Williamstown Theatre Festival

The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute presents rare Chinese burial objects in an exclusive exhibition that considers both the discovery and the impact of modern Chinese archaeology, Unearthed: Recent Archaeological Discoveries from Northern China through October 21, 2012. The exhibition features objects recently excavated from sites in the Shanxi and Gansu provinces and never before seen outside of China, including a full-size stone sarcophagus discovered intact in 2004.

The premiere of Dr. Ruth, All the Way sold out its 36 performances at Barrington Stage's smaller St. Germain Stage. The theater in the former VFW Hall, now owned by Barrington, was named for the company's resident playwright and author of Dr. Ruth, Mark St. Germain. The one woman show stars Debra Jo Rupp. There will be changes and fine tuning for the run from September 18 through October 7.

The world premiere of Far From Heaven, a musical at the Williamstown Theatre Festival through July 29 is truly celestial. It has been adapted with a book by Richard Greenberg, music by Scott Frankel, and lyrics by Michael Korie based on the 2002 film written and directed by Todd Haynes. The WTF production, directed by Michael Greif featured stunning leading roles by Kelli O'Hara and Brandon Victor Dixon. In 2013 it is headed for New York's Playwrights Horizon. See it now if you can get a ticket.

Visitors to the final Main Stage production of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, A Month in the Country, August 1 to 19, should expect the unexpected. Director Richard Nelson who worked on a translation of the Turgenev play with Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky is planning a spare, minimalist, radical production that reflects the revolutionary impact of the Russian masterpiece which was written in 1850.

This week the Williamstown Theatre Festival opens its second of three plays on the Main Stage. With the second of four now running on the Nikos Stage, artistic director Jenny Gersetn is at the mid point of a seven play season. We asked about her second season as artistic director of WTF? How does she plan a program and manage some 300 individuals on the Williams College campus? She surprised us by saying that it takes "muscles."

In a brilliant romp, a Williamstown Theatre Festival favorite son, Brooks Ashmanskas, has returned in the first ever WTF production of a Neil Simon comedy, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, from the peak of the sexual revolution in 1969. This is also the 8th season for Jessica Stone at WTF and her second time as a director. She made her directorial debut in 2010 with a smash hit of the Steven Sondheim musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with the twist of an all male cast.

The cast has been announced for the final main stage production of the Williamstown Theatre Festival season. A Month in the Country by Ivan Turgenev will be directed by Richard Nelson who also worked on a new translation of the Russian drama. It opens on August 1 and continues through August 19.

It was steamy in the Shed last night for the sweltering launch of the gala, 2012, 75th season of Tanglewood. With Christoph von Dohnányi, a Conducting Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center in 1952, the orchestra replicated the very first BSO concert that took place on August 5, 1937. A capacity audience enjoyed the all-Beethoven program, opening with the Leonore Overture No. 3, followed by Symphony No. 6, Pastoral, and Symphony No. 5.

While in Williamstown this summer Bradley Cooper discussed his Elephant Man production co starring Patricia Clarkson. It proved to be a sold out run and the most sought after ticket of the Berkshire season. Here is what he said about a play that has obsessed him since it was his graduate thesis.

The Blue Deep, a world premiere by Lucy Boyle, is selling out on the intimate Nikos Stage of the Williamstown Theatre Festival mostly through the mega watt star power of a legendary alumna Blythe Danner. In a return after a long absence she is as stunning and sensational as ever. But is she enough to carry a new work that needs drastic revisions before a when and if next production.

For the opening of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, artistic director Jenny Gersten has rolled out the heavy artillery. In only his second venture at directing Emmy and Tony winning actor David Hyde Pierce is offering a Guys and Dolls spin on the classic Oscar Wilde comedy The Importance of Being Earnest. The Emmy and Tony winning Tyne Daly is a spot on Lady Bracknell who, amazingly, is upstaged by the fabulous Marylouise Burke as the hilarious Miss Prim.

David Hyde Piece is directing Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest which launches the Main Stage season for the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Most audience know him from an eleven year stint as Dr. Niles Crane in the hit TV comedy series Frasier. It took just five minutes of intense quality time to discover that there is more to him than that. But how much can you know about somebody in five minutes. Hey. Show Biz.

During a remarkably rich and enduring career Tyne Daly has been known for playing strong women from a cop in TV's seminal Cagney and Lacey to a Tony Award winning Mama Rose in the great musical Gypsy. Revealing her discipline and versatility she is appearing in the witty Oscar Wilde comedy The Importance of Being Earnest at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.

