There quite a variety of exciting events on the Mahaiwe schedule over the next few months, including lots of opera in HD, but nothing can top the in-person appearance of Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin to benefit the Mahaiwe (October 14). Their two person show promises to be exciting as these two musical superstars show that Broadway is about great songs and stories, and lots of them, delivered with flash and panache.

Also booked – according to Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Executive Director Beryl Jolly – are Toots and the Maytals (November 4), The Temptations (December 2), “Live in HD” broadcasts by London’s National Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera, and classic movies.

In addition, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation presents a HUD symposium on housing (September 19); Premier Concerts present Keb’ Mo’ and His Band (October 18), and GFour Productions present Menopause The Musical (December 4 and December 5).

“This fall, we’re excited to share three different Grammy-winning performing groups ranging from blues to reggae to Motown sounds on our stage, and international stars from London and the Metropolitan Opera on our big screen,” said Jolly. “We’re also honored to turn double-headers into grand slams by offering our audiences very special opportunities to see two stars in one special night’s event, such as with our 2012 benefit performance”.

The LuPone and Patinkin Gala

Tony Award-winning Broadway virtuosos (and lifelong friends) Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin reunite on stage for the first production together since Evita on Sunday, October 14 at 7:00pm in a gala evening to benefit the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center and to honor John Hoyt Stookey. Honorary Gala Chairs are Michael David and Lauren Mitchell.

More than a cabaret act, this fully-staged production is a unique musical love story told entirely through the greatest songs ever written for the stage. Funny, passionate, intimate, and utterly unforgettable, this is a performance no fan of musical theatre-or of two of the most acclaimed performers of our time-will want to miss. Tickets are $75 (with limited Upper Balcony seats) to $150 (for tickets and a tax deductible donation) as well as additional opportunities for post-show reception with the artists. This very special evening will inaugurate the John Hoyt Stookey Fund for Programmatic Excellence, to support the Mahaiwe’s efforts to bring incredible talents to the Berkshires on a year-round basis. Mr. Stookey was the first board member to join founder Lola Jaffe in 2002 when the nonprofit organization was formed and has been an active participant in its exhilarating decade ever since.

Premier Concerts presents Keb’ Mo’ and his band on Thursday, October 18 at 7:30pm. A singer, guitarist and songwriter, Keb’ Mo’ is a three-time Grammy Award winner for the Best Contemporary Blues Album, and a key figure in the acclaimed 2003 PBS series Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues. He is a living link to the seminal Delta blues that traveled up the Mississippi River and across the expanse of America. His post-modern blues style is influenced by many eras and genres, including folk, rock, jazz, and pop. Tickets are $55 to $75.

Reggae legends Toots and the Maytals-led by Frederick “Toots” Hibbert-will perform an unplugged acoustic concert on Sunday, November 4 at 7:00pm. The group began recording in the early 1960s and has released more than 20 studio albums, achieving a record-breaking 31 #1 reggae hits in Jamaica, including “Do the Reggay,” “Pressure Drop,” and “Monkey Man.” They earned a Grammy in 2005 for True Love, on which their classic songs were re-recorded alongside artists such as Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, No Doubt, and The Roots. Artists such as Amy Winehouse and Sublime have re-recorded Toots and the Maytals tracks, and the group has toured with The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews, and Sheryl Crow. Tickets are $41 to $46.

Motown superstars The Temptations will perform on Sunday, December 2 at 7:00pm. Their sound defined a generation. Original member Otis Williams leads The Temptations in this spectacular marathon of hits, including “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “Just My Imagination”…and Motown’s signature song for the ages-the immortal, “My Girl.” In addition to Williams, the current lineup includes Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Joe Herndon, and Bruce Williamson. Tickets are $50 to $80.

The Met: Live in HD

The Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning series of live transmissions to movie theatres around the world, has expanded its worldwide distribution to 1,600 theatres in 54 countries, the largest global audience the initiative has ever reached. The 2012-13 Live in HD season features many of the opera world’s most prominent stars, including Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Anna Netrebko. Due to popular demand, the Mahaiwe has added an encore screening for each of the broadcasts.

