Women's Voices Conference at BCC

Berkshire Community College, 1350 West St. in Pittsfield announces that New York City standup comic Janet Rosen will close the fourth annual Women's Voices Conference on Saturday, March 9. The conference, which features authors, drummers, actors, storytellers and more, is part of a series celebrating Women's History Month.

Rosen's onstage low-key demeanor belies a wit that is alternately friendly and biting, as she puzzles about topics ranging from her interracial marriage, the names of lipsticks, dead relatives, and the problem with Restoration Hardware. Although she says she is as prone to want to spend the day in bed hiding under the blankets as anyone, she firmly believes that there is always something to laugh at, even if it is herself.

Formerly an editor at Glamour Magazine and on the staff of other women's magazines, Rosen has been a standup comic and performance artist since 1997. A regular performer at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City, she has also been featured at Caroline's, NY Comedy Club, Standup NY, Rose's Turn and many other clubs, cabarets and performance venues, as well as the prestigious Marshalls Women in Comedy Festival.

Rosen joins a keynote presenter lineup also featuring nationally known drummer Mary Knysh from Bloomsburg, PA, who opens the conference with her presentation "Rise Up and Celebrate Life in Rhythm and Song." Her session embraces the concept that musical self-expression is a joyful and positive means of communication available to every individual, regardless of age or experience. Knysh's love for music and her belief in its potential for enhancing creativity, community and cooperative communication have led her to expand her knowledge of world music and ethnic traditions, and to share this spark of enthusiasm with others.

The third keynote presenter is well-acquainted with the BCC event, having performed there for the past two years. Deborah Lubar, an actress, writer and playwright from Northampton, will present a Berkshire premier of her play, Naming the Days. This fully-staged production follows the jagged days of three women just returned to their own county after some years away as war refugees. Not yet in their own homes, they struggle to piece together their broken lives. As is true of many striving to keep humanity intact in terrible times, they discover that humor—sweet, broken, wild, bizarre, simple—plays a vital part in their struggle to heal. The play sews together the pieces of people's lives that were exposed to Lubar during her travel to war-torn Bosnia, where she lived among the poor and middle classes and watched as they restructured their lives after the war. To create this play, Lubar exchanged her knowledge of therapeutic touch for their generous stories.

Morning workshops include an opportunity to meet with Rosen in a smaller setting as she hosts "There's Always Something to Laugh At," showing participants how to be funny in front of a group; "A Guide to Self-Knowledge" hosted by Carol Stroll of Pittsfield, explaining how poetry helps us find answers and opens us to learning from each other's experiences and passions; "Psychic Survival Through Writing," designed to nurture and inspire those who wish to work with the power of words to illuminate, understand, and work through the struggles in their everyday lives; "Self-Defense for Every Day" by Aikido Sensei Mary Eastland from Great Barrington, explaining why everyday self-defense is more than defending one's self against a stranger hiding in the bushes; and "Patching Together Life's Stories," during which fabrics and fusible webbing are used to create images of nature, ancient and archetypal motifs, and personal symbols. Eleanor Velaz and Maria Sirois, both from Pittsfield, will host "Rising Up" to discuss what enables a woman to rise up to empower or defend herself, her family, and her community.

"The conference truly unites women and men of all ages. People use what they have experienced throughout the day with personal stories of loss, surprise, learning, truth and beauty," said Barbara Viniar, president of Berkshire Community College. "The event is a staple on our calendar and one that we look forward to hosting."

Space for the conference, which costs $35 and includes lunch, is limited, and event coordinators highly encourage pre-registration. For more info or to register, call Christine DeGregorio at 413-499-4660, ext 268. People requiring special assistance should call at least one week prior to the conference.