoot we do is just like, I won’t say a party atmosphere, but it feels like a family atmosphere.”
He added that putting a film together is always a crazy process with the ups and downs, from getting the schedules right and shooting in the forest through 20-degree weather. At one point during filming, the person in charge of the film’s gore couldn’t make it to the set. This led McGahee and the team to get creative with how certain things were shot, resulting in “the most impactful death scene that I’ve ever shot,” according to McGahee.
He also looks forward to getting back with the team behind “Dark Places” to see it on the big screen.
He said he is super excited for the premiere and to have something to present to an audience.
McGahee utilized places to film all over Western Massachusetts, such as a Holyoke school, as well as the Enfield Mall in Connecticut. He said he is a low budget guy, making films out of his own pocket, so he relies on the kindness of other people allowing him to use their homes or businesses.
project, for their help putting the documentary together. He said that sharing this experience in the documentary format was the best way to promote his message. “A documentary to me — it ended up being 45 minutes. Going into it had nerves about like,
is this too long? But at the same time, I’m just never going to be one of those people who puts up a 30-second reel just being like, ‘hey, here are five meditation hacks for you to use today,’” he said. Rosenbeck hopes the docu-
“It’s open to the public, so it’s nice to get feedback from people that weren’t involved,” McGahee said. “It’s a super exciting night. I love premieres because it’s just a party, you don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to set up lights, you don’t schedule anything, you just get to show up.”
mentary reaches audiences all over the region and can serve as a deeper look into meditation, its benefits and how the practice is something anyone can try to utilize in their lives.
“Whether you are the prisoner or the police officer. Whether you’re the student or the teacher. Whether you’re young or in a senior center. The slings and arrows of daily life are sort of the same for all of us, and so the reason
He thanked the entire team behind “Dark Places,” and Agawam Cinemas for their generosity in holding the premiere. The film will stream on Tubi, Fawesome and Amazon Prime Video.
why I think this practice works is because it touches that sort of commonplace in us that is so often forgotten,” said Rosenbeck. “Over the course of the day, I was teaching essentially the same meditation all day long. It’s not like I’m adapting one for the prison and one for the senior center. It’s one thing that cuts to the core of who we are. It cuts into that space of being. Not what we do, but who we are.”
