Review: "Noises Off" Barrington Stage Company

Photo by Marc J. Wrzesinski

Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield, MA
www.barringtonstageco.org 
through September 6, 2026
by Shera Cohen

Nine characters fill the set of Barrington Stage Company's (BSC) production of "Noises Off". The number could be a slight error, but there is at least that same count (probably 11) of doors, windows, hall entries to the play's bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, sitting room, and terrace, can immediately indicate that the audience is about to see a farce.  And no one does farce as humorously, broad, and fast as the British. 

Set aside all sense of order, logic, or purpose in analyzing the play's plot. Actually, there are two plots since "Noises Off" is a play within a play; and the "within play" is seen a few times over the course of several quickly fleeting months in the real play's run.

Each actor portrays a character hired by BSC as well the character's on-stage presence. Makes sense? Probably not. Nothing is serious in "Noises Off" or in "Nothing On," play within the play.

Each actor is enormously skilled at comedy, although sometimes spoken dialog is a little too fast to be deciphered. But that's okay; we get the gist. More importantly, this play is a lesson in how to achieve physical humor without destroying actors' bodies. Assuredly, the director wouldn't permit that. Prat falls abound. In addition to the usual bumping into walls, "Noises Off" takes its actors to the point of not only falling down staircases but falling up the same staircase. Not a single character or character-within-character is left out of this mayhem; especially those who must watch over platters of plastic sardines; a running funny gag. 

As talented at the cast is, those who must take the "bravo" calls and standing ovations are the Scenic co-designers: Sotirios Livaditis and Todd Rosenthal. The huge English country home with expensive interior on two levels complete with full staircase, not to mention 9 or 11 doors, is straight out of Agatha Christie mysteries.

There's more. Flip this entire set 180 degrees to now see the backstage becoming the primary set and the latter becoming the secondary set. This second act of the play is the funniest. The actual BSC audience views both plays simultaneously; and the version backstage is outright hysterical. 

The second "bravo" goes to Director Gordon Greenberg, a man with credentials throughout the world and kudos on Broadway and Off-Broadway. In essence, Greenberg is directing three plays. Explaining the details would be far more than necessary. With help from his fight choreographer and associate director, it is near amazing that actors -- most of who's characters violently dislike each other -- don't fall off the stage during their feigned calamities. 

All of BSC's tech crew is perfect, as usual. The costumes are bawdy and colorful, as is appropriate to the characters. 

"Noises Off" and "Nothing On" are chaotic and fun. The actors take their bows as an ensemble, as they should. 

Review: Yellow Wallpaper 2.0, Great Barrington Public Theater

St. James Place, Great Barrington, MA
GreatBarringtonPublicTheater
through September 6, 2026
By Suzanne Wells

With “Yellow Wallpaper 2.0,” Great Barrington Public Theater closes its summer season with a world premiere that transforms Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” into a contemporary study of confinement, identity, and psychological suspense. Written by Jennifer Maisel, directed by Judy Braha, and staged at Saint James Place, the production derives from one woman’s unraveling in a room that becomes an incubator of paranoia.

Set in the single bedroom of a New York City apartment at the start of the Covid pandemic, T, played by Cloteal L. Horne, struggles to hold together her roles as caretaker, wife, mother, and adjunct professor as lockdown magnifies the pressures inside her home. Fearing infection, she retreats into the room and begins to unravel under the weight of inequity, maternal guilt, and a need for intellectual and emotional companionship. As she turns to “The Yellow Wallpaper,” T imagines Gilman as an ideal confidante, only to fracture when the ideal gives way to flawed reality.

From that confined premise, the script grounds T’s unraveling in familiar pandemic rituals—masking, hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes, home quarantine, neighborhood concerts, and applause for essential workers—while keeping the focus on the broader forces of isolation, caregiving, and gendered labor.

That psychological strain depends heavily on Horne’s solo performance, which gives the production its force, dynamically shifting through a range of emotions, illness, and haunting delusions while using the confined playing space to draw the audience into T’s unraveling. Her sustained energy makes T’s instability feel real, human, and unsettling.

