The Berkshires Are Open in the Winter

by Shera Cohen

As I write this piece, it’s technically spring on my calendar, but my porch is full of snow, albeit melting. So, for the sake of clarity, here is my recollection of my two-day late winter/early spring Berkshires cultural experience in my effort to prove that the Berkshires are not for summer stays only.
 

The Ten Tenors

Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield: The Colonial is one of four venues in the Berkshire Theatre Group – the oldest (1903), the largest, and the most charming. PBS programs have aired numerous 3-men tenor groups whose music is semi-opera, classical, and contemporary. Some singers are from Ireland or Italy or USA. They are wonderful. In the case of The Ten Tenors, multiply any of these fabulous trios x 3 + 1 for a perfect evening of glorious music. The Ten hail from Australia as they bring some popular “down under” songs to the stage. Their Four Seasons’ medley complete with choreography was a hoot. The tribute to Prince and Leonard Cohen gave both artists due praise. Every song included all 10 singers, sometimes focusing on a “lead,” sometimes not. Imagine ten, good-looking, young-ish men in tuxes singing “Unchained Melody.” That was the show-stopper. The highly anticipated “Nessum Dorma” (the finale to most of the trio concerts) seemed to set the lush Colonial interior aglow. www.berkshiretheatregroup.org

Curiosity Incubator

Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield: You’ve seen the ads - children and adults wear goggle-like apparatus on their heads, walk around a room like zombies, and shout “wow, cool, look at this!” Maybe I was the only person on the planet who didn’t know about this high-tech toy. Anyway, Berkshire Museum’s exhibit “Curiosity Incubator” featured these odd things. Many activities at the museum are hands-on; it is highly encouraged. I donned the goggles. “Wow, cool, look at this!” You see what wasn’t there 30-seconds ago. Magic?

The “Tell Me More” Exhibit brought the visitor for the first time to the North Pole. “The Science of Color” offered a bright spectrum on how colors change what you see. Of course, the museum has its standard collections on display; my favorite being the pristine aquarium. A bravo to the staff – whether employees or volunteers, all are there to make the visitor enjoy. It wasn’t so many years ago when I went to the museum basically to kill time before the next play, concert, etc. I have done a 180degree turn-around, as this venue has become one of my favorite destination points.  www.Berkshiremuseum.org

Mahaiwe Theatre, Great Barrington: The venue has seen many changes in design, performing arts, economy, and its place in downtown Great Barrington, all the while never closing its doors. Silent films and vaudeville show names fit the marquee in the early days. Now, Mahaiwe presents concerts (all genres), dance, theatre, comedy, lectures, and films (primarily Live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera).

Steep Canyon Rangers

Just this week, Steep Canyon Rangers took the stage with their B&B&B – banjo, blues, and bluegrass, mixed it up with country sounds, deep porch music, wildfire finger-pickin’ and humor. The Rangers, known for their performances with actor/banjo player Steve Martin, have received numerous national awards (Grammy) in their field for the past eight years. Along with their instruments and vocal music came a huge supply of hillbilly hand-clapping, and a surprise harmonica. www.mahaiwe.org

Joe’s Diner, Lee: It’s tiny with 1950’s décor and as many chairs and stools that can possibly fit. The patrons dress “down.” Sometimes, table sharing is encouraged. With no offense, it seems as if the waitresses have worked at Joe’s since its opening; maybe they have, since it’s a family-owned business. Get the best and least expensive breakfast in the Berkshire. A plus for me was pudding…7 different puddings, in fact, for each day of the week.

The District Kitchen & Bar, Pittsfield: Located in downtown Pittsfield is a charming, rustic eating spot. The bar and dining tables are surrounded by metal, tin polls, etc. The District is mid-scale, with a small list of food choices, but just enough, in each category; i.e. appetizer, entrée. If you weren’t specifically looking for it, you might pass it by. The clientele are the locals of all ages. I usually skip dessert, but the lemongrass & vanilla crème brulee was very special. http://district.kitchen/

Lee Premium Outlets, Lee: This is definitely not cultural, so I list it last. But, when you’re staying a mere three miles from a major, inexpensive shopping experience, of course, I had to go. I guess that I also just had to buy that pair of boots.

