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At Full Gallop
By Bess Hochstein
June 2009
I haven’t lived in the Berkshires all that long, but it has been long enough to observe that the high cultural season starts earlier every year. July used to be the starting point, but this year nearly every theater was off  and running in June. Shakespeare & Company has been the quickest out of the gate, which only makes sense when you consider that the group is staging an astounding 18 productions this season plus a bevy of special events. The company has already opened and closed “Romeo and Juliet” as well as Tina Packer’s sparkling tour de force in “Shirley Valentine” and the second work its The Diva Series, Penny Kreitzer in “The Actors Rehearse the Story of Charlotte Salomon.” The third, the by-popular-demand reprise of “Golda’s Balcony” starring Annette Miller, is on the boards now through July 3. All three one-woman shows return for one night only in September, so you don’t have to fret if you’ve missed them this time around. There’s plenty of time to see “Pinter’s Mirror,” three one-acts by the darkly comedic playwright, as well as two highly acclaimed productions of the Bard’s “Hamlet” and “Othello.” And afternoon productions of “Measure for Measure,” opening July 10, take a new form: “Lunch Box Shakespeare,” served up with a boxed lunch before the show.
Barrington Stage Company is also off to a fast start; two work-in-progress showings have already come and gone; I hope they return, because I missed them! We saw BSC’s first full Stage II production, the world premiere of “Freud’s Last Session,” presented as a staged reading last year. The quality of the work – an imagined discussion between Freud and C.S. Lewis about love, sex, God, and the meaning of life – was perhaps responsible for the sold-out house that greeted opening night. Opening July 8 on Stage II is “Underneath the Lintel;” I can’t wait to see this play about a librarian’s search for the mysterious borrower of a book checked out 113 years ago. There’s no mystery about BSC’s Main Stage opener, “Carousel,” but I’ve never seen this classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical as a live production so I’m looking forward to giving it a whirl.
 Berkshire Theatre Festival’s “Faith Healer” by Brian Friel has been earning accolades since it began its run at the Unicorn in May; catch it before it closes on July 4. The Main Stage opened with a limited engagement (June 18-27) import from New York City’s Town Hall: Scott Siegel’s “Broadway by the Year,” a cabaret evening of songs of the Great White Way from 1930 and 1964, featuring Broadway stars Scott Coulter and Christiane Noll. Next up, starting June 30, is “The Einstein Project,” a humanizing portrait of the immortal physicist whose genius sparked the atomic age, while a semi-staged production of the musical “Candide” comes to the Unicorn on July 7.
I’m also excited to see “Children,” by A.R. Gurney, opening the Williamston Theatre Festival’s Main Stage on July 1, as well as Jonathan Marc Sherman’s “Knickerbocker,” which opens The Nikos Stage on July 8. Williamstown manages to bring out the stars, and these productions are no exception, with Judith Light in the former and Peter Dinklage in the latter. Sam Shepard’s explosive exploration of sibling rivalry, “True West,” coming to the Main Stage on July 15 with real-life brothers Nate and Rob Corddry, promises to be another must-see production. For super-fresh stage fare, check out this summer’s productions from the Berkshire Playwright’s Lab, dedicated to encouraging, developing, and presenting new plays by emerging and established writers. The work of BPL is presented free at the Mahaiwe on Wednesdays throughout the summer, and you never know who’s going to show up in the cast. The first production, “The Sex King,” by Bill C. Davis, starred Ray Abruzzo, best known as Little Carmine in “The Sopranos.”