The physical world around her deepens the same pressure. The bedroom design, by Juliana von Haubrich, intensifies that psychological pressure: faded, grimy yellow wallpaper, a squeaky brass bed, a dated leather chair, and antiquated lighting create a claustrophobic world that feels at once domestic and diseased. Together, these elements give the production a keen sense of unease.

“Yellow Wallpaper 2.0” is an unsettling production that honors the original short story while pressing its concerns about social issues into a contemporary theatrical work.

This play is not recommended for children under the age of 14.

Review & Talk-back: Ballet Hispanico New York

August 23, 2026

Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA

www.jacobspillow.org

by Shera Cohen

We are so fortunate that one of the premiere dance festivals in this country is located in Berkshire County, just an hour from Springfield, MA; where In the Spotlight “lives”.

In all honesty, dance is the performing art form of which I am the least knowledgeable. That is probably one of the reasons that I can sit back and simply enjoy without tasking myself to write a bona fide review. As I have written often in the past, my dance critiques are commentaries by a layperson to others like me; somewhat educated on the subject matter but by no means an authority.

 

Over the years, including this summer, I purposely choose to see at least one Latin dance troupe – my favorite ethnic style. Ballet Hispanico New York last week had been exactly what I expected. The group is the nation’s leading American Latino dance company and the largest cultural institution of its kind in the U.S. For over five decades, it has commissioned over 100 original works and performed on the world’s most prestigious stages.

 

The beauty and precision of the female and male dancers working solo or as a group was exemplary. These dances were not simply cassinettes clipping to Latin music. I picture black & white movies of the 1940’s and 50’s. What I saw was ballet from other cultures – emphasizing the troupe’s title, Ballet Hispanico. The dancers’ homes were Mexico, Guatemala, Bermuda, Cuba, and Brazil. The costumes’ colors, the young faces, and the live music all played into the presentation of what was a wonderful program.

 

Their hand-out states that Ballet Hispanico “inspires generations through performances, education, and community engagement”. This topic was the focus of the dance’s talk-back immediately following the concert. We were fortunate to attend on one of the dates when the weekly Pillow Talk took place. These are free discussions held in Blake's Barn on campus.

The speakers were four dance professionals conducting a casual conversation followed by Q&A; they included Ballet Hispanico's Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro. The others on the panel were from the company as well as the Pillow. 

The audience at Blake’s Barn was mixed – people from Latino cultures and those having many different backgrounds. Some in attendance were seniors, yet there were families with youngsters. Every seat was taken. Why? We wanted to understand, to appreciate, and to learn. Dance was, of course, the core interest of each person on the panel. They spoke quite eloquently about their own backgrounds and dance studies, the importance of the troupe’s evolving history, and Latino societies and how one description does not fit all.

Jacob’s Pillow’s 2026 season is almost over. A consolation is that here is always next year. Watch for the Pillow’s schedule which usually comes out in the spring to plan your summer of culture.

Review: Martha Graham Dance Company

Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA

https://www.jacobspillow.org/

August 12-16, 2026

By Melissa Roti

 

This summer, Jacob’s Pillow is celebrating the centennial of the groundbreaking Martha Graham Dance Company as well as offering a salute to pioneering women in dance for the nation’s 250th Anniversary.

Martha Graham had a long history with Jacob’s Pillow and its founders, Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis, as she enrolled in the Denishawn School and later joined the dance company. In 1926, Graham founded what is now the oldest continuous American dance companies.

Even after the death of its founder in 1991, the troupe honored Graham’s legacy as a fearless innovator. Artistic director, Janet Eilber, a former dancer with the company, offered praise to both Graham's choreography and her spirit of collaboration in creating new works that included Graham technique with unique choreography. Eilber directed a conversation between two classic choreographies and two contemporary commissions; alternating between them juxtaposed where the company came from and where it is today.

