Berkshire Theatre News - July 2009
Local Theatre Community Thriving, Growing
By: Larry Murray - Jul 01, 2009
For a detailed listing of performances taking place in the Berkshires be sure to check out our biweekly Berkshire Review of the Arts Preview Guide:
Events Now to July 5
Not that many decades ago, theatre in the Berkshires was primarily a summertime activity, enjoyed by the same visitors who came for the dance at Jacob's Pillow and music at Tanglewood. In the past few years it seems that the theatre bug has bitten Berkshire residents who are now turning out in ever increasing numbers to see our resident professional companies. Smaller community theatre groups have sprouted up too, as well as student efforts in schools and colleges throughout Western Massachusetts. Not only is the quality good, it is getting better all the time.
The four key organizations - Barrington Stage Company (Pittsfield), the Berkshire Theatre Festival (Stockbridge), Williamstown Theatre Festival and Shakespeare & Company (Lenox) - have embedded themselves into their communities, and work on a regular basis with schools, preparing actors, writers and audiences for the future. Three of the four now engage in year-round activity, which in the cooler months depends on Berkshire residents. not "outsiders" for their ticket sales.
A synergy has developed. As we in the Berkshires see more theatre, more theatre is offered. What a happy development.
So here's an informal update on what's happening in the Berkshires, a look behind the curtain that lets you in on what "our" companies are planning and doing. It's time we called them "our" companies; because we're all in this together. The economic climate may be harsh, but once the curtain rises, we've got other things on our minds.
To all the theatre people - on stage and off -who work here and give us so much pleasure, thank you. You have brightened our lives immeasurably.
Bebe Neuwirth Returns to the Berkshires and then Broadway
I just caught up with Neuwirth for an advance piece on her July 11 concert at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington. It will appear here in BFA in a few days. There's big news. A lot of years have passed since Broadway Bebe trod the boards in the Berkshires, in Williamstown as Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew in 1999, directed by Roger Reese. Present artistic director Nicholas Martin was there as well, directing another play.
The big news is that she is soon to star in a $10 Million dollar musical about The Addams Family where she will play Morticia. It will be based on the Charles Addams cartoons that appeared in the New Yorker magazine, not the tv series. It's scheduled for an initial production in Chicago in the Fall before a scheduled New York opening in March of 2010.
Williamstown Raises the Curtain
Online http://www.wtfestival.org/
They're back, they're unpacked and the shows have begun! With some of the finest productions this side of Broadway, it's great to see WTF light up again. Despite suffering a stroke in September, brought on by stress, Nicholas Martin hasn't slowed down. Not only is he back with a full season at WTF but will direct Victor Garber in Noel Coward's "Present Laughter" on Broadway in January. Read more about Martin in this interview. Welcome back, we've missed you!
Blanche and Beyond - Tennessee Williams
Scheduled to play the WTF Main Stage for one night only, Sunday, August 2 at 7pm. Blanche and Beyond is a one-man show adapted and directed by Steve Lawson (St. Elsewhere, Williamstown Film Festival) and featuring Richard Thomas (The Waltons, Democracy, Taking Woodstock). It is based on the hilarious, raunchy, and poignant letters which Tennessee Williams wrote between 1945 and 1957. It is the stage sequel to Lawson's A Distant Country Called Youth. While the first play traced the evolution of a young man finding his artistic voice, Blanche and Beyond spans the peak of Williams' career – the period of Streetcar, Rose Tattoo, Summer and Smoke, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – and explores a no-longer obscure playwright facing the seismic shock of international fame.
WTF Late Night Cabaret Speculation
There is much speculation as to which of the many artists in the Northern Berkshires at the Williamstown Theatre Festival will be featured in the first of several Late Night Cabarets on July 9-10-11. In fact the Saturday night one is already sold out. In the past such legendary singers as Bebe Neuwirth and comics like Lewis Black have been featured. Ten years ago they appeared together in one of the most memorable evenings of that series. My bet is on Nate Corddry and Brooks Ashmanskas among others. Stay tuned.
Knickerbocker Reunion
The first Nikos Stage show of the season (running July 8 -19) at the Williamstown Theatre Festival is the world premiere of the new play, Knickerbocker, by Jonathan Marc Sherman. What's great about it is that five of the play's team went to Bennington College - Nicholas Martin, Director, Sherman, playwright, Alexander Dodge, set designer, and two of the stars, Brooks Ashmanskas, and Peter Dinklage. Nicky taught them all at Bennnington. How's that for a local angle?
