The Colonial Theatre in partnership with Jenny and Adam Hersch will co-produce the Tony award-winning musical "Damn Yankees," which will be presented for four performances only at Historic Wahconah Park, Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3. Curtain time for each performance will be at 8 p.m.
This beloved 1956 musical will be directed by James Warwick and will feature opera star Maureen O'Flynn as Meg, former Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette as Van Buren, Marcy Harriell, who recently appeared as Mimi in the Broadway production of "Rent", as Lola and Robert Hunt as Joe Hardy. Joel Revzen is musical director.
"We are fortunate that we have been able to attract a cadre of highly regarded professionals to participate in this extraordinary undertaking," explained Susan Sperber, Executive Director of the Colonial Theatre, "In addition to the topnotch cast, our creative team is also outstanding. James Warwick has an international reputation as a superb director and actor, scenic designer Carl Sprague is well known for his work on 'The Royal Tenenbaums,' lighting designer Jeff Davis is a three time Emmy award winner, and costume designer Michael Growler is currently working on the Tony nominated Broadway production of "Movin' Out." Music Director Joel Revzen, known locally for his work as artistic director of Berkshire Opera, conducts in world class venues nationally and internationally, and choreographer Darrell Pucciarello can be seen regularly at the Met.
Following casting calls in New York and Pittsfield, Warwick has put together an ensemble of 26 cast members including Actors' Equity Association (AEA) and community members, and 18 musicians. "Damn Yankees" will be performed on the field on a covered stage specially designed for this event. Rehearsals will begin July 7 and are planned to take place at the First United Methodist Church on Fenn Street in Pittsfield.
This production will accomplish a number of objectives for both the Colonial Theatre and Jenny and Adam Hersch who are co-producing this play in cooperation with the Berkshire Black Bears Baseball Team. Says Sperber, "After having been dark for more than fifty years, the Colonial is beginning its audience development initiative. We want to set very high expectations for the quality of offerings that this community can anticipate from their Theatre.
Once open, the Colonial will be seen as an exciting center for community enrichment and the Hersch's commitment to helping Pittsfield reclaim its place as the vibrant center of Berkshire County dovetails nicely with that." In an effort to attract the entire community, all seats for this first-rate production are priced at $10.
"Damn Yankees" was written by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop with music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. In this classic baseball fable, die-hard Washington Senators fan Joe Boyd puts his soul in hock to help the team wrestle the pennant away from the hated, all conquering Yankees. Joe Boyd is transformed by the sulfurous Mr. Applegate's satanic magic into 22-year old baseball phenomenon Joe Hardy, to head the once-hapless Senators in a torrid late-season pursuit of the men in pinstripes. Joe has until September 21st before the deal becomes final - and eternal- and with the luscious temptress Lola to distract him, he has quite a time wriggling out of the deal.
When it first opened on Broadway in 1956, "Damn Yankees" swept the Tony awards including best musical, best actor (Ray Walston), best actress (Gwen Verdon), best conductor (Hal Hastings), and best choreographer (Bob Fosse). It was revived on Broadway in 1994 and was nominated in many categories including best revival of a musical and Victor Garber received a Tony for best actor.
During the run of "Damn Yankees," Historic Wahconah Park will open at 6:30 p.m. each evening for food and games with performances at 8 p.m. All tickets will be $10 and will benefit restoration of the Colonial Theatre. Tickets go on sale July 1 at the Colonial Theatre and at the Berkshire Black Bears box office 413-442 4858. For more information or to order tickets by phone call 413-448 8084.The Colonial Theatre, in partnership with Jenny and Adam Hersch, will co-produce the Tony award-winning musical "Damn Yankees," which will be presented for four performances only at Historic Wahconah Park, Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3.
Curtain time for each performance will be at 8 p.m. This beloved 1956 musical will be directed by James Warwick and will feature opera star Maureen O'Flynn as Meg, former Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette as Van Buren, Marcy Harriell, who recently appeared as Mimi in the Broadway production of "Rent", as Lola and Robert Hunt as Joe Hardy. Joel Revzen is musical director.
"We are fortunate that we have been able to attract a cadre of highly regarded professionals to participate in this extraordinary undertaking," explained Susan Sperber, Executive Director of the Colonial Theatre, "In addition to the topnotch cast, our creative team is also outstanding. James Warwick has an international reputation as a superb director and actor, scenic designer Carl Sprague is well known for his work on 'The Royal Tenenbaums,' lighting designer Jeff Davis is a three time Emmy award winner, and costume designer Michael Growler is currently working on the Tony nominated Broadway production of "Movin' Out." Music Director Joel Revzen, known locally for his work as artistic director of Berkshire Opera, conducts in world class venues nationally and internationally, and choreographer Darrell Pucciarello can be seen regularly at the Met.
