Fall Arts Preview 2016: Guild Hall in East Hampton

Since 1931, Guild Hall in East Hampton has been a cultural hub for the seaside community. More than 40,000 people walk through Guild Hall’s doors annually, whether to take in a live theater production, catch a comedy show  or view an art exhibition. This institution has quite a fall lineup of events for you to enjoy when the cold weather drives you indoors.

On October 4, a staged reading of LOVE, SEX, ANARCHY by Melissa Bell will take place at the John Drew Theater. The play follows the life of anarchist and women’s rights advocate Emma Goldman as she struggles with the friction between her beliefs and her emotions. Bell, a playwright whose shows have appeared off-Broadway and at theater festivals around the country, is known for her biting wit and ability to strip away pretense. The next play in the JDTLab Staged Readings series on October 18 is Dancing on Ice by Janet Sarno and Anita Keal. In pre-dawn New York City, a sailor on leave hoping to lose his virginity meets a hooker and the experience changes them both. Other staged readings include Deep Down in Brooklyn: An American Story by Ed German on November 1 and Door of No Return by Nehassaiu deGannes on November 22.

Be sure not to miss The Deep Blue Sea on November 5, another National Theatre Live screening. Starring the incomparable Helen McCrory (Penny Dreadful, Peaky Blinders) as Hester Collyer, a woman stifled by a passionless marriage until her sexuality is awakened by a tempestuous affair, The Deep Blue Sea charts Hester’s struggle to stay true to herself.

If you haven’t seen The Met: Live in HD, you’re missing out on an amazing experience. Go behind the scenes for interviews with directors, conductors and cast members, and see how each production comes together, from the set design to the opulent costumes. This fall, there will be two screenings of The Met: Live in HD performances. The first, on October 15, is Richard Wagner’s 1865 opus Tristan and Isolde. This classic tale of star-crossed love is set in the mystical Celtic world of Cornwall. The opera is renowned for its demanding vocal requirements and brilliant music. On October 22, Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s retelling of the Don Juan tale, will screen. This 1787 opera is a jubilant and ironic take on excess, love, honor and death.

Guild Hall also hosts plenty of author, artist and filmmaker talks. On October 1, a selection of artists will discuss works in Guild Hall’s “Aspects of Minimalism” exhibition (through October 10). The show includes works by Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Agnes Martin, Joseph Beuys and Gerhard Richter, with many of the pieces on display to the public for the first time.

Don’t miss all the wonderful programs and exhibitions Guild Hall’s got lined up this fall. The Hamptons International Film Festival will be screening movies at the John Drew Theater over the weekend of October 6–10 and you can listen to conversations with actors, filmmakers and writers participating in the festival. There’s always lots going on, so be sure to check Guild Hall’s website for the latest information on all that’s happening.

Guild Hall, 158 Main Street, East Hampton. 631-324-0806, guildhall.org