Unfortunately, there’s only so much you can do in two days. I recommend a longer stay for next year. What we missed were:

Barrington Stage, Pittsfield: 10 x 10, that’s 10 original plays, each 10-minute long at a fast and furious pace https://barringtonstageco.org

Town Players, Pittsfield: 96 years of community theatre – wow! Missed the production of “The Whale,” but more shows to come www.townplayers.org

WAM, Lenox – professional theatre of relatively small unknown plays in Shakespeare & Company’s theatres www.wamtheatre.com

The Mount, Lenox – its annual retreat of training, networking, and commiserating for writers at all levels of skills and interests www.edithwharton.org

Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge – the whimsical work of Hanna-Barbera; i.e. Yogi Bear, the Jetsons, et al; some readers might not know who I am referring to, but I remember them well www.nrm.org

For more information on the Berkshires visit http://berkshires.org

Seeking Music Reviewer

In the Spotlight seeks music reviewers who know their music and can write about it.

Genres: classical, country, rock, Broadway, pop, folk, ethnic.

This is not a job, but an opportunity to attend (gratis) concerts from time to time to inform readers about your recommendations.

See examples HERE.

Contact Shera Cohen at spotlightinc@verizon.net.

The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey

Hartford Stage, Hartford, CT

www.hartfordstage.org

through April 23, 2017

by Jarice Hanson

Photo by Mathew Murphy

In 2008, actor/writer/storyteller James Lecesne published a book about a young gay man’s disappearance and murder as told through the eyes of his cousin, a 16-year old girl. In 2015, he adapted that young adult novel for the stage and is now performing the piece at Hartford Stage. The point of view has changed for the stage—the story is now told from the perspective of the hard-boiled New Jersey Detective assigned to the case whose job it is to “look for shit in the shadows.” In the telling of the story, Lecesne seemingly morphs from one character to the next, totally embodying male and female roles as diverse as a 16-year old girl to an 80-year old watchmaker.

We never meet Leonard Pelkey, other than to see a blurry image of him on a screen where other clues in this modern “who-dunnit” are projected, but we get to know him through the words of others whose lives he has touched. Lescesne is a gifted actor and we’re drawn deeper into the police procedural through the witnesses he creates, sometimes in the blink of an eye, or a spin on stage. With direction by Tony Speciale and original music by Duncan Sheik, the performance feels more like a fully staged production than a one man show. The story is simple and seems so familiar you may think it was ripped from the headlines, but it actually is a story of personal acceptance and finding the brightness in one person that gets passed on to others. Leonard, we learn, accepts himself for who and what he is, and in doing so, changes the lives of everyone he meets.

Lecesne wrote the novel shortly before the topic of cyber-bullying became well known, and the theme of personal acceptance and community support is subtle, but very present. The message is upbeat and heart-warming. Equally heart-warming were the number of young adults in the lobby, waiting for Lecesne to sign copies of the book. This, as much as the standing ovation, tells you that the story is timely, important, and James Lecesne a gifted cultural critic as well as an interpreter of human emotion.

Book Review: Comedy and Tragedy on the Mountain

by Shera Cohen

In a chatty, conversational manner, Jacqueline T. Lynch tells readers the story of Mt. Tom’s summer theatre in her most recent non-fiction book “Comedy and Tragedy on the Mountain.”

While this book could have easily become a textbook, Lynch presents an informal insight at both local history and regional theatre. At the same time, she is strict on detail and chronology. It is obvious that she has done her research.

