The Berkshires offer an interesting variety of entertainment during December 2011, from James Taylor in his acting debut in A Christmas Carol at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group in concert at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Gt. Barrington, plenty of “Live in HD” Opera at various venues, local favorite Festival of Trees at the Berkshire Museum, The Santaland Diaries at Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, and the Berkshire Bach Society’s annual New Year’s Eve concert.
Christmas in the Berkshires
Christmas and the concommitant commercial holiday gifting season are recognized by some Berkshires towns and organizations with special events, such as:
- 21st annual Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas, Dec. 3 – featuring Caroling & Luminaria Walk, 6:00-7:00pm, Holiday Concert at the First Congregational Church, 7:30pm; Dec. 4 Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas Recreation of Norman Rockwell painting, 12Noon-2:00pm.
- Hancock Shaker Village sets up shop at Spice Dragon, 297 North St., Pittsfield on Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4, noon to 7:00pm;
- Dec. 10 & 11 – 1st Annual Lenox Caroling Festival Weekend.
Barrington Stage Company Dec. 2011 schedule
- Dec. 3; 2 – 4pm – BSC Holiday Open House
- Dec. 17; 2pm White Christmas
Barrington Stage Company tickets contact information
- Mainstage: 30 Union Street – BSC Stage 2: 36 Linden Street (Pittsfield VFW)
- Box Office: 413-236-8888 – Administration: 413-499-5446
- Website: barringtonstage.org
Berkshire Museum Dec. 2011 schedule
- Through Jan. 2, 2012 – Under the Big Top: Festival of Trees 2011
Berkshire Museum tickets contact information
- 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201
- 413-443-7171
- Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.;Sun. 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Closed Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day
- Berkshire Museum
Berkshire Theatre Festival Dec. 2011 schedule
- See Colonial Theatre schedule for A Christmas Carol details./li>
- Dec. 16 – 9pm – The Unicorn – The McLovins
Berkshire Theatre Festival tickets contact information
- PO Box 797, Stockbridge, MA 01262
- Box Office – 413-298-5576 ext. 33
- website: BerkshireTheatre.org
Clark Art Institute Dec. 2011 schedule
- Exhibition – Rembrandt and Degas: Two Young Artists – Nov. 13 – Feb. 5, 2012
- Dec. 1 – Noon – Encore: London’s National Theatre: Live in HD: Collaborators
- Dec. 2 – 10:15 am – New Parents Gallery Talk
- Dec. 2 – 8pm – The Barra MacNeils Celtic Holiday Concert
- Dec. 3 – 12:30pm – The Met: Live in HD – Handel’s Rodelinda
- Dec. 9 – 7:30 pm – Encore: London’s National Theatre: Live in HD: Collaborators
- Dec. 2 – 10 am – Start with Art: Light and Dark
- Dec. 10 – 1:00 pm – The Met: Live in HD – Gounod’s Faust
- Dec. 28 – 2pm – The Met: Live in HD – Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel
Clark Art Institute tickets contact information
- 225 South Street – Williamstown, MA 01267
- 413-458-2303
- Galleries open daily – Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
- web: clarkart.edu
Colonial Theatre Dec. 2011 schedule
(Events at The Garage run from 9pm – Midnight and are free unless noted otherwise.)
- Dec. 1 – 9pm – The Garage – Tony Lee Thomas Band
- Dec. 3 – 2pm – Christmas At the Colonial-Mary Verdi
- Dec. 4 – 2pm – Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical
- Dec. 8 – 9pm – The Garage – Sparkplug
- Dec. 10 – 3 & 7:30pm – Albany Berkshire Ballet, The Nutcracker
- Dec. 11 – 1:30 & 4:30pm – Albany Berkshire Ballet, The Nutcracker
- Dec. 17 – 30 – A Christmas Carol
- Saturday, Dec 17 at 7pm (Opening Night)
- Sunday, Dec 18 at 2pm
- Tuesday, Dec 20 at 7pm
- Wednesday, Dec 21 at 7pm
- Thursday, Dec 22 at 7pm
- Friday, Dec 23 at 7pm
- Monday, Dec 26 at 7pm
- Tuesday, Dec 27 at 7pm
- Wednesday, Dec 28 at 7pm
- Thursday, Dec 29 at 7pm
- Friday, Dec 30 at 7pm
The Colonial Theatre tickets contact information
- 111 South St. – Pittsfield, Mass 01201
- 413-997-4444
- TheColonialTheatre.org
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Dec. 2011 schedule
- Dec. 1 – 2pm – London’s National Theatre: Live in HD – Collaborators
- Dec. 2 – 7pm – ACE VENTURA – Pet Detective (1994)
- Dec. 3 – 12:30pm – Metropolitan Opera Live in HD – Handel’s Rodelinda
- Dec. 4 – 2pm – Close Encounters With Music:Lisztomania! A 200th Anniversary Celebration
- Dec. 7 – 12:30pm – Metropolitan Opera Live in HD – Handel’s Rodelinda
- Dec. 10 – 1pm – Metropolitan Opera Live in HD – Gounod’s Faust – New Production
- Dec. 11 – 7pm – A Night Before Christmas with SPYRO GYRA
- Dec. 14 – 1pm – Metropolitan Opera Live in HD – Gounod’s Faust – New Production
- Dec. 17 – 8pm – Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group
- Dec. 18 – 2pm – Paperbag Players
- Dec. 21 – 7pm – Metropolitan Opera Live in HD – Mozart’s The Magic Flute
- Dec. 22 – 7pm – Metropolitan Opera Live in HD – Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel
- Dec. 31 – 6pm – Berkshire Bach Society Presents Bach at New Year’s
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center tickets contact information
- 14 Castle Street – Great Barrington, MA 01230
- Box Office: 413-528-0100
- Mahaiwe.org
MASS MoCA Dec. 2011 schedule
- Dec. 3 – 8pm – Stephanie Rothenberg
- Dec. 10 – 8pm – Maya Beiser: Elsewhere
MASS MoCA tickets contact information
- 87 Marshall St.; North Adams, MA 01247
- Fall, Winter, Spring Hours: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. closed Tuesday
- Phone: 413.MoCA.111
- Web: massmoca.org
Shakespeare & Company Dec. 2011 schedule
- Dec. 2 – 30 – The Santaland Diaries
- Fri. Dec 2 at 7:30pm
- Sat, Dec 3 at 7:30pm
- Sun. Dec 4 at 2pm
- Fri. Dec 9 at 7:30pm
- Sat, Dec 10 at 2pm & 7:30pm
- Sun. Dec 11 at 2pm
- Fri. Dec 16 at 7:30pm
- Sat, Dec 17 at 2pm & 7:30pm
- Sun. Dec 18 at 2pm
- Wed. Dec 21 at 7:30pm
- Thu. Dec 22 at 7:30pm
- Fri. Dec 23 at 7:30pm
- Mon. Dec 26 at 7:30pm
- Tue. Dec 27 at 7:30pm
- Wed. Dec 28 at 7:30pm
- Thu. Dec 29 at 7:30pm
- Fri. Dec 30 at 7:30pm
Shakespeare & Company tickets contact information
- 70 Kemble Street
- Lenox, MA 01240
- phone: 413-637-1199
- www.shakespeare.org