GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.—The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center has released the full schedule of its popular program led by film director and educator Deborah Reinisch. 

 

The theater will screen "The Philadelphia Story" (1940) on June 6, "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) on June 19, "Singin' in the Rain" (1952) on July 5, "Vertigo" (1958) on July 18, "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) on July 26, "American Graffiti" (1973) on August 1, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) on August 8, "Do the Right Thing" (1989) on September 4, and "The Big Lebowski" (1998) on September 11. Reinisch will introduce each movie, offering period background on Hollywood, the Berkshires and the world.

 

Tickets are $8 or $5 for ages 12 and under when applicable. Tickets are available now at mahaiwe.org, or by calling or visiting the Box Office, 413-528-0100, Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

 

Films

 

The Mahaiwe will screen George Cukor's classic comedy "The Philadelphia Story" (1940), Friday June 6 at 7 p.m. Starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart in a romantic romp about marriage and high society, the film marked Hepburn's box office breakthrough and earned two Oscars – Best Actor (Stewart) and Best Adapted Screenplay. (Not rated.)

 

The Mahaiwe will screen classic film noir "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) on Thursday, June 19 at 7.pm. The film stars Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor in a detective drama centered around a mysterious prized statuette. Highly acclaimed upon its release, it was among the first 25 movies selected by the Library of Congress for the National Film Registry. (Not rated.)

 

The Mahaiwe will screen Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen's timeless musical "Singin' in the Rain" (1952) on Saturday, July 5 at 7 p.m. Starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds, the plot follows actors navigating the transition from silent films to talkies. The movie is #1 on the American Film Institute's list of greatest movie musicals. (Rated G.)

 

The theater will screen Alfred Hitchcock's magnum opus "Vertigo" (1958) on Friday, July 18 at 7 p.m. James Stewart stars as a retired detective with an aversion to heights opposite Kim Novak in a multi-faceted, mystery-driven performance. All is not what it might seem in this romantic thriller often considered one of the greatest films of all time. (Rated PG.)

 

Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty play Depression era bank robbers in the iconic "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967), screening at the Mahaiwe on Saturday, July 26 at 7 p.m. The film is a landmark of The New American Cinema of the 1960s and 1970s. (Rated R.)

 

The theater will screen "American Graffiti" (1973) on Friday, August 1 at 7 p.m. George Lucas' directorial debut features an ensemble cast led by Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard and Harrison Ford in a coming-of-age tale set in early ‘60s California. (Rated PG.)

 

The Mahaiwe will screen "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial" (1982) on Friday, August 8 at 7 p.m. This sci-fi family favorite is the story of a boy who befriends a lovable, wide-eyed alien. The Steven Spielberg-helmed film became a cultural phenomenon upon its release and has been cherished ever since. (Rated PG.)

 

The theater will screen "Do the Right Thing" (1989) on Thursday, September 4 at 7 p.m. Tensions are high in this critically lauded Brooklyn story from director Spike Lee. Mookie (Lee) navigates the hottest day of the year in Bed-Stuy, tackling family matters, race relations, work, police, and more. (Rated R.)

 

The theater will screen cult classic comedy "The Big Lebowski" (1998) on Thursday, September 11 at 7 p.m. Two men with the same name from opposite ends of cultural and financial spectrums are caught in the middle of a high-stakes mystery. From filmmaking brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, the movie stars Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Philip Seymour Hoffmann, Tara Reid, Sam Elliott, and more. (Rated R.)

 

About Deborah Reinisch

Deborah Reinisch has produced and directed award-winning movies and series for network, cable and public television, including the Emmy Award and National Board of Review winner "Andre's Mother". Her recent directing credits include "Bull", "Madam Secretary", and "NCIS: New Orleans" for CBS. Prior to her work in television, Deborah worked as first assistant director on many feature films, including "Blood Simple" and "Raising Arizona" for Joel and Ethan Coen. Deborah taught directing, production and film history at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Brooklyn College/Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, and Columbia University. This spring Deborah taught “Hooray for Hollywood: The Great Directors & Great Movies of the Studio Era” at Berkshire OLLI.