Colonial Theatre

During a community meeting, and ersatz press conference, the boards of the Berkshire Theatre Festival and the Colonial Theatre, in a bold and surprising move, signed a memorandum of understanding that, over the next year, will merge the arts organzations into a new holding company. Kate Maguire will take over as CEO and Artistic Director of the two organizations. During the event Kate lit up the house with charm, charisma and chuztpah. It was a heck of a show.

With a $21.6 million renovation the 107-year-old Colonial Theater reopened in Pittsfield in 2006. Running with an average of just under half a house, with too many dark nights, the Colonial has yet to live up to its potential. In a bold move it may partner with the venerable Berkshire Theatre Festival, as early as June, 2011 to produce what are likely to be popular musicals with bankable stars.

When Tom Rush performed at the Colonial Theatre we connected. Currently he is working on his memoirs. Tom took time to answer a couple of questions about how he evolved as a musician while an undergraduate at Harvard. This dialogue evolved out the series of interviews with David Wilson about art and culture during the 1960s in Boston and Cambridge.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) announced today that Artistic Director Diane Paulus, Pulitzer prize-winning writer Suzan-Lori Parks, and two-time Obie winner Diedre Murray have been chosen by the Gershwin Trusts and the Heyward Trust to re-imagine the Gershwins’ seminal American opera Porgy and Bess.

Our Boston entertainment correspondent, Barbara Brilliant, has tips, links and ticket prices for a range of theatre events. This is a clip and save template for what's going on in November.

November iz shaping up as a busy month for the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. It starts with The Spencers, Nov. 6 then sweeps in Tommy Tune on the 12. Kate Clinton appears on the 13th with Ani DiFranco on the 16th followed by Arlo Guthrie, 20th, Kathy Mattea, 27th and Sound of Christmas, 30th. That brings us up to the Holidays with lots of merry cheer.

The sixth annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival will run from October 8 to 21. There will be lots of free events as well as ticketed concerts at the Crowne Plaza and Colonial Theatre. There is also a vital educational component with performances and jazz history in local schools. Over ribs and corn bread we talked with organizer Ed Bride about his life long passion for jazz.

Boston correspondent Barbara Brilliant offers a selection of highlights of arts and entertainment for October. We are moving into high season with many options for audiences.

With three days of programming the arts and the creative community were underplayed in the recent Berkshire Forum. Although the arts are a major employer and drive the economy of the Berkshires just one session was devoted to this essential agenda. The too few seats at the table excluded any representatives from the four major theatre companies, or even Jacob's Pillow. Mass MoCA director Joe Thompson was included in another panel where he commented on the important Wilco Festival this summer.

The founders of the first Berkshire Forum Tina Chase and Mary Collins George intend to move forward with planning next year. Despite a thin attendance for the three days of lectures, panels and performances they report nearly breaking even. A daunting range and depth of information and insights was provided. It evoked expanding and redefining the branding of the Berkshires. A highlight among many was the dialogue with Boston Globe editor Martin Baron.

A three-day conference promising inspiring ideas and stimulating dialogue led by a remarkable network of business owners, economists, social innovators, technology visionaries, cultural enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and thought leadersâ€"bound by a devotion to region worth preserving and an interest in shaping its cultural and economic future.

During the recent, season ending, Tanglewood Jazz Festival we spoke with Mark Volpe, the managing director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has had his hands full, yet again, with another medical absence by maestro, James Levine. Despite the concerns of some classical critics regarding the continuity and consistency of the orchestra, for the most part, the season has been successful. Even magical. But regarding non-classical programming, of which there is very little in the program, he was quoted making harsh remarks in the Berkshire Eagle. We asked him about that and were surprised but guardedly pleased by his response.

Country music star, Rosanne Cash, the eldest daughter of the legendary Johnny Cash, utterly captivated the audience last night at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. In every sense, emotionally and artistically, Cash demonstrated how she has distanced herself from the dominance of the Country Music World in Nashville. Her easy, charming manner, memory gaps and screw ups, only further conveyed her charm, passion, humanity and vulnerability. It was a stunning evening.

The genesis of Rosanne Cash’s new album The List dates back to a day in 1973 when Cash’s father, the incomparable Johnny Cash, discovered some gaps in her knowledge of American roots music. He spent the rest of the day making a list on a legal pad, and at the top he put “100 Essential Country Songs” handed it to her and said, “This is your education.” She will perform this material at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield on June 29.

Rusted Root will be at the Colonial on June 9 for one performance at 7:30PM. Rusted Root has sold more than 3 million albums worldwide since forming in Pittsburgh in the early ’90s. The band’s worldly style quickly charmed fans of roots music and world rock. Their 1994 album When I Woke went platinum and featured the hit songs “Send Me On My Way,” “Ecstasy” and “Martyr.”

Few in the audience were ineligible for Social Security. Enthusiasm belied their age as the singer/ songwriters, Janis Ian and Karla Bonoff, ignited a trove of treasured memories.

Welcoming our newest correspondent Barbara Brilliant. She will provide us with her selections of monthly theatre in Boston. We are invited to join her in celebrating the 125th season of the Boston Pops.

Neil Berg�s widely acclaimed 100 Years of Broadway, a musical revue of Broadway�s most celebrated shows features a dazzling cast of five Broadway stars accompanied by an all-star New York band is coming to The Colonial Theatre on May 1st for one performance at 8PM. The Colonial Theatre production, along with musical director and pianist Neil Berg, will feature Rita Harvey (Christine Daee, Phantom of the Opera), Craig Schulman (Jean Valjean, Les Mis�rables), Carter Calvert (Grizabella, CATS), Danny Zolli (Jesus, Jesus Christ Superstar) and Robert DuSold (Harry Bright, Mamma Mia!)

At a members' event and press conference today it took an hour just to read through the list of events from Broadway, Comedy, Cabaret, Rock, Children & Family events planned for the 2009-2010 season of the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. There is something for everyone and more than ever for year round Berkshire entertainment. Cut and paste this complete list of bookings.

Tom Rush is on the road promoting his first new studio CD in 35 years "What I Know." It has been named Best Folk Album of the Year. He also has a four million hit You Tube clip "The Remember Song." He combined with Byrds founder, Roger McGuinn for a laid back, charming, three hour evening at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield.

There will be an evening of folk music on Saturday, March 27, at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. Two legends of the 1960s, Tom Rush and Roger McGuinn, will perform in what should be a delightful evening.

Be still dear heart. February is for lovers and the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield is offering that romantic mood. Highlights include a touring production of Romeo and Juliet as well as an Elvis Valentine's Bash.

A benefit evening at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield on February 14 will feature performances by Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, The Mammals, Bobby Sweet, Vetiver, Tift Merritt, Meg Hutchinson, Kris Delmhorst, The Guthrie Family and special guests.

During the cold winter in the Berkshires the hot new restaurants to enjoy is Flavours of Malaysia tucked away in a basement on McKay Street just around the corner from the new Beacon Cinema in Pittsfield. On weekends reservations are recommended.

As reliable as Black Friday and White Christmas, holiday offerings in the Berkshires once again take center stage. From "A Christmas Carol" at the Berkshire Theatre Festival to "The Nutcracker" at the Colonial Theatre, with a Christmas Oratorio and British Panto tucked away here and there, the holidays are upon us.