CATA Presents Annual Performance of 'The Ripple Effect'

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LENOX, Mass.—Community Access to the Arts (CATA) presents its Annual Performance "The Ripple Effect" on May 9 and May 10 at Shakespeare & Company's Tina Packer Playhouse in Lenox.
 
CATA's Annual Performance is the culmination of hundreds of performing arts workshops that serve 1,300 people with disabilities across Berkshire and Columbia counties. CATA artists explore new interests and build skills in CATA arts programs throughout the year, then share their creativity with the community in this dynamic event.
 
Artists with developmental and intellectual disabilities have shaped every aspect of the show, with more than 100 CATA artists from across the Berkshires contributing to the performance. CATA artists created original performance pieces in dance, theater, music, juggling, comedy, and more—composing original songs, devising choreography, and crafting scripts and theater scenes. Behind the scenes, CATA artists built the set, made the costumes, and designed the sound and lighting.
 
The CATA Annual Performance weekend begins with a Gala evening on Saturday May 9, at 5 p.m., with a cocktail reception, followed by a performance, then dinner and dancing. The CATA Gala is co-chaired by Liz and Tom Costley and Mary Pope Osborne & Will Osborne. Funds raised at the CATA Gala support CATA's year-round arts programs for 1,300 children, teens, and adults with disabilities. For more information, call CATA at (413) 528-5485.
 
A family-friendly Matinee Performance takes place on Sunday, May 10, at 1 p.m., followed by a free Cast & Community Party. Matinee tickets are available through the Shakespeare & Company box office. Order online at Shakespeare.org or call the box office at (413) 637-3353.
 
"All year, CATA artists have been pouring their artistic talents into preparations for the CATA Annual Performance," says Margaret Keller, CATA Executive Director. "The theme of this year's performance, The Ripple Effect, invites audiences to explore how every act of creativity can spark change. When artists with disabilities participate in CATA programs, the impact ripples out: They tap into their talents, and their worlds expand, with new friends and new possibilities. Families see new dimensions in their loved ones. Teachers discover new talents in their students. And our entire community grows more connected as we witness the artistry of our neighbors."
 
In the lead-up to the show, 300 students from local public schools will attend a special Dress Rehearsal of the CATA Annual Performance. The students include children and teens in special education programs who participate in CATA's weekly programs in local schools, as well as the entire 6th grade class from W.E.B. Du Bois Middle School. The performance is a powerful experience for local students: Teens in special education programs see people like themselves taking center stage, and students in traditional classrooms learn about the talents of people with disabilities.
 
CATA has expanded accessibility accommodations to ensure everyone can access and enjoy the performance: ASL interpretation, open captioning, assistive listening devices, and braille, large print, and Spanish language programs will be available, as well as live audio description for patrons who are blind or low vision. CATA is the first organization in the Berkshires to provide audio description at performances.

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A Boutique Hotel is Bringing Guests a Luxury Stay in Lenox

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LENOX, Mass. — A new Inn is bringing a boutique-style stay for visitors and locals to enjoy.

Owners, Sullivan Capital LLC, purchased the property, located on 135 Main Street, in 2024. After a year or renovations, Garden Gables Inn is open for business. 

"Garden Gables started off as one of the many Berkshire cottages, 1790 was the date on that, and it's always operated as an inn," said Hospitality Manager Yvonne Walton. "It's just a great gathering place and relaxation spot for people to come and get the feel of Lenox, and just slow down and enjoy the nature and the surrounding area...get culture and art and see some great concerts. I think it'll be a wonderful place, definitely does more of the upper-scale hospitality." 

Owners Niko Giallouis and Eric Sullivan bought the property from the former owner. Sullivan had his eye on Lenox since attending a wedding almost 10 years ago.

"I came to a wedding in Lenox, probably six or seven years ago. Personally, just kind of fell in love with the area, and I guess that's kind of how it got on my radar. So you know from that perspective, as we got into the hotel business out towards an area, it was a place I was kind of monitoring and waiting for the right property to show up."

After purchasing the two underwent a full renovation, a project that cost around $1.5 million. The building, first built in 1780, required some TLC. Sullivan's wife, Jessica, who owns Jessica Sullivan Design, designed the inn.

Sullivan said they installed a new roof, repainted everything, renovated the bathrooms, installed new floors, a new HVAC system, and new plumbing.

"We really touched everything from the outside...I mean, all the aesthetics and layouts changed a bit," he said. "As I said, put about a million and a half into it. All new furniture, fixtures, everything. The design's completely different. It wasn't a full gut, but it was a heavy, heavy renovation."

The two like to collaborate with local businesses, and they make a point to direct visitors to local restaurants, businesses, and attractions.

"If guests are asking for recommendations, our customer service team, our guest services team, will relay that kind of information. Even if we can call and make a reservation for somebody, happy to do it," he said. "We aren't doing breakfast, but what we do is we have partnerships with a lot of the breakfast places downtown. We actually purchase a gift certificates for each person each day, so that they can use that to go downtown."

Sullivan hopes that guests don't see their inn as just a place to sleep and dump their bags, but make it an experience for anyone who stays.

"We really focus on kind of the experience side of things, so again, we want to give you the best experience you can have here...and we want that not just to be the place you put your bag and go do things. It's important to think of everything," he said.

Sullivan said partnerships are important to their business and are a way to connect with locals.

"The local partnerships, I can't stress that enough, because no matter how much and how great the room is, people are still going to want to go do other things," he said. "So, I think it just benefits everybody if we're all working together and so forth, and supporting the community, being neighborly too, because we are surrounded by residential homes...But we really try to put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, a lot of love into the building, all the details, really care about the senses," Sullivan said.

The Inn's check-in and reservations are completely online. When guests arrive, all they have to do is check in online and receive their code that they will use to enter their room. Sullivan hopes this helps create less stress for guests and gets them to their room as fast as possible, especially after a long trip.

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