Theatre
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Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind
Denver's Paragon Theatre Erupts in Language
By: - Aug 18th, 2011Considered by many one of Shepard's finest plays and a great play of 20th century, A Life of the Mind was brilliantly mounted in Denver, showing us what Ethan Hawke did not in a recent New York production.
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The Game Is a Winner for Barrington Stage
Stunning Musical Set in the 18th Century
By: - Aug 18th, 2011Barrington Stage Company completes its Main Stage season with yet another musical and smash hit. The Game was first produced by Julianne Boyd in 2003. That was before the company found its current home in Pittsfield. The musical written by Amy Powers and David Topchik, with music by Megan Cavallari conveys the mandate of the company to present compelling new works.
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Two Cents on Ten Cents a Dance
Controversy for Williamstown Theatre Festival
By: - Aug 17th, 2011The production of Ten Cents a Dance based on a reworking of Rodgers and Hart by John Doyle is provoking a firestorm of controversy. The musical in which five women sing and play instruments with a male piano player is inspiring praise and scorn from audiences and critics. Everyone emerges from Williamstown Theatre Festival with an opinion. Here are links to positive and negative reviews. Don't miss the chance to wade in on this. See it while you can.
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Broadway in the Berkshire at Shakespeare & Company
Benefit Nets $60,000 for Education Program
By: - Aug 16th, 2011The Berkshire smart set has had "galas" up the wazoo. Artistic director, Tony Simotes,and benefit chairperson, Deborah Grausman, had a different idea. On a Monday night when New York theatres are closed many stars turned out for Broadway in the Berkshires at Shakespeare & Company. The musical revue was brilliantly hosted by the witty and charming Chip Zien. The successful event raised $50,000 for the education program.
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Fiddler on the Roof for Barrington Stage
Opens June 13, 2012
By: - Aug 16th, 2011Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, announces it will present the musical Fiddler on the Roof as its 2012 season opener, with production dates from June 13 through July 14, 2012.
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Ten Cents a Dance at Williamstown Theatre Festival
Ersatz New Rodgers and Hart Musical by John Doyle
By: - Aug 13th, 2011Tony Award winning playwright and director John Doyle, as well as, WTF artistic director Jenny Gersten are in denial that Ten Cents a Dance, a rehash of work by Rodgers and Hart is a "jukebox musical." But if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck? This cut and paste job is being passed off as a "an American premiere." You decide.
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Tommy Tune Glides Into the Colonial
Steps in Time
By: - Aug 12th, 2011Seniors were out in force to support one of their own, Tommy Tune, who brought his retrospective Steps in Time to the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. With a sparing light touch the nine time Tony winner sang and danced his way down memory lane.
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Dixie Longate's Tupperware Party
A Solution for Tough Times
By: - Aug 12th, 2011This delightful performance at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts suggests to the current adminsitration a possible solution for the dire employment situation in the US. Is Dixie Longate a long term problem solver? Maybe. Probably yes.
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Gogul's Inspector General at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Boulder Is Better
By: - Aug 11th, 2011An engaging and delightful production of Gogul's classic was imported from Russia and produced in English against all odds. In Russia it is still controversial to mount this play about corruption and bribery in high places.
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Tina Packer Portrays Molly Ivins
Shakespeare and Company's Red Hot Patriot Tries Hard to Hit the Mark.
By: - Aug 09th, 2011In Shakespeare and Company's production of Red Hot Patriot Tina Packer puts her heart into liberal Texan columnist, Molly Ivin's story. Molly's humor comes through but her spirit slips away in the details.
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In the Mood by Kathleen Clark
World Premiere for Berkshire Theatre Group
By: - Aug 07th, 2011On the Fitzpatrick Main Stage of Berkshire Theatre Group In the Mood, a sophisticated, urbane comedy by Kathleen Clark, is enjoying a slick and elegantly produced world premiere. It runs in Stockbridge through August 13.
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Touch(ed) by Bess Wohl
Nikos Stage of Williamstown Theatre Festival
By: - Aug 05th, 2011Touch(ed) by Bess Wohl had its world premiere at Pioneer Theatre Company in Salt Lake City, Utah, January 8 to 23, 2010. Based on this second production at Williamstown Theatre Festival it is still a work in progress needing an extreme makeover. Don't expect to see this ersatz comedy about mental illness to reach Off Broadway any time soon.
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Kate Maguire of Berkshire Theatre Group
Midsummer Report on the Merger
By: - Jul 30th, 2011Kate Maguire is now half way through her first summer season as the Artistic Director and CEO of Berkshire Theatre Group. Since last November she presided over the merger of her Berkshire Theatre Festival with the Colonial Theatre. There was risk taking when Maguire mounted a brief run of Tommy starring Randy Harrison at the Colonial. We asked what she learned from the experience and how that impacts future planning for making the two theatres and three stages function as a combined entity. Her answers may surprise you.
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She Stoops to Conquer at Williamstown Theatre Festival
Pulling Out All the Stops for a Nicholas Martin Production
By: - Jul 29th, 2011For the past three seasons Nicholas Martin served as artistic director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival. He returns this summer to direct the classic Oliver Goldsmith comedy She Stoops to Conquer. The current artistic director, Jenny Gersten, went all out in producing a sumptuous production of the 18th century play.
