Klezmer Concerts, Broadway Cabarets, Readings, Sex Talk Fill Out Barrington Stage Season

Dr. Ruth Westheimer

(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – There’ll be a lot more than plays and musicals onstage at Barrington Stage Company this year. In addition to the theatrical lineup already announced for the upcoming season, the theater company has released a schedule of events including cabaret performances, concerts, new play readings, lectures, discussions, talkbacks with playwrights, directors, and experts, and more, on topics ranging from klezmer to sex to Broadway.

Highlights include a conversation (July 2) and booksigning (June 29) with sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, who is also the subject of a new play, Dr. Ruth, All The Way, written by Mark St. Germain, directed by Julianne Boyd, and starring Debra Jo Rupp. being staged this summer.

Yiddish/klezmer outfit Golem

In conjunction with the kickoff musical, Fiddler on the Roof, Aaron Lansky, founder and president of the Yiddish Book Center, in Amherst, Mass., will speak about New Riffs on Everyone’s Favorite Yiddish Story on Sunday, July 8 at 3pm. The next evening, July 9, acclaimed New York City-based Yiddish/klezmer outfit Golem will team with music critic Seth Rogovoy, author of The Essential Klezmer: A Music Lover’s Guide to Jewish Roots and Soul Music, the all-time bestselling guide to klezmer, for Fiddler Off the Roof, a klezmer event featuring a concert and multimedia presentation. These two events are presented in coordination with the Yiddish Book Center’s YIDSTOCK: Festival of New Yiddish Music, taking place in Amherst on July 11-15.

Leslie Kritzer

On July 30, a two-time Drama Desk Award nominee Leslie Kritzer – who portrayed Adelaide in last year’s hit production of Guys and Dolls – will perform a cabaret of songs by Jule Styne, the great American songwriter who created the scores of Gypsy and Funny Girl, among many others.

The annual showcase of up-and-coming composers and lyricists hosted by two-time Tony Award-winner William Finn, Songs By Ridiculously Talented Composers And Lyricists You Probably Don’t Know But Should, will take place August 31 – September 1, and on September 20-23, Amanda McBroom and George Ball will team up for Brel In The Berkshires, featuring the music of Jacques Brel.

Barrington Stage Company Event Schedule:

May 23 – June 10. LUNGS, by Duncan Macmillan. Directed by Aaron Posner. New England premiere. BSC Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. An intimate drama about a young couple contemplating whether or not to have a child in a time of global anxiety and political unrest. Performances Tuesday-Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 4pm and 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. Additional matinee Thursday, June 7 at 3pm. Please note: Saturday, May 26 evening performance is at 7:30pm. Opening Night: Sunday, May 27 at 3pm. Tickets: $15-$39. Seniors: $28 all matinees. Youth 18 and under $15 all performances except Saturday evenings.

May 25. CONVERSATIONS WITH…The Actor at the Center with Aaron Posner and the cast of Lungs. Friday at 4:30pm. Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Join Director Aaron Posner and the amazingly talented actors in Lungs to discuss the process of bringing to life their characters in this actor-centric production. Free (reservations recommended).

May 25-26. JOE ICONIS & FAMILY. Friday and Saturday at 9:30pm (or immediately following the Stage 2 performance). Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Tickets: $15 (general admission). Joe Iconis and his merry band of musical theater punks return this summer for an intimate evening of Iconis tunes, both classic and brand spankin’ new. Featuring sing-a-longs, three-hanky ballads, persnickety character pieces, exhilarating stompers and more. Fire up your washboard and polish your whiskey glass – this is new musical theater at its best! The Musical Theatre Lab is sponsored in part by Elayne Bernstein and Sol Schwartz.

May 29. Post-Show Discussion: LUNGS.  Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Following the Tuesday 7:30pm performance.

June 3-4. New Play Reading: BASHIR LAZHAR by Evelyne de la Cheneliere, translation by Morwyn Brebner. Directed by Shakina Nayfack. Sunday and Monday at 7pm. Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Bashir Lazhar tells the story of an Algerian immigrant who is hurriedly hired as the teacher at an elementary school in Montreal for a class of distressed students. His unorthodox teaching methods draw him into surprisingly explosive territory. Tickets: $15 (reserved seating).

June 13 – July 14. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joseph Stein, directed and choreographed by Gary John LaRosa. Starring Ron Orbach. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Performances Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm, Thursday-Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Friday matinees at 2pm (excluding June 13 and June 15), Sunday at 5pm. Additional Saturday matinee July 14 at 2pm. FIDDLER First Weekend Special! Performances June 15-17 tickets are $35/$40. Opening Night: Sunday, June 17 at 5pm. Tickets: $15-$62. Seniors: $38 all matinees. Youth 18 and under $15 all performances except Saturday evenings.

