Great Barrington Public Theater Rolls Out 2022 Summer Season

12:23PM / Wednesday, March 23, 2022Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — In summer 2022, from early June to mid-August, Great Barrington Public Theater is expanding its season to introduce a new Solo Festival with four premiere, full-length, single-actor plays, followed by two new ensemble plays on the main stage.

The Solo Festival lineup includes premiere works featuring Berkshire resident, and writer/comedienne Alison Larkin, multiple Emmy-nominated actress Sharon Lawrence, as well as new works by actor/writers Will LeBow and James Morrison. The ensemble plays will include a brand-new comedy by Mark St Germain, as well as a new drama.

"After last season's ringing success, we decided to widen our lens celebrating the concept of new work," Artistic Director Jim Frangione said. "We're very excited about these new works, all of which revolve around themes of humanity that we hope will resonate with audiences as we emerge from months of isolation."

Great Barrington Public Theater will bring this run of new plays to the Liebowitz Black Box Theater and the McConnell Theater in the Daniel Arts Center at Bard College at Simon's Rock, Great Barrington. Tickets will be priced between $20 and $50.

"We invite every theater lover here in the Berkshires, Boston, the Hudson Valley, New York City and beyond to be with us for an especially lively summer," Deann Simmons Halper, Executive Director added. "We're thrilled to present new comedies and dramas with superb writers, actors and designers as we look forward to lighting up the summer on two separate stages."

The Public's season opens in the Daniel Arts Center's Liebowitz Black Box Theatre with the Great Barrington Public Solo Fest running June 3 – July 10. This four-show series begins with "Grief," the Musical…a Comedy, written and performed by Alison Larkin, with music by Gary Schreiner and directed by James Warwick (June 3 – 12).

Next in the Great Barrington Public Solo Fest (June 16 – 19), is Robin Gerber's new play, "The Shot," based on the life of Katherine Graham, the Pulitzer Prize-winning publisher of The Washington Post. "The Shot" is directed by local writer and director Michelle Joyner and stars Emmy-nominated and award-winning actress Sharon Lawrence in the role of Katherine Graham.

"Leave Your Fears Here" (June 30 – July 10) is a memoir written and performed by stage and screen actor James Morrison. The play will be directed by Housatonic resident Robert Egan, Artistic Director of the internationally renowned Ojai Playwright's Conference, where this piece was developed.

The final play in the Great Barrington Public Solo Fest is "The Bard The Beat The Blues." This piece will run in rotation throughout the Solo Fest (June 8 – July 8).

On July 14 with "Public Speaking 101," a brand-new comedy by Berkshire playwright Mark St. Germain, will run at the McConnell Theater mainstage. It will run through July 24. Jim Frangione will direct.

From Aug 4 to Aug. 14 "Things I Know to Be True," by award-winning playwright Andrew Bovell (Broadway–When the Rain Stops Falling) will run. Great Barrington Public will present the East Coast premiere of this new play. Judy Braha will direct.

More information on the ten-week, two-stage season can be found in the coming weeks as plans roll out on the Great Barrington Public Theater site and on Facebook. Tickets will go on sale on April 1, but seating is limited, especially in the case of the Berkshire Solo Series. Early purchase is encouraged.

Tags: theater,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

rk MILES Blding Materials

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

www.rkmiles.com

RIBCO Supply

Check out our great lineup of Boss Plows, and spreaders. 2 Locations Clarksburg & Pittsfield!

ribcosupply.com

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

Berkshire Bach Society Announces Two Organ Recitals

11:46AM / Friday, January 30, 2026

GREAT BARINNGINTON, Mass. — The Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) announces two organ recitals on historic organs in Housatonic and Great Barrington as part of its Organ Masters series.

The recitals take place on Feb. 7, 2pm, at the UU Meeting House in Housatonic, and on May 2, 3pm, at the First Congregational Church in Great Barrington with master organists Renée Anne Louprette and Peter Sykes.

"We celebrate Bach and his circle in our Organ Masters series and give our audience a chance to hear two of today's most distinguished organists bring the repertoire to life on important organs in our region," said Terrill McDade, Executive Director of the Berkshire Bach Society. "For good reason we've called the 1893 Johnson Organ at the UU Meeting House in Housatonic a hidden gem and the 1883 great Roosevelt organ at the First Congregational Church in Great Barrington a remarkable and innovative instrument that defies comparison. Both organs have escaped modernization and kept their original voices. They sound very much the way they did when new—and that provides a unique musical experience. Combine the authenticity of the instruments, the virtuosity of the organists, and interesting repertoire and we have a recipe for two very special events."

According to a press release:

On Feb. 7, Renée Anne Louprette presents The Baroque Dance Masters with works by Bach, Georg Böhm, Dieterich Buxtehude, and Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre, one of the most remarkable composers of the Baroque era. To enrich the audience experience, Louprette provides commentary during the program, demonstrates thematic material, and conducts a Q&A session after the recital. Notably, her program includes the Chaconne in G minor that was one of two pieces recently attributed to a young J.S. Bach and added to the catalog as BWV 1179. The work dates from 1705 when J.S. Bach was 20 and is one of the earliest finished works by him to survive. It dates from the same year that he traveled to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude perform, which had a profound impact on his compositional style. Berkshire Bach is pleased to give our audience an opportunity to hear the work live.

Renée Anne Louprette is Assistant Professor of Music and College Organist at Bard College where she directs the Bard Baroque Ensemble. She has performed on important organs throughout the world and in 2022-2023 received a Fulbright research grant to document the restoration of historic organs in Romania.

On May 2, Peter Sykes returns to play the great Roosevelt Organ in a mixed program of French organ music. Beloved by many, the Roosevelt was the most important organ in America at installation in 1883 and is the largest example that survives in largely its original form by innovative organ builder Hilborne Roosevelt. Cousin to presidents Teddy and Franklin, Hilborne Roosevelt established Roosevelt Pipe Organ Builders in 1870 and built many of the largest organs in America in the period. He introduced electricity into the workings of his instruments and coincidentally contributed to aspects of the early telephone, including inventing the automatic switch hook. His Great Barrington organ remains a sophisticated and expressive example of his craft that, in the hands of master organist Peter Sykes, inspires awe and can literally shake the rafters with its majesty, power, and beauty.

Join Berkshire Bach for The Organ Masters at 2pm on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the UU Meeting House in Housatonic and 3pm on Saturday, May 2 at the First Congregational Church in Great Barrington. Tickets: $45 Nonmembers | $40 Berkshire Bach Members | $85 Two-concert package | $10 Card to Culture. Children and Students under 25 with valid ID are admitted free. Visit www.berkshirebach.org/events for more information, including tickets and specific venue information.

View Full Story