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The Best of Enemies at Barrington Stage Company
Mark St. Germain Play Returns in October
By: - Jul 28th, 2011The production of Mark St. Germain's Freud's Last Session set the Barrington Stage record for most performances. It went on to Off Broadway where it has now passed 300 performances and is poised for a national and international tour. Now a new play by St. Germain has set a record for most tickets on the Main Stage for a drama. From July 21 through August 6 there were some 7,000 tickets sold.
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Toying With Ibsen’s A Doll’s House
A Classic Crashes and Burns in Williamstown
By: - Jul 22nd, 2011The smaller Nikos Stage of the Williamstown Theatre Festival has long been known for presenting new plays many of which went on to runs Off Broadway. In her first season as artistic director, Jenny Gersten has added reworking classics to the Nikos program with mixed results. The season opener Streetcar Named Desire raised critical eyebrows. The second classic A Doll's House is a bomb that has arrived D.O.A. for a run that, ironically sold out on the lure of the potential of one of Ibsen's most enduring plays. Who knew?
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Mormons Mothers and Monsters
Musical Premiere at Barrington Stage Company
By: - Jul 21st, 2011Musical Theatre Lab Artistic Producer, William Finn of Barrington Stage Company is committed to developing musicals by emerging writers and composers. They are given modest productions in workshop settings before live audiences. Right now Mormons Mothers and Monsters shows promise but has a long way to go to be ready for an Off Broadway production.
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Name That Tommy Tune
At the Colonial August 11
By: - Jul 18th, 2011At six feet six Tommy Tune, with nine Tony Awards, has cast a long shadow over Broadway. Reflecting on 50 years in show business through, song and dance with anecdotal commentary he will appear at the Colonial Theatre on Thursday, August 11. In an often hilarious dialogue we discussed a challenging life in theatre and dance that started deep in the heart of oh so macho Texas.
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A.R. Gurney’s Sylvia at Berkshire Theatre Festival
Going To the Dogs
By: - Jul 17th, 2011During the dog days of summer Berkshire Theatre Festival is treating audiences to the hilarious A.R. Gurney comedy Sylvia. The talking pooch is deliciously played by Rachel Bay Jones. The stray bitch which Greg (David Adkins) which he drags home is the "other woman" that threatens to break up his marriage with Kate (Jurian Hughes) who can't stand "Saliva." This is a funny bone you will love to chew on.
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Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare & Company
O Romeo, Romeo, Where You At Romeo
By: - Jul 16th, 2011In 2009 a production of Romeo and Juliet ended its regional tour to open the season of Shakespeare & Company. With so many great works in the canon that are rarely seen why bring back yet another production so soon? Particularly with a juvenile case and no marquee stars to sell the play during a tough economy, stiff competition, and a desperate, ongoing struggle for the embattled, debt ridden company to survive. S&Co. gambled on a starkly different approach by director, Daniel Varon.
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Randy Harrison Talks About Tommy
Enjoying His Sixth Season with Berkshire Theatre Festival
By: - Jul 14th, 2011Randy Harrison commented that he is "addicted" to coming to the Bekshires for a couple of months each summer. This is his sixth season performing with Berkshire Theatre Festival. This time starring in Tommy, at the Colonial Theatre, in a run that ends after Saturday night. It is a rare treat as some years ago, to explore other forms of theater, Randy took a long break from musicals.
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Tryst by Karoline Leach at Irish Repertory Theater
Andrea Maulella in a Brilliant Turn
By: - Jul 13th, 2011From time immemorial, con men have exploited vulnerable women. In Karoline Leach's Tryst, marvelously staged in New York at the Irish Repertory Theater, the age old conundrum takes on new and frightening twists. Tryst takes place in the 1910 London of cobblestone streets and flickering street lamps
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Kate Maguire Talks About Tommy
Monday Morning Quarterback
By: - Jul 11th, 2011Tommy sold out at the Colonial for the VIP opening on Saturday night. The reviews are staggering in, partly because some critics opted for an offer of better seats on Monday night. That doesn't give much time to promote an expensive show with a short run that ends on Saturday. We asked artistic director, Kate Maguire, about that during the opening night party.
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Randy Harrison Sizzles as Tommy
The Who Rock Opera in Short Run at the Colonial
By: - Jul 10th, 2011Act fast if you plan to see the smash rock opera Tommy, starring Randy Harrison, at the Colonial Theatre. The hit show, which opened last night in Pittsfield will close after next weekend. In this first co production of the Colonial and Berkshire Theatre Festival, as the now combined as Berkshire Theatre Group, even in short run of an expensive production, in an 800 seat house that's a lot to tickets to sell. So call now if you want in on the top ranked theatrical event the Berkshire season. Shoot yourself if you miss this one.
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Lewis Black at Williamstown Theatre Festival
One Slight Hitch Sold Out on Nikos Stage
By: - Jul 08th, 2011If you know someone who knows someone try your best to score tickets to the sold out comedy hit of the Berkshire season. It has taken standup comedian Lewis Black some thirty years to sit down long enough to wrap up One Slight Hitch. It may entail another rewrite to reach Off Broadway but this hilarious production with a terrific cast will keep you in stitches at Wiilliamstown Theatre Festival through July 17.
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