MARK AUERBACH
Ten Midsummer Treats
The region is abundant with theatre, song and dance this summer. Don’t miss these opportunities for a little summer fun.
I Saw My Neighbor On the Train and I Didn’t Even Smile, Suzanne Heathcote’s new play, directed by Jackson Gay, plays The Berkshire Theatre Group’s Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge through August 15. Keira Naughton stars in this co-production with New Neighborhood. Ryan Kather provides the musical score. For details: 413-997-4444 or www.berkshiretheatre.org.
Jenelle Chu in Shakespeare and Company’s “The Comedy of Errors”. (Photo by Enrico Spada.)
The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare’s farce that inspired the musical The Boys From Syracuse, gets a twist under the direction of Taibi Magar, plays Shakespeare and Company in Lenox through August 23. In her directorial debut at Shakespeare & Company Ms. Magar takes audiences on a fun and wild ride through the city of Ephesus, where two sets of identical twins who were separated at birth, collide and ignite an uproarious adventure of mistaken identity and human folly. For details: 413-637-3353 or www.shakespeare.org
A Little More Alive, Nick Blaemire’s new musical, will have its East Coast premiere at Barrington Stage in Pittsfield (through August 8). In this original folk-pop musical, two estranged brothers reunite at their childhood home after their mother’s funeral. An unexpected revelation distorts every memory they have as they uncover secrets that had been hiding in plain sight their whole lives. Tony nominee Daniel Jenkins co-stars. For details: 413-236-8888 or www.barringtonstageco.org.
Debra Jo Rupp heads from Berkshire Theatre Group’s Deathtrap to Chester Theatre’s Memory House.
The Unexpected Man, Yasmina Reza’s comedy joins the Shakespeare and Company repertory in Lenox through September 6. Reza, a French playwright, wrote the acclaimed Art and God of Carnage. Christopher Hampton provides the translation and Seth Gordon directs. For details: 413-637-3353 or www.shakespeare.org
Luna Gale, Rebecca Gilman’s newest play, concerning a social worker whose “typical case” becomes far from her expectations, is next at Northampton’s New Century Theatre through July 25. Gina Kaufmann directs. .For details: 413-587-3933 or www.newcenturytheatre.org.
Charles Neville and Sons bring some sizzle to North Hall in Huntington on July 26. Neville is best known for his performance of rhythm & blues, funk, jazz, be-bop, popular and American Indian music. He currently describes his performance art as “the great American classical music known as jazz.” Tickets at the door. For details: www.northhallhuntington.org
Brody Dolyniuk plays Freddie Mercury in the Hartford Symphony Talcott Mountain Music Festival salute to Queen.
FallsFest Music and Arts Festival brings live music, crafts and food to South Hadley’s Beachgrounds Park on July 26, rain or shine. NRBQ is one of the bands. For details: www.shfallsfest.com.
Memory House, Kathleen Tolan’s new play, directed by Sheila Siragusa, and starring That 70s Show star Debra Jo Rupp, plays The Chester Theatre Company in Chester, MA July 29 through August 9. Rupp just starred as a wacky psychic in the Berkshire Theatre Group’s production of Deathtrap, and she’s a familiar face at theatres throughout the region. Memory House is a story of a mother and daughter confronting their relationshp on New Year’s Eve. For details: 413-354-7771 or www.chestertheatre.org
Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Talcott Mountain Music Festival wraps the 2015 season on on July 24 (raindate July 25) with The Music of Queen at the Performing Arts Center at Simsbury Meadows, CT. Las Vegas star Brody Dolyniuk perfectly captures the spirit of Freddie Mercury, from “We Will Rock You” to “Somebody to Love” to “Bohemian Rhapsody.” For tickets: 860-987-5900 or www.hartfordsymphony.org.
Cover Art for Gina Hyam’s The Tanglewood Picnic.
Byam Stevens, outgoing Artistic Director of The Chester Theatre Company, chats with incoming Artistic Director Daniel Elihu Kramer about his career and future plans on July 26 at the theatre. For details: 413-354-7771 or www.chestertheatre.org.
Midsummer Tradition
Berkshires writer Gina Hyams just reprinted The Tanglewood Picnic: Music and Outdoor Feasts in The Berkshires,which commemorates the culinary and social history of the picnic on the lawn at Tanglewood, summer home of The Boston Symphony Orchestra. The picnics, which run the gamut from the take-out at local eateries and supermarkets, to the posh picnics catered with elegant flatware, candles, and the best foods available, are as much as Tanglewood tradition as is the music. In fact, many small towns in western Massachusetts offers concert series in their parks, and the during-performance picnic is part of the theatre of a great night under the stars.
Hyams collected hundreds of photographs from Tanglewood picnics of the past to the present, some anecdotes about them and a handful of recipes for drinks, sandwiches, and salads. Some come from the legendary Berkshires resorts, like the brownie from The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge and lobster sliders from Cranwell and Gazpacho from Weatleigh. I was personally inspired to make a brown rice salad submitted by Nancy Fitzpatrick. Hyams includes a list of all things necessary to have the best possible Tanglewood picnic.
Summer is a fleeting few weeks in western Massachusetts, but fall foliage season is a great time to picnic amongst the leaves. So, whether you’re bold in the kitchen, or better at buying prepared foods, savor the Tanglewood picnic tradition in Hyams’ easy-to-read celebration of a Tanglewood tradition.
For details: http://tanglewoodpicnic.com/
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