Circumcising The Torch Bearers
When The Torch Bearers (July 29 - August 9) opens at the Williamstown Theatre Festival it won't be quite the same play that was such a hit on Broadway in 1922. Back then, three act plays with three hours plus at the theatre was the standard, and people had longer attention spans. That was then, this is now. The third act was a bit soft anyway, so it has been trimmed and inserted into the second act cutting the running time considerably. And the casting is just heavenly, especially for WTF regulars who will treasure actors like the great , plus the not too shabby Edward Herrmann, Jessica Hecht, Becky Ann Baker, John Rubenstein, James Waterston, Dana Ivey, Lizbeth MeKay, Yusof Bulos, John Doherty, Phillip Goodwin, and Katie Finneran. The addition of Andrea Martin has just been announced as has the replacement of Marian Seldes by Katherine McGrath.
Melinda Lopez, Playwright Rising
One of the happiest Williamstown surprises of the season is the decision to bring the work of Melinda Lopez, who wrote Caroline in Jersey (August 5-16) , to the attention of Berkshire audiences. Nicholas Martin, Artistic Director of WTF has presented this and other of her works when he was at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston. He seems to have an unbiased eye for women playwrights and directors. Amanda Charlton is directing the cast which includes Will Lebow (Shear Madness, Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, ART Company Member), Matt McGrath (Cabaret, Boys Don't Cry, Beyond Therapy), Lea Thompson (Back to the Future I, II, & III, Cabaret, Caroline in the City), and Brenda Wehle (Come Back, Little Sheba, Pygmalion, Stuff Happens).
So what's it about? Caroline is down and out in New Jersey. She's having a nervous breakdown, her career as an actress is tragically dwindling, and a peculiar stranger has made his presence known in her new apartment. Can she find a way to conquer it all? This funny and touching new play follows one woman's whole-hearted attempt to accept the past and take hold of the future, despite the many surprises that pop up along the way.
Shakespeare & Company's Tina, as Martha
Online http://www.shakespeare.org/
Word has leaked that Tina Packer, never one to rest on her laurels, is slated to play Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf this fall. The Publick Theatre plans to open it in October at the Boston Center for the Arts, and word is that Packer will take on the demanding role of Martha. When Packer, the Founding Artistic Director, turned over the reins of Shakespeare & Company story here to Artistic Director Tony Simotes, she stated that it would again allow time to stretch her legs as an actress. This famous and difficult role certainly qualifies.
Meet Shakespeare & Company's Leading Men
Jason Asprey makes a stunning Hamlet, review here and John Douglas Thompson a dynamic Othello (July 3- September 6) 2008 review here, and both leading me will talk about their characters and how they have affected their lives in two special and intimate evenings. Thompson, who is also featured this season in John Patrick Shanley's The Dreamer Examines His Pillow (August 7—September 6), talks about what it was like during "My Year With The Moor" on July 28 at the Production and Performing Arts Center's Studio 1, at 8:30 p.m. He will also join Jason Asprey (the latter playing the title role in Hamlet, performing at Founders' Theatre until August 28) for the talk "Man of Action/Man of Thought" on July 21 at the Production and Performing Arts Center's (PAPA) Studio 2, at 7:30 p.m.
The P.A.P.A. Center Humming with Activity
The big news this year is the full use of the new production center at Shakespeare & Company, with its rehearsal studios and set construction facilities that is a resource for other theatrical organizations as well as Tina Packer's company. The new Elayne Bernstein Theatre comes alive almost every night, so it is clear that capital investment that made it possible is paying off. There is a $600,000 challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation, which, when matched by $1.2 million in public donations, will pay off the remaining balance on their $10 million capital campaign. Packer and Tony Simotes are working the audiences nightly to retire the debt.
The Berkshire Theatre Festival: Past, Present, Future
Online http://www.berkshiretheatre.org/
The Einstein Project casting
The Einstein Project now in previews is clearly one of Eric Hill's favorite plays, and received its first Berkshire production in the pre 9/11 world of 2000. First presented on the smaller stage of the Unicorn Theatre, it moves to the Berkshire Theatre Festival's Main Stage for its second iteration, and it will be fascinating to see how the larger space, with its expanded room for projections and other technical magic enhances the piece. The cast includes Tommy Schrider as Albert Einstein and James Barry as Werner Heisenberg, as well as David Chandler, Kyle Faber, Walter Hudson, C.J. Wilson, Brandy Caldwell, Miranda Shea and Jesse Hinson.
