Review: Circa Contemporary Circus: Wolf

Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA

www.jacobspillow.org

by Shera Cohen

Although not its first visit to Jacob Pillow, Circa Contemporary Circus’ performance for one week on the stage at the Ted Shawn Theatre was, with no hesitation, the most creative, awe-inspiring, and unique dance event at this noted venue this season. No wonder the full house.

 

For those familiar with many versions of Cirque de Soleil, Circa is similar in execution. This may be a fine point, but while Cirque is entertainment, Circa is art.

 

Circa is one of the world’s leading performance companies. Since 2004, its base has been Brisbane, Australia. From there, the troupe of 10 (5 women and 5 men) has toured in 39 countries on six continents to over a million people. They have performed throughout the world at leading festivals and at prominent venues.

 

Founder Yaron Lifschitz termed Circa as an ensemble of exceptional, multi-skilled circus artists.

If this is a new form of contemporary dance style, bring it on! It is powerful, emotional, and unique. Paraphrasing The Age Magazine, Circa is the frontrunner of the new wave of contemporary Australian circus, developing physicality to prove powerful.

 

Is this dance? Movement? Theatre, Circus? It is all of these at once.

 

The troupe’s long piece, including intermission, was titled “Wolf”. By the stances of the dancers and their simple skin-tight beige costumes with black or brown geometric shapes, it was clear that each individual on stage, or groups, did become wolves. These young, lithe dancers were able to contort and meld their bodies to become the picture of a single wolf.

 

Without trapeze or net, exquisite costumes or sets, the artists relied on each other’s bodies as steps in order to build mountain tops. How high can they go? A lot higher than anticipated. The trust that each must give to the group is incredible. All the time, these human formation images were made directly and swiftly before the audience’s eyes – far more than tricks; each was an artistic depiction of a wolf or wolves in different environments, moods, or habits.

 

At the start of the dance performance, Executive & Artistic Director, Pamela Tatge, briefed the audience on what was about to take place. In her introduction, she stated, “You will find yourselves asking, ‘How’d they do that?’” She was right.

 

Unfortunately, Circa’s week has ended. Yet, eight full concerts remain, including those by famous, respected troupes like: Gauthier Dance, Brian Brooks Moving Company, San Francisco Ballet, Ephrat Asherie Dance, Ballet Hispanico New York, Haang Yi:Ink, and ending with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

 

Dozens of one-shot dances take place on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage as well. The performers are soloists, duets, and ensembles. Like those on the two main stages, all are immensely talented professionals in their various genres which include: jazz, ethnic, ballet, traditional, and modern. Live music collaborations are the best programs, when two living art forms work together to create the best of both.

 

Jacob’s Pillow’s campus is serene and lovely, accentuating the performing arts in its theatres.

REVIEW: Sevenars Music Festival, Champlain Trio

The Academy, Worthington, MA
http://www.sevenars.org

July 26, 2026

by Michael J. Moran

The title of this concert, “In Her Voice,” could refer to both the composers and the performers. The Champlain Trio was founded in 2020 by its current members – violinist Letitia Quante, cellist Emily Traubl, and pianist Hiromi Fukuda. All Juilliard graduates based in Vermont, they are also experienced educators and performers throughout New England (Traubl is principal cellist of the Springfield [MA] Symphony Orchestra).  

Their program consisted of piano trios by three women composers active in the early twentieth century. It began with American composer Amy Beach’s 1938 Trio in A minor, her last piece of chamber music, written at age 71. Its three short movements, lasting a total of 15 minutes, burst with musical ideas. The Champlains fashioned a robust opening “Allegro,” with an unexpectedly quiet close; a gentle “Lento espressivo,” with a lively “Presto” interlude based on an Inuit melody; and a joyful “Allegro con brio.”    

Next came the 1931 Trio in A minor by French composer Charlotte Sohy, whose music is currently being rediscovered. To this listener’s ears the Trio both reflects and transcends the influence of Gabriel Faure, who was known to perform some of Sohy’s music, with a style distinctly her own. The piece’s three movements and the Champlain’s vibrant performance suggest a conflict waged (in a tempestuous first “Allegro”), peacefully negotiated (in a fluidly sensitive “Andante”), and triumphantly won (in a virtuosic second “Allegro”).

The concert ended with the 1910 Trio in C major by Croatian composer Dora Pejacevic, whose music, like Sohy’s, is also undergoing a well-deserved revival of interest. As Fukuda noted in a spoken introduction, Pejacevic can sometimes sound a bit like Brahms or Dvorak, but an unmistakenly personal style of her own soon emerges. The Champlains gave the piece their all, from a dramatic “Allegro con moto” and playful “Scherzo,” with pizzicato flourishes by the strings, to a yearning “Lento” and exuberant “Finale.”

