WAM Theatre Teen Ensemble Now Accepting Applications

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LENOX, Mass. — WAM Theatre announced the return of its Teen Ensemble.

The Lenox-based theatre company is currently soliciting applications from young artists aged 15-19 in the Berkshire County region, who will create an original performance to be presented to the community in downtown Lenox over Memorial Day weekend. 

WAM Theatre has been working with teenagers to devise original performances on activist themes since 2014. Devised theatre uses a collaborative process where an ensemble uses a variety of techniques—writing, improvisation, games, movement, brainstorming, and more––to create original performance material. 

Based out of WAM's Creative Hub and Offices in Lenox, this year's program focuses on "Immersive Performance for Changemakers." The ensemble will train in devised theatre techniques with the goal of creating short site-specific performances.

The program kicks off with a week of Theatre Skills & Activist Training from April 16-19th, which is spring break for area public schools.  According to WAM's Director of Community Engagement Maizy Broderick Scarpa, who will co-facilitate the ensemble, "that week is when Teen Ensemble artists become a company and develop a shared toolbox which they'll use to build their performance." The group will reconvene for the Site-Specific Performance Weekend on May 24-26 (in conjunction with Berkshire Arts Week).

"As a devised theater lover, I deeply believe in the mana (power) of telling stories from one's own experience as a way to ignite positive change in the world." Malia'Kekia Nicolini, who will co-facilitate the Ensemble, said. "I am excited to uplift the stories from this cohort of Teens to create some magic for our community. Mahalo (thank you)." 

While no theatre experience is required to participate, interested individuals are required to complete and submit a brief application form available on WAM's website. Candidates may be invited to a brief interview where facilitators and candidates learn more about one another and ask any outstanding questions about the ensemble. The criteria for participation is enthusiasm, creative impulse, and the desire to advocate for causes that are meaningful to the participant. Interested youth should be prepared to devise, perform and be open to embracing new experiences with an open mind. 

Besides age and availability, WAM Theatre will select candidates who demonstrate an understanding of collaboration and the value of community in art-making.

"It's important for the ensemble members to embrace difference as a strength.  We need folks who care about the world around them, who listen to each other and to their community, and who are ready to speak up when the situation demands," said Scarpa. "If this sounds like you, we hope you'll apply." 

The submissions window is currently open, and set to close on March 17. Interested individuals can apply online at: www.wamtheatre.com/engage/teen-ensemble/.  This is a paid opportunity. Participants in the Teen Ensemble will be provided a stipend for their work. 

Parents, counselors, teachers, and community leaders are also encouraged to nominate students who would thrive in this kind of collaborative creative environment.  Nominations should be directed to Maizy Broderick Scarpa, Director of Community Engagement (maizy@wamtheatre.com). Nomination should include the name and contact information of the person you are nominating, along with 1-3 sentences about why you are nominating them.

Questions, and requests for assistance with the application, should also be directed to maizy@wamtheatre.com

 


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A Boutique Hotel is Bringing Guests a Luxury Stay in Lenox

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LENOX, Mass. — A new Inn is bringing a boutique-style stay for visitors and locals to enjoy.

Owners, Sullivan Capital LLC, purchased the property, located on 135 Main Street, in 2024. After a year or renovations, Garden Gables Inn is open for business. 

"Garden Gables started off as one of the many Berkshire cottages, 1790 was the date on that, and it's always operated as an inn," said Hospitality Manager Yvonne Walton. "It's just a great gathering place and relaxation spot for people to come and get the feel of Lenox, and just slow down and enjoy the nature and the surrounding area...get culture and art and see some great concerts. I think it'll be a wonderful place, definitely does more of the upper-scale hospitality." 

Owners Niko Giallouis and Eric Sullivan bought the property from the former owner. Sullivan had his eye on Lenox since attending a wedding almost 10 years ago.

"I came to a wedding in Lenox, probably six or seven years ago. Personally, just kind of fell in love with the area, and I guess that's kind of how it got on my radar. So you know from that perspective, as we got into the hotel business out towards an area, it was a place I was kind of monitoring and waiting for the right property to show up."

After purchasing the two underwent a full renovation, a project that cost around $1.5 million. The building, first built in 1780, required some TLC. Sullivan's wife, Jessica, who owns Jessica Sullivan Design, designed the inn.

Sullivan said they installed a new roof, repainted everything, renovated the bathrooms, installed new floors, a new HVAC system, and new plumbing.

"We really touched everything from the outside...I mean, all the aesthetics and layouts changed a bit," he said. "As I said, put about a million and a half into it. All new furniture, fixtures, everything. The design's completely different. It wasn't a full gut, but it was a heavy, heavy renovation."

The two like to collaborate with local businesses, and they make a point to direct visitors to local restaurants, businesses, and attractions.

"If guests are asking for recommendations, our customer service team, our guest services team, will relay that kind of information. Even if we can call and make a reservation for somebody, happy to do it," he said. "We aren't doing breakfast, but what we do is we have partnerships with a lot of the breakfast places downtown. We actually purchase a gift certificates for each person each day, so that they can use that to go downtown."

Sullivan hopes that guests don't see their inn as just a place to sleep and dump their bags, but make it an experience for anyone who stays.

"We really focus on kind of the experience side of things, so again, we want to give you the best experience you can have here...and we want that not just to be the place you put your bag and go do things. It's important to think of everything," he said.

Sullivan said partnerships are important to their business and are a way to connect with locals.

"The local partnerships, I can't stress that enough, because no matter how much and how great the room is, people are still going to want to go do other things," he said. "So, I think it just benefits everybody if we're all working together and so forth, and supporting the community, being neighborly too, because we are surrounded by residential homes...But we really try to put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, a lot of love into the building, all the details, really care about the senses," Sullivan said.

The Inn's check-in and reservations are completely online. When guests arrive, all they have to do is check in online and receive their code that they will use to enter their room. Sullivan hopes this helps create less stress for guests and gets them to their room as fast as possible, especially after a long trip.

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