The GREEN Campus Project
Meanwhile the Berkshire Theatre Festival GREEN Plan (Grounds Renovation and Environmental Enhancement through Native species Plan) is, um, bearing fruit. We spoke to artistic director Kate Maguire about her vision. Read more about Kate here.
Said Kate: "We are beginning our campus renovations which are to make the grounds safer and more beautiful. Our state and federal funding for this work has been committed, and is safe, so the work is underway, though we have to match it through public support from contributions." This means that the project is tied to the speed at which private donations arrive. Their government funds are not made available until the public support is in hand.
"We're painting the barn and putting lights on it. We're creating proper parking, no more puddles and rocks, and leveling the ground, and a services area for our staff, tech and crew. We are adding a new walkway between the Unicorn and the Mainstage. When visitors from New York City arrive, they often are amazed: 'Look at all the parking here!' And it's free. The work that is getting done this summer is very basic, things like drainage and pathways. It's the sort of thing that once done people don't even think about twice. But it enhances the experience tremendously.
"We have about half of the funds in hand, and another half million to raise for this project. The more visible things, like a rain garden, are in the later, finishing stages. Last summer we removed the boulders from the area in front of the barn, and began to address some of the drainage issues. The work continues," Maguire concluded.
Government Grants in Hand
To date BTF has secured funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Mass Development through the Cultural Facilities Fund and the FY2008 granting process. That first grant is for $160,000 and to access it there must be matching monies from the public. The company's supporters have come up with part of that through private donations. Audiences also help, since the theatre's restoration fund is funded by a small fee included in the price of each ticket.
BTF was able to secure an additional $190,000 through a federal line item from the Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill that passed on March 10, 2009. This is likely thanks to efforts by Massachusetts Rep. John Olver. These together are almost half of the $1.2 million goal.
The campaign is ongoing as they seek support from individuals, local companies and others. A good example is a pending grant request to fund the handicapped access ramp that is part of the plan.
New Comfortable Seats, New Paint, and More...
The results are already tangible. While subtle, the more comfortable seats in the orchestra level of the main stage make for a better theatre-going experience. And there's a new roof on the Mellon Barn that houses the company's scenery, props, costume, and paint shops. A new coat of paint is being applied to the exterior, as well as enhanced lighting. For the hearing impaired, BTF has replaced the assisted listening system in the Main Stage and added a new system to the Unicorn Theatre and re-graded and removed boulders from the parking areas. Additional work will be done to improve handicapped parking, on drainage and pathways - including a "Link"" between the Unicorn and Main Stage as further funds are secured.
The Flood and its Aftermath
The recent leak in the rest room of the main building did a lot of damage to the carpets in the theatre, and materials stored in the basement, so the old plumbing continues to be improved. The rest rooms are almost all updated, though still cramped due to the limitations of the building itself. The company had to really scramble, but the new carpeting is in place, 90% of the season's large souvenir books were saved, and the work was completed without having to cancel a single show.
Signage and Lights in the Parking Lots
To help people find them, BTF is installing new signs on Route 7, Route 102, the Main Stage, and the Unicorn Theatre. Also in the works is a new outdoor lighting system which will be equipped with energy efficient night-sky-friendly lights, and further improvements inside both theatres.
Backstage at Barrington Stage Company
Online http://www.barringtonstageco.org/
Underneath the Lintel
Director Andrew Volkoff is preparing Underneath The Lintel, an off-Broadway hit (450 performances, not shabby!) about a way overdue library book which was inspired somehow by Klezmer music. At least that is what Glen Berger writes in the play's Afterward. Anyway, it is nice to have Volkoff back in the Berks. He is a former Associate Artistic Director of Barrington Stage, and was the hand behind My Scary Girl and I Am My Own Wife last season. He's been working with two of my favorite Boston companies - not ART and Huntington - but Lyric Stage and the Speakeasy Stage. He's no stranger to New York either, so it's good to have him back. Glynis Bell stars, and her credits would take a couple of paragraphs to detail. Suffice to say that her Broadway and National Tour credits include The Vagina Monologues, Amadeus, and My Fair Lady, plus more Law and Order episodes than you could watch in a week.
