The Valley Letter
Pioneer Valley Bookstore Crawl | Meet Podge Thomas | A Visit to Double Edge Theatre | Cover photo by Lucas Abbott
COMMUNITY EVENT
2nd Annual Pioneer Valley Bookstore Crawl
Discover the Pioneer Valley, one bookshop at a time!
Now through August 31, you can visit 10+ bookstores to be entered into the Grand Prize drawing to win $800 in bookstore gift cards. Each additional bookstore you visit is another entry into the drawing! And the more bookstores you visit, the greater your chances of winning.
Participating bookstores include: High Five Books, Odyssey Bookshop, Amherst Books, Bookends in Florence, Booklink Booksellers, Book Moon Books, Broadside Bookshop, The Carle Museum Bookshop, Comics N’More, Federal Street Books, Interlink Showroom, A New Chapter, Olive Tree Books-n-Voices, Roundabout Books, Rumspringa Books, and Unnameable Books.
BLOOM LOCAL COLLECTIVE
Meet Podge Thomas
Podge Thomas is a queer, neurodivergent, multiracial creative entrepreneur who teaches people how to reclaim their curiosity and leverage Notion to build intuitive and supportive systems.
Want to learn more? Check out Podge’s Decolonized Learning Glossary for creative entrepreneurs who are allergic to “Just follow the steps,” or her Manifesto for Educational Sovereignty to get started.
BLOOM LOCAL COLLECTIVE
Behind the Spectacle: A Visit to Double Edge Theatre
On a recent afternoon in Ashfield, the farm at Double Edge Theatre was alive with the particular energy that only comes in the final stretch before a major performance. Company members moved with quiet purpose across the grounds, adjusting lighting, putting finishing touches on elaborate set pieces, and hauling materials between buildings.
Double Edge is not a theatre company that operates out of a black box or a traditional rehearsal space. It is a working farm and living artistic community, and every corner of the property reflects that dual identity. A highlight of the visit was a look at the company’s newest building which will become a dedicated space for set construction and design.
The summer spectacle is here.
Once A Blue Moon - Cada Luna Azul
Double Edge Theatre’s current performance is based on lead actor and cultural strategist Carlos Uriona’s past experience with military dictatorship and cultural rebellion in his native country Argentina. Once a Blue Moon returns Carlos to Agua Santa, a fictional version of his hometown, after many years in exile. He evokes the memories of his past and the stories of the town’s colorful inhabitants as well as the events leading to his departure. The story reflects an increasingly present-day and universal situation in which ‘progress’ and ‘power’ displaces people, in this case causing a flood. It is a story of memory, culture, and song.
The theatre first presented this work in their 2015/2016 season and is returning to it a decade later, reimagined with the current company.
Performances through August 2 are sold out. Email tickets@doubleedgetheatre.org to join the waitlist.
Notary Services
Forbes Library (Northampton): (413) 587-1011
Easthampton Public Library: (413) 527-1031
Chicopee Public Library: (413) 594-1800
You can also try (fees may apply): your local town hall, AAA, banks
🧡 Do you know of a free or low-cost resource that could be supportive for your fellow community members? Please contact us.
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