'Closet Cases' Comedy Show Celebrates 20th Anniversary in Pittsfield

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — "Closet Cases," an LGBTQIA+ comedy and storytelling show, will mark its 20th anniversary with a performance at Wander in Pittsfield on Thursday, June 12, at 7:00 PM. 
 
The event is part of Pride Month celebrations.
 
The show features queer performers sharing personal narratives related to coming out and transitioning. 
 
The Pittsfield lineup includes Vicki Ferentinos, David Hodorowski, Brandy Rowell, and Jay Santangelo, with Shawn Hollenbach as host. 
 
"Each time we mount Closet Cases, we build a space for queer folks to laugh, cry, and celebrate their journeys together," said show creator and host Shawn Hollenbach. 
 
Jay Santangelo, founder of Wander and a featured performer, added, "We're honored to bring the show to Pittsfield during Pride Month and continue the tradition in this vibrant, welcoming community." 
 
Tickets are priced at $15 in advance and $20 at the door. To purchase tickets and learn more, visit: www.wanderberkshires.com
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Colombian Artist Celebrates Immigrant Stories in New Pittsfield Mural

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Artist Laura Barrios explains the  inspiration of the mural, of immigrants building new lives in the Berkshires.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The walls along the Intermodal Center's train platform are a little more colorful following the unveiling of Let It Shine's third mural at that location, transforming a space once surrounded by bare concrete into a vibrant display of public art.
 
The unveiling on Thursday, marks the close of Let It Shine's 2026 outdoor public art season and the third year of its emerging artist program, said Mill Town Foundation Program Director Andy Wrba. 
 
Let It Shine's Emerging Artists Mentorship program was established in 2024 to support aspiring artists in the community by providing guidance, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to create large-scale public art.
 
"This mural, along with all the murals, as part of this emerging artist program, and even more broadly, all the murals that you see downtown throughout Pittsfield shows that we care about the cultural scene and we care about the creative people that live and work in our city," Wrba said.
 
The new mural, painted by Colombian artist Laura Barrios, celebrates immigrants who have built lives and found a sense of home in Berkshire County.
 
Barrios has been working on the piece for the last two months alongside mentor artist, Jesse Tobin McCauley. 
 
"It's a homage to the immigrants who work and make a home in the Berkshires … this is a very personal experience too because I am an immigrant," Barrios said in her speech.
 
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