June 19 – July 15. DR. RUTH, ALL THE WAY by Mark St. Germain, directed by Julianne Boyd, starring Debra Jo Rupp. Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Performances Tuesday-Friday at 7:30pm, Thursday at 3pm (excluding June 21), Saturday at 4pm (no 4pm on June 23 and June 30) and 8pm, Sunday at 3pm.  Please note Saturday, July 7 evening performance is at 7:30pm. Opening Night: Saturday, June 30 at 8pm. Tickets: $15-$45. Seniors: $28 all matinees.

June 23. BSC ANNUAL SUMMER GALA featuring a performance of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at 4pm at the Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Followed by a spectacular party with dinner, dancing and a silent auction at St. Joseph’s High School, 22 Maplewood Ave, Pittsfield, as Barrington Stage celebrates BERKSHIRE BANK, a long-time sponsor and supporter of Barrington Stage.

June 26. Post Show Discussion: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Following the Tuesday 7pm performance.

June 29. Book Signing with Dr. Ruth. Friday at 4pm. Dr. Ruth Westheimer will sign her new book Sexually Speaking: What Every Woman Needs to Know about Sexual Health as well as her witty and touching book Musically Speaking: A Life Through Song. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 555 Hubbard Avenue, Pittsfield, MA.

July 2. TALKING SEX WITH DR. RUTH. Moderated by playwright Mark St. Germain, Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Monday at 7pm. Join America’s favorite sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer for a brief talk followed by a Q&A as she answers all your most pressing questions. Buy a VIP ticket and join us for a special post-show Chocolate & Champagne reception with Dr. Ruth. Tickets: $35 and $25; VIP: $75. All proceeds will benefit BSC’s New Works Initiative.

July 3. Post-Show Discussion: DR. RUTH, ALL THE WAY.  Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Following the Tuesday 7:30pm performance.

July 6-7. THE NIKO SONGBOOK. Friday and Saturday at 9:30pm (or immediately following the Stage 2 performance). Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Tickets: $15 (general admission). You loved his music in Pool Boy, Songs of a Night Owl and Late Nite with Niko. Direct from his sold-out engagement at NY’s Birdland, singer/songwriter Nikos Tsakalakos returns to BSC with The Niko Songbook, featuring old favorites and exciting new songs.

July 8. New Riffs on Everyone’s Favorite Yiddish Story with Aaron Lansky, Founder and President, Yiddish Book Center, Amherst, MA. Sunday at 3pm. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Fiddler on the Roof is warm, familiar and fun – but it’s a far cry from the stories by Sholom Aleichem on which it’s based. In this lively presentation Lansky will explore the deeper meaning of those rollicking and often profoundly unsettling tales. Free (reservations recommended).

July 9. Fiddler Off The Roof, A Klezmer Event with Golem and host Seth Rogovoy. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Monday at 7pm. Hailing from New York City, the acclaimed band Golem entertains with its brash, unique style of old-time klezmer, Yiddish theater music and Eastern European folk juiced with rock ‘n’ roll energy and a 21st century sensibility. Preceding the concert, host Seth Rogovoy puts the music of Fiddler on the Roof and Golem into context of hundreds of years of klezmer history in a multimedia program. This event is presented in coordination with the Yiddish Book Center’s YIDSTOCK: Festival of New Yiddish Music. Tickets: $30 and $25.

July 19 – August 4. ALL MY SONS by Arthur Miller, starring Jeff McCarthy, and directed by Julianne Boyd. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Performances Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm, Thursday-Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Friday matinees at 2pm (excluding July 20), Sunday at 5pm. Opening Night: Sunday, July 22 at 5pm. Tickets: $15-$60. Seniors: $38 all matinees. Youth 18 and under $15 all performances except Saturday evenings.

July 24. Post-Show Discussion: ALL MY SONS. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield.  Following the Tuesday 7pm performance.

July 25 – August 12. BSC’s Youth Theatre presents DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Directed and choreographed by Christine O’Grady. At The Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield. Performances Wednesday-Saturday at 7pm, Matinees Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm (please note: no Tuesday, July 31 performance). Tickets: $8-$15. A Museum/Theatre Pass is available for $25 (adults) and $13 (youth).

July 26 – August 11. THE NORTH POOL by Rajiv Joseph, directed by Giovanna Sardelli. Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Performances Tuesday-Friday at 7:30pm, Thursday at 3pm (excluding July 26), Saturday at 4pm and 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. Additional performance on Sunday, August 5 at 7:30pm. Please note: Saturday, August 4 evening performance is at 7:30pm. Opening Night: Sunday, July 29 at 3pm. Tickets: $15-$39. Seniors: $28 all matinees. Youth 18 and under $15 all performances except Saturday evenings.

