WAM Theatre Offering Free Child Care for Upcoming Play

LENOX, Mass. — WAM Theatre, an activist theatre company centering gender equity and located in central Berkshire County, has announced two child care options, at no added cost for parents/caregivers, for their upcoming mainstage production of Cadillac Crew.

Cadillac Crew is a new play by Tori Sampson performed Thursday to Sunday on Oct. 13 to 29 at Shakespeare & Company’s Tina Packer Playhouse in Lenox, MA. WAM has spent the last three seasons trying to improve accessibility for all audiences (other initiatives include sliding-scale ticketing, virtual programs, and efforts to make their website and print materials more readily accessible to all), and is excited to deepen access through this new innovation for families, caregivers, and parents.

"In line with WAM’s mission, we are thrilled to offer childcare for parents and caregivers," said Managing Director Molly Merrihew.  "As a new parent, I know too well the juggling act of making time for ourselves and our children. This year, WAM  is excited to remove another barrier to our audiences–-childcare costs--as well as the emotional labor around organizing care. WAM continues to strive to make our performance accessible to all, and accessible childcare is part of that work. We are grateful to partner with Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation to make it possible."

On-site care will be available for children ages 5 to 12 at Shakespeare & Company during the matinee performance on Sunday, October 23. WAM’s on-site care will include theatre games and crafts facilitated by WAM Teaching Artists. WAM can accommodate up to 15 children.

Additionally, WAM will offer home babysitting care subsidies for any Cadillac Crew Performance. These special stipends are intended for parents/guardians of younger children (ages birth-5), and WAM will reimburse 15 households up to $75 to cover their caregiving costs.

For more information and to apply for the free child care opportunity, those interested can visit the WAM website and fill out an online application. 

"WAM Theatre’s free on-site child care directly addresses a known barrier for those who wish to attend arts and culture events but may not because of cost," said Emily Bronson, senior community engagement Officer at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. "Combined with compelling and relevant content, this service is a powerful example of new approaches to Community Engagement that we are pleased to fund through our Arts Build Community initiative."

The play opens with four female activists working in a Virginia civil rights office on the day of a much-anticipated speech by Rosa Parks. From the Civil Rights Movement to the present day, Cadillac Crew illuminates forgotten leaders who blazed the trail for desegregation and women’s rights.

For those utilizing on-site child care, WAM's Teaching Artists are planning a slate of activities from theatre games to craft activities to accommodate children with a variety of needs and emotions.

"There will be four of us in a large, airy rehearsal studio," stated lead Teaching Artist and WAM’s Associate Artistic Director Talya Kingston. "So the children will get individual attention in addition to participating in group activities."

In 2022 WAM has increased the dedicated funds for reimbursing artists and staff for some of their child and elder care expenses. Working together with organizations like the Parents Artist Advocacy League (PAAL) WAM is proud to be able to keep growing this modest budget line.

"PAAL's mission is to elevate the standard of care for all parents and caregivers in the performing arts," said Rachel Spencer Hewitt, PAAL leadership, "and we're proud to support organizations like WAM theatre that not only break ground in the work produced on stage but also in how the work is executed off stage, intentionally creating support for the parents and caregivers on their teams and in their companies as an integral component of gender parity, anti-racism, inclusion and authentic activism. For the arts, specifically, the activism exhibited in WAM's caregiver initiative will directly impact artists' ability to remain creative contributors and sustain lives that continue to generate the work that impacts us all."

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.