The Met schedule includes Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore (Saturday, October 13 at 1:00pm and an encore presentation on Sunday, October 21 at 1:00pm); Verdi’s Otello (Saturday, October 27 at 1:00pm and an encore presentation on Wednesday, November 7 at 1:00pm); Adès’s The Tempest (Saturday, November 10 at 1:00pm and an encore presentation on Wednesday, November 21 at 1:00pm); Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito (Saturday, December 1 at 1:00pm and an encore presentation on Wednesday, December 12 at 1:00pm); Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera (Saturday, December 8 at 1:00pm and an encore presentation on Wednesday, December 19 at 1:00pm); Verdi’s Aida (Saturday, December 15 at 1:00pm and an encore presentation on Wednesday, December 26 at 1:00pm); Berlioz’s Les Troyens (Saturday, January 5 at 12:00pm and an encore presentation on Wednesday, January 16 at 12:00pm); Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda (Saturday, January 19 at 1:00pm and an encore presentation on Wednesday, January 30 at 1:00pm); Verdi’s Rigoletto (Saturday, February 16 at 1:00pm and an encore presentation on Sunday, February 24 at 1:00pm); Wagner’s Parsifal (Saturday, March 2 at 12:00pm and an encore presentation on Wednesday, March 13 at 12:00pm); Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini (Saturday, March 16 at 12:00pm and an encore presentation on Wednesday, March 27 at 12:00pm); and Handel’s Giulio Cesare (Saturday, April 27 at 12:00pm and an encore presentation on Sunday, May 5 at 12:00pm). Tickets are $18 to $25. Tickets go on sale to Mahaiwe members on August 31 and to the general public on September 5.

Scott Eyerly Previews the Operas

Opera expert Scott Eyerly gives an introductory talk about each Met opera at the Mahaiwe before its live broadcast. Mixing erudition and humor, Eyerly’s lectures enhance the opera-goer’s experience. All interested community members are welcome to attend these educational seminars whether attending the broadcast or not. The schedule includes Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore (Saturday, October 13 at 11:00am); Verdi’s Otello (Saturday, October 27 at 11:00am); Adès’s The Tempest (Saturday, November 10 at 11:00am); Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito (Saturday, December 1 at 11:00am); Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera (Saturday, December 8 at 11:00am); Verdi’s Aida (Saturday, December 15 at 11:00am); Berlioz’s Les Troyens (Saturday, January 5 at 10:00am); Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda (Saturday, January 19 at 11:00am); Verdi’s Rigoletto (Saturday, February 16 at 11:00am); Wagner’s Parsifal (Saturday, March 2 at 10:00am); Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini (Saturday, March 16 at 10:00am); and Handel’s Giulio Cesare (Saturday, April 27 at 10:00am). Tickets are $10 per lecture (general admission). Podcasts of these lectures are available after each opera on the Mahaiwe website: Mahaiwe.org.

London’s National Theatre Returns

The Mahaiwe will present three London’s National Theatre: Live in HD broadcasts, including The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Simon Stephens’s imaginativestage adaptation ofMark Haddon’s internationally renowned, multi-award-winning novel, directed by Marianne Elliott, who co-directed the globally successful stage production of War Horse for the National, for which she won a Tony Award in 2011 (Thursday, September 6 at 7:00pm and an encore broadcast on Saturday, September 15 at 7:00pm); Stephen Beresford’s The Last of the Haussmans, which examines the fate of the 1960s revolutionary generation and offers a funny, touching, and at times savage portrait of a family full of longing that’s losing its grip (Thursday, October 11 at 7:00pm and an encore broadcast on Saturday, October 13 at 7:00pm); and Timon of Athens, with Simon Russell Beale playing the title role in Shakespeare’s strange fable of conspicuous consumption, debt and ruin (Thursday, November 1 at 7:00pm and an encore broadcast on Saturday, November 10 at 7:00pm). Tickets are $18 to $25.

On the Big Screen

Upcoming cinema offerings include a Mahaiwe Movie of the Month screening of The Manchurian Candidate (1962, Rated PG) onFriday, September 14 at 7:00pm and The Wizard of Oz (1939, Rated G) onSaturday, November 24 at 3:00pm and 7:00pm. Tickets are $6 (general admission). Mahaiwe Movies of the Month are sponsored by Don Buchwald & Associates.

The Mahaiwe will host a wide variety of community events this fall presented by Berkshire Bach Society, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Close Encounters With Music, Fairview Hospital, Music in Common, and Deborah Zecher’s benefit for Construct’s Fuel Assistance Fund. Details on these events follow in the calendar summary below.

Recently launched Mahaiwe ArtSmart Tix is an initiative that offers $15 tickets to patrons ages 30 and younger to all Mahaiwe performances and is sponsored, in part, by Berkshire Gas. Ticket quantities are limited and available on a first come, first served basis for each show. Valid ID required. The discounted tickets apply to all Mahaiwe events, which include dance and music performances.

The Mahaiwe Box Office

The Mahaiwe is located at 14 Castle Street in Great Barrington, Mass. Box Office Hours: Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 6pm and three hours before show times. For tickets and information, see www.mahaiwe.org or call 413.528.0100.

About the Mahaiwe

Located in downtown Great Barrington, Massachusetts, the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center is the year-round presenter of world-class music, dance, theater, classic films, “Live in HD” broadcasts, and arts education programs for the southern Berkshires and neighboring regions. The intimate jewel box of a theater opened in 1905 and has been in continuous operation for over 100 years. In 2005, the theater experienced a renaissance as a beautifully restored 681-seat venue to offer a broad range of cultural and community events. Today’s “Mahaiwe Mix” of diverse, high quality programming strives to provide meaningful, memorable entertainment for all ages and interests.

