New York Times

With eight productions and principal casting announced for the Summer 2009 Season, the Berkshire Theatre Fetival continues to deliver a satisfying banquet of comedy, drama and music under the steady leadership of Kate Maguire.

Spending money it can ill afford during a time of financial crisis, Jehudah Reinharz, President of Brandeis University hired Rasky Baerlein Stategic Communications, a PR firm than specializes in crisis management, to draft a carefully worded apology for a rash and irresponsible decision to close the Rose Art Museum and sell its renowned collection.

The world renowned Jacob's Pillow Dance announced a full schedule of performances by 50 companies on three stages. The 77th season in the Berkshires features world/ U.S. premieres and special events including the 90th birthday celebration of choreographer Merce Cunningham.

Happily, midwinter in the Berkshires is anything but quiet. In fact, that's when many of our resident cultural institutions do their best work. A survey of what's coming up between now and Spring.

Barrington's Main Stage will feature audience favorites Carousel, Streetcar Named Desire and Sleuth, while on Stage 2 Mark St. Germain's Freud's Last Session will receive its world premiere, followed by Glen Berger's off-Broadway hit, Underneath the Lintel. Bill Finn's Musical Theatre Lab will be back with two workshops, as will the Barrington Stage Company's Youth Theatre presenting Disney's High School Musical 2.

In 2005, after some 38 years in the small, cramped,studio which he called "The Boston Visionary Cell" Paul Laffoley was evicted. During the move several paintings from the 1960s were discovered. They have been cleaned, restored and shown for the first time since they were created by Kent Gallery in New York.

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet will offer a world premiere of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's "Obro Nova" at Jacob's Pillow from July 8 through 12. It will be a highlight of the dance season in the Berkshires.

Arguably the greatest architecture critic of the last half century, Ada Louise Huxtable is as iconic as some of the buildings that she has superbly written about over the years. Her new book, On Architecture, is a joyful guide through the last five decades of design and construction of our urban environment. This is a must read for anyone interested in architecture, cities or contemporary culture.

Joan Mitchell (1925-1992) an arist of the second generation of abstract expressionists spent much of her life and career in France. In one sense that kept her our of the loop of the New York School but as this Cheim & Read exhibition affirmed it allowed her to create a fresh and unique style that also absorbed European infleunces. Today she is regarded as one of the foremost abstract painters of her generation.

On December 20, Renee Fleming in "Thais" by Jules Massenet will be seen on screen at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington as well at 850 theatres in 28 countries as a part of The Met: Live in HD series. We covered a recent performance at the Met in anticipation of the live broadcast one of eleven during the 2008-2009 season.

Seattle-based Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB), one of the most prominent ballet companies in the United States, will perform an exclusive Ulysses Dove program August 19 – 23, in the Ted Shawn Theatre. Dove was lauded as one of the most innovative contemporary choreographers of the past 50 years.

Sally Mann is a unique figure in the world of photography. She developed her technique and style in an artistic backwater, Lexington, Virginia, with virtually no conversation or mentoring. After nearly twenty years of solitary work, she became a leading narrative and expressionistic artistic photographer without the normal contacts, relationships and networking. Her work is provocative and evocative.

There was a full weekend schedule of events celebrating the opening of a new building on the campus of Mass MoCA which, for the next 25 years, will house "Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective."

On September 27, 2008, the often controversial building at Two Columbus Circle reopened to the public as The Museum of Arts and Design. This building not only celebrates the best craft, studio furniture and object design, but it also marked the end of a truly contentious and hard fought battle about architectural styles, historical preservation and politics.

Ned Rorem celebrates his 85th birthday this week. His opera "Our Town"is based on the Thornton Wilder play. It will make its New England premiere on November 14-16 in Peterborough, NH and February 12-16 of 2009 at Tufts University. This chamber opera, according to Musical America, has "emerged as one of those rare new operas that seem destined to survive." Writer Lawrence Johnson catches up with Ned.

Despite the challenges of rainy weather,gas at $4 a gallon, and a bad economy it was a superb season of theatre in the Berkshires. Nicholas Martin was the MVP for putting the venerable Williamstown Theatre Festival back on its feet.

A native of the Bronx returns there to see his last game at Yankee Stadium before the legendary home of the New York Yankees since 1923 is torn down to make way for a new $1.3 billion stadium. With photos by Steve.

Of the several prominent museum projects underway throughout Massachusetts, none is more unique than the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This mansion museum is being changed for the first time in over 100 years. Mrs. Gardner stipulated in her will that nothing be changed from the day she died. Now, changes are occurring. Like its namesake owner, the changes have not come without a bit of controversy. An architectural star is designing the project. Part III.

While completing his first season at Williamstown Theatre Festival Nicholas Martin will open "The House of Blue Leaves" at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles on August 30. Followed by "Saturn Returns" for Lincoln Center on October 16.

The Mount was the home of the writer Edith Wharton. It was built in the Berkshire Mountains to escape what she referred to as an overstuffed and suffocating life in New York and Newport, RI. It's where she wrote some of her classic books like "The House of Mirth," where she hosted distinguished friends like Henry James, and where she put into practice her sophisticated ideas of home d�cor and garden design. It is a special place created by a special American artist. It is currently in need of creative help.

We talk with actor Randy Harrison about the Berkshire Theatre Festival's production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett and its many challenges, mysteries and rewards. The enigmas continue.

Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh on August 6, 1928 and died in New York at 6:31 AM, on February 22, 1987. His friend and long term collaborator, the poet, photographer and archivist, Gerard Malanga (Born March 20, 1943) reflects on Andy.

This past weekend James Levine, artistic director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, was given rave reviews for opening the Tanglewood season with a two day concert peformance of the massive and magnificent Berlioz Opera "Les Troyens." It was learned today that Levine will undergo surgery this week. His remaining Tanglewood duties are cancelled but he hopes to be back to cover the opening of the BSO.

Jacob's Pillow merges contemporary dance with timeless natural beauty. Here you can celebrate life and the joy of dance movement. Forget the chores. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it.

The awesome array of Berkshire arts events in July is astounding. Our theater, music and dance companies create their schedules one by one, but taken together it's going to be one sensational Summer Festival right here in our own backyard. Enjoy.