July 28. CONVERSATIONS WITH… Collaboration on New Plays with Rajiv Joseph & Giovanna Sardelli.  Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Saturday at 2pm. Playwright Rajiv Joseph and director Giovanna Sardelli will talk about the process of collaborating on new plays. Join them for a discussion on tackling the topical issues raised in The North Pool, such as ethnic profiling, school violence and political correctness. Free (reservations recommended).

July 29. CONVERSATIONS WITH… Materialism, Socialism and Paternal Conflict in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons with Dr. Susan C. W. Abbotson.  Sunday at 3:30pm. Ferrin Gallery, 437 North Street, Pittsfield. Written and set in the 1940s, All My Sons, with its tale of a family torn apart, exhibits many of the discordances that arose within the American family during this traumatic period of war and recovery. Social changes of the era, especially, affected the relationship between father and child, which is tellingly portrayed in Miller’s tale of the Kellers. Free (reservations recommended).

July 30. HELLO, GORGEOUS! LESLIE KRITZER SINGS JULE STYNE. With Vadim Feichtner. Monday at 7pm. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield.  Leslie is a two-time Drama Desk Award nominee who won everyone’s hearts with her portrayal of Adelaide in last year’s hit production of Guys and Dolls. Notorious for her feisty, antic, hilarious cabaret shows, here Leslie celebrates one of her musical heroes, Jule Styne, the great American songwriter who created the scores of Gypsy and Funny Girl, among many others.  Tickets: $30, $25, $20.

July 31. Post-Show Discussion: THE NORTH POOL.  Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield.  Following the Tuesday 7:30pm performance.

August 9-26. SEE HOW THEY RUN by Philip King, directed by Jeff Steitzer. Mainstage, 30 Union St., Pittsfield. Performances Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm, Thursday-Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Friday matinees at 2pm (excluding August 10), Sunday at 5pm. Opening Night: Sunday, August 12 at 5pm. Tickets: $15-$60. Seniors: $38 all matinees. Youth 18 and under $15 all performances except Saturday evenings.

August 13. Staged Reading: TRAVESTIES by Tom Stoppard. Monday at 7pm. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Presented in partnership with the 2012 WordXWord Festival. Tickets: $10 and $15.

August 14. Post-Show Discussion: SEE HOW THEY RUN.  Following the Tuesday 7pm performance.

August 16 – September 2. BSC’s Musical Theatre Lab presents THE BLACK SUITS, a new musical by Joe Iconis and Robert Maddock, directed by John Simpkins. Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. A rock ‘n’roll musical about a high school garage band on suburban Long Island trying to win the St. Anne’s Battle of the Bands.  Performances Tuesday-Friday at 7:30pm, Thursday at 3pm (excluding Aug. 16) Saturday at 4pm and 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. Tickets: $15-$39. Seniors: $28 all matinees. Youth 18 and under $15 all performances except Saturday evenings.

August 21. CONVERSATIONS WITH…The Making of The Black Suits with Joe Iconis and John Simpkins. Tuesday at 4:30pm. Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. The creative team discusses the process of creating a musical in Barrington Stage’s Musical Theatre Lab. Moderated by Musical Theatre Lab Artistic Head William Finn. Free (reservations recommended).

August 23. Post-Show Discussion: THE BLACK SUITS.  Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield.  Following the Thursday 7:30pm performance.

August 26-27. A staged reading of an exciting new musical TBA. Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Sunday and Monday at 7pm. Tickets: $15 (reserved seating).

August 31 – September 1. SONGS BY RIDICULOUSLY TALENTED COMPOSERS AND LYRICISTS YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW BUT SHOULD…, narrated by two-time Tony Award-winner William Finn. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. A BSC Labor Day weekend tradition. Performances Friday and Saturday at 8pm. Tickets: $25-$35.

September 20-23. BREL IN THE BERKSHIRES! Amanda McBroom and George Ball in an evening of the astounding music of Jacques Brel. With Michele Brourman. Stage 2, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Thursday and Friday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 3pm. Tickets: $35 (reserved seating); VIP Tickets: $45 available for the Friday, September 21 performance (includes post-reception with Amanda & George).

October 3-21. LORD OF THE FLIES by William Golding, adapted for the stage by Nigel Williams, directed by Julianne Boyd. Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Performances Wednesday and Thursday at 7pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. Wednesday matinees October 10 and October 17 at 2pm. Opening Night: Sunday, October 7 at 3pm. Tickets: $15-$40. Seniors: $38 all matinees. Youth 18 and under $15 all performances. Additional matinees for student groups are scheduled. Contact Group Services at 413-236-8888 for more information.

October 11. Post-Show Discussion LORD OF THE FLIES.  Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Following the Thursday 7pm performance.

 

 

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