Williamstown Theatre Festival Artistic Director Jenny Gersten announced today the full cast and creative teams for Last of the Red Hot Lovers, which will be presented on the Nikos Stage from July 11 through July 22 (opening July 12), and the Preview Production of Far From Heaven, which will play the Main Stage from July 19 through July 29 (opening July 21). Both shows begin rehearsals today in preparation for their runs at the Festival.

On Thursday, June 28 the Williamstown Theatre Festival launches its season with the opening night of two shows. Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" directed by David Hyde Pierce with Tyne Daly is on the Main Stage. The more intimate Nikos Stage will feature the world premiere of The Deep Blue directed by Bob Balaban with Becky Ann Baker and a return to Williamstown after a long absence of a perennial favorite, Blythe Danner. Yesterday WTF artistic director Jenny Gersten hosted a meet an greet with the directors and their stars.

Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning regional theatre in downtown Pittsfield, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and Tristan Wilson, Managing Director, is proud to present the world premiere of Dr. Ruth, All The Way by Mark St. Germain, directed by Julianne Boyd.Starring stage, film and television actress Debra Jo Rupp (That 70s Show), Dr. Ruth, All the Way will now run from June 19 through July 21 at St. Germain Stage(formerly Stage 2) at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Opening Night is Saturday, June 30 at 8pm.

After the opening night of Ethel on Thursday we continue coverage, Friday through Saturday, of the seventh annual Berkshire International Film Festival. Yet again there was a stunning mix of features and unique documentary films.

The lively and much anticipated Fifth Annual Berkshire Salon 2012 is dedicated in memory of the recently deceased Eclipse Mill resident Norman Thomas. A grid of his Cubist/ Pop paintings is featured in the installation of works by some forty regional artists. The Salon is open on weekends in North Adams from May 18 through June 10.

That opening night for the 2012 season, June 26, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival is inching ever closer. In her second season as artistic director Jenny Gersten is finalizing casting for a lively mix of classics and new works. Many WTF alumni like Blythe Danner and Brooks Ashmanskas are on board as well as last season's Lily Taylor. We are excited to see Tyne Daly penciled in. As a sidebar to the 62 Center for the first time Mass Moca is in the mix hosting a new work by rock star David Byrne.

The Huntington Theatre Company completes its 30th Anniversary Season , May 25 – June 24, 2012, with the perfect play for springtime: Lifetime Tony Award-winning playwright Noël Coward’s beloved sparkling comedy Private Lives. Tony Award-nominated Maria Aitken, director of the Huntington’s acclaimed productions of Educating Rita and the Olivier and Tony Award-winning Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps and director of the upcoming Betrayal (November 2012) helms.

This has been a breakout season for Theresa Rebeck one of the most highly regarded playwrights of her generation. Her TV series Smash has been exactly that. Now confirmed for another season with Rebeck in a less that pivotal role. That leaves more time for theatre like the current Broadway hit Seminar. There has been a cast change with the lead handed from Alan Rickman to Jeff Goldblum. Its second coming is simply fabulous.

The final details have been completed for the 2012 season of the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Elephant Man starring uber hunk Bradley Cooper and Patricia Clarkson has been slated for the Nikos Stage. In partnership with Mass Moca and ambitious musical by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim will be workshopped at the Hunter Center.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC) announces four new Associate Artists. Formed in 2010, the Associate Artists Program’s inaugural honorees were composer/lyricist William Finn, actor/director Christopher Innvar and playwright Mark St. Germain. This year’s new Associate Artists are music director Darren R. Cohen, actors Mark H. Dold and Debra Jo Rupp, and production stage manager Renee Lutz.

The second 24hr Berkshires/Capital Region Theatre Project brings together playwrights, directors, designers, stage managers, technicians and actors from both the Berkshires and the Capital Region armed with the common task of mounting 5 new short works by female playwrights; all written, rehearsed and performed in 24 Hours.

With the Wilco Solid Sound Festival taking a hiatus and the Clark Art Institute in the midst of construction and renovation it may prove to be a challenging summer for Mass MoCA. We discussed with Thompson how best to continue to grow cultural tourism through synergy among the arts organizations of the Berkshires. In the past two years the 6,000 visitors for the Wilco weekends brought much needed revenue to the region. We need more such initiatives. This is the final chapter of the dialogue with Thompson.