Creative Pause: Barrington Stage Looks to Grow

Barrington Stage Company (BSC) in Pittsfield is responding to the challenging environment for not-for-profit theaters by expanding rather than reducing its upcoming 2026 summer season, according to Greg Reiner, managing director.

 

While the full schedule for the May through October season has yet to be finalized, BTC's schedule so far includes an ambitious production of "A Chorus Line" directed by BSC Artistic Director Alan Paul to mark the 50th anniversary of the well-known musical. Other offerings include two familiar works, "Noises Off" and "Driving Miss Daisy," as well as a world premiere of "Estate Sale," a play by Keelay Gipson. Additional productions and events are to be announced.

 

"I'm very excited about this season," said Reiner. "We're trying to be a bit different. While many theaters in the nation have been cutting back, we're doing more. For example we have scheduled 31 performances of 'A Chorus Line.' It's a bit of a gamble, but our attendance has been on the upswing. We believe this is one way to strengthen the connection with our audience and donors and grow that."

 

While its annual centerpiece is its spring-to-autumn season, BSC is a year-round operation. It is currently presenting its annual 10×10 New Play Festival, a production featuring 10 plays that are 10 minutes long, in February and March.

 

BSC was founded in 1995. Its stated mission is "to produce top-notch, compelling work; to develop new plays and musicals; and to engage our community with vibrant, inclusive educational outreach programs."

 

It presents a mix of popular and familiar classics and new work. It includes both lighter entertainment and works with more serious subjects and themes. And its New Works Fund supports emerging talents and the development and production of plays and musicals. 

 

Since its founding, BSC has produced 41 new works, 21 of which have moved on to New York and regional theaters around the country.

 

In addition, it sponsors a variety of educational programs for young people who live in the Berkshires, including classes, workshops, productions, young playwright mentorships and other activities.

 

BSC is a significant cultural and economic presence in Pittsfield.

 

It was originally housed in the Consolati Performing Arts Center at Mount Everett High School in Sheffield. It relocated to downtown Pittsfield after purchasing and renovating a historic vacant 520-seat theater at 30 Union St. in 2005. It named the theater the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage. In 2012, it acquired a former VFW building on Linden Street for the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, which includes a smaller theater and cabaret.

 

In 2016, it gained a visibly prominent downtown presence when it acquired a commercial building at 122 North St. to house its administrative offices, rehearsal rooms and costume shop. In 2019, BSC purchased a 22,000 square-foot building at 34 Laurel St. as its production center, housing the set, prop and paint shops.

 

In addition to dealing with the effects of the pandemic, BSC went through a transition in 2022, with the retirement of co-founder and Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, who had been the guiding figure of the organization.

 

Reiner joined Barrington Stage last August. From 2015 to 2025, he was the director of theater and musical theater at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), where he oversaw a $6.2 million grantmaking portfolio and represented the agency to the national theater community. In that role, he worked with, and kept track of, theatrical organizations and the issues they face nationwide.

Reiner said he was very enthusiastic about joining BSC, because he had been familiar with its reputation in his former job. 

 

"I feel very fortunate to be here because BSC has a very loyal audience and donors, and strong board of directors," he said. " It

is also very connected to the community. That's not the case for all theaters."

 

He credited Boyd with establishing a strong foundation before she retired. 

 

"She set things up to move forward in a positive way," he said. "One of the things she did was to keep BSC as active as possible during and after the Covid pandemic. That was important. Theaters that waited longer to come back experienced more serious problems because audiences found other alternatives."

 

He emphasized, however, that the situation is not perfect. 

 

"There are challenges," he said. "A major issue is rising expenses. What we could do for $6 million in 2019 now costs $7 million or more. We heavily depend on philanthropy, but we have confidence that serving the audience, donors and the community as fully as possible will help to grow that pie."

 

While BSC attracts audiences and donors from outside the Berkshires, Reiner emphasized that its connection to the local community is a core of its mission. That includes cultivating local audiences, as well as contributing to the regional economy,

education and other forms of participation.

 

"We want to be nationally important, but with a local emphasis," said Reiner.

 

BSC recently joined the League of Resident Theaters, the largest professional theater association of its kind in the United States. It provides a variety of resources and services to its members.

 

Reiner noted that this also gives them access to technology platforms to present streaming productions. He said they may utilize that but the emphasis will continue to be live performances.

 

"We're looking at it more in terms of a supplement to the live experience, such as reaching audiences in winter or enabling people with accessibility issues to see productions," he said.

 

He believes that live theater has become especially important in these stressful times. 

 

"It's important for people to be able to attend an entertaining show or come together to experience serious work that addresses issues we all face," he said.

 

He added that free and diverse expression is vital in this period of political and social division.

 

"We don't take sides as an organization, but we will continue to program based on our artistic vision and not on fear," he said. "Theater is a valuable way to bring people together and stimulate constructive dialogue and understanding."