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: Anderson-Silkroad-Dinnerstein

 Laurie Anderson
Image credit: Ebru Yildiz

Tanglewood, Lenox, MA 

bso.org/tanglewood

August 3, 20, & 21, 2026 

by Michael J. Moran 

The last three concerts in Tanglewood's 2026 recital series by smaller ensembles reflected the ever-broadening range of artists presented there.  

On August 13 in Ozawa Hall, protean American musician Laurie Anderson performed two of her recent large-scale works, playing viola, keyboards, and electronics, narrating text, and leading her ensemble of five singer-instrumentalists. "Amelia" honored aviator Amelia Earhart and adapted excerpts from her pilot's log of the round-the-world flight from which she never returned. "What War Is This?," a world premiere, lamented the randomness of modern warfare, included improvised passages, and quoted several sources, most notably the Shaker song "Tis a Gift to Be Simple." Boston Symphony string players under conductor Dennis Russell Davies had a supporting role in each piece. Despite their eerie soundscapes and visceral power, both ended in fervent hope.   

A week later in Ozawa Hall, the international Silkroad Ensemble, founded in 1998 by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, presented a moving program called "Sanctuary: The Power of Resonance and Ritual." Starting when the 12 musicians entered through the audience, all present were often invited to join them in singing and dancing, showing music's ability to build community. Led by American Rhiannon Giddens, ensemble members hailed from eight countries and played a vast range of instruments.               

The next afternoon in Studio E at the Linde Center, Brooklyn-based pianist Simone Dinnerstein and 15 string players from the Boston-based chamber orchestra A Far Cry collaborated in the world premiere of a new version they had just workshopped over the past few days at Tanglewood of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Goldberg Variations." Written in 1741 for solo harpsichord and played mainly on piano, the 90-minute piece (an aria - restated at the end - and 30 variations) had also been transcribed for many other instruments or ensembles. This imaginative new version by the charismatic Dinnerstein and the resourceful band (aka "Criers") was easily the most varied (jazz inflections, plucked piano strings, Criers singing, etc.) of the series' programs.

A season with this high level of excellence in Tanglewood’s recital series will be hard to top in 2027.

Mid-August Weekend in the Berkshires

Mid-August Weekend in the Berkshires

with still a few more weekends to go
by Shera Cohen

Tanglewood, Lenox, MA
Young Artists Orchestra – Except for the ages of the musicians seated on the stage of Seiji Ozawa Hall, it would have been nearly impossible for me to distinguish the talent between these accomplished students and the members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. No, I am not a learned musician, but quality can be easily recognized by just about anyone.

Conductor Lina Gonzalez-Granados looked joyful and with pride, leading the YAO for two classics: Aaron Copland’s “Suite from Billy the Kid” and Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9, From the New World”. Two more recent compositions were by Jessie Montgomery (b.1981) and Valeria Coleman (b.1970). It’s a toss-up as to who enjoyed the concert more – those on stage or those in the audience.

Tanglewood – A Tribute to John Williams
Little did I know that John Williams was famous before his collaborations with Steven Spielberg; there was “Gidget Goes to Rome” and “Home Alone”. Williams was who I will dub Composer of Multi-Million-Dollar Disaster Movies; i.e. “The Poseidon Adventure,” “Earthquake,” and “The Towering Inferno”. All disastrous and fun in my memory.

Fortunately, I have not missed the Williams’ Salutes since they began. One reviewer paraphrased a concert patron, “It’s the same every year”. Apparently, that was meant to be somewhat derogatory toward Mr. Williams and/or Tanglewood. I say, “Bravo”. First, the program is never the same. Second, even if there is one more “E.T.,” “Close Encounters,” “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” “Raiders,” and “Superman” (which there was), then I am in heaven. “Olympic Fanfare” and “The Theme from Schindler’s List” traditionally make the program, as well. Again, thank you.

Ken-David Masur conducted. I am always in awe of how live music is synchronized to film. Maybe I don’t want to know the magic behind it? Ben Mankiewicz, host of Turner Classic Movies for 20 years, was the MC. He spoke and dressed casually, offering anecdotes throughout. Numerous, huge screens descended from the top of the concert shed as well as along the outside of the periphery for the thousands seated on the grounds. No one could miss a sight or a note.

Surprise! But not really. Nearly all of Tanglewood Pops Concerts include an encore or two. And all include at least three standing ovations.

Unfortunately, because of Mr. Williams’ health restrictions at age 94, this is the first time that he has been absent from Tanglewood’s concert. He was sorely missed. I think that we can all assume that, whether live or video, he was able to watch his salute by his own BSO. Bravo, John Williams for the marvelous music that you have shared through the decades!