Mahaiwe Fall Season at a Glance

Thursday, September 6 at 7:00pm
Saturday, September 15 at 7:00pm (Encore broadcast)
Mahaiwe Presents
London’s National Theatre “Live in HD”
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Mark Haddon’s internationally renowned, multi-award-winning novel is beautifully and imaginatively adapted into a stage play for the first time.
Tickets are $18 to $25

Friday, September 14 at 7:00pm
Mahaiwe Movie of the Month
The Manchurian Candidate (1962, Rated PG)
Tickets are $6

Wednesday, September 19 at 1:00pm
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Presents
Housing Options in Rural CT, MA, NY: A Place for Everyone
Free

Saturday, September 22 at 8:00pm
Fairview Hospital Presents
Paula Poundstone
Tickets are $52 to $500

Thursday, October 11 at 7:00pm
Saturday, October 13 at 7:00pm (Encore broadcast)
Mahaiwe Presents
London’s National Theatre “Live in HD”
The Last of the Haussmans
A new play by Stephen Beresford
Tickets are $18 to $25

Saturday, October 13 at 11:00am (pre-broadcast lecture by Scott Eyerly)
Saturday, October 13 at 1:00pm
Sunday, October 21 at 1:00pm (Encore broadcast)
Mahaiwe Presents
Metropolitan Opera “Live in HD”
Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore
Tickets are $18 to $25

Sunday, October 14 at 7:00pm
Mahaiwe Presents
An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin
to benefit The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center and to honor John Hoyt Stookey
Tickets are $75 to $ 500 (the latter includes artist reception)

Thursday, October 18 at 7:30pm
Mahaiwe Presents
Keb’ Mo’ and His Band
Post-modern Blues
Tickets are $55 to $75

Saturday, October 20 at 6:00pm
Close Encounters With Music Presents
“Dually” Noted – Music for Four Hands
Tickets are $32 to $42

Saturday, October 27 at 11:00am (pre-broadcast lecture by Scott Eyerly)
Saturday, October 27 at 1:00pm
Wednesday, November 7 at 1:00pm (Encore broadcast)
Mahaiwe Presents
Metropolitan Opera “Live in HD”
Verdi’s Otello
Tickets are $18 to $25

Thursday, November 1 at 7:00pm
Saturday, November 10 at 7:00pm (Encore broadcast)
Mahaiwe Presents
London’s National Theatre “Live in HD”
Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens
Tickets are $18 to $25

Sunday, November 4 at 7:00pm
Mahaiwe Presents
Toots and the Maytals Unplugged Acoustic Tour
Reggae Legends
Tickets are $41 to $46

Thursday, November 8 at 7pm
Deborah Zecher Prsesents
Warm Up the Winter: Annual Benefit for Construct’s Fuel Assistance Fund
Tickets are $5 to $50

Saturday, November 10 at 11:00am (Pre-broadcast lecture by Scott Eyerly)
Saturday, November 10 at 1:00pm
Wednesday, November 21 at 1:00pm (Encore broadcast)
Mahaiwe Presents
Metropolitan Opera “Live in HD”
Adès’s The Tempest
Tickets are $18 to $25

Sunday, November 11 at 7:30pm
Music for Now Presents
The Last Waltz Live
A re-creation of The Band’s classic concert film
Tickets are $20 to 40

Saturday, November 24 at 3:00pm and 7:00pm
Mahaiwe Movie of the Month
The Wizard of Oz (1939, rated G)
Tickets are $6

Saturday, December 1 at 11:00am (Pre-broadcast lecture by Scott Eyerly)
Saturday, December 1 at 1:00pm
Wednesday, December 12 at 1:00pm (Encore broadcast)
Mahaiwe Presents
Metropolitan Opera “Live in HD”
Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito
Tickets are $18 to $25

Sunday, December 2 at 7:00pm
Mahaiwe Presents
The Temptations
Motown legends
Tickets are $50 to $80

Tuesday, December 4 and Wednesday, December 5 at 7:30pm
GFour Productions Presents
Menopause The Musical
A hilarious celebration of women and the change
Tickets are $45 to $60

Saturday, December 8 at 11:00am (Pre-broadcast lecture by Scott Eyerly)
Saturday, December 8 at 1:00pm
Wednesday, December 19 at 1:00pm (Encore broadcast)
Mahaiwe Presents
Metropolitan Opera “Live in HD”
Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera
Tickets are $18 to $25

Sunday, December 9 at 2:00pm
Close Encounters With Music Presents
Tragicomedia – A Baroque Holiday Celebration
Tickets are $32 to $42

Saturday, December 15 at 11:00am (Pre-broadcast lecture by Scott Eyerly)
Saturday, December 15 at 1:00pm
Wednesday, December 26 at 1:00pm (Encore broadcast)
Mahaiwe Presents
Metropolitan Opera “Live in HD”
Verdi’s Aida
Tickets are $18 to $25