Monthly Archives: August 2010

The Vanaver Caravan closed the 2010 Jacob's Pillow season.

Vanaver Caravan: Jacob’s Pillow winds up family-friendly season

The Doris Duke Studio Theatre was packed with all ages Sunday afternoon as the last performance of the 2010 season got underway. The world famous international dance festival could not have found a more perfect attraction for families than the

The Vanaver Caravan closed the 2010 Jacob's Pillow season.

Vanaver Caravan: Jacob’s Pillow winds up family-friendly season

The Doris Duke Studio Theatre was packed with all ages Sunday afternoon as the last performance of the 2010 season got underway. The world famous international dance festival could not have found a more perfect attraction for families than the

Review: Albee’s “A Delicate Balance” teeters on the brink of greatness

Edward Albee’s play A Delicate Balance is the work that earned the writer his first Pulitzer Prize in 1967. He earned two more, for Seascape in 1975 and Three Tall Women in 1994. Yet the play he is best known

Review: Albee’s “A Delicate Balance” teeters on the brink of greatness

Edward Albee’s play A Delicate Balance is the work that earned the writer his first Pulitzer Prize in 1967. He earned two more, for Seascape in 1975 and Three Tall Women in 1994. Yet the play he is best known

Ute Lemper

Review: Cabaret revolutionary Ute Lemper Storms through the Berkshires

From the second Ute Lemper sauntered on stage, the Colonial Theatre was turned into a Berkshire version of Cabaret International. Last evening, August 27, was a night to remember. The renowned song stylist sang in her adopted English as well

Ute Lemper

Review: Cabaret revolutionary Ute Lemper Storms through the Berkshires

From the second Ute Lemper sauntered on stage, the Colonial Theatre was turned into a Berkshire version of Cabaret International. Last evening, August 27, was a night to remember. The renowned song stylist sang in her adopted English as well

BOSStudiofeatured

Ten New Plays in Two Days at Shakespeare & Co’s Studio Festival

If last year’s Studio Festival of Plays is a barometer, then the upcoming 16th annual slate of readings is bound to be a theatre-lover’s bounty. Last year, in addition to the readings, we saw some hilarious acting ad-libs between natural

BOSStudiofeatured

Ten New Plays in Two Days at Shakespeare & Co’s Studio Festival

If last year’s Studio Festival of Plays is a barometer, then the upcoming 16th annual slate of readings is bound to be a theatre-lover’s bounty. Last year, in addition to the readings, we saw some hilarious acting ad-libs between natural

The awesome sound of the Count Basie Orchestra will be heard at the 2010 Tanglewood Jazz Festival.

Awesome Tanglewood Jazz Festival set for Labor Day weekend

(Shown above: The Count Basie Orchestra slated for Sunday, September 5, 2010 at 2 PM) Now in its 23rd year, Tanglewood’s annual Labor Day Weekend Jazz Festival will take place September 4-5, at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston

The awesome sound of the Count Basie Orchestra will be heard at the 2010 Tanglewood Jazz Festival.

Awesome Tanglewood Jazz Festival set for Labor Day weekend

(Shown above: The Count Basie Orchestra slated for Sunday, September 5, 2010 at 2 PM) Now in its 23rd year, Tanglewood’s annual Labor Day Weekend Jazz Festival will take place September 4-5, at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston

BOSBillNelsonfall

Change of seasons means change of songs for “Bill Nelson’s Incredible Musical Revue”

(Editor’s Note: This article has been updated  as of 9/6/10 and again on 9/22/10) Last year, when “Bill Nelson’s All Male Revue”  first played at Barrington Stage Company, lots of people were not sure what to expect. (It has since

BOSBillNelsonfall

Change of seasons means change of songs for “Bill Nelson’s Incredible Musical Revue”

(Editor’s Note: This article has been updated  as of 9/6/10 and again on 9/22/10) Last year, when “Bill Nelson’s All Male Revue”  first played at Barrington Stage Company, lots of people were not sure what to expect. (It has since

Interview: Julianne Boyd, artistic director of Barrington Stage Co.

Sixteen years ago Julianne Boyd founded Barrington Stage Company (BSC) – with a lot of help from many of her friends – and has built it into an institution that has become a cultural treasure of the Berkshires as are

Interview: Julianne Boyd, artistic director of Barrington Stage Co.

Sixteen years ago Julianne Boyd founded Barrington Stage Company (BSC) – with a lot of help from many of her friends – and has built it into an institution that has become a cultural treasure of the Berkshires as are

Audiences love Elizabeth Aspenlieder and her “Bad Dates” at Shakespeare & Company

The merging of the adroit writing of Theresa Rebeck to the formidable comic talents of Elizabeth Aspenlieder is potent, resulting in theatrical magic. The portrayal of Haley Walker, a working mom with a complicated life, demonstrates both her acting chops

Audiences love Elizabeth Aspenlieder and her “Bad Dates” at Shakespeare & Company

The merging of the adroit writing of Theresa Rebeck to the formidable comic talents of Elizabeth Aspenlieder is potent, resulting in theatrical magic. The portrayal of Haley Walker, a working mom with a complicated life, demonstrates both her acting chops

“The Memory Show” about Alzheimer’s opens at Barrington Stage’s Musical Theatre Lab

Sparks fly as memory lapses clash with unresolved family conflicts in The Memory Show, a new musical that had its debut last night at Barrington Stage 2. It is the second full-scale work to emerge from Bill Finn’s Musical Theatre

“The Memory Show” about Alzheimer’s opens at Barrington Stage’s Musical Theatre Lab

