By Mark G. Auerbach
Finally! Live Theatre Returns
Title and Deed, Will Eno’s play starring James Barry, opens the Chester Theatre season at Hancock Shaker Village, with performances through June 27. Barry has won accolades for his performance in area theatres, including six shows at Chester. He directed the blockbuster Million Dollar Quartet for Berkshire Theatre Group, where he also starred opposite his wife, Tara Franklin, in Pirandello’s Naked. Keira Naughton, a Berkshire Theatre Critics Association nominee for her staging of Chester’s Curve of Departure, stages the production. For details: www.chestertheatre.org.
Who Could Ask For Anything More? The Songs of George Gershwin, brings the music of the landmark Broadway composer to Barrington Stage Company through July 3. Conceived by Julianne Boyd and Darren R. Cohen, the musical revue highlights the many melodies from Gershwin hits like Oh, Kay!, An American in Paris, Porgy and Bess, My One and Only, Girl Crazy, Crazy for You and more. Boyd directs. Cohen provides musical direction, and Jeffrey L. Page choreographs. The cast includes Broadway regulars Allison Blackwell, Britney Coleman, Alan H. Green, Jacob Tischler and Alysha Umphress. Performances will be held at the BSC Production Center on 34 Laurel Street in Pittsfield. For details: www.barringtonstageco.org.
The Importance Of Being Earnest tells the story of two bachelor friends, dandy Algernon Moncrieff and reliable John (Jack) Worthing, as they take on double lives to court the attentions of the desirable Gwendolyn Fairfax and the romantic Cecily Cardew. Berkshire Theatre Group reopens The Unicorn Theatre on its Stockbridge campus with the Oscar Wilde classic, staged by David Auburn, with movement by Isadora Wolfe. The cast includes a lot of BTG veterans including Harriet Harris, David Adkins, Rebecca Brooksher, and Corinna May. Performances run through July 10. For details: www.berkshiretheatregroup.org.
SEAN HARRIS
Tanglewood has reshuffled its popular artist series. Brandi Carlisle will now perform on Aug. 21; Judy Collins will now perform on Aug. 22. Performances by Ringo Starr, Mavericks and Los Lobos and James Taylor have been moved to 2022. Performances by John Legend and Trey Anastasio have been cancelled. Tanglewood has also announced new protocols for concerts. For details: www.tanglewood.org.
Hartford Stage launches its inaugural American Voices New Play Festival, a virtual celebration of three new American plays by writers with Latinx and Hispanic roots. Ash Tree by Georgina Escobar, Her Math Play by Christina Pumariega, and Simona’s Search by Martin Zimmerman will receive a 4-day workshop with Hartford Stage and a public reading, June23-26. Tickets are free, but donations are requested. For details: www.hartfordstage.org.
The Connecticut Shakespeare Festival, a subsidiary of Playhouse Theatre Group (Playhouse on Park), launches its premiere season of Shakespeare and Sondheim at Auerfarm in Bloomfield, CT. Mainstage productions will include Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Sondheim’s Into The Woods. Pre-show entertainment, The Green Show, will happen prior to Main Stage productions. The Festival’s theatre for young audiences features Shakespeare 4 Kids: Dream Scheme and Snow White. The season begins on July 7. For details: www.ConnecticutShakespeareFestival.com
AARON TVEIT
Aaron Tveit Live, a Barrington Stage Company gala, will add a second public performance, plus will be streamed on July 19.Tveit, who starred in Barrington Stage’s production of Company, is currently a Tony Award nominee for his performance in the Broadway hit Moulin Rouge. For details: www.barringtonstageco.org..
PILOBOLUS
The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center is returning to live performances with social distancing and capacity controls in place. Pilobolus, the New England-based, internationally renowned modern dance company, brings a program Four@Play on July 31. A revue, Broadway in the Berkshires, hosted by Richard Kind brings showtunes to Great Barrington on Aug. 2. Berkshires turned Broadway star Michael Wartella is amongst the cast. SNL star Cecily Strong introduces her new memoir, This Will All Be Over Soon on Aug. 7. SNL co-stars Heidi Gardner and Bowen Yang moderate the event, Gardner at the matinee and Yang at night. For details: www.mahaiwe.org.
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and The Yale School of Drama. He has worked for arts organizations nationwide, and reported on the arts for print and broadcast. Mark produces and hosts ArtsBeat, Athenaeum Spotlight, and On The Mark for WCPC15 and 89.5fm/WSKB, and he’s a regular contributor to Pioneer Valley Radio.