The first Graham work was a stunning performance of Night Journey (1947), an example of her creative collaborations with composer William Schuman and sculptor Isamu Noguchi (set design). This piece was part of Graham’s Greek cycle where she used the female point of view in her storytelling. Queen Jocasta (Anne Souder) and Oedipus (Lloyd Knight) were so beautifully portrayed, as well as the Seer and Greek Chorus.

The company’s artistry was particularly evident in En Masse (2025), choreographed by former Alvin Ailey American Dance dancer Hope Boykin with input from the Graham company dancers. There were clear Graham influences, but Boykin brought her own language and movement vocabulary creating a work that was more fluid and contemporary. She incorporated music from Leonard Bernstein which added a rediscovered score originally composed for Graham. 

After an intermission, the dramatic solo Immediate Tragedy (1937) was performed flawlessly by dancer Xin Ying. Graham regularly explored the intersections of art and politics, and this work was her response to the suffering of women during the Spanish Civil War. Like the piece mentioned above, Immediate Tragedy was thought to have been lost, yet ultimately recreated through an intensive reconstruction process involving Graham’s notes, her letters to composers about the “despair” each has within us, staging maps, and photographs. This was a triumph for preserving Graham’s history which highlights the sad fact that many pre-video choreographies have been lost.

The show concluded with We The People (2024), choreographed by former Ailey dancer-choreographer Jamar Roberts, with a commissioned score by Rhiannon Giddens. The dancers expressed their own joyous physicality yet incorporated familiar gestures and techniques of Graham. Roberts followed in Graham’s footsteps using new music and choreography to express a spirit of collective change. Denim costumes, a quintessentially American fabric, by designer Karen Young also aligned with Graham’s purposeful use of costume in the storytelling process.

Martha Graham was a pioneer as a dancer, choreographer, and collaborator. Her namesake company continues to be a beacon of innovation in modern dance.

Note: The Pillow hosts a summer-long exhibition in Blake’s Barn highlighting Graham’s use of her art to speak out for democracy, women’s rights, and freedom of expression.

Review: "Dear Alien," Chester Theatre

Chester Theatre, Chester, MA
www.chestertheatre.org
August 23, 2026
By Suzanne Wells

Chester Theatre Company presents “Dear Alien,” written by Liz Duffy Adams and directed by Michelle Ong Hendrick, as a vivid portrait of an advice columnist whose life has narrowed to one room and one relentless box of letters. At first, the play has a sparkle of a comic monologue but slowly darkens into a meditation on despair and survival.

The action unfolds in a shabby-chic one room apartment filled with velvet, satin, a hardwood writing desk, a faded, upholstered chaise lounge, and a well-stocked bar cart. Crumpled papers and letters litter every corner, suggesting a personal collapse.

As Dear Alien, Bill Kux is the center of the production. He begins flamboyantly, drawing the audience in with gossip and dry, sarcastic humor, then gradually reveals the disillusionment beneath the performance. He treats the audience as correspondents themselves, pulling them into the advice columnist’s world as he transitions to painful self-reflection. Kux’s range—witty, brittle, vulnerable, and finally exposed—makes the character deeply human.

David Keohane as Écrivain and Eliza Fichter as Scrittora function less as conventional supporting characters than as theatrical devices, embodiments of the many voices asking Dear Alien for help. They gracefully blend into the background, only to emerge with another letter, another crisis, another demand for wisdom from a man who is struggling to save himself. Their presence keeps the play moving while also emphasizing the pressure placed on Dear Alien.

The letters give the play its structure, and Dear Alien answers them with evocative imagery and sharp, sometimes brutal, truths. His counsel to trust one’s instincts, to be the hero of one’s own life, and to accept the world is full of “unnecessary unkindness” are themes which help him overcome his ultimate dilemma - a life-or-death reckoning.

Dear Alien recalls a morally complicated moment when he was faced with saving himself or someone else. Questioning if his actions were selfish, heroic, or some tangled mixture of both? In that uncertainty, the play finds its strongest tension. It asks whether survival and kindness can coexist, and whether saving someone else might also be a way of saving oneself.

“Dear Alien” proves thought-provoking and unexpectedly hopeful. 

