Snow White at the Mount
Co Produced with the Colonial and Berkshire Theatre Festival
By: Mount - Apr 15, 2011
This summer, in partnership with the Berkshire Theatre Festival and The Colonial Theatre, The Mount--the historic estate of Edith Wharton--is introducing family friendly outdoor theatre. Nightly performances of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, drawn directly from the classic Brothers Grimm story, will run from July 20 through July 30 in a newly constructed amphitheatre on The Mount's spectacular 50-acre property in Lenox, Massachusetts, with a stage specially designed for this project by BTF designer Gary English. Previews will be held on July 18 and 19. Performances will be held nightly at 7:30.
The story is adapted by Eric Hill, whose resume includes several renowned adaptations of myths, fairy tales and the classics. It will be directed by Hill and E. Gray Simons III, BTF Artistic Associate. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be produced by the Unicorn Company, Berkshire Theatre Festival's pre-professional acting troupe. To enhance the enchantment of watching a fairy tale come to life in The Mount's gorgeous, idyllic setting, audience members are invited to bring blankets and refreshments.
The property has a rich tradition of live performances. From 1979 to 1999, The Mount was home to Shakespeare & Company, which performed classic drama under the tall pines and bright stars of Berkshire summer evenings. The Berkshire Theatre Festival will recapture this "outdoor magic" in a specially built open-air stage in a natural amphitheatre space--the only one of its kind in the Berkshires--just below The Mount's historic stable. This space has been chosen for its inherent beauty and Mr. English is working to integrate the performance space into the existing vista. The integration of the manmade stage and the current landscape features will also provide a natural transition from the beautifully manicured gardens and lawns of The Mount to the more free-range woodlands that surround the property, in keeping with Edith Wharton's original landscaping theories.
Tickets for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs can be purchased starting on May 1 through www.edithwharton.org
or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under.
"We are delighted to reclaim for such notable purpose this beautiful area of the property that has not been used to its potential for some time," said Mount Executive Director Susan Wissler. "Our goal is to provide captivating, rustic family fun during the evenings in the height of the summer season. This year we will host only one production, but in future seasons we hope to stage multiple plays."
"I am so excited to be a part of live theatre at The Mount this summer," said Kate Maguire, Artistic Director/CEO of Berkshire Theatre Festival and The Colonial Theatre. "To partner with such a great cultural institution and bring a magical story to these idyllic grounds is a wonderful treat for us. This is going to be so much fun for everyone."
The outdoor theatre and the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is generously underwritten by The Maurer Family Foundation, The Berkshire Bank Foundation, and an anonymous donor.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by the Brothers Grimm, adapted by Eric Hill
Directed by Eric Hill and E. Gray Simons III
Staged at The Mount
(Monday-Saturday at 7:30pm)
Previews July 18, 19
Opening Night July 20 (this production is not open for review)
Closes July 30
A production of the Unicorn Company (BTF's pre-professional acting troupe)
in collaboration with The Mount
Tickets $15 adults/$10 children 12 and under
Live outdoor theatre returns to The Mount this summer! Drawn directly from the classic Grimm's Brothers story and adapted by Eric Hill, this premiere work will delight children of all ages as they discover within the gorgeous backdrop of The Mount the perfect home of the legendary Seven Dwarfs. As the sun sets in the distance, the audience will be transported into the elegant tale of Snow White, fairest in the land, as she and her faithful companions triumph over evil. An idyllic setting and a classic fairy tale will come together this summer.