The Mount, Lenox, MA
Gardens & grounds & granite, oh my!
(plus wood, plastic, marble, ceramics, bronze & more)
Author Edith Wharton would have enjoyed walks through her expansive property, seeing depictions of art just around the corners of congregations of giant trees and in many nooks & crannies in her woods; the contrasts of modern planet-like floating globes adjacent to the old rustic barn or the shy metal deer near her four-sided pristine garden. The exhibit has taken residency at The Mount for dozens of years, free and open to the public daily from to dawn to dusk. It’s a wonderful journey for adults and families and is dog friendly. May 24 -  October 24

Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA
Home of Daniel Chester French – The creator of the Lincoln Memorial in DC, George Washington Statue in Boston lived in a huge, decorated mansion in Stockbridge. Alongside the house is French’s workshop with miniature and near-life sized sculptures. Paying homage to the country’s 250th anniversary is his statue of the Minute Man. The Revolutionary Teapot exhibit includes several drawn with wording like “No Stamp Act” and another “No Kings,” from the 1760’s and 1770’s.

Some thoughts that apply to most museums and historic homes’ tour guides job descriptions are knowledgeable and friendly with rapport that connects with those in the group. Our hour-long tour was led by a young woman who knew her stuff yet not in a didactic manner. She was casual, informative, and most importantly answered our questions. She led us through the grounds, house, workshop, eventually to the veranda where we sat to observe the seemingly unending range of the Berkshire Mountains. May 15 – October 31

Contemporary Sculpture Outdoor Show – This is Chesterwood’s exhibit now 48 years and running featuring dozens of large sculpture art. Titled “In the Open: New England Sculptors  Reclaim the Landscape,” the meaning is a dialogue between art and nature. Chesterwood’s landscape plays host to works by regional artists. Some pieces are obvious in meaning, some not, some situated for all to see, others tucked away in the woods. On specific dates, the exhibit is led by a guide; otherwise it is TIY. June 15 – October 31, 2026

Downtown Lee, MA
Literally a drive-by is the weekly farmers’ market and craft fair on the town green. Lots of townsfolk there and tourists. Lee’s downtown is short, less than a half mile, from the US Flag to Joe’s Diner. Alas, our clock was ticking to get to Tanglewood. Save Lee for another weekend.

Downtown Stockbridge, MA
The drive, this time returning to Lee, en route to Shakespeare & Company, was a take-out lunch stop at Main Street Cafe – part store, part ice cream shop (with a choice of nearly every ice cream flavor imaginable), part indoor/outdoor family restaurant (always crowded). I ordered a quick tuna on rye. Thank you for no celery. I didn’t intend to get the piece of home-made carrot cake, but it was staring in front of me.

Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA
“Hamlet” – Not that all plays presented at Shakespeare & Company are by the Bard; perhaps about half during each summer season. If anyone guessed which was the most famous, it might be a tie between “Romeo & Juliet” and “Hamlet”. For those, and there are many, who think that Shakespeare is not for them, this “Hamlet” is the most accessible that I have ever attended. And, I am not alone, as I looked around seeing a full house. See review in this blog. August 13 – 30, 2026

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: “Lucia di Lammermoor”

Mahaiwe Theatre, Great Barrington, MA

https://www.berkshireoperafestival.org/

Photo by Matt Madison-Clark

August 25 & 28, 2026

by Michael J. Moran

As the mainstage production of its 2026 season, the Berkshire Opera Festival presents Gaetano Donizetti’s 1835 tragic masterpiece “Lucia di Lammermoor,” its second Donizetti opera (after the comedy “Don Pasquale” in 2019). Conducted and directed by BOF co-founders Brian Garman and Jonathon Loy and often considered the crown jewel of “bel canto” opera, it turns out to be a “Lucia” for the ages.  

Loosely based on Sir Walter Scott’s 1819 novel The Bride of Lammermoor and set in 1703 Scotland, the libretto by Salvadore Cammarano centers around Lucia’s love for Edgardo, an enemy of her family. Her brother, Enrico, convinces her that Edgardo has been unfaithful and forces her into a loveless marriage with his political ally, Arturo. Going mad on her wedding night, she kills her new husband, appears in perhaps the most famous mad scene in all opera, and dies of a broken heart. Edgardo kills himself to join Lucia in death.

Soprano Christine Lyons inhabits Lucia in a career-making performance, combining raw passion with the beauty of tone demanded by the “bel canto” style (literally, “beautiful singing”) of early 19th-century Italian opera. Tenor Terrence Chin-Loy is almost equally intense as Edgardo. Baritone Dean Murphy is a commanding Enrico. Bass Stefan Egerstrom as Lammermoor’s chaplain, Raimondo, and tenor Luke Norvell as Arturo make strong impressions in smaller roles.   

Musical highlights include: the orchestra’s brooding, scene-setting overture; Murphy’s powerful Act I aria, “Cruel, Baneful Torment;” a perfectly balanced “Who Restrains Me,” the sextet that ends Act II; and Lyons’ note-perfect and emotionally shattering Act III mad scene, accompanied by the eerie sound of the rarely heard glass harmonica, invented in 1761 by Benjamin Franklin and skillfully played by Dennis James.