REVIEW: TMCO (2)/Inheritances

Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood, Lenox, MA 

https://www.bso.org/tanglewood

Photo Credit: Hilary Scott

August 3, 10, & 12, 2026 
by Michael J. Moran 

Three recent concerts in Tanglewood's smaller performance venues showcased the growing diversity of musical styles available to discerning listeners there.  


On August 3, the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra played familiar symphonic music by three well-known composers under different conductors in Seiji Ozawa Hall. First, TMC conducting fellow and Louisiana native Lauren Smith led them in a sensitive reading of Ravel's 1917 "Le Tombeau de Couperin," a tribute to several friends killed in World War I. Using older French dance forms, it featured a swirling "Prelude," a poignant "Forlane," a graceful "Menuet," and an ebullient "Rigaudon." Polish TMC conducting fellow Julian Gilewski next led a buoyant account of Debussy's 1905 "La Mer, Three Symphonic Sketches," with a sparkling "From Dawn to Noon on the Sea," a joyous "Play of the Waves," and a powerful "Dialogue of the Wind and the Sea." 

Superstar Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen closed the program with a blazing rendition of Bartok's masterful 1945 "Concerto for Orchestra." A dramatic "Andante...Allegro vivace," a playful "Game of Pairs," showcasing woodwind duets, a haunting "Elegy," and a rollicking "Interrupted Intermezzo" all culminated in an exhilarating "Finale: Presto," in which Salonen pressed his young colleagues with a daringly fast tempo - they never faltered. 

  

A week later in Ozawa Hall, the TMCO and nine TMC vocal fellows presented a fascinating selection of music from ten American operas under the TMC conducting fellows. Highlights under Gilewski included: a yearning aria, "The world so wide," with soprano Diana Agasian, from Copland's "The Tender Land;" and a sensual "Waiting," with mezzo-soprano Ya Gao, and pensive "I remember long ago," with bass-baritone Raphael Laden-Guindon, from Harbison's "The Great Gatsby."  

  

Among highlights led by Smith were: a radiant "Magnificat," with soprano Eden Bartholomew, from Adams' "El Nino;" a shattering "El Mundo," with mezzo-soprano Danielle Casos, from Frank's "Frida and Diego's Last Dream;" and four numbers from Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress," including a transfixing "No word from Tom...I go to him," by soprano Zoe McCormick. 

  

Two nights later, in the Linde Center's intimate Studio E, American pianist Adam Tendler played all 16 short piano pieces he commissioned from composer friends in memory of his father. Most memorable were: Laurie Anderson's perky "Remember/I Created You," with playful snatches of J. S. Bach and Elvis Presley; Missy Mazzoli's "mechanical and heartbreaking" (her own instructions) "Forgiveness Machine;" inti figgis-vizueta's riotous "hushing" (with video of Tendler's youth); Marcos Balter's lyrical "False Memories;" Darian Donavan Thomas's hyperactive "We don't need to tend this garden. They're wildflowers" (with Tendler speak-singing a live monologue); Nico Muhly's gorgeous "Eiris, Sones;" and Devonte Hynes' sublime "Morning Piece," closing Tendler's "Inheritances" cycle on a note of quiet peace. Tendler performed throughout with deep affection and boundless virtuosity. 

 

Review: “Hamlet” Shakespeare & Company

Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA

www.shakespeare.org
August 13 – 30, 2026
by Shera Cohen

Photo Credit Maggie Hall

Don’t be fearful of Shakespeare’s plays. Yes, “Hamlet” is often a tough one to understand, perhaps the most dramatic in the Bard’s repertoire. Give it a chance to do what Hamlet asks his fellow characters, “What a piece of work is man?”He questions what is it that makes the human condition? These characters on stage represent all sorts of personalities, each possessing a different background and carrying their own joys and heartache.

It might be unfair to compare numerous theatres’ productions of “Hamlet”. Yet, it is easy to say that this version of the classic is extremely accessible, and no one within one hour’s distance of the Berkshires should hesitate to experience a brilliant play which would undoubtedly make William Shakespeare proud.