High School Musical 2
Barrington Stage's Youth Theatre is staging High School Musical 2 from Jluly 15 - August 16. Reprising their roles of Troy and Gabriella are Christopher Herr (Lee) and Jesse Rothschild (NYC). Also in the cast are: Tory Berner (Greenwich, CT) as Sharpay, Kevin Escudero (Schenectady, NY) as Ryan, Sara Newman (Great Barrington) as Kelsi, Colin Mackey (Pittsfield ) as Zeke, Natalie Sala (Pittsfield) as Taylor, Mitchell Despain (Adams) as Jack, John Beshaw (Lee) as Chad, Will Carey (Glen Ridge, NJ) Ensemble, Jackie Duchette (Pittsfield) as Peaches, Kelsie Fairchild (Dalton) as Blossom, Evelyn Mahon (Williamstown) as Martha, Owen Marks (Pittsfield) as Ensemble, and McKenna Powell (Housatonic) as Violet. Director-choreographer Christine O'Grady and music director Brian Usifer reunite for the second stage premiere of the Disney film franchise, having previously presented the SRO Berkshire premiere of High School Musical for Barrington Stage audiences in 2007.
Jae's Spice Hosting Cabaret and Dancing in Pittsfield
Jae's Spice is not afraid to try new things, and transforming their second floor space into a Cabaret is both exciting and challenging. Working with Barrington Stage Company, they will host chanteuse Amanda McBroom for an evening of classic songs by Jacques Brel and others on July 2 and 3. They have also been working with Ryan Weightman on upscale dance parties, one of which I recently attended and found the clientele very diverse and welcoming. The next one is a tribute to Michael Jackson in Jae's Lounge at 9 pm on July 2.
Finally, Jae's has partnered with Barrington to offer Sunday night box suppers with tickets to see Carousel.
Unusual Offerings and Happenings - Ventfort Hall
As if there is not enough to see and do this summer, there is a lot more to Berkshire theatre than just the "Big 4". Like the charmingly risqué production of Paris 1890 Unlaced at Ventfort Hall in Lenox. I wrote about it on my Arts America blog, and it is a delightful change of pace. Written by Juliane Hiam, directed by Sarah Taylor and performed by a hypnotic Anne Undeland, it is the sort of thing that the Berkshires are uniquely positioned to provide: theatre with a connection to our own historic past, both literary and architectural.
Edith Wharton's Xingu and The Mount
At last, Wharton plays return to The Mount from August 20-23! For the first time in many years, the drawing room at The Mount will be the venue for an adaptation of Edith Wharton's fantastic short story, Xingu. Adapted by Dennis Krausnick and directed by Catherine Taylor-Williams, it stars Corinna May, Diane Prusha, Lydia Barnett-Mulligan, Tod Randolph, Jennie Burkhard Jadow, Karen Lee and Rory Hammond. The play will be performed in the drawing room, and on nice days, the doors will be opened to the outside breezes for even more atmosphere. Lovely.
The Berkshire Fringe Returns
From July 27 to August 17, it's time for the The Berkshire Fringe, a 21 day summer festival presenting dynamic new works of theater, dance and music by emerging artists from across the United States—as well as those right from our own backyard. Held on the campus of Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington, there are dozens of groundbreaking original performances, special events, community workshops and music.
Having a soft spot for both comedy and Broadway shows, I am especially intrigued by The Gay Agenda's Great Big Broadway Show! being performed from July 29 to August 2. Even the descriptive blurb gets me chuckling:
"Micah and Nicholas have been sequestered in their basement by a family member for years. Having only original cast recordings to listen to during their isolation, they've been inspired to create mini-musicals that turn the Great White Way on its head. Their mission is simple: Complete and utter world domination through SHOWTUNES. Come. Listen. Be offended. Songs have never dripped with such innocent sass and biting satire. You'll laugh yourself gay!"
I am sure I will have a few extra things to say about that on my other blog, Gay in the Berkshires. Currently there is a detailed story on this summer's calendar of cabaret performances.
Theatre Budget Cuts Not Always Wise
As the economic news worsened last year, the boards and managers of cultural organizations all over the Berkshires cut their costs, pared their expenditures and deferred their dreams. Only one, Shakespeare & Company, expanded its season, albeit by recycling previous productions and adding minimal cost new ones. Worst of all, many organizations cut their marketing budgets. This can only result in fewer ticket buyers and smaller audiences. I don't get the logic of this. I've been responsible for ticket sales and they are pretty hard to maintain if you have less ability to get the word out.
Finally, Michael Kaiser has written about this rather convincingly in The Huffington Post. "What creates revenue for an arts organization? Good art supported by strong marketing. Arts organizations that consistently do good work and are aggressive about their marketing are the ones which succeed, both programmatically and financially.
"Cutting programming and marketing, the current favored strategy, therefore, ensures that future revenue will fall. This initiates a viscous cycle; less art and marketing yielding less revenue leading to more cuts in programming and marketing."
Think about it.
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