Lynch blends the history of Valley theatre, yet never forgetting to lay it in the context of the region’s growth and economic history. Mt. Tom Playhouse is far more than a building; more importantly, it is the community of entrepreneurs, crews, actors, and audiences who built seven decades of comedy and tragedy in Holyoke, MA.

There’s a lot of name-dropping throughout the 250-pages. The book gives a close look at “who’s who” in theatre at the time. Delightful anecdotes by thespian locals – in particular, George Murphy and Barbara Bernard – give those readers who grew up, particularly in the 50’s and 60’s, a sense of time and place.  There’s also lots to tell about a young Hal Holbrook and other fledgling stars.

It may or may not be true, but a picture is worth 1000 words. If this case, Lynch has put her hands-on dozens of photos of actors, sets, and playbills, all of which either take the reader down memory lane, whether he or she was there or not.

The story of Mt. Tom Playhouse is one of ups and downs; i.e. finances, audiences, media, and those with, or think they had, star power at the time. It is clear that for the close-knit group of people who essentially gave birth to this artistry atop a nearby mountain, it was a labor of love. It is nice to read about people who love what they are doing, which Lynch expresses to her readers in her own love of theatre.

The book is written for: anyone who lives in the Valley (past, present or both); those who enjoy theatre no matter where it is; and theatre history buffs. No piece of fiction or non-fiction is for everyone, but these three groups certainly include a lot of people.

www.jacquelinetlynch.com

Jersey Boys

The Bushnell, Hartford, CT

www.bushnell.org

through March 26, 2017

by R.E. Smith

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

To everything there is a season, and, so too, it goes in the story of the boys from New Jersey who would become the most popular rock & roll act prior to the advent of "The Beatles": “The Four Seasons.” As the show’s name implies, their story is as rooted in the rough and tumble culture of the Garden State as it is in their unmistakable musical talent. In fact, there is a warning at the door that the special effects include “authentic” NJ language!

The four leads each take a turn recounting the stages of the group’s history. Tommy DeVito, played with volatile humor and swagger by Matthew Dailey starts things in motion more by trying to make an easy buck than an artistic statement. Dailey lets the audience know that under the machismo is a clearly a guy who is often over his head. DeVito’s polar-opposite, partner-in-crime is Keith Hines’ Nick Massi, with his stoic demeanor and deadpan, audience-tickling delivery. Cory Jeacoma’s earnest and levelheaded composer Bob Gaudio provides a lightness needed to offset some of the darker elements of their journey from rags to riches.

Despite equal emphasis on each member’s contributions to the group, the success of the quartet is only going to be as strong as the voice of the show’s Frankie Vallie. Aaron DeJesus literally hits all the right notes as the singer who would make The Four Seasons stand out from the crowd, and eventually eclipse the group itself. It is rare that a mid-show solo elicits a standing ovation. But make no mistake; each is a talented actor, singer, dancer, and musician, making the non-stop pace and momentum of the show seem effortless.

If the against all odds story, rock and roll setting and snappy choreography weren’t enough, there is of course the eminently tuneful music. Even those under the age of 50 will recognize the songs from movies, TV shows, and commercials. Classics like “Walk Like A Man,” “December, 1963,” “My Eyes Adored You,” and “Who Loves You”, just to name a few.

If there is any question from regular theatre-goers as to whether this group really warrants musical-theatre treatment, one only has to look around at the audience, evidently made up of a good number of patrons more accustomed to concert venues than proscenium shows and visibly fighting the urge to dance in the aisles.

A Faust Symphony

Hartford Symphony, Hartford, CT|

www.hartfordsymphony.org

March 10-12, 2017

by Michael J. Moran

Classical music lovers who heard Kevin Rhodes and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra perform Franz Liszt’s “Faust Symphony” in October, 2009 could be pardoned for assuming this might be their only chance to hear it. Not to be outdone by her northern neighbor, Carolyn Kuan and the HSO didn’t just give local concertgoers another crack at this rarely heard masterpiece but added some theatrical flair.    

