Mahaiwe Announces Full 100 Years of Movies Series

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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.

 

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Berkshire Art Center Announces Fall 2026 Classes & Workshops

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Berkshire Art Center (BAC) invites artists of all ages and experience levels to participate in  lineup of Fall 2026 classes and workshops.

With programs offered at Citizens' Hall in Stockbridge as well as partner locations including Berkshire Music School, WANDER Berkshires, and the Mass Audubon's Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, BAC's fall season celebrates creativity through ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, photography, and more.

Ceramics students will find opportunities to develop their skills this fall. Faculty Artist Paula Shalan returns with Tableware: Creating with Soft Slabs, where students create functional pottery such as mugs, tumblers, and bowls, as well as Cut, Add, and Stretch: Creating with Soft Slabs, which explores more contemporary approaches to handbuilding. Jess Cropper-Alt teaches Timeless & Tactile: Handbuilding Traditions, while Donna Bernstein leads Wheel Throwing for All, an all-levels course featuring demonstrations, individualized instruction, and ample studio time.

For those looking to try clay for the first time, Lorimer Burns offers Try Your Hand at the Pottery Wheel, a welcoming two-hour introduction to wheel throwing. BAC also offers fun, social workshops including Wall Pocket Party, perfect for beginners, friends, couples, and families with children ages 10 and up, and Pottery Night: Beer Stein Social, an evening of creativity and community where participants craft their own handmade ceramic beer stein.

Mixed media and printmaking enthusiasts will find an inspiring variety of offerings throughout the season. Jody King Camarra teaches Color Theory Through Collage, Print Lab: Collagraph, Drypoint & Relief, Working in a Series: Creating Cohesive Collages, Monoprint Magic, and concludes the season with the festive workshop Handmade Holidays: Winter Layers in Gel Plate Printmaking.

Additional printmaking opportunities include Eco-Printing: Basics and Beyond with Mallorey Caron, where students create beautiful botanical prints using real flowers and leaves, Gelatin Plate Printmaking with Johanna Merfeld, an introduction to playful experimentation with layering, texture, stencils, and image transfers, and Image Transfers & Mixed Media, where Diane Firtell shares versatile techniques that can stand alone or enhance existing artwork.

Photographers can celebrate autumn alongside Thad Kubis, whose seasonal workshops include Photography of Daniel Chester French's Studio at Chesterwood in Stockbridge and Photographing Fall Colors in the Berkshires at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield.

Painters and drawing enthusiasts will discover classes ranging from foundational techniques to expressive exploration. Jill McLean returns with Watercolor Foundations and Watercolor Landscapes at Berkshire Music School, along with shorter, 1-day workshops including Berkshire Polaroids in Watercolor and Handmade Holidays: Watercolor Bookmarks.

Wednesday Nelena Sorokin offers Creative Writing & Abstraction, where students use stream-of-consciousness writing to inspire expressive abstract paintings, along with Painting Basics, Two-Dimensional Composition Workshop, and the popular Abstract Painting: Color, Design and Spirit. Artists looking for a relaxed, supportive studio environment can also enjoy the return of Friday Painting Studio, featuring a new and more accessible tuition rate and experienced facilitators who provide encouragement, feedback, and creative community while participants work on independent projects.

BAC's monthly workshop series at WANDER Berkshires in Pittsfield also continues this fall. Held on the second Saturday of each month, these welcoming two-hour sessions invite participants to sketch, paint, journal, and experiment in a relaxed community setting—no long-term commitment required. The series begins September 12 with Commonplace Visual Journaling led by Kaily Ritz, followed by Mini Nature Assemblage Boxes with Johanna Merfeld on October 10, Indoor Urban Sketching with Jill McLean on November 14, and concludes December 12 with Watercolor Reset for the New Year, led by BAC Executive Director Laura Thompson.

For a complete schedule of classes and workshops or to register, visit www.berkshireartcenter.org/classes.

 

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