Above: The Cast of A Christmas Carol 2011. Photo by Ken Regan Camera 5
Last night the curtain came down for the last time in 2011 on what has to be a remarkable year for the Berkshire Theatre Group. Receiving thunderous applause was the dedicated cast of A Christmas Carol, an annual favorite outing for the Berkshire Theatre Festival, which, with the Colonial Theatre, comprises the new Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG) entity.
On stage, members of the Berkshire community mingled with professional actors as they took their bows before their enthusiastic audience. Indeed, by making the Colonial part of the local theatrical scene, the Berkshires has annexed one of the most professionally equipped theatres in the region for live, locally produced stage fare. The Colonial was the venue not only for A Christmas Carol, but for the outstanding production of Tommy early in July.
It goes without saying that the annual Community Production of A Christmas Carol finished its run leaving an indelible mark on all who experienced it. One reason was the presence of the family of popular singer-songwriter James Taylor who normally fills Tanglewood (and hundreds of other venues) to overflowing. It was his first outing as an actor, and like everything he does, he gave it his all.
“This holiday community production has exceeded our expectations in every way. We are so grateful to the Berkshire Community for their tremendous support and enthusiasm for the production. We were so happy to be able to give back to our community through the food drive and ticket donations. We are also incredibly thankful to the Taylors and the entire cast for their dedication to this project. What a wonderful end to our first year as the newly merged Berkshire Theatre Group.” – Kate Maguire, Artistic Director/CEO.
Reaction from Kim and James Taylor
So how did the Taylor’s rate the experience? James and Kim Taylor said “It was a remarkable experience, not just getting to work with our own children, but joining a cast that gave their heart and soul to this endeavor; from Eric Hill and Gray Simons at the top, to our beloved Tiny Tim. The whole production was an extraordinary tour de force in large part to Kate Maguire’s presence and leadership. It’s hard to think about next year at this point but never say never.”
Over 10,000 people came from 22 different states to see A Christmas Carol this year. Our incredibly supportive Berkshire community accounted for more than 75% of total ticket sales. Ticket revenue was approximately $175,000 with a significant donation amount raised from sponsors and individuals to go directly towards the Berkshire Theatre Group Education Fund. For the month of December over 14,500 people attended events at the Colonial in Pittsfield or Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge.
BTG and its Philanthropic Initiatives
Berkshire Theatre Group embraced the idea of giving back during the holidays with several philanthropic initiatives in conjunction with A Christmas Carol. In collaboration with Greylock Federal Credit Union, Berkshire Theatre Group has provided donations of non-perishable food from audience members to local Berkshire food banks. Greylock matched these donations by donating $1 for every pound of food donated to the local food banks.
Berkshire Theatre Group donated tickets to local organizations to ensure that people, who may not normally be able to attend the theatre, could enjoy a live performance of A Christmas Carol. The organizations that received tickets are, Habitat for Humanity, Adult Learning Center/Family Literacy Center, Conte Community School, Elizabeth Freeman Center, Elder Services of Berkshire County, Community Health Programs/WIC (Great Barrington), Youth Alive, Berkshire Immigrant Center, Berkshire County Residential Program for Adults with Mental Retardation, Helen Barube Teen Parent Program, Berkshire Children and Families and the Boys and Girls Club of Pittsfield.
Finally, at each performance before Christmas, a fresh, local turkey, donated by Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, was raffled off. Six lucky audience members were chosen to receive a turkey to complete their holiday dinner.
A Christmas Carol Founding Sponsor was The Fitzpatrick Family, Production Sponsor was Greylock Federal Credit Union, Supporting Sponsor was Berkshire Life, A Guardian Company and Performance Sponsors were Laurin Publishing, Comalli Group, Inc., Interprint, Inc., Toole Insurance, Onyx Specialty Papers, Dominion Dealer Solutions, Carr Hardware and Lee Bank.
Food and beverage partners were The Meat Market, SoMa Catering and Wandering Star Brewery.
This year the Berkshire community worked together on A Christmas Carol, laying the groundwork for future collaborations. We can hardly wait for 2012.
