Triplex Cinema Appoints New Board President and Members

Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Triplex Cinema announced changes to its Board of Directors, naming Gail Lansky as the new Board President and welcoming Leslie Chesloff, Matthew Penn, and Mitch Smilowitz as new board members.

Gail Lansky has a career in non-profit organizations, including the Yiddish Book Center, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, and Amherst Cinema. Her prior board experience includes ten years on the Board of UMass Amherst Hillel, where she served as President, and ten years on the Board of the Amherst Survival Center, serving as Vice President.

Leslie Chesloff has worked in television entertainment for 35 years, holding executive positions at Columbia Pictures Television, Chris Craft Corporation, The Tribune Company, and Lifetime TV Networks. Since 2015, she has been a real estate agent.

Matthew Penn is an Emmy-nominated director with extensive experience in theater and television, having directed shows such as "Law and Order," "The Sopranos," and "NYPD Blue." He has also directed theater productions for Barrington Stage, Shakespeare & Company, Berkshire Theatre Group, and Great Barrington Public Theatre.

Mitch Smilowitz is the CEO of The Joint Retirement Board (JRB), a non-profit organization that serves as the plan sponsor and administrator of a denominational (403b) retirement plan.

Board President Lansky said, "We welcome Leslie, Matthew and Mitch to our Board. They bring an array of skills and connections to the community that round out our Board. I look forward to working closely with them. I’d like to express my gratitude to what Nicki Wilson, my predecessor as Board President, has done to Save the Triplex. It was Nicki’s vision and determination that helped to bring the Triplex back to live as a nonprofit organization. With her endless energy, dedication and ability to forge partnerships the Triplex has become a community hub and now has more than 600 members who actively participate in our wide range of events. However, our work is not yet done. Our priorities are renovation Theatre Two, replacing seats, redesigning our patio, and further expanding our membership base. With the help of our Board, and the more than 1000 supporters who help to Save the Triplex, we look forward to making these much needed upgrades and improvement in the coming months."

The Triplex Cinema, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that screens first-run, independent, foreign language, classic, children’s, and documentary films, and partners with schools and local non-profits for thematic programming.

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

Reps. Leigh Davis, Bud Williams Filing Legislation Honoring Freeman

SHEFFIELD, Mass. — State Reps. Leigh Davis of the 3rd Berkshire District and Bud L. Williams, of the 11th Hampden District, are filing legislation establishing Aug. 22 as Elizabeth Freeman Day of Equality, Healing, and Remembrance in the commonwealth.
 
The legislation would direct the governor to annually issue a proclamation recognizing the courageous contributions of Elizabeth Freeman, an enslaved Black woman known as Mum Bett, whose landmark freedom suit helped spark the legal end of slavery in Massachusetts.
 
"Elizabeth Freeman's story began here in the Berkshires, but its impact reached every corner of the commonwealth," said Davis. "More than two centuries later, her legacy continues to inspire us. Establishing Elizabeth Freeman Day will ensure that future generations learn not only about her extraordinary bravery, but also about the power of one person to change the course of history."
 
In 1781, Freeman, of Sheffield at the time, challenged the institution of slavery by filing suit against her enslaver, Col. John Ashley. In the landmark case Brom and Bett v. Ashley, a Berkshire County jury ruled in favor of Freeman and her fellow plaintiff, Brom, granting them their freedom. The case demonstrated the power of the Massachusetts Constitution's declaration that all people are born free and equal and helped pave the way for the Quock Walker decisions that ultimately ended slavery in the commonwealth. 
 
"Freeman's courage changed the course of history in Massachusetts," said Williams. "At a time when the odds were stacked against her, she stood up and demanded that the promises of liberty and equality contained in our Constitution apply to her as well. She risked everything to challenge an unjust system, and her victory helped lay the foundation for the end of slavery in our commonwealth. Her legacy deserves to be recognized and remembered by every resident of Massachusetts."
 
Although unable to read or write, Freeman understood the meaning of freedom and equality and took extraordinary action to secure those rights for herself and others. Her story remains one of the most powerful examples of individual courage in the face of injustice. 
 
Elizabeth Freeman Day will provide an opportunity for reflection, education, healing, and remembrance, said Williams. 
 
View Full Story

More South Berkshire Stories