Beyond the theater scene, we’re awash in great music; the Tannery Pond Concerts series has already presented two sold-out shows of chamber music; take a hint and get your tickets soon if you want to see the Brentano String Quartet on July 4. Music  Mountain, the country’s oldest continuing chamber music festival, is also well underway with classical concerts every Sunday afternoon and monthly “Twilight Concerts” on Saturdays. Tanglewood opens on June 26 with the Emerson String Quarter at Ozawa Hall. Garrison Keillor arrives for his annual live broadcast of “A Prairie Home Companion” on June 27, joined by Hollywood’s Martin Sheen and Steve Martin, who will perform bluegrass songs with The Steep Canyon Rangers from his new all-music album. The BSO arrives for its opening night on July 3: an all-Tchaikovsky program conducted by James Levine with Yefim Bronfman playing Piano Concerto No. 1.
 For a more urban music experience, Mission Bar + Tapas in Pittsfield hosts an eclectic, entertaining mix of acts with no cover charge in June. The Crowne Plaza has resumed its Friday@Five: Party on the Patio gatherings with live music. And The Colonial presents “P.D.Q Bach & Peter Schickele: The Jekyll & Hyde Tour,” on June 30; the Glenn Miller Orchestra on July 9; The Temptations on July 12; and legendary country-with-a-conscience singer/songwriter Steve Earle on July 14. Barrington Stage Company takes a break from theater to present cabaret crooner extraordinaire Amanda McBroom with Michele Bourman July 2 & 3 on Stage II.
North Adams is also ringing with music. On June 26,MASS MoCA presents “Roomful of Teeth;” eight young, classically trained professional singers perform specially commissioned music after a residency with international experts in a range of styles, including Tuvan throat singers, Broadway belting coaches, and a master yodeler. For something a bit less esoteric, catch NYC indie rock darlings Blonde Redhead at MASS MoCA on June 27 and Aimee Mann on July 11. Or check out The Mahaiwe’s diverse line-up, including Boston Early Music Festival’s production of Monteverdi’s L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea) June 19-21; one-man-band cult hero Keller Williams on June 26; family-friendly Dan Zanes & Friends on July 5; progressive bluegrass powerhouse Yonder Mountain String Band on July 9; and award-winning triple-threat Bebe Neuwirth on July 8.
The dance scene is also kicking up its heels; Jacob’s Pillow opens its festival with “Mujeres,” an exclusive flamenco performance by Belén Maya and Rocío Molina June 24-28. I’m looking forward to a slew of shows; in fact, I’ve got tickets for everything  in July: Ballet Maribor with “Radio and Juliet” and Fang-Yi Sheu’s new company, LAFA & Artists July 1-5; Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and Gallim Dance July 8-12; Groupe Emile Dubois and David Rousseve/Reality July 15-19; and, of course, Merce Cunningham July 22-26. We were at the Pillow even before the festival officially opened, at a members’ event celebrating the birthday of Hollywood hoofer Marge Champion. When I’m not at the Pillow you might find me at PS21 in Chatham for shows by two Paul Taylor descendants: Parsons Dance July 10-12 and TAKE Dance Company July 17-18.
Either that, or I’ll be galloping through galas that benefit Berkshire cultural organizations. Thus far we’ve feted  MASS MoCA’s 10th anniversary; new summer exhibitions – Dove/O’Keeffe: Circles of Influence and Through the Seasons: Japanese Art in Nature – at the Clark; the Berkshire Museum’s Biennial Wine Auction; and Berkshire Playwright’s Lab. Next up is Jacob’s Pillow’s performance and party on June 20; Barrington Stage Company’s gala on June 27, honoring Julie Boyd’s 15 years at the helm; and Shaker Shalom, a celebration of the commonality between Jewish and Shaker traditions, at Hancock Shaker Village. It’s a good thing the Berkshires has fantastic shops such as Vlada Boutique, USBluesware, and The Browns, because I’ve already run out of festive summer dresses!
About Bess Hochstein
Bess J. M. Hochstein came to the Berkshires as a second-homeowner before deciding to move here full time. Previously a communications executive, she’s now a freelance business and feature writer living in Tyringham with K and her rescued corgis, Duffy and Hobbes. She writes for several publications, including Berkshire Living, The Boston Globe, and New England Wine Gazette. Find out more at BessHochstein.com
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