Archived schedules

Dec. 15, 2015 Article by Dave Read

Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds on Tanglewood schedule June 19, 2016[/caption]Brian Wilson is scheduled to perform Pet Sounds at Tanglewood on Sunday, June 19, 2016. Pet Sounds is the 1966 album that Wilson wrote and produced for the Beach Boys and which was ranked the 2nd best album by Rolling Stone. Beach Boy singer Mike Love, who appeared at Tanglewood in 2014 with a version of the band that didn’t inlude Wilson, is reported to have said “Who’s gonna hear this shit?” when Wilson turned him on to the material that would become the album. Although it wasn’t critically esteemed when it was released, the album has acheived almnost sacred status in the succeeding decades. Hit singles from the album include Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Caroline No, and the very cool Sloop John B.

This is a most welcome addition to the popular artists part of the 2016 Tanglewood schedule, which already included performances by Chris Botti on June 24, A Prairuie Home Companion, with Garrison Keillor on June 25, James Taylor on July 4 & 5, the Chich Corea Trio on Julky 31, and Silk Road ensemble with Yo Yo Ma on Aug. 7.

2016 Tanglewood tickets

Tickets for the 2016 Tanglewood season, $12-$124, go on sale January 24 starting at 10 a.m. through Tanglewood’s website, www.tanglewood.org, SymphonyCharge at 888-266-1200, and at the Symphony Hall Box Office at 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston MA. Tanglewood brochures with complete programs and information on how to order tickets will be available in early February by calling 617-638-9467. For further information, please call the Boston Symphony Orchestra at 617-266-1492 or visit www.tanglewood.org. 2016 Tanglewood schedule – PDF.

Tanglewood grounds map

Here is a dynamic map of the Tanglewood grounds, with photos and information for such points of interest as Aaron Copland Library, Highwood Manor House, The Glass House, and The Lion’s Gate.

How to get to the Berkshires

Follow this link for Berkshires travel information, including public transportation within Berkshire county and Amtrak and Peter Pan bus schedules.

Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

March 5, 2015 Article by Dave Read

Wilco has announced the lineup for the 2015 Solid Sound Festival at MASS MoCA, scheduled for the weekend of June 26-28 in North Adams, MA. The festival presents an impressive and varied roster of musicians and bands; besides host Wilco and frontman Jeff Tweedy, it includes such first-ballot Hall of Famers as Taj Mahal, Richard Thompson (Richard Thompson Trio), King Sunny Ade (and his African Beats), and Bill Frisell. In addition to Friday and Sataurday gigs with Wilco, Jeff Tweedy will do another show with his son.

Rounding out the line up: The Felice Brothers, Jessica Pratt, Mac DeMarco, Real Estate, Shabazz Palaces, Parquet Courts, Cibo Matto, William Tyler, and Ryley Walker. Comedian John Hodgman will host Big Time Comedy Thing, featuring Tig Notaro, Paul F. Tompkins, and Jessica Williams. Further info: Solid Sound Festival.

Camping, hiking, and hotels near MASS MoCA

Camping is a big part of the Solid Sound experience, and the festival offers a variety of options. Following are year-round camping, hiking, and lodging facilities and organizations located in north Berkshire county, the general vicinity of the Solid Sound Festival:

• Appalachian Trail – Berkshires
• Ashuwillticook Rail Trail,
• Clarksburg State Park,
• Mount Greylock State Reservation,
• Natural Bridge State Park,
• Notchview Reservation
• Savoy Mountain State Forest,
• Western Gateway Heritage State Park,
• Holiday Inn BERKSHIRES
• Mount Greylock Inn
• The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA

MASS MoCA contact info., map, driving directions

• 87 Marshall St.; North Adams, MA 01247
• Fall, Winter, Spring Hours: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. closed Tuesday
• Admission: $15 adults; $10 students; $5 children 6–16
• Phone: 413.MoCA.111
• Web: massmoca.org

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March 6, 2015 Article by Dave Read

The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center is the primary cultural venue in the Berkshires’ “south county” region, located on Castle St. in downtown Great Barrington, MA. Opened in 1905 and restored in 2005, Mahaiwe PAC is a 681-seat venue that schedules a variety of programs throughout the year, including music, dance, theater, classic films, “Live in HD” broadcasts, and arts education programs.

Performing arts at the Mahaiwe 2015 season

Following is the 2015 schedule for performing arts presentations at the Mahaiwe, which also presents an extensive array of film and video, which will be listed soon.

