Mahaiwe Announces Indigo Room Grand Opening Celebration

Print Story | Email Story
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.—The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center will hold a Grand Opening Celebration for its new performance space the Indigo Room from Oct. 10 through Oct. 12, with performances by jazz vocalist Ann Hampton Callaway, blues guitarist Guy Davis, and family-friendly musician Terry A La Berry, among ceremonial festivities throughout the weekend. 
 
Further programming for the Indigo Room is also announced. 
 
"The Mahaiwe team is thrilled to celebrate the opening of the Indigo Room," says Mahaiwe Executive Director Janis Martinson. "Over the weekend we will demonstrate exactly what the Indigo Room will be: a versatile performance space with a true range of offerings. Between comedy, cabaret, blues, family fun and more, we hope to appeal to all entertainment appetites in our community. Come toast this new cultural hub in downtown Great Barrington." 
 
Ann Hampton Callaway 
Jazz and pop singer-songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway will headline the Indigo Room's Grand Opening weekend with a retrospective performance on Saturday, Oct.  11 at 8 p.m. In "The Best of Ann Hampton Callaway," the Tony-nominated star dazzles with highlights from her hit shows The Streisand Songbook, Ann Hampton Callaway Sings the ‘70s, The Linda Ronstadt Songbook, To Ella with Love, From Sassy to Divine: The Sarah Vaughan Project and Finding Beauty: Inspired Classics and Originals. Come see why Christopher Loudon of Jazz Times calls her the "…superbly intelligent, singularly creative pop-jazz stylist who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Streisand, Ronstadt, Shirley Horn, and Dianne Reeves…" 
 
A leading champion of the great American Songbook, Ann Hampton Callaway has made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. Voted by Broadwayworld.com as "Celebrity of the Year" and two years in a row as "Best Jazz Vocalist," Callaway is a born entertainer. She is best known for Tony-nominated performance in the hit Broadway musical Swing! and for writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV series The Nanny. She made her feature film debut opposite Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon in the Robert De Niro film The Good Shepherd. Callaway is a Platinum Award selling writer whose songs are featured on seven of Barbra Streisand's recent albums. She's recorded over 50 albums as a soloist and guest and her latest critically acclaimed album Fever: A Peggy Lee Celebration! has been in high rotation on Siriusly Sinatra. Callaway's honors include The Theater World Award, 17 MAC Awards, several Bistro Awards, The Mabel Mercer Award, The Johnny Mercer Award for Songwriting, The Blanton Peale Award for Positive Thinking and her induction into The Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. Her new record Finding Beauty, Originals Volume 1, was recently released via Shanachie Entertainment and debuted at #1 on the iTunes Jazz Chart. 
 
Callaway has performed before on the Mahaiwe's mainstage.
 
Tickets are $102 for general admission café table seating, first-come, first-served.  
 
Terry A La Berry 
Arlo Guthrie's longtime drummer Terry A La Berry will perform a free, family-friendly show on Sunday, Oct.  12 at 11 a.m. Terry entertains audiences large and small with original songs and highly interactive material. He has appeared in several award-winning PBS specials for children and has produced seven albums of his original songs that have been recognized by Parents Choice Awards. He performed at the White House three times for the Easter Egg Roll and at thousands of schools, museums, theaters, camps and libraries, all over the country. 
 
Terry has performed on the Mahaiwe's mainstage with Guthrie several times over recent years.  
 
Attendance is free with advance registration.  
 
Guy Davis 
Guy Davis will perform on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m. Davis is a two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, a musician, actor, author, and songwriter. Davis uses a blend of roots, blues, folk, rock, rap, spoken word, and world music to comment on – and address – the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events and common life struggles. 
 
Davis appeared on the Mahaiwe's mainstage opening for comedian Paul Reiser earlier this year.
 
Tickets are $40 for general admission café table seating, first-come, first-served.  
 
 
The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center team is planning several festive components around the Indigo Room Grand Opening Celebration performances, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony, stand-up comedy, drag bingo and a traditional Chinese lion dance. Details for these activities will be available closer to the date.  
 
Further programming: Matt Cusson, Isaiah J. Thompson
 
Beyond opening weekend, the Indigo Room will offer performances regularly as part of the Mahaiwe's year-round programming. Programming announcements will be made on a rolling basis.  
 
Tickets can be purchased online at mahaiwe.org, or by calling or visiting the Box Office, 413-528-0100, on Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. 
 
The Indigo Room is a flexible performance space in the former Great Barrington firehouse building at 20 Castle Street, next door to the historic Mahaiwe theater. 
 
Seating in the Indigo Room is modular, allowing different audience capacities based on the nature of a program. About 80 patrons fit in an arrangement of café tables; 100 in plain rows; and 150 when standing-room-only. These seating plans can be customized in various combinations, such as with plain rows behind café tables in front. 
Indigo Room concessions include beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Lt. Governor Driscoll Visits Great Barrington Businesses

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Housing Secretary Ed Augustus and state Rep. Leigh Davis are ready to chop wood out back of Pleasant and Main. 

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll did some holiday shopping on Main Street last week after announcing millions of federal Community Development Block Grant funds

She was glad to see an array of small-business owners thriving, and the eclectic items that Great Barrington has to offer. 

"We know that the vibrancy of communities can often be defined by what's happening on Main Street," she said. 

"It's great to be here in Great Barrington and see so many independent entrepreneurs who are running really, not only fun, but businesses that are doing well, and we want to try and find ways to uplift and support that work moving forward." 

State Rep. Leigh Davis coordinated a business tour with Pleasant and Main Cafe and General Store, Robbie's Community Market, and Butternut Ski Mountain. While downtown, Driscoll also stopped at Coco's Candy and Rob's Records and Audio. 

Earlier that day, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced $33.5 million in federal CDBG funds at the Housatonic Community Center. Great Barrington, in conjunction with Egremont and Stockbridge, has been allocated $ 1.25 million to rehabilitate approximately 14 housing units.  A new Rural and Small Town Housing Choice Community designation for its Housing Choice Initiative was also launched. 

Davis emphasized the significance of the state announcing these dollars in the small village of Housatonic.  

Craig Bero, founder of Pleasant and Main, prepared desserts and hors d'oeuvres for the group at his cozy cafe across the street from the Housatonic Community Center. Bero opened more than a decade ago after migrating from New York City, and Pleasant and Main offers sustainable, organic meals for an affordable price while enjoying the museum of antiques that is the restaurant. 

View Full Story

More South Berkshire Stories