Shakespeare & Company Hosts Comedy Fundraiser for Riotous Youth

03:36PM / Monday, March 07, 2022Print Story | Email Story

LENOX, Mass. — Shakespeare & Company and the Berkshire Mountain Comedy Arts Festival will feature "Kevin Bartini & Friends" in an evening of comedy to be staged on Saturday, March 26, at 8 p.m. The festival's Artistic Director Kevin Bartini will be master of ceremonies and the evening will include headlining acts Rick Younger and Kerri Louise.

The event is a fundraiser for Riotous Youth, Shakespeare & Company's summer theater program for children and teenagers and one of several programs administered by the company's Education Department.

"I've been very fortunate in my life," he said. "I have met amazing people and have had amazing experiences – and I credit it a good deal of my success to Shakespeare & Company's Education Program and the life-long training I received."

Bartini, who co-founded the festival with business director and fellow Lee native David Rice, said a key aspect of all BMCAF events from now on will be giving back to Berkshire-based organizations.

"The idea is to partner with theaters and businesses in the Berkshires to produce all types of events – from shows to live podcast recordings to roast battles – with the help of our funniest friends, to not only to raise funds for local causes, but to do it in a way that brings tourists and new business to town," he said.

A comedian, actor and writer, Bartini has been seen most recently as recurring character Billy Jones in Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and has appeared NBC's "Today Show," ABC's "What Would You Do," Discovery Channel's "Cash Cab," and NBC's "Saturday Night Live," among many other credits.

Younger has appeared on television in the Amazon series "Crisis in Six Scenes," HBO's "Girls," "Blue Bloods" on CBS; "Law & Order: SVU" on NBC; "The Last O.G." on TBS, and "The Other Two" on HBOMAX, as well as numerous national television commercials. His film credits include "Ordinary World" and "Morning Glory"; Younger also originated the role of Mr. Duvall in "Mean Girls the Musical" on Broadway.

Louise recently appeared on the Showtime Comedy Special "Funny Women of a Certain Age," and has appeared on "Oprah," "Dr. Oz" and "The Howard Stern Show," and was a finalist on NBC's "Last Comic Standing," among many other credits. She's also the author of the books "Mean Mommy" and "Harry the Elephant Has an Allergy."

"Kevin Bartini & Friends" will be held at the Tina Packer Playhouse on the Shakespeare & Company campus in Lenox as part of the March Mash-up that also includes performances of three contemporary readings. Tickets are $37, and weekend passes are also available for all four performances for $92, a 25 percent savings. Students may purchase passes to all four events for $57.

For more information, visit shakespeare.org or 413comedy.com.

Tags: comedy, Shakespeare & Company,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

Save & Earn with Greylock

3.30% APY 6-month certificate. Click to learn more! Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

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

MassDOT, CSX Agree on Improvements to Support Berkshire Flyer, Passenger Rail

Staff Reports iBerkshires
06:01AM / Thursday, October 08, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state Department of Transportation and CSX have reached an agreement for local infrastructure improvements that will be a "major step" to making the Berkshire Flyer a permanent seasonal service.

Gov. Maura Healey's administration said the improvements will also help toward the years-long project of expanding passenger rail in Western Massachusetts.

"People in Western Massachusetts have been clear that they want better rail connections, and we're delivering," Healey said in a statement released on Thursday. "This agreement puts the Berkshire Flyer on a path toward permanent seasonal service and invests in the infrastructure we need to keep expanding West-East passenger rail service between Boston and Albany. Combined with new federal funding for modern trains, we're giving people more choices, supporting local businesses and better connecting Western Massachusetts to opportunities across the Northeast."

Mayor Peter Marchetti said the Berkshire Flyer is an important asset to the city and that he was grateful for the investment to make it permanent.

The Berkshire Flyer was established in 2022, connecting the Berkshires directly to New York City for the first time in a half-century. The Amtrak service was based on the seasonal Cape Cod Flyer with the goal to increase tourism opportunities. The 2026 season expanded service with an additional round-trip, including new opportunities for Berkshire County residents to travel to New York City.

The administration also announced that new federal funding awarded to Amtrak for additional modern trainsets will support Compass Rail services, including the Berkshire Flyer and the future Inland Route between Boston, Springfield and New Haven.

Under the new agreement with CSX, MassDOT will fund construction of a siding and other track improvements in the Pittsfield area to increase rail capacity and reduce conflicts between passenger and freight operations. MassDOT will also explore the feasibility of a new platform at the Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center.

View Full Story