The lone male voice in the program was a ravishing encore of English composer Edward Elgar’s lovely “Salut d’Amour” (“Love’s Greeting”). Rich and carefully balanced playing by all three instrumentalists ideally showcased three masterful compositions which should be better known. 

Sevenars concerts continue every Sunday at 4:00pm through August 16 in the intimate acoustics of Sevenars Academy in South Worthington, MA.

There’s More to Shakespeare & Company Than Shakespeare

Lenox, MA

www.shakespeare.org

by Shera Cohen

Nay, Shakespeare & Company is far from closing its doors for the 2026 season; there's still fall and winter.

Plays in Process (late July)
I had the opportunity to see and participate in this creative program; a first for me. Sorry, PIP has ended. However, give yourself a gentle reminder that season 6 will offer a handful of play readings by professional actors that may be produced in future seasons at S&Co. Each reading is directed by a member of the company then critiqued by the audience.

 

Yaala Muller as Ophelia 

Shake It Up: The Remix (end of July -August)
Directed and starring S&Co. actors, students, and even those in management (everyone on campus has talent!) combine the words of the Bard with upbeat Top 40 music by the rockin’ house band for 12 shows at the Tina Packer Playhouse. Definitely a participatory event, the audience dancers and sings along in the aisles. Whoever said that Shakespeare is boring?!

 

Riotous Youth Performances (ends in August)
Just a few dates remain in August to see young actors perform the greatest hits of selected play. Enjoy excerpts from “Hamlet” on Aug. 7th and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on August 14. Great for the family.

 

Merry Wanderers’ Guided Tours (4 more tours in August)
These 2-hour walking tours of the beautiful S&Co. campus on Thursday mornings offer a first-hand look at what makes theatre happen, from page to stage.

 

“Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” (ends August 23)
Both funny and achingly honest, this play explores loneliness, resilience, and the possibility that love may be waiting. Recommended for adult audiences.

 

“Hamlet” (August 13 – 30)
Even it you’ve seen this classic in the past; there is nothing as special as attending “Hamlet” at S&Co. A gripping story of grief, conscience, and the cost of action is thrilling and deeply human. Performed indoors at the Tina Packer Playhouse.

 

Talks & Tours (August 29)
This series of Behind the Curtain talks are free and open to the public featuring directors, cast, and design team members. Five talks of the summer months; the final with Director James Warwick, discussing “The Norwegians”.

 

Midsummer Dreamers (early September)
Created and performed by Nick Nudler and Kirsten Peacock, this contemporary reimagining of  “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” blends Shakespear’s poetry with physical theatre, aerial performance, and comedy. Three performances only in September.

 

“The Norwegians” (September 4-October 4)
S&Co. presents a full-length play in the fall which has become the norm for this summer-only performance venue. Starring four of the company’s tried ‘n true actors, the play is a sharp, surprising dark comedy about love gone wrong. It tells the story of two woman who decide that the best way to fix the wrongs done to them by the men in their lives is to hire Norwegian hitmen.

 

Celebrating Jewish Plays ( October 9 – 11)
The weekend of October 9, 10, 11 focuses on stage readings, live poetry, music, and guest speakers for one common theme. This marks the second consecutive year of Jewish Plays at both the Tina Packer Playhouse and Elayne Bernstein Theatre.

 

Pride and Prejudice (December 18 – 20)
Another short run, this time in the cold of winter is Jane Austen’s well-known P&P featuring a costumed reading. In addition, and in keeping with the season, will be a tea party as well as pre-show talk.

A first-time visit : Clark Art Institute

Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA  

http://www.clarkart.edu

through October 12, 2026 

by Nechama Katan

The Clark Art Institute mixes an integration of a traditional art museum and Berkshires outdoor space. 

A permanent collection anchors the galleries, alongside the guest exhibition, "An Exquisite Eye: Introducing the Aso O. Tavitian Collection," which is open until February 2027. 

 

Tavitian (1940 - 2020) was a philanthropist and connoisseur who, over decades, assembled 331 works of European art from the 15th -19th centuries, then gifted the entire extraordinary range to the Clark. This is the first public taste of the collection, a preview before the Tavitian Wing at Clark opens in 2028. The pieces for view present an intimate view that is rich in portraiture. Oftentimes, museum goers must stand a foot away from the art to see the precise excellence of the image. 

 

Next, roam the grounds, because the Clark's entirety is only partially an indoor museum. The outdoor reflecting pool faces the woods, where chairs face the water so visitors can sit, eat lunch, and simply enjoy. This mix of formal art, nature, and modern art sums up the Clark Art Institute. 

