Front Page

"Dangerous Instruments," a play about a mother trying to get her son help, is receiving its world premiere in a fine production by Palm Beach Dramaworks. The play, by Gina Montet, runs through June 1 in West Palm Beach. Palm Beach Dramaworks featured the piece in one of its recent new play festivals.

Rather than focusing on inherent “evil,” Daoism often addresses what we might perceive as evil in terms of disharmony, imbalance, or deviation from the natural Way (Dao). Actions or situations perceived as evil often arise when individuals or systems operate out of alignment with the natural flow, driven by excessive desire, forced action, or unnatural striving (Wei).

BSO collaborator Yo-Yo Ma, encompasses four talks and four musical performances with an array of compelling scholars and performers (Aug. 2–12). The annual Tanglewood Learning Institute (TLI) Spotlight Series this year features: Ma and historian Heather Cox Richardson (Aug. 2), art critic Sebastian Smee and musicians Sam Amidon and Shahzad Ismaily (Aug. 9), and violinist Vijay Gupta, journalist Steve Lopez, and Juilliard’s Lesley Rosenthal (Aug. 23).

Gallery NAGA is pleased to announce its season closing exhibition, "Possible Necessities," featuring new studio furniture by renowned artist John Dunnigan. This marks Dunnigan's first solo exhibition at Gallery NAGA. The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog with an essay by Glenn Adamson, Curator at Large, Vitra Design Museum.

The leaders of ten arts and culture institutions from across Berkshire County have convened the Berkshire Arts and Culture Alliance (BACA) to advocate for the economic, tourism, and infrastructure needs of arts and culture organizations in the county.

Many opera aficionados argue that Arrigo Boito's libretto improves on the Shakespeare source material. Machinations by Iago, one of the best developed and vile villains in literature, wreak tragedy upon Otello and Desdemona in response to Iago's being passed over for a promotion. Verdi's music is both sublime and powerful.

"Power Full Because We Are Different" is a monumental installation by Native American artist Jeffrey Gibson. The inspiration and intent of the project is to articulate and express the concept of the “two-spirit,” a third gender that is both—and neither—male and female and is embraced by many Indigenous cultures. Significantly the far right regime of President Donald Trump has rescinded a $50,000 NEA grant for this ambitious and expansive project.

Jen returns to North Carolina to plan her wedding with Macy. What Jen doesn't expect is that bakery-owning, cake-maker Della, who had been Jen's proxy mother, would not want to make her wedding cake because her religion doesn't support same sex marriage. Many social issues are uncovered along the way.

Heartbeat Opera is a crown jewel in New York’s opera diadem. Their productions make opera accessible and compelling to contemporary audiences by breathing new life into beloved classics. Faust, their current production running through May 25, is no exception—it’s a bold, inventive take that succeeds on many fronts.

This fall, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) presents an exhibition that explores the fashion, art and creative philosophy of Singaporean designer and visual artist Andrew Gn. Making its North American debut, Andrew Gn: Fashioning the World illuminates the contemporary designer’s life and legacy, showcasing nearly 100 stunning works, including clothing, accessories, original illustrations and digital media.

The evening promised not only an opportunity to support the foundation’s impactful work, but also a chance to mingle, pet, and cuddle the foundation’s beloved therapy dogs.

Autistic fifteen-year-old Christopher tries to solve the mystery of the killing of a dog. Along the way, we learn about his character, his abilities, and of his relationship with his parents. A splendid production by San Francisco Playhouse brings out the strength of story.

Down and out in Paris in the 1970s Greg LIght and Rafael Mahdavi scraped by as kitchen help at the popular and colorful Chez Haynes. Their self published book about their adventures of surviving down and out in Paris, Dishwasher Dialogues, has become a hit. That inspired them to post a weekly blog. We are launching them as our Parisian correspondents. This blast concerns how the homeless survive harsh winters.

Resident Artists and Authors from the Eclipse Mill show their work during Berkshire Art Week.

Practices like Taiji and meditation serve as invaluable anchors, gently guiding us back to this present awareness, offering a path to clarity, peace, and authentic living. The goal is to cultivate a state of present moment awareness where we engage fully with what is, unfiltered by the layers of judgment, expectation, and predisposition that so often cloud our perception.

Do we need another Sondheim tribute/revue?

Irishtown is currently playing at the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York through May 25th. Nicola Murphy Dubey directs.

This year’s livestreamed performances will feature the highly anticipated return of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Season Opening Gala, and the Doris Duke Theatre’s inaugural program — along with a wide spectrum of dance genres including ballet, West African dance, contemporary, tap, and Afro-Latin jazz and soul. Performances will be broadcast live from the historic Ted Shawn Theatre, the newly reimagined Doris Duke Theatre, and the iconic Henry J. Leir Stage.

The annual Pittsfield Jazz Festival ended last night with the legendary Count Basie Band. Now some 90-years-old it has been led by Scotty Barnhart since 2013.

On Friday night, the National Endowment for the Arts sent MASS MoCA an email notification of the termination of our awarded grant for the support of Jeffrey Gibson’s commission POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT.

The English Concert performed a semi-staged, off-book production of Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto at Carnegie Hall. This annual visit by one of the world’s premier Baroque ensembles is eagerly awaited — and this year did not disappoint.

If you are expecting a faithful translation of the 2012-13 TV series, you may be disappointed. Changes have occurred in transferring Smash to the Broadway stage. Characters have new names, some characters have been added to the cast, and the backstory of some of the characters has changed dramatically.

Celebrating twenty-five women artists working in Britain between 1875 and 1945, the Clark Art Institute presents A Room of Her Own: Women Artists in Britain, 1875–1945 featuring 87 paintings, drawings, prints, stained glass, embroidery, and other decorative arts.

Hudson Hall in Hudson, New York, presents Handel’s Giulio Cesare as part of its ambitious celebration of the composer’s forty operas—each of which will eventually be staged here. It’s an exciting prospect.

Pigs Do Fly Productions' mounting of "Painting Churches" is a winner. Art, memory, and aging collide in the poetic play.