‘Richard III’ in a bar

Valley Players’ third “Bard in the Bar” reading will be on Sunday, May 4, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Progression Brewing in Northampton.

The play is Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” about an English duke and his machinations to become king.

Anyone can join the cast, but roles are given out on a first-come, first served-basis, and the show is performed “unrehearsed, script-in-hand, drink-in-hand,” according to a press release. To sign up for a role, email info@valleyplayers.org.

Tickets are pay-what-you-can via valleyplayers.org. Half of the net proceeds will benefit Community Action Pioneer Valley, a nonprofit in Greenfield that provides a variety of resources to low-income people.

Classic literary monsters reimagined

From 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, Drawing Board Brewing in Florence will host “Shadow, Sound, Spectacle: Literary Monsters,” a free performance project that uses shadow puppetry, poetry, original music, and visuals to reimagine “iconic gothic figures — Frankenstein’s creature, Poe’s raven, the Headless Horseman — as symbols of resistance, transformation, and queer identity,” according to a press release.

The project features singer-songwriter Jess Martin, puppeteer Amy West, and musician/YouTuber Abby Hanna, all of whom are Massachusetts-based.

Roller-skating discomusical at UMass

“Xanadu,” a musical based on the Olivia Newton-John movie of the same name, will play at the Rand Theater at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on May 2, 3, 8, and 9 at 7:30 p.m., on May 3 and 10 at 2 p.m., and May 7 at 10 a.m.

According to a press release, “Escape with us into the glittering world of the pastels, spandex and synthesizers of the roller disco! Ancient Greek Muse Clio goes undercover as a leg-warmer-wearing Australian to help hapless wannabe artist Sonny find his purpose. Along the way, she finds she has an important choice to make between immortality, or love and art. ‘Xanadu’ is pure joy and silliness, with the hummable tunes of ELO mastermind Jeff Lynne.”

Tickets are $17 general admission or $5 for students, seniors, and Card to Culture via fac.umass.edu.

Note: the show is recommended for ages 10 and up due to some coarse language and mild references to sex.

Barbershopchorus concert

Heart of the Valley Chorus, a barbershop a cappella group of women’s voices, will host a concert with the theme “Till the Whole World Sings” at Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity in Florence on Sunday, May 4, at 3 p.m.

The show, according to a press release, wants to bring the community together to “experience music’s power to inspire joy, community, and peace.”

“When the world feels divided and unstable, there’s something really grounding and comforting about coming together and making harmony,” said Stephanie Flinker, the chorus’s director.

Other participating groups will include the Cider House Boys, High Definition, the Northampton High School Chamber Choir, the Northamptones, Chill Harmonics, the Wise Guys, and the Ujima Singers.

Tickets are $20 (suggested donation) at bombyx.live, and a portion of the proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County.

Video gamesoundtrack, live

Bit Brigade will play “Super Mario World” and “F-Zero” at The Drake in Amherst on Wednesday, May 7, at 8 p.m.

Here’s how Bit Brigade works: one of the group members plays an NES/SNES game live on stage, projected onto a screen so the audience can see it. As they do so, the rest of the group plays the game’s soundtrack.

Nmlstyl (pronounced “animal style”) will open.

Tickets are $17 in advance or $20 day-of at thedrakeamherst.org.

Exhibition ofportraits andfigure paintings

Local artist Frances Kidder will have an exhibition, “Body and Soul,” at the Oxbow Gallery in Easthampton from Thursday, May 1, through Sunday, May 25. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, May 3, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Kidder describes the works as “portraits and figure paintings of family, friends and a few strangers.”

The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, and 2 to 7 p.m. on Friday.

Easthampton Film Festival returns

At CitySpace in Easthampton on Saturday, May 3, Easthampton Film Festival will host screenings of documentaries at 1 p.m. and short horror films at 10 p.m.

The documentary lineup includes “Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb,” by Mecky Creus and Adrienne Hall; “A Video Essay On Ballroom,” by Mackenzie McCree; and “Each,” by Tristan Smith. “Each” is about (and named after) a second-chance program for convicted young adults in Springfield.

The horror lineup includes “The Laundry Room,” by Esme Auster; “Ever There,” by Daniel Grace; “Mourning Night,” by Kyle Lindfors; “Burn Out,” by Russell Goldman; “Vestiges,” by Wade Wofford; and “Rejected,” by Rene Rivas.

Tickets to each slate of films are $15. To buy tickets or see the festival’s full multi-day lineup, visit easthamptonfilmfestival.com.