 

Anthony van Dyck, Portrait of Margaret Lemon, c. 1638, Oil on canvas

A cow pasture behind a fence, where the fence itself is, not surprisingly, a form of art: a lesson in "teaching the cows to draw," designed by Analia Saban. This functioning fence includes varying pattern between the posts and crossbars. Very clever and again signature Clark.

 

The real reason to wander, though, is "Ground/work 2025," a walking trail of six monumental outdoor sculptures scattered across the campus, curated by Glenn Adamson. Art is best when it is not only viewed but experienced, and this trail permits exactly that, moving through the landscape and meeting each piece, literally on its own ground.

 

Each of the six artists reinvents a global craft tradition. Javier Senosiain's "Coata III" is a glorious tiled serpent in the water, drawn from Mexican mosaic. Aboubakar Fofana works in West African indigo cotton wrapped into seeds of life in a metal tree. Laura Ellen Bacon woven willow creates an intricate design that combines the local trees and biodegrade.  Hugh Hayden integrates pieces of wood into a large rib cage. Yō Akiyama uses Japanese ceramics and inspiration from the woods. Milena Naef works with marble and again local wood. Each piece is nestled into the landscape with its own story. The walk through the exhibit gives individual visitors the time to consider and ponder each work in it isn't own time and space. 

 

Museum guests can become physical with the art, to experience it in the wild, and then step back inside for the hushed, traditional museum. Note the trail and other outdoor space are free.

The traditional visitor plans an entire day, or at least an afternoon to delve into the natural art and the masterworks, alike.

By the way, the drive is part of the picturesque pleasure.                         

REVIEW: Boston Camerata/ Glass/Rosenthal

Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood, Lenox, MA 

https://www.bso.org/tanglewood

Photo by Hilary Scott

July 16, 22, & 26, 2026 
by Michael J. Moran 

Every summer Tanglewood’s Ozawa Hall hosts world-class artists in many genres from around the world. Three recent concerts highlighted the range of attractions in this intimate venue. 

On July 16, eight singers and seven instrumentalists of the 72-year-old Boston Camerata presented a stirring program called "FREE AMERICA! Early Songs of Resistance and Rebellion." The 30 short selections were organized into five thematic sections, with such titles as "Like a Beautiful Morning" and "Rich and Poor." Performances from vocal and instrumental solos to shifting combinations of voices and instruments also featured two hearty audience singalongs: "Free Americay!" and "Yankee Doodle." Of special note were: a moving opener, "O Zion Arise," a traditional Shaker song, sung by bass-baritone Phillip Bullock; a mournful Anglo-Irish ballad, "Johnny has gone for a soldier," sung by soprano MaKayla McDonald; and a rousing ensemble take on Jeremiah Ingalls' "Friendly Union."   

   
Six days later, Philip Glass fans had the rare chance to hear all 20 of his etudes for solo piano, written between 1991 and 2012 and played by five pianists chosen, in Glass' words, for their "wide range of musical backgrounds...technical [and] interpretive skills." All performances easily met or exceeded those standards. Highlights included: a reflective second, playful 13th, and volatile 14th from Daniela Liebman; an ecstatic 17th and dreamy 18th from Lisa Moore; a forceful 11th and whirling twelfth from Bruce Brubaker; a blazing tenth, joyous fifteenth, and brooding sixteenth from Christian Sands; and an explosive sixth, lush nineteenth, and heart-stopping 20th from Timo Andres, bringing the set to a radiant close.

And on July 26, the Ted Rosenthal Quintet (pianist-leader Rosenthal, bass Noriko Ueda, drummer Dennis Mackrel, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, and saxophonist Jimmy Greene) celebrated trumpeter Miles Davis and saxophonist John Coltrane a century after their birth. The Quintet's imaginative reinventions shed new light on their selections from the Davis-Coltrane repertoire and delighted the capacity audience of jazz enthusiasts. Memorable moments included: an evocative "Naima," Coltrane's tribute to his wife, with inventive solo riffs by Greene; Thelonius Monk's "Round Midnight," with tasteful improvisations by Jensen; and a gorgeous "mashup" (Rosenthal's description) of three ballads - Davis' "Flamenco Sketches," Coltrane's version of "My One and Only Love," and Tanglewood star Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time." 

Concerts in Tanglewood’s “Recital Series” continue in Ozawa Hall and the Linde Center through August 21.

Review: “Newsies,” Mac-Haydn Theatre

Mac-Haydn Theatre, Chatham, NY

through August 9, 2026

by Shera Cohen

“Seize the Day!” This is the signature song in the rousing, entertaining musical “Newsies” at the Mac-Haydn Theatre.