The historical Faust who practiced astrology, alchemy, and sorcery in 16th-century Germany became a popular symbol in later Western literature of how special powers in earthly life could cost a man his soul. Goethe’s 1808 play about Faust inspired musical settings by Berlioz, Schumann, and Liszt, whose “Faust” symphony is in three movements, each depicting a major character in the story: Faust; Gretchen, the young lover who redeems him; and Mephistopheles, the Devil who promises him wealth and restored youth.

Colin McEnroe

The symphony was written in 1857 as an instrumental work, but Liszt added an optional epilogue with tenor and male chorus singing the final lines of Goethe’s text. While Rhodes included this epilogue, Kuan replaced it with a new script by Connecticut writer and media personality Colin McEnroe. Hartford TheaterWorks artistic associate Eric Ort directed two Equity actors, Crystal Dickinson and R. Ward Duffy, in gripping performances of McEnroe’s scenes, several of which were interspersed in each movement. These mostly showed individuals reflecting on ethical dilemmas in their 21st-century lives, from hedge fund management to scientific research. Perhaps the most moving scene was the last one, Dickinson as a redeeming God.

The music, lasting almost 90 minutes, is among Liszt’s most technically demanding and harmonically ambiguous scores, and a very full HSO rose to the challenge with a riveting performance. Kuan clarified the massive textures of the Faust and Mephistopheles movements, and the delicate duet between principal oboe Heather Taylor and principal viola Michael Wheeler in the Gretchen movement was especially radiant.

In a post-concert discussion hosted by Kuan, with helpful contributions from McEnroe, Ort, Dickinson, and Duffy, audience comments and questions confirmed this imaginative presentation as another triumph for the path-breaking maestra and her community-minded ensemble.

Scotland-A Celebration

Springfield Symphony, Springfield, MA

www.springfieldsymphony.org

March 11, 2017

by Michael J. Moran

“A musical trip to the Scottish Isles” is how, in his “Rhodes’ Reflections” column in the program book, SSO maestro Kevin Rhodes describes a concert in which two pieces by one composer, Felix Mendelssohn, were inspired by travel to Scotland, while just “knowing the music of the country sufficed [for another composer, Max Bruch] to create a work which sounds authentically Scottish.”

The opening “Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave) Overture” began with a haunting musical phrase that echoed the sound of waves against the shore which Mendelssohn heard when he visited the Hebrides islands off Scotland in 1829. Subsequent calm and stormy passages reflected the vagaries of Scottish weather before the Overture returns to the opening theme for a quiet ending. The SSO and Rhodes gave this colorful score an energetic performance.

Yevgeny Kutik

Inspired 50 years later by the novels of Sir Walter Scott, Bruch quoted various Scottish folk songs in his “Scottish Fantasy” for violin and orchestra. Its four movements depicted contrasting moods, from a solemn introductory Adagio to a lively Scherzo, a radiant Andante, and a joyous Finale. Rising young Boston-based Russian-American violinist Yevgeny Kutik, who dazzled in his SSO debut three years ago with Prokofiev’s second violin concerto, brought technical virtuosity to spare and interpretive flair to this brilliant showpiece. Orchestra and conductor gave him exemplary support, especially principal harpist Judy Saiki.

Unlike Bruch, Mendelssohn quoted no folk tunes in either the “Hebrides Overture” or the work which closed the program after intermission, his third symphony, nicknamed the “Scottish” because it derived from the same 1829 visit to Scotland, though it took the composer until 1842 to finish it. Rhodes led the SSO in a blazing account, heightening the drama of the turbulent first movement by taking a repeat that’s often omitted. The dance-like Vivace movement had an exhilarating spin, the glowing Adagio was deeply felt, and the triumphant Allegro finale blended vigor with grandeur.

Even without the benefit of spoken commentary by the often talkative maestro, the appreciative crowd who braved the wintry chill was rewarded with the warmth of his enthusiastic leadership.