Not that director Ariel Bock can do no wrong because she is one of the longest permanent residents in the company, but it seems that way. She is a woman who knows the skills of her players and they know Bock’s expectations, perhaps because nearly all of the cast and crew members are already part of the S&Co. team.

The short version of the plot? Young Prince Hamlet of Denmark is summoned home upon the death of his father, to find that his mother, only two months a widow, has married her husband’s brother/husband’s murderer. This tortures Hamlet; he vows to the ghost of his deceased father that he will right this wrong. Simultaneously, the country is in the midst of a war, a minor storyline. Important, however, is the new king’s reconciliation with murder, the queen’s abandonment of her son, and Hamlet’s feigned repulsion of his true love.

“ranney,” (King Claudius) becoming a S&Co. regular, is at ease spouting the Elizabethan tongue as he is with a southern accent in numerous August Wilson dramas as of late. Kristin Wold (Queen Gertrude, another S&Co. stalwart), plays a confused yet powerful wife; at the same time the epitome of an uncaring mother.

David Gow is our Hamlet. He doesn’t just act as Hamlet but becomes (is) Hamlet. He’s young, handsome, trim, and sprite. His physical attributes show his ability to recoil in an embryo-like position as well as his agility swinging on high-beam bars. Gow portrays an infant, then a boy, because he is not yet a man ready to avenge his father. He takes his character of Hamlet to the core of his being, both in his mad and/or feigned mad scenes. Almost at the same time, he becomes scary and primitive, and in an instant gentle and juvenile. This is definitely an actor to watch.

Whoever thought that there is laugh-out-loud humor in “Hamlet”? Probably no one. While the language is the same, whether performed in London in the 16th century or at S&Co. in Lenox in 2026, this production delves into the psyche of each character intensely. And, who knew, that without embellishment of the script, oftentimes it is quite funny. Of course, every drama has its own clowns; in this case Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (Hamlet’s friends), and the ever-put-upon Polonius/Gravedigger, played by Jonathan Epstein. The former is a well-meaning but dim old man, the latter an undertaker with a sharp wit.

There are many tech staffers to congratulate. To single out one would be Kevin Coleman (another S&Co. leader), fight choreographer. Act II calls for a lengthy and tricky sword fight between Hamlet and Laertes. Never underestimate the seriousness of swordplay. There are too many horror stories. Coleman creates realistic choreography for those in battle.

The length of the production 500+ years ago was probably over 4-hours. Not to worry, S&Co. always makes judicious edits, sometimes omitting extraneous characters; nothing and no one of importance is cut. In fact, this method of trimming the fat helps make “Hamlet” and all the dramas and history plays much easier for today’s audiences to appreciate the stories.

Review: “The Legend of Georgia McBride,” Berkshire Theatre Group

Berkshire Theatre Group, Pittsfield, MA
www.berkshiretheatregroup.org
through August 16, 2026
by Shera Cohen

The songs of Edith Piaf are not nearly as popular as they were decades ago, except perhaps in gay bars. Indeed, that’s exactly the on stage location where the audiences of Colonial Theatre’s production of “The Legend of GeorgiaMcBride” frequent nightly (except Mondays) along with matiness.

Matthew Lopez, one of the most prolific and talented playwrights whose works are often staged in Hartford and the Berkshires, takes credit and laughs for “Georgia”. The comedy is broad, outlandish, and side-splitting. Yet, in Act II, sobering text offers a deep look at humanity. 

Straight guy Casey, down on his luck with an empty wallet, has two things going for him: a dream to be a successful musician and a caring wife. Michael Wartella as Casey, portrays a somewhat dimwitted young, sweet man who would take the shirt off his back to help a stranger. Metaphorically, this is his only shirt. In dire straits, Casey reluctantly agrees to work as a drag queen at a failing bar in a hick town in FL. Wartella’s credits include Broadway, Off Broadway, and several plays at BTG. Obviously, he is a favorite in the Berkshires. Somewhat short in stature, Wartella is a talented singer on guitar and physical comedian. 