Produced as a Disney movie in 1992 starring Christian Bale (yes, he can sing ’n dance), and staged on Broadway in 2012, “Newsies” has seemed dormant for well over a decade. Thank goodness it has been mounted numerous times in the past 10 years.

Photo by Ann Kielbasa

And this year marks the first time that “Newsies” has appeared at M-H. While most musicals at this venue take the stage for two weeks, “Newsies” has an extended run of three weeks, so there is still time to seize the day. Note that the house fills fast no matter what day of the week chosen to see any of the M-H musical productions.

“Newsies’” plot depicts a fictionalized look at the life of turn of the 20th century, New York City. The characters: newspaper boys. This band of dirt-poor teenagers calls out the familiar, “Read all about it”. At a penny a newspaper, the boys (and a few girls) work as hard as they can to help their families. We sympathize with these kids. While during the Newsboy Strike of 1899, formal education was the furthest goal of these boys, it didn’t mean that they weren’t street smart. After all, the streets were their workplace.

With a cast of nearly 40, and orchestra of 7 that sound like triple the headcount, this “Newsies” can easily hold a candle to theatre venues that are much bigger with bigger budgets. Kaitlyn Frank serves double duty as director and choreographer. She is busy because this is a musical chock-full of big dance numbers. Her cast is an assembly of singing dancers or dancing singers – there is a difference.

M-H’s in-the-round stage poses numerous challenges to productions than those mounted on a proscenium arch stage. In addition, scenic design includes scaffolding and jungle gym apparatus strewn on backwalls at entrances and exits. Never does a director want to cheat audience sections out of experiencing all that is possible. Frank, her team, and every actor succeed at that purpose. Bravo.

Jared Goodwin, as newsboy leader Jack Kelly, seems to be on stage nearly every minute. This story is Jack’s. Goodwin plays with bravado at one turn followed by vulnerability the next. He gives Jack the overwhelming responsibility of being big brother to all, as well as peacemaker and charmer to the ladies.

Other newsboy actors who shine are Logan Pavia, Dev O’Leary, and Jacob Atkins.

Tzintli Cerda, as spunky news reporter Katherine, the primary female cast member, is blessed with a splendid soprano voice. Her duet with Goodwin for “Something to Believe In” is as lovely as any love-song ballad.

Just west of the MA/Berkshire County line is Chatham, NY, home to Mac-Haydn for over 50 years. In addition to “Newsies” are a few more musicals for the 2026 season.

 

Review: “Amchitka,” Chester Theatre

Chester Theatre, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through August 8, 2026

by Shera Cohen

“Amchitka” is the name of a new play presented at Chester Theatre. It is also the name of a basically uninhabited island located off of Alaska. Its historical context during WWII and in the mid-1960’s are the reasons that some people might have heard of it. In November 1971, the United States (the country which owns these islands) conducted a series of nuclear tests, albeit extremely controversial and news-worthy at the time.

Playwright Mark St. Germain is well-known in the Berkshires, particularly for his fictionalized biographical plays about famous individuals; i.e. Sigmund Freud, Alan Turing, Dr. Ruth. While “Amchitka” does not focus on any one person, his latest story utilizes the setting and its history as historic backdrop in which he places three fictitious characters.

Diana (Kelly Lester), Nate (Will Maizel), and Connie (Hero Marguerite) portray scientists living and working in close quarters for an extended period of time on the island. They are colleagues; not friends. Their mission for the U.S. Department of Energy is vitally important; to oversee the long-term effects of nuclear contamination. The actors’ skills are fine and evenly matched.

Photo credit: Andrew Greto 

Another familiar and highly respected name in the Berkshires’ theatre scene is Julianne Boyd, director of this play and Founding Artistic Director of neighboring Barrington Stage Company. Boyd does the best that she can using a static, uninteresting, white lab as backdrop for the primarily static and generally boring characters.

The plot focuses on personal conflicts among the trio, yet more importantly on decisions that will affect world history. In truth, the play’s plot is difficult to fully understand, and spoilers won’t permit a critique that gives the particulars of what happens before, during, and after these scientists study and work at “Amchitka” except to say that the happenings of nearly 50 years ago are in many ways too close to home for the audience’s comfort level in the 21st century.

Unlike St. Germain’s other work, “Amchitka” is extremely talky – between three characters that the viewers care little about. Had each been a person who walked out of a history book (even Richard Nixon who was president in this era), the story would have been worth the time to explore.

Perhaps others will find the play a chilling look into today’s political and environmental tensions as foreseen in “Amchitka”.