Great Barrington Public Theater Plans Benefit for Berkshire Voices

08:00AM / Tuesday, June 04, 2024Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Great Barrington Public Theater (GBPT) plans June 7 festive evening under the stars to benefit Berkshire Voices, and give a sneak-peek preview of Night at the Speakeasy cabaret starring Janelle Farias Sando, premiering this summer in the McConnell Theater.

Great Barrington Public partners with Berkshire Voices playwrights' group to incubate, develop and bring new plays to stage. "Dog People," the lead-off production in the company's 2024 season, was developed by Berkshire Voices member Leigh Strimbeck and given an initial public reading in 2022.

On June 7, 6pm, GBPT will hold an event to benefit, support and celebrate the work of Berkshire Voices.

The stage program will spotlight Leigh Strimbeck and the two-person cast of "Dog People," and give a first peek preview of "Night at The Speakeasy," a GBPT cabaret featuring Janelle Farias Sando that plays on the McConnell stage July 26-August 11.

The twilight celebration will be held at Bard College at Simon's Rock, Great Barrington, June 7th, 6-9pm It begins under a tent on the pastoral lawn outside the Daniel Arts Center with cocktails, wine, soft refreshments and savory, small plate hors d'oeuvres. Guests then move into the McConnell Theater for the spotlight presentations and preview of "Night at the Speakeasy," followed by champagne and an assortment of desserts under the stars.

"GB Public was founded to bring life-enriching new plays to the stage for local theater lovers and our growing visiting audiences, and to do so by working with the exceptional resource of stage artists and crews who call the Berkshires and nearby communities home," the company's Development Director Serena Johnson said. "We're planning this special, twilight event to show off the results of our dedication to new work and new voices, and to benefit the quiet but important work done by Berkshire Voices. It will be a fun, festive night of delicious small bites, drinks, congeniality and conversation, and a taste of the sensational new cabaret that Janelle Farias Sando brings to the McConnell Theater later this summer."

Reservations for the June 7th benefit can be made on the GB Public tickets website.

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Great Barrington Public Theater Appoints Artistic Director

09:57AM / Monday, December 29, 2025

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Great Barrington Public Theater announced that Associate Artistic Director Judy Braha will now join Jim Frangione at the helm as Artistic Director of Great Barrington Public Theater.

"We at Great Barrington Public Theater are thrilled that Judy Braha will assume the role of Artistic Director alongside myself. I couldn't have asked for a better partner to help advance the interests of the theater as we move into the next phase of growth as the region's premiere developmental theater," Founder & Artistic Director Jim Frangione said. "Judy brings a tremendous amount of experience and value to our company and has, in just a few short years, grown and greatly enhanced GB Public Theater's signature program, Berkshires Voices, where playwrights develop their work, leading to public readings and in some cases workshops and full productions. I look forward to working more closely with Judy to select the next generation of plays to be presented under the GB Public banner. It's a "Bear" of a job! But we feel great about the direction of our theater."

Judy Braha joined the GB Public artistic leadership team in 2023 as the Associate Artistic Director after 2 years directing for the company. She has since then been collaborating with Founder and Artistic Director Jim Frangione on the selection of new work for readings and full productions in the summer season. Her impressive portfolio of credits and accomplishments strengthened Great Barrington Public's creative programming and offered new perspectives to the body of works and events produced each year.

Judy Braha has been a career director, actor, teacher and artist for social justice for over four decades with directorial credits in theaters and universities throughout New England. She led the M.F.A. Directing Program at Boston University's School of Theater, retiring in 2022 after 29 years of service at BU.

"Judy has the strength of commitment, leadership and passion for theater and how it affects communities that fit hand-in-glove with our founding mission and core beliefs," Founder and Producing Director Deann Halper Simmons explains. "Her artistic integrity, sense of stage esthetic and ability to make important choices that craft life from the script continues to be a great asset to our company and growth."

"Judy's distinguished artistic voice has significantly contributed to the exceptional growth of GB Public in recent years," Managing Director Serena Johnson added. "We are truly excited to have her stepping into this leadership role in the 2026 season."

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