Kyle Taylor Parker, who easily stands at 6’6’’ as transvestite extraordinaire whose comic timing, nuances, and asides steal the show portrays Miss Tracy Mills. Another Broadway and touring star, Parker’s lithe strides and dance moves bely his stature. Wartella and Parker make an odd couple fun to laugh at and laugh with. We like them both for their similarities and differences.

One sign of a skilled director and choreographer, in this case Isadora Wolfe takes on both, is when the audience doesn’t notice the work put into these jobs. Directors don’t just worry that actors might bump into each other (that should be a given), but every movement is purposeful for the characters.

Randall Parsons, scenic designer, has more to do than meets the eye. Casey and Jo’s apartment is bare because they have few funds to buy anything. The same for the rundown bar. However, a set mechanism turns one scene 180-degrees to create the other. Amy Avila, costume designer, must be in stitches (okay, bad pun) seeing her cheeky formal dresses worn by men.

Known primarily for his dramatic portrayals, BTG’s artistic regular of 40 years, David Adkins, takes an unusual role as the very funny on-stage MC and scripted bar owner. The small cast also includes Emilie Kouatchou (Casey’s wife), Shayne Haley (Tracy’s friend), and E. Gray Simons III (landlord).

“Georgia” is hoot. Some may hesitate to bring youngsters to this play. Don’t. Lots of kids on opening night obviously loved it!

 

Review: TheatreWorks, “The Cannibals of McGower County”

TheatreWorks, Hartford, CT

Photo:  Curtis Brown Photography

https://twhartford.org/

through August 30, 2026

By Jarice Hanson

 

TheaterWorks Hartford has mounted a play that is disturbing, violent, and very current. Four outstanding actors tell the story that unfolds before the audience’s eyes with honesty and full commitment. 

 

Playwright Drew Larimore’s note in the playbill explains that this show is part one of a trilogy he is writing that he classifies as “Southern Gothic.” The characters each have backstories of abuse, lies, poverty and disappointment, and Larimore workshopped the play with the four actors over a two-year process, undoubtedly learning each actor’s strengths and mining their ability to behave like disparate members of the community that has seen better days in McGower County in West Texas.

 

Director Jen Wineman finds humor at the right moments but never allows the story to get silly or lose its momentum. Instead, the story emerges like an onion, shedding its skin and drawing one deeper into the human condition. There are twists and turns aplenty, and many of them unexpected. If this show had men at the center of the action it would be just another treatment of men behaving badly, but because two of the leads in this ensemble piece are women of a certain age, the behaviors are unexpected and shockingly powerful.

 

Anchoring the play are two gifted actresses, Annalee Jefferies as “Lindalyn,” a curmudgeonly woman who seems bitter and unfulfilled. She walks with a cane and a limp—signs of an injury that never healed correctly. Constance Shulman as “Viola” seems simple-minded but loyal to Lindalyn, who she’s known most of her life.  The two women are wonderful together, especially as they enter the broken-down diner wearing what looks like miners' hats with headlamps, planning to steal whatever they can sell. 

Costumes by Alejo Vietti tell the story of their personalities, and Tim Mackabee’s set design gives them plenty of props on the realistic set that looks like a deserted bar in a place where no one wants to live.

 

The young lovers are Gus Birney as “Sarah Nell,” a sweet, beautiful girl who hasn’t had much life experience, and Edward Hoke as Blaze" who comes from privilege and has purchased the old bar.

What do these two have in common besides a load of chemistry and passion? That’s where the story that brings these four people together starts to get juicy.

 

There are more sudden shifts in tone than could be described in this summary, but that would spoil the moment-by-moment pleasure of the audiences’ discovery of these characters and the lives of the three women who try to guard a lifetime of secrets. 

 

“Cannibals of McGower County” is not a perfect play (yet), but this is an excellent production and shows the promise of the character-driven study that emerges as the story spirals deeper and deeper. This creative cast and production team work seamlessly together to reach into the audience’s collective soul and remind us that there are places in this country that have suffered from ignorance and poverty. 