• Cirque ZivaSunday, March 15th – 7:00 pm
• Close Encounters With Music – Serge Rachmaninoff and Russian Orientalia – Saturday, March 21st – 6:00 pm
• Close Encounters With Music – The New York Wind Quintet – Saturday, April 18th – 6:00 pm
• Alison Larkin LIVE! – A night of comedy from The English American – Saturday, May 2nd – 7:00 pm
• The Best of Rufus Wainwright – Saturday, May 9th – 8:00 pm
• Close Encounters With Music – THE AVALON STRING QUARTET – Saturday, May 16th – 6:00 pm
• Rosanne Cash – The River & The Thread with John Leventhal and Zev Katz – Sunday, May 17th – 7:00 pm
• Dan Zanes Buster Keaton Steamboat Bill Jr – Saturday, May 23rd – 3:00 pm
• Close Encounters With Music, Invitation to the Dance – Saturday, June 13th – 6:00 pm
• Boston Early Music Festival – Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 – Saturday, June 20th – 8:00 pm
• Boston Early Music Festival – Monteverdi’s Orfeo – Sunday, June 21st – 3:00 pm

Find Hotels near the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

Find the best rates and read real reviews for hotels in Gt. Barrington. Save time and money on your trip to the Berkshires!

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Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center info. and directions

• 14 Castle Street
• Great Barrington, MA 01230
• Box Office: 413-528-0100
• Mahaiwe.org

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March 5, 2015 Article by Dave Read

FreshGrass festival of bluegrass and roots music is scheduled for September 18-20, 2015 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA. Among the highlights this year are Berklee College of Music’s American Roots Music Program, No Depression, Happy Traum’s Homespun Tapes, Fretboard Journal, and the Compass Records FreshGrass record store. The following list of musicians and bands will be added to:

• Punch Brothers
• Leftover Salmon
• Jerry Douglas presents Earls of Leicester
• Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz & Aoife O’Donovan
• Alison Brown
• Peter Rowan
• Lost Bayou Ramblers
• Mr. Sun
• Flatt Lonesome
• Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem
• Twisted Pine
• Quiles & Cloud

Video from 2014 FreshGass

Camping, hiking, and hotels near MASS MoCA

Camping is a big part of the Solid Sound experience, and the festival offers a variety of options. Following are year-round camping, hiking, and lodging facilities and organizations located in north Berkshire county, the general vicinity of the Solid Sound Festival:

• Appalachian Trail – Berkshires
• Ashuwillticook Rail Trail,
• Clarksburg State Park,
• Mount Greylock State Reservation,
• Natural Bridge State Park,
• Notchview Reservation
• Savoy Mountain State Forest,
• Western Gateway Heritage State Park,
• Holiday Inn BERKSHIRES
• Mount Greylock Inn
• The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA

MASS MoCA contact info., map, driving directions

• 87 Marshall St.; North Adams, MA 01247
• Fall, Winter, Spring Hours: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. closed Tuesday
• Admission: $15 adults; $10 students; $5 children 6–16
• Phone: 413.MoCA.111
• Web: massmoca.org

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Feb. 27, 2015 Article by Dave Read

Here is a comprehensive list of plays scheduled to be performed on various stages in the Berkshires during the 2015 summer season, under the auspices of Berkshire county’s four main theatre organizations: Barrington Stage Company, Berkshire Theatre Group, Shakespeare & Company, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. They are presented in chronological order according to the opening date of the run:

Opens during May 2015

• BSC St. Germain Stage – Butler – May 14 – June 13, 2015
• S & Co. Bernstein Theatre – THE HOW AND THE WHY – May 22 – July 26, 2015

Opens during June 2015

• Barrington Stage Company Main Stage – Man of La Mancha – June 10 – July 11, 2015
• BSC St. Germain Stage – Shining City – June 18 – July 11, 2015
• S & Co. Bernstein Theatre – HENRY V – June 18 – August 23, 2015
• WTF Main Stage – OFF THE MAIN ROAD – June 30 – July 19, 2015

Opens during July 2015

• BTG, Fitzpatrick Main Stage – Deathtrap – July 1 – July 25, 2015
• WTF Nikos Stage – LEGACY – July 1 – July 12, 2015
• S & Co. Packer Playhouse – THE COMEDY OF ERRORS – July 2 – August 23, 2015
• BTG, Colonial Theatre – Bells Are Ringing – July 9 – July 26, 2015
• WTF Nikos Stage – KINSHIP – July 15 – July 25, 2015
• S & Co. Packer Playhouse – THE UNEXPECTED MAN – July 18 – September 6, 2015
• BSC Youth Theatre at Berkshire Museum – Shrek The Musical – July 22 – August 9, 2015
• WTF Main Stage – PARADISE BLUE – July 22 – August 2, 2015
• BTG – Fitzpatrick Main Stage – Frankie and Johnny In the Clair de Lune – July 29 – August 25, 2015
• S & Co. Bernstein Theatre – THE MOTHER OF THE MAID – July 30 – September 6, 2015
• WTF Nikos Stage – UNKNOWN SOLDIER – July 30 – August 9, 2015

