The Mount's 2021 Season

Print Story | Email Story
LENOX, Mass. — The Mount, Edith Wharton's Home  announced its 2021 summer programs and events. 
 
Highlights include a variety of outdoor performances, lectures, and the return of the SculptureNow outdoor sculpture exhibit. Additional details on all programs, including advanced registration, can be found at EdithWharon.org.
 
"We knew we wanted to do as much outdoors as possible," said Susan Wissler, executive director at The Mount. "We envisioned different locations throughout the estate as unique performance venues and tried to match the performances to the space, making each site-specific. We will be presenting live music on a newly built stage below the stable, hosting lectures in an open-air tent in the field at the top of the property, and using the entire estate for roving readings and performances." 
 
The Mount is continuing to finalize its season and will be announcing additional programs in the coming weeks, including the return of the in-person Summer Lecture Series and a new music series on Thursday evenings in August. Bird walks and outdoor yoga started in early May and will run through the end of summer.
 
"We are excited to be presenting a full season of programming," said Patricia Pin, public programs director at The Mount. "With the regulations and mandates changing so quickly, we had to be flexible and agile in our planning. I am amazed at what we have put together in such circumstances and look forward to welcoming everyone back on property to our programs."
 
 
2021 SEASON
 
SculptureNow 2021 at The Mount
 
June 1-October 13
 
SculptureNow returns to The Mount with a brand new exhibition of 30 large-scale contemporary sculptures. On Sunday, June 20, there will be an opportunity for visitors to meet and speak with the artists. Monthly artist-led tours will be given July-October.
 
 
The Summer Lecture Series
 
Mondays, July & August at 4:00 PM
 
Tuesdays, July & August at 11:00 AM
 
Members $25, General $30
 
Line up to be announced in early June.
 
 
Concerts in the Dell
 
Thursdays, August 5:00 – 8:00 PM
 
Members $15, General $20, 18 and under free
 
Line up to be announced in early June.
 
StoryWalks at The Mount
 
Monthly
 
Free with reservation
 
 
Close Encounters with Music at The Mount
 
Sunday, June 13, 5:00 PM & 7:00 PM
 
Members $20, General $25, 18 and under free
 
West Side Five, the award-winning New York-based vocal jazz ensemble, brings their  take on jazz standards to The Mount. 
 
 
Banderole with Ian Spencer Bell
 
Wednesday, June 30, Thursday, July 1, & Friday, July 2, 6:30 PM
 
Free with reservation
 
Choreographer and poet Ian Spencer Bell returns to The Mount along with dancers Joshua Tuason and Vanessa Knouse to perform Banderole, a site-specific dance inspired by the architecture of The Mount. Audience members will follow the dance through the grounds and gardens.
 
 
Jazz and Classics for Change
 
Sunday, July 11, 4:00 PM & 6:30 PM
 
Members $20, General $25, 18 and under free
 
Armen Donelian Trio and vocalist Dominique Eade bring their lyrically charged works and distinctive interpretations of well-known Jazz standards to The Mount.
 
 
Poetry for the Birds with Peter Filkins & Sidney Wade
 
Thursday, July 15 at 4:00 PM
 
Free with reservation
 
This afternoon of bird-themed poetry will include original works by Filkins and Wade as well as classic poems by beloved poets such as Elizabeth Bishop, Derek Walcott, Emily Dickinson, and Robinson Jeffers.
 
 
WordxWord Festival at The Mount
 
Tuesday, July 20 – Thursday, July 22
 
Free with reservation
 
It's a three-day spoken word festival! Each evening is a doubleheader starting with Walkin' with WordXWord, in which poets present short pieces in response to works in the 2021 SculptureNow exhibition, followed by poetry and storytelling events. Details to be announced in June.
 
 
True Conversations with Meg Wolitzer & Heidi Pitlor
 
Wednesday, August 4 at 4:00 PM
 
General $20, Members $15
 
A conversation as Heidi Pitlor, editor of The Best American Short Stories, delves  into the writing life of best-selling author Meg Wolitzer.
 
 
Much Ado About Shakespeare
 
Wednesday, August 11, 6:00 PM
 
Free with reservation
This concert will feature texts by William Shakespeare sung by members of Berkshire Opera Festival's cast of Falstaff. Artistic Director Brian Garman will explore how different composers were inspired by the words of the man largely regarded as the greatest writer of the English language.
 
 
True Conversations with Martha Hall Kelly & Heidi Pitlor
 
Tuesday, September 7 at 4:00 PM
 
General $20, Members $15
 
An conversation as Heidi Pitlor, editor of The Best American Short Stories, delves deep into the writing life of best-selling author Martha Hall Kelly.
 
 
 

Tags: The Mount,   

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

Pennrose Breaks Ground in Lenox, Bringing 68 Units of Affordable Housing

Staff Reports

LENOX, Mass. — Pennrose announced the groundbreaking of 238 Pittsfield Road, a 68-unit affordable rental community.

The development will bring much-needed affordable, family-friendly housing options to the area.

The community will consist of 10 residential buildings offering a mix of 23 one-bedroom, 38 two-bedroom, and seven three-bedroom apartments. Of the 68 total homes, 57 will be affordable for households earning from 30 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) up to 80 percent AMI, with the remaining 11 units available at market rate rents.

A community building at the entrance of the development will offer resident-focused amenities, including event space and a fitness center, along with on-site offices for Pennrose management and resident services staff.

"238 Pittsfield Road builds on the progress that the Town of Lenox has made in addressing the region's pressing needs for affordable, family-sized rental housing," said Karmen Cheung, Regional Vice President at Pennrose. "This partnership with the Town of Lenox continues to deliver communities that give families of all sizes a place to call home. Together with Forge, these two communities reflect our long-term commitment to meeting the diverse housing needs of Berkshire families."

Currently only 7 percent of Lenox's housing stock is deed-restricted affordable, falling short of the 10 percent goal established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Additionally, approximately 90 percent of the town's existing affordable housing is limited to seniors, and market-rate rental options remain sparse.

238 Pittsfield Road is located a mile down the road from Forge,  a mixed-income community that celebrated its grand opening in August. Together, the two sister developments will add a total of 133 new affordable units to the town.

The project continues Pennrose's collaboration with the Town of Lenox and is guided by the goals of the Town's 2017 Housing Production Plan, 2021 Master Plan, and 2002 Gateway Redevelopment Plan.

The project is financed via federal 4 percent tax credit and state tax credit allocations from the Commonwealth's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), with the National Equity Fund as the syndicator and Rockland Trust and US Bank as the investors. Rockland also provided construction debt, and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) provided both permanent debt and Workforce Housing Funds. MassDevelopment is the bond issuer, and EOHLC provided additional soft sources and operating subsidy. Finally, the Town of Lenox provided local Affordable Housing Trust and Community Preservation Act funds, as well as funds through the Commonwealth's HousingWorks Infrastructure Program (HWIP).

Haynes Construction is serving as general contractor and The Architectural Team as architect for the development.

Construction is underway and is expected to be completed in early 2028.

 

View Full Story

More Lenox Stories