McGower County is a place where even people who mean well, are sometimes damaged and dangerous. 

 

Constance Shulman and Annalee Jefferies in "Cannibals of McGower County"

 

Review: "Grease" Opera House Players

Opera House Players

Temple Beth El, Springfield, MA

https://www.operahouseplayers.org/show-information 

through August 16, 2026

by Shera Cohen

It is safe to say that "Grease," the movie and the musical (the latter ran on Broadway for 8 years) is a favorite of all generations. That was the case by a look at the packed house at the production of "Grease" by OHP, yet this time located on the stage of Temple Beth El, Springfield. 

OHP, in the throes of renovation of its permanent theatre in Enfield, CT, is using the temple for what they plan to be a one-time only move. This alternate venue is intended to keep patrons and performers safe and comfortable in an air-conditioned environment.

Perhaps designed purposefully, or not, this version of the musical seems to be an ensemble rather than a vehicle to showcase the characters Danny and Sandy. Atypical can be a plus for OHP. After all, the stars sing very few solos and one duet. Kudos truly belong to the company; meaning just about everyone onstage. 

Bravo to codirectors Stevie Norman and Michael King, and equally to choreographer Chantel Martin for successfully manipulating 21 actors/singers/dancers on a relatively small, unfamiliar stage. The big numbers -- "Grease Is the Word," "We Go Together," "Shakin' at the High School Hop," "You're the One that I Want" and "Hand Jive" are the winning elements of OHP's version of "Grease". Can anyone return on the ride home without humming or singing at least one of these standout songs?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Many players, as well as members of the creative team, are newcomers to OHP; and nearly all are young. Everyone in theatre must start somewhere. As wonderful as it is to offer this opportunity to newbies, a suggestion is to mix it up in the future. Immediately recognizing Tim Reilly as the oldest cast member (no insult intended, because by far, Reilly is certainly one of the best in local community theatre), without scene-stealing, he makes Act II shine. In fact, Act II is fun; not just because Danny and Sandy "go together" at the musical's end.

Direction of Act I needs more humor, whether it be physical interactions between characters and/or conversations.

Forgivable problems attribute to a new venue and opening night. Many sound glitches and reverberations jar the audience and slow the dialogue, lighting beams in wrong sections, set changes taking much too long, and some backrow and sideline dancers scattered. Assuredly, these errors will diminish as the production continues this weekend and next.

The energy of the actors is evident. See this musical soon, as "Grease is the word."

Note: "Grease" depicts the 1950's and hit Broadway in the early 1970's. Remember that the script is extremely dated and some material might be suggestive to children.

REVIEW: Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music

Tanglewood, Lenox, MA 

https://www.bso.org/tanglewood

July 23 & 27, 2026 

by Michael J. Moran 

As noted in the program, this year's Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music, directed by Finnish composer-conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen (perhaps best known for his transformative tenure as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic), "celebrate[d] some of Salonen's influences, musical friends, and younger composers whose music he has championed." 

Introducing the first concert on July 23, entitled "Those We Have Lost Too Soon," Salonen shared touchingly personal memories of the three recently deceased composers honored in this program. It opened with his own brief tribute to English composer Oliver Knussen, "Arabesques for Olly," smashingly played by cellist Han Lee, with Isabel Tannenbaum on drone. Next came a dazzling account of the string quartet "Terra Memoria," by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho ("the older sister I never had," according to Salonen).  

"Four Poems of A. R. Ammons," by American composer Steven Stucky, featured stunning solos by bass-baritone Raphael Laden-Guindon and baritone Holden Turner. Saariaho's other-worldly "Lonh" ("Distant") showcased haunting vocals by soprano Lucy Fitz Gibbon and electronics by Ryan McCullough. Knussen's heartfelt "Requiem - Songs for Sue," a memorial to his wife, was distinguished by the protean singing of soprano Zoe McCormick. All performers are Tanglewood Music Center fellows or alums. 