Opens during August 2015

• WTF Main Stage – A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN – August 5 – August 23, 2015
• Barrington Stage Company Main Stage – His Girl Friday – August 6-30, 2015
• S & Co. Packer Playhouse – RED VELVET – August 6 – September 13, 2015
• WTF Nikos Stage – CHEWING GUM DREAMS and AN INTERVENTION – August 12 – August 23, 2015
• BTG – Colonial Theatre – Mary Poppins – August 13 – August 23, 2015
• S & Co. Packer Playhouse – CRY HAVOC – August 28 & 29, 2015
• S & Co. Rose Footprint Theatre – SHAKESPEARE AND THE LANGUAGE THAT SHAPED A WORLD – July 10 – August 15, 2015
• The Dell at the Mount – HAMLET – July 16 – August 22, 2015

Barrington Stage Company box office and ticket info.

• Barrington Stage Company 2015 summer season
• Mainstage: 30 Union Street
• BSC St. Germain Stage: 36 Linden Street (Pittsfield VFW)
• Box Office: 413-236-8888
• Website: barringtonstage.org

Berkshire Theatre Group tickets and box office info.

• Berkshire Theatre Group 2015 summer season
• Colonial Theatre
• 111 South St.
• Pittsfield, MA 01201
• Fitzpatrick Main Stage
• 6 East St,
• Stockbridge, MA 01262
• 413-997-4444
• TheColonialTheatre.org

Shakespeare & Company tickets and box office info.

• Shakespeare & Company 2015 summer season
• 70 Kemble Street
• Lenox, MA 01240
• phone: 413-637-1199
• www.shakespeare.org

Williamstown Theatre Festival tickets and Box office information

• Williamstown Theatre Festival 2015 summer season
• 1000 Main St. – Rt. 2
• Williamstown, MA 01267
• Box office – 413-597-3400
• web: wtfestival.org

Feb. 25, 2015 Article by Dave Read

Barrington Stage Company’s 2015 summer season schedule lists the following plays Butler, Man of La Mancha, Shining City, Shrek The Musical, His Girl Friday. BSC productions take place in Downtown Pittsfield in the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage, St. Germain Stage; their Youth Theatre venue is the Berkshire Museum on nearby South Street.

BSC St. Germain Stage – Butler – May 14 – June 13, 2015

Butler is based on actual events that changed the lives of over 10,000 slaves. Set at the beginning of the Civil War, it follows Benjamin Butler, a successful Massachusetts lawyer, who has just been promoted to Major General and given command of Fort Monroe in Virginia. The inexperienced but shrewd Butler soon finds himself in the middle of an explosive situation, exacerbated by an equally shrewd runaway slave.

Barrington Stage Company Main Stage – Man of La Mancha – June 10 – July 11, 2015

Man of La Mancha is based on Cervantes’ 17th century masterpiece Don Quixote. It tells the adventures of a delusional Spanish knight who sallies forth to restore order in the world and reclaim his lady love. Man of La Mancha premiered at Goodspeed Musicals and opened at the ANTA Washington Square Theatre, November 22, 1965, where it ran for 2,328 performances.

BSC St. Germain Stage – Shining City – June 18 – July 11, 2015

A Dubliner seeks help from a counselor after claiming to have seen the ghost of his recently deceased wife. As their sessions unfold, secrets are exposed in this thriller where a simple tale turns out to be anything but.

BSC Youth Theatre at Berkshire Museum – Shrek The Musical – July 22 – August 9, 2015

Barrington Stage Company’s Youth Theatre summer 2015 production will be the Tony-nominated musical Shrek The Musical TYA, to be presented July 22 – August 9 at Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA. Christine O’Grady will direct and choreograph.

Barrington Stage Company Main Stage – His Girl Friday – August 6-30, 2015

His Girl Friday is adapted by John Guare from The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. In Guare’s adaptation, the play takes place in 1939, the day before war breaks out in Europe, which adds a political framework to the otherwise antic proceedings.

Barrington Stage Company box office and ticket info.

Single tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 10am. Reservations for groups of 15 or more may be arranged by contacting Group Sales at 413-997-6118. For information on shows, passes and tickets call 413-236-8888.

• Mainstage: 30 Union Street
• BSC St. Germain Stage: 36 Linden Street (Pittsfield VFW)
• Box Office: 413-236-8888
• Website: barringtonstage.org

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