Following casting calls in New York and Pittsfield, Warwick has put together an ensemble of 26 cast members including Actors' Equity Association (AEA) and community members, and 18 musicians. 'Damn Yankees' will be performed on the field on a covered stage specially designed for this event. Rehearsals will begin July 7 and are planned to take place at the First United Methodist Church on Fenn Street in Pittsfield.
This production will accomplish a number of objectives for both the Colonial Theatre and Jenny and Adam Hersch who are co-producing this play in cooperation with the Berkshire Black Bears Baseball Team. Says Sperber, "After having been dark for more than fifty years, the Colonial is beginning its audience development initiative. We want to set very high expectations for the quality of offerings that this community can anticipate from their Theatre. Once open, the Colonial will be seen as an exciting center for community enrichment and the Hersch's commitment to helping Pittsfield reclaim its place as the vibrant center of Berkshire County dovetails nicely with that." In an effort to attract the entire community, all seats for this first-rate production are priced at $10.
"Damn Yankees" was written by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop with music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. In this classic baseball fable, die-hard Washington Senators fan Joe Boyd puts his soul in hock to help the team wrestle the pennant away from the hated, all conquering Yankees. Joe Boyd is transformed by the sulfurous Mr. Applegate's satanic magic into 22-year old baseball phenomenon Joe Hardy, to head the once-hapless Senators in a torrid late-season pursuit of the men in pinstripes. Joe has until September 21st before the deal becomes final - and eternal- and with the luscious temptress Lola to distract him, he has quite a time wriggling out of the deal.
When it first opened on Broadway in 1956, "Damn Yankees" swept the Tony awards including best musical, best actor (Ray Walston), best actress (Gwen Verdon), best conductor (Hal Hastings), and best choreographer (Bob Fosse). It was revived on Broadway in 1994 and was nominated in many categories including best revival of a musical and Victor Garber received a Tony for best actor.
During the run of "Damn Yankees," Historic Wahconah Park will open at 6:30 p.m. each evening for food and games with performances at 8 p.m. All tickets will be $10 and will benefit restoration of the Colonial Theatre. Tickets go on sale July 1 at the Colonial Theatre and at the Berkshire Black Bears box office 413-442 4858. For more information or to order tickets by phone call 413-448 8084.
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North Berkshire Secondary Ed Study to Be Rebid
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The task force looking at middle and high school regionalization is going back out to bid for a consultant after both remaining bids came in over budget.
The Northern Berkshire Regionalization Study Steering Committee opened the bids on Wednesday night, with Vaysen Studio of Syracuse, N.Y., bidding $213,400 and the joint bid of Academic Discoveries of Boylston and The Management Solution of Auburn at $172,000.
Both came in higher than the $125,000 the committee has available.
After some discussion, the committee, meeting at McCann Technial School, voted unanimously to retool the request for proposals and send it back out to bid.
"To me, it's as simple as that. The price has exceeded the available funding, and now we're going to create something that has smaller scope so that, so that it can fit," said Mount Greylock Regional Schools Superintendent Joseph Bergeron. "And then that means, hopefully, you're just deducting from the work you already got through, rather than trying to do something completely different."
The group is charged with overseeing a study of secondary education in North Berkshire and includes Mount Greylock, North Adams Public Schools, Hoosac Valley Regional School District and the five member districts of the North Berkshire School Union. The consultant will look at the educational and financial aspects, as well as such areas as special education, enrollment, transportation and long-term sustainability.
The initiative is an outgrowth of declining enrollment and rising costs. For example, Drury High and Hoosac Valley High together graduated 116 seniors last year; in 2008, Drury alone graduated 133.
Two separate staples of the Northern Berkshire cultural calendar, the Williamstown Theatre Festival and the FreshGrass Bluegrass Festival have canceled their summer 2026 seasons to reorganize their operations and programming.
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Local officials say the proposed rate hike by Berkshire Gas could cost the city more than $40,000 extra just in heating its three schools, and be a burden to its residents, many of whom already rely on fuel assistance. click for more
A local restaurant has a solution to acoustics, a plant store is going mobile, and a popular ice cream/sandwich shop is getting new equipment and a website. click for more
A powerful Nor'easter is set to drop up to a foot of snow over the region, right on the tail Friday's storm that dropped up to 6 inches in some areas.
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