Cultural Pittsfield This Week: July 3-Aug. 6

06:12PM / Thursday, July 30, 2020Print Story | Email Story

Welcome to Cultural Pittsfield's weekly guide featuring in-person and virtual classes, events, information, and more. If you are a Pittsfield business and would like your event listed, please email us at cultural@pittsfieldch.com. Thank you and be well!

Next Thursday, Aug. 6, Berkshire Theatre Group moves outdoors to bring you the theatrical sensation Godspell. In this timeless tale of friendship, loyalty, and love, a group of eccentric disciples help Jesus teach a variety of parables through interactive games and a heaping dose of humor. Led by the international hit "Day by Day," Godspell features a parade of beloved songs by Tony, Academy, and Grammy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz, including "By My Side," "Save The People," and "All for the Best." The show runs through September 4 and tickets are selling fast!

FUN & LEARNING

On Friday, July 31 from 6-8 p.m., Hancock Shaker Village invites you on a Sunset Stroll. Walk or drive through the Village, where you'll savor fresh botanical cocktails mixed with herbs and local spirits. Taste an artisanal hard cider made from HSV's own heirloom apples. Enjoy savory bites, view weavers and spinners, enjoy Shaker song and dance, take home a bouquet of flowers and heirloom seeds, and enjoy a picnic dinner on the lawn or to-go!

From Wednesday, Aug. 5 through Sunday, Aug. 16, Barrington Stage Company presents Mark H. Dold in the sexually charged and wickedly funny one-man thriller Harry Clarke, by acclaimed playwright David Cale. A shy Midwestern man leads an outrageous double life as the cocky Londoner Harry Clarke. Moving to NYC and presenting himself as a Brit, he charms his way into a wealthy family's life, but his increasingly risky behavior threatens to undo more than his persona.

This week at the Virtual Pillow: As part of its virtual summer festival offerings, Jacob's Pillow invites you to dance with your doggie, hear from modern dance icon Cleo Parker Robinson, take a ballet master class with Virginia Johnson, catch a performance from Dance Theatre of Harlem, and more.

Plus...

Berkshire Artist Profiles | Jacob's Pillow Virtual Festival | Learn from Home w/Berkshire Theatre Group | Classes w/Berkshire Music School | Classes w/Berkshire Fitness & Wellness Center | Classes w/IS183 Art School | Painting Tutorials w/Berkshire Paint & Sip | Virtual Barrington Stage | Classes w/Radiance Yoga | Classes w/Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness | Classes w/Antil Fitness | Email aimee@gaiaroots.com for Online Drumming Classes | Online Classes w/Berkshire OLLI | THU-MON Tours at Arrowhead | THU-TUE Moby-Dick Marathon | FRI 1Berkshire Virtual Town Hall: Reopening Higher Education | SAT Jim Jasper Outdoor Exhibit Opening at Arrowhead | SUN Barnyard Yoga at Hancock Shaker Village SUN Forest Bathing at Hancock Shaker Village SUN OLLI Talk w/Violinist Samantha Bennett TUE OLLI Talk w/Former Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig | THU Live Storytelling w/BCC Alums

FAMILY FRIENDLY

Berkshire Museum will begin a phased reopening this weekend. Saturday, Aug. 1 - Saturday, Aug. 15 will be reserved for Museum members who wish to reserve private visits to the aquarium. You can become a member or renew your existing membership online!

Plus...

SHOP LOCAL / EAT LOCAL

Hotel on North's outdoor culinary and cocktail experience, "The Backlot," welcomes BB's Hot Spot, plus lawn games and a full bar! Wednesday-Saturday from 4:30-9:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended.

Roots Rising's Virtual Farmers Market is open for viewing all week long! Online shopping is available from Monday at noon until Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., or until the maximum order limit is reached. Shopping for Benefits Day is on designated Tuesdays at noon. If you would like to volunteer to help Roots Rising with Saturday packing and delivery, click here.

RESOURCES

Do you have a photograph, story, song, video, artwork, letter, or object that captures some aspect of your or your community's experience with the COVID-19 pandemic? Share them with Berkshire Museum, the Berkshire Athenaeum, and the Berkshire County Historical Society! In the future, your contributions will help tell the story of how our lives were changed during this remarkable time in history.

1Berkshire has compiled a list of online sites where you can find information on a number of topics, including an explanation of our state's reopening plan. You can also visit the City of Pittsfield's COVID-19 webpage for updates and helpful resources.

Plus...

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If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Capeless Students Raise $5,619 for Charity

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
11:13AM / Friday, December 19, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Students at Capeless Elementary School celebrated the season of giving by giving back to organizations that they feel inspired them.

On Monday night, 28 fourth-grade students showed off the projects they did to raise funds for an organization of their choice. They had been given $5 each to start a small business by teachers Jeanna Newton and Lidia White.

Newton created the initiative a dozen years ago after her son did one while in fifth grade at Craneville Elementary School, with teacher Teresa Bills.

"And since it was so powerful to me, I asked her if I could steal the idea, and she said yes. And so the following year, I began, and I've been able to do it every year, except for those two years (during the pandemic)," she said. "And it started off as just sort of a feel-good project, but it has quickly tied into so many of the morals and values that we teach at school anyhow, especially our Portrait of a Graduate program."

Students used the venture capital to sell cookies, run raffles, make jewelry, and more. They chose to donate to charities and organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Berkshire Humane Society and Toys for Tots.

"Teaching them that because they have so much and they're so blessed, recognizing that not everybody in the community has as much, maybe not even in the world," said Newton. "Some of our organizations were close to home. Others were bigger hospitals, and most of our organizations had to do with helping the sick or the elderly, soldiers, people in need."

Once they have finished and presented their projects, the students write an essay on what they did and how it makes them feel.

"So the essay was about the project, what they decided to do, how they raised more money," Newton said. "And now that the project is over, this week, we're writing about how they feel about themselves and we've heard everything from I feel good about myself to this has changed me."

Sandra Kisselbrock raised $470 for St. Jude's by selling homemade cookies.

"It made me feel amazing and happy to help children during the holiday season," she said.

Gavin Burke chose to donate to the Soldier On Food Pantry. He shoveled snow to earn money to buy the food.

"Because they helped. They used to fight for our country and used to help protect us from other countries invading our land and stuff," he said.

Desiree Brignoni-Lay chose to donate to Toys for Tots and bought toys with the $123 she raised.

Luke Tekin raised $225 for the Berkshire Humane Society by selling raffle tickets for a basket of instant hot chocolate and homemade ricotta cookies because he wanted to help the animals.

"Because animals over, like I'm pretty sure, over 1,000 animals are abandoned each year, he said. "So I really want that to go down and people to adopt them."

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