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Christian Center's Food Director Karen Ryan, an Easter bunny who looks a lot like Financial Director Pat Masoero, and volunteer Nancy Gardner
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Staff and volunteers get ready for Easter lunch at the Christian Center.

Pittsfield Christian Center Spreads Easter Joy

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Christian Center spread Easter joy to 100 children with goodie baskets in advance of the holiday.

The center was decked out in pastel on Friday for its annual Easter festivities. Financial Director Pat Masoero brought out her bunny costume, which was accessorized with an egg necklace, plaid suspenders, and a matching bow tie.

While the basket handout ran from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., people were lined up at the center’s door at 8:30.

"It really was a fun two hours," Masoero said.

About 55 were handed out in the morning and, at noon, the center hosted a lunch of mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, glazed carrots, ham or fish, rolls, and cakes. During the meal, baskets were also available.

Food Director Karen Ryan said the extra baskets would be sent to the Berkshire Family YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club, meaning that they have distributed 100.


At the center, children were happily eating chocolate and other festive treats.

"We had a bunch of candy, we had chocolate bunnies, stuffed animals, eggs filled with jelly beans," Ryan said.

The Christian Center has been holding Easter activities for as long as the two can remember. Masoero has been with the organization for 25 years and Ryan for 13.

For Mother's Day, it will be holding a dinner and raffle.

The nonprofit has offered food, clothing, and access to necessary resources for those in need for more than 100 years. For more information visit, www.christiancenterpittsfield.org.


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John Rubinstein on 'Eisenhower,' Trump, Fosse, Sondheim & Williamstown Theatre Festival

By Alan PetrucelliSpecial to iBerkshires
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's a rainy Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio, and John Rubinstein is driving to the Berkshires. He left his Los Angeles home a few days ago, and his next stop is Cleveland. Once he gets to Pittsfield, he readies for his return appearance as Dwight D. Eisenhower in "Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground," a one-man show Rubinstein first did at the Barrington Stage Company last summer.
 
The show has been brought back by rave reviews and popular demand; it opens Sept. 16 and runs through Sept. 26. 
 
Rubinstein, who turns 80 in December, has been crisscrossing the country, doing the show for the past four years: "I can't wait to do it again and again and again," he said. "It's one of the great crowning pieces of luck of my career."
 
And what a career: "Crazy Like a Fox," "Family," numerous Broadway plays and musicals and TV movies and feature films and two Tony awards for "Pippin" (1972) and "Children of a Lesser God" (1980). A surprise many fans don't know: Rubinstein has scored the music to several films and TV shows, including "Jeremiah Johnson," "The Candidate," "The Dollmaker" and "China Beach."
 
During an exclusive interview over a 75-minute phone call, Rubinstein talks about liking Ike and loving "Eisenhower," as well as Donald Trump, Stephen Sondheim, Bob Fosse and the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
 
How did you hook up with 'Eisenhower?'
 
Director Peter Ellenstein sent me an email that said, "I have a play about Eisenhower, and I'd like to send it to you to consider." I read it. It was 40 pages long and single-spaced, one guy talking. I thought. "Jesus Christ, I don't know if anybody's gonna want to hear that, a two-hour monologue." But I liked it. I respected it. I found it fascinating but (a) I wasn't sure it would work as a play, (b) if I could memorize it and (c) if I could memorize it and it was a good play would anyone want to go see it? So I didn't commit myself at first. But Peter said, "Why don't you come and meet with me and the playwright, Richard Hellesson, and read the play out loud?"
 
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