The closing concert on July 27, titled "Nordic Boomers," presented works by four contemporary Scandinavian composers. After a helpful spoken overview by Salonen, he led the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra of early career musicians in a bracing account of the colorful 2020 "Serenades" by his Finnish compatriot Magnus Lindberg, born days before Salonen in the same Helsinki hospital ("we bonded in the crib," said Salonen). 

Next, in sharp contrast, came Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen's harrowing 2013 setting of Paul Griffiths' 2008 novel "let me tell you," in which Ophelia re-tells her story in the 480 words she speaks in Shakespeare's tragedy "Hamlet." Soprano Alexandra Henderson was sensational in this challenging role, and TMC conducting fellow Lauren Smith paced the TMCO with clarity through Abrahamsen's darkly shimmering score. TMC conducting fellow Julian Gilewski then led the TMCO strings in a highly charged reading of Swedish composer Anders Hillborg's 2021 "Kongsgaard Variations," cleverly based on the heartfelt "Arietta" movement of Beethoven's last piano sonata. 

Ending the concert and the Festival on a high note was Salonen's own Cello Concerto, which he wrote in 2016 for Yo-Yo Ma and conducted with the deep insight of the creator. The taxing solo part was played with unflagging energy and Ma-like virtuosity by Finnish cellist Senja Rummukainen. The dense but clear orchestration of its four substantial movements feature a large percussion section, including congas and bongos, and electronically looped fragments of the solo cello broadcast through multiple speakers around Ozawa Hall, building a riot of exciting sound.  

  

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.

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”.

 

Review: “Lovesong” Berkshire Theatre Group

Berkshire Theatre Group, Stockbridge, MA

www.berkshiretheatregroup.org

Date: August 29, 2026

by Shera Cohen

“Lovesong” at Berkshire Theatre Group’s Unicorn Theatre stars four actors as two characters. The quartet is extraordinary as a whole and individually. Without hesitation, this play is assuredly one of BTG’s best in many years.

The story is somewhat universal about your average married couple; at the same time unique in the execution of the lives that these two develop for 40 years. At the start of the story is the older Maggie and Billy; the husband is a retired dentist; his wife, retired as well, never really had a career. They love each other. Deeply? Or, after many decades, is it the best alternative to any other choice? The answer is for the characters and viewers to decide, yet most would likely lean toward the answer, “both”.

The same couple is depicted in the early years of marriage, as the play’s timeline, while chronological, shifts back and forth between the couples, who are indeed the same pair. The success of this achievement of the ebbs and flows, coupled with joys and many sorrows of the same characters is drawn deftly with emotional nuances by director David Auburn. “Lovesong” is a director’s dream challenge, and Auburn (whose day job is as Associate Artistic Director at BTG) handles the extraordinary task with precision beyond expectations. This is a director’s play.

Photo credit: Caelan Carlough

The production also shows the immense talent of scenic designer Alexander Woodward. The staging, a house seen as if sliced horizontally, is the only setting. This is an entire house with several rooms the size of an actual kitchen bedroom, and bathroom, for example. The backyard, complete with hammock, is natural. Stairways and halls lead to other parts of the home. This, in itself, is no magical feat. Yet the transition of the young Margaret and William immediately and almost mystically becoming the older Maggie and Billy and vice versa simply within the confines of a house is enormous.

Of course, the remarkable direction and design would be static without four extraordinary actors. The love, expectations, and trust that grows in an even somewhat, if not a long, marriage is realistic. The actors work brilliantly as a small ensemble. Margaret almost flows into the body of Maggie. Rebecca Brooksher holds her own with Karen Allen (whose name is recognized as a movie star in epic blockbusters), each as the vulnerable woman living the best she can for herself and for her husband. Shawn Fagan and David Garrison (the latter, recognizable from TV roles) are the Williams, as a man working on sensitivity through the years.  

There are a few subtle attempts for the actors to look alike through the decades, although some clothing styles are consistent. The Williams seem to consistently like plaid shirts. Mirror-looks are unnecessary.

The characters’ words and demeanor are significant tools for the actors to truly become the person on stage. And these four actors are remarkable.