Loy’s resourceful direction highlights how Lucia’s ability to see ghosts empowers her, with a brilliant final coup de theatre, and elicits stylish singing and acting from a consistently strong cast. Scenic design by Cameron Anderson, costumes by Brooke Stanton, and lighting by Alex Jainchill contrast mostly dark colors with brighter ones for Lucia. Sensitive performances under Garman by the BOF orchestra and chorus (prepared by Chorus Master Luca Antonucci) bring Donizetti’s compelling score to vibrant life.

This revelatory “Lucia” is unmissable for Italian opera lovers.

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: 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.  

  

Personal thoughts: Tanglewood’s Open Rehearsals

Tanglewood, Lenox, MA

www.bso.org

Summer, 2026

by Shera Cohen

 

Rehearsal v. Concert

Regular Tanglewood visitors are aware that programs are scheduled every Saturday morning; these are orchestra rehearsals for the next day’s afternoon concert. Take out your calendars, write these dates down, and try to get to Tanglewood at least once this summer. The season is far from over. 

Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro photo credit: Hilary Scott/BSO photo

The scheduled conductor and guest soloists take the stage along with the full Boston Symphony Orchestra. There’s only one noticeable change between the two days’ concerts; it’s casual Saturday as everyone wears summer pastels and shorts. The musicians dress-up a bit on Sunday; not suits and LBD but like colors.  As for the audience, whatever fits and is cool.

 

Is the rehearsal the exact program at the next day’s “real concert”? Sometimes, but not often. Some can be 2+ hours of start, stop, over, and over, as the conductor talks to various sections of the orchestra, making suggestions on how to perform with perfection. Anything the BSO does is perfect in my book.

 

Most times, the rehearsal plays straight through until the end of each piece. Only then are segments extrapolated and rehearsed again. To have such a keen ear, I am amazed by the talents of conductors. 

 

For me, rehearsals are learning experiences in one of the most beautiful settings in this country. Prior to attending, I usually don’t pay attention to who’s performing, which composer, etc. Melding the sounds of classical music with the sights, smells, and touch of Tanglewood as a backdrop, just can’t get better on any Saturday morning.

 

Saturday Morning Rehearsal
Tanglewood's music director Andris Nelsons was at his podium at precisely 10:30am. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, called "the symphony of triumph over fate" composed in 1888 appeared at the top of the playbill.

Tchaikovsky led the premier in St. Petersburg, Russian. At the time, the composer didn't think very highly of his own work, even considering retirement. That malaise quickly changed when he began to work on perhaps one of his most famous and respected pieces, "The Sleeping Beauty".

Certainly, the BSO music was exquisite as always. However, it was guest violin soloist, the adorable 15-year-old Himari from Japan who grabbed all the attention. This little girl (yes, girl) stood front, stage left, next to Nelsons, oftentimes giving the conductor notes on what she felt the orchestra might do as it accompanied her, rather than the reverse. So poised and confident standing in her blue dress, I have never been so impressed by the artistic skills of someone so young yet mature.

Moving ahead a couple of centuries, the BSO rehearsed an unfamiliar work to me by Esa-Pekka Salonen, born in 1958.  "Gambit," a shorter piece, was festive and upbeat. This is somewhat crass, but for the most part, my knowledge of composers are those who are no longer with us, although their music lives on forever. Salonen was very much in the present. In fact, I saw him conduct his own music only two days later.

I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed "Gambit". This proves my own mandate: be open to art that is new to you, give it a try at the very least. I wish I could identify the name of the instrument, but my guess is that some sort of ancient woodwind featured prominently in the piece. The sound replicated swishing waves with birds hovering over. And I know that this time, the melody was not the echo of actual birds flying in the shed. The latter is a common occurrence -- one that is unique to Tanglewood and one that I would not want to miss.

A Weekday Rehearsal  
Usually, one morning each week (generally on Thursday or Friday), the BSO rehearses the Saturday evening concert. I planned the day accordingly in order to hear Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro," again conducted by Nelsons with James Darrah Black as the Tanglewood Music Center chorus director. This was an ideal "Tanglewood Day" -- a combination of the joy of live opera in Tanglewood's huge shed on a clear and relatively cool morning. 

These rehearsals are not ticketed. In other words, they are free, yet visitors are not permitted in the concert tent. I simply sat outside on my own lawn chair. Less than 50 people also sat or spread blankets under trees. Large screen monitors center stage and positioned along the outside periphery of the shed permitted a look at the singers and musicians. Hearing is never a problem, no matter where your seat is.

The opera singers were animated, and although not in costume, acted and interacted with each other as they sang the beautiful and fun Mozart score.

Rehearsals serve as coming attractions or daytime concerts for those who might not be able to attend the "real thing".

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.