Williamstown Theatre Festival

In recent years the Berkshires has emerged as a major theatre community. With four professional companies and eight stages it's becoming a force in American theatre. And behind the scenes there is another show going on as well. Read all about it.

When Mass MoCA opened a decade ago artists migrated to North Adams attracted by large, cheap loft spaces. For the second season that growing arts community is trying to revitalize the business district through a city wide project known as DownStreet. Artists hope that their commitment and sweat equity will start to pay off.

Just a week before the start of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, which opens on July 1 and runs through August 23, the artistic director, Nicholas Martin, took time from rehearsals to discuss his second season in the Berkshires, cutbacks in the face of a tough economy, and an ongoing personal struggle to recover from a stroke he suffered in September.

It takes a community to make something like the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center succeed, and in Great Barrington this local theatre is a success in every sense of the word. Executive Director Beryl Jolly tells us why.

When General Electric moved out in the late 1980s, with 10,000 lost jobs, Pittsfield fell on hard times. The recovery started in 2003 when the new Mayor, James M. Ruberto, mandated that arts and culture would be a focus for economic development. Megan Whilden disussed how she joined the team in 2005 and the remarkable progress since then that has reshaped the city as a cultural destination.

As Berkshire Fine Arts has stretched to cover more Boston theatre, the Elliot Norton Awards have looked westward to honor several of the Berkshire's best.

Despite a drastic 20% budget cut Kate Maguire, the artistic director and CEO of Berkshire Theatre Festival is excitied about the coming season and the return of Randy Harrison in Ibsen's "Ghosts." During an upbeat interview she stated that "I'm not a director. I love directors. I'm married to one (Eric Hill). I love directing directors and I wanted to build a director's theatre."

Given the poor economy, artistic director, Nicholas Martin, has reduced the number of Nikos Stage productions from five to three plays and shortened the seaon (July 1 through August 23) by two weeks. By making these cuts he has avoided any compromise of the quality of productions for one of the nation's most renowned theatre companies.

The Corn is Green is a delightful play about hope and redemption. Set in a Welsh coal mining village, the narrative follows an eccentric spinster's journey of educating the children of the area in spite of community opposition and personality quirks. Her unsophisticated star pupil has the ability to gain a scholarship to Oxford, but fate and love raise their hands.

With $4 a gallon gas and a sinking economy 2008 was a challenge for arts and tourism in the Berkshires. But our contibutors covered not only the Berkshires but arts and culture in New York, Boston, London, New Orleans and Shanghai. We reflect on some of the highlights.

By every account, from a strong box office, the enthusiasm of the audience, and rave reviews from critics, the first season of Nicholas Martin as artistic director of the renowned Williamstown Theatre Festival was an unqualified success. The world, however, has changed, and not for the better, since we last heard from him at the end of the summer season. Here Martin updates us with some reassurances for the coming season that will not compromise on its remarkable artistic standards.

This is the third, self published book by artist/ entrepreneur, Eric Rudd. The superb images in this picture book were photographed by Kelly Lee who worked for ABC News and The News Hour with Jim Lehrer in D.C. before he settled in the Berkshires.

The play "In Conflict" based on interviews by Yvonne Latty with Iraq veterans originated at Temple University. It won the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It is now running Off Broadway in repertory with "The Atheist" through Culture Project.

Three dozen productions emerged from our four resident theatre companies this Summer making it the busiest Berkshire season in memory. Quality was surprisingly high given the hectic pace of productions. As Fall approaches, we offer you one person's opinion as to the best and the worst for 2008.

Memories of many wonderful nights in the Shed and under the stars on the lawn at Tanglewood. As well as superb Berkshire theatre.

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 perfect storm of cool, rainy weather, $4 a gallon gas, and a lousy economy caused the coining of a new term "Staycation" during the summer of 2008. While clearly an off year Berkshire arts and tourism held their own largely through its range of world class offerings.

Currently there are two Noel Coward plays on view in the Berkshires. "Noel Coward in Two Keys" runs at the Berkshire Theatre Festival through August 30 while "Private Lives" continues through August 24. During 2007 there were Coward plays at Huntington Theatre and American Repertory Theatre as well as Williamstown Theatre Festival. Can you ever get enough of Noel Coward?

"Home" a 1970 British play by David Storey is less than home sweet home in an impeccable production directed by Joseph Hardy with a superb cast. But, decades before Seinfeld, this is sadly a play about nothing.

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.

While relaxing with sun and surf three couples manage to bring their baggage to the beach in a new play "Not Waving" by Ellen Melaver, directed by Carolyn Cantor, for the Williamstown Theatre Festival.

A century plus later the 1907 French farce "A Flea in Her Ear" by the master of the genre, Georges Feydeau, is being presented to delighted audiences at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.

Berkshire residents are reveling in an amazing array of area arts offerings. Our monthly Preview serves to help guide your choices with helpful facts, insider details and handy links. The only mistake would be to procrastinate. Nothing gold can stay.

A Man for All Seasons is the story of Sir Thomas More, who refused to bend to King Henry VIII. The King insisted the Roman Catholic Chuch allow him a second divorce so that he could marry Ann Boleyn and father a male heir. Rome refused, he established the Church of England, and his old friend Thomas More had to be eliminated.

A short take and another opinion of the new play "The Understudy" by Theresa Rebeck at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.