Sparks fly as memory lapses clash with unresolved family conflicts in The Memory Show, a new musical that had its debut last night at Barrington Stage 2. It is the second full-scale work to emerge from Bill Finn’s Musical Theatre

Conductor Susanna Mälkki stuns Tanglewood regulars with transparent Beethoven

There was a musical revolution of sorts at Tanglewood this past Saturday night as a little known conductor took the podium for a program of Mendelssohn and Beethoven. Susanna Mälkki showed herself to be both a forceful and original conductor,

Conductor Susanna Mälkki stuns Tanglewood regulars with transparent Beethoven

There was a musical revolution of sorts at Tanglewood this past Saturday night as a little known conductor took the podium for a program of Mendelssohn and Beethoven. Susanna Mälkki showed herself to be both a forceful and original conductor,

Review: “The Taster” an original theatrical treat at Shakespeare & Co

The Taster, a new play commissioned by Shakespeare & Company, is delightfully complex. It is set in two very different times and places. Even so its atmosphere and form feels oddly familiar. When its central character, Octavio Pillars climbs his

Review: “The Taster” an original theatrical treat at Shakespeare & Co

The Taster, a new play commissioned by Shakespeare & Company, is delightfully complex. It is set in two very different times and places. Even so its atmosphere and form feels oddly familiar. When its central character, Octavio Pillars climbs his

Tanglewood Final Week Aug. 27-29 , 2010 – Time for Beethoven’s Ninth, Labor Day Jazz

Week 8 at Tanglewood is upon us already, can it be that soon? The Boston Symphony Orchestra plays its final weekend, culminating with the traditional Beethoven Ninth Symphony and its massed forces of players and singers. The diverse Friday and

Tanglewood Final Week Aug. 27-29 , 2010 – Time for Beethoven’s Ninth, Labor Day Jazz

Week 8 at Tanglewood is upon us already, can it be that soon? The Boston Symphony Orchestra plays its final weekend, culminating with the traditional Beethoven Ninth Symphony and its massed forces of players and singers. The diverse Friday and

Jacob’s Pillow to end season with Hubbard St. Dance and Vanaver Caravan

(8/30/10 Update: Read our review of Vanaver Caravan and the last performance of the 2010 season.) The final weekend of the 2010 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival ends with two highly entertaining and visually stimulating ensembles. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago at the

Jacob’s Pillow to end season with Hubbard St. Dance and Vanaver Caravan

(8/30/10 Update: Read our review of Vanaver Caravan and the last performance of the 2010 season.) The final weekend of the 2010 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival ends with two highly entertaining and visually stimulating ensembles. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago at the

Berkshire Stage News – People, plays and personalities – August 2010

As the summer winds down, there are still several new plays to open, and some special events (like the appearance of Tyne Daly, Sutton Foster and Ute Lemper) to look forward to, as well as departures, of Nicholas Martin from

Berkshire Stage News – People, plays and personalities – August 2010

As the summer winds down, there are still several new plays to open, and some special events (like the appearance of Tyne Daly, Sutton Foster and Ute Lemper) to look forward to, as well as departures, of Nicholas Martin from

Preview: Ute Lemper brings genuine European Cabaret to the Colonial

The set list for Ute Lemper’s show Last Tango in Berlin includes just about all the greatest hits of European Cabaret. It includes classic Kurt Weill gems such as Pirate Jennie, chansons francaises et internationales such as Milord and Accordeoniste

Preview: Ute Lemper brings genuine European Cabaret to the Colonial

The set list for Ute Lemper’s show Last Tango in Berlin includes just about all the greatest hits of European Cabaret. It includes classic Kurt Weill gems such as Pirate Jennie, chansons francaises et internationales such as Milord and Accordeoniste

Preview: Australian Contemporary Dance from Lucy Guerin at Jacob’s Pillow

(Becket, MA) Australian choreographer Lucy Guerin explores a life-altering event through contemporary dance in Structure and Sadness, an evening-length work being performed at Jacob’s Pillow, America’s premier dance festival, August 18-22. Guerin has created a unique movement vocabulary inspired by

Preview: Australian Contemporary Dance from Lucy Guerin at Jacob’s Pillow

(Becket, MA) Australian choreographer Lucy Guerin explores a life-altering event through contemporary dance in Structure and Sadness, an evening-length work being performed at Jacob’s Pillow, America’s premier dance festival, August 18-22. Guerin has created a unique movement vocabulary inspired by

Review: Funny, farcical “Absurd Person Singular” at Barrington Stage Company

If there is one thing that those Brits do almost better than us Americans it is to make us laugh out loud, and feel smart and intelligent at the same time. Such is the secret of Alan Ayckbourn, whose Absurd

Review: Funny, farcical “Absurd Person Singular” at Barrington Stage Company

If there is one thing that those Brits do almost better than us Americans it is to make us laugh out loud, and feel smart and intelligent at the same time. Such is the secret of Alan Ayckbourn, whose Absurd

Review: Great American Gay Play, “Fifth of July” at Williamstown Theatre Festival

There’s a lot of family interaction in Lanford Wilson’s Fifth of July, and it involves a good portion of the first act in which the truth is buried, shunned, lied about and conveniently ignored. Lanford Wilson’s play is the story

Review: Great American Gay Play, “Fifth of July” at Williamstown Theatre Festival

There’s a lot of family interaction in Lanford Wilson’s Fifth of July, and it involves a good portion of the first act in which the truth is buried, shunned, lied about and conveniently ignored. Lanford Wilson’s play is the story