Jonathan Croy News

In the last twelve months, more than 300,000 people attended a live theatre production in or around Berkshire County. With 75 stage productions employing hundreds of professionals, making theatre is an important cog in the area's cultural economy. In fact, many consider the region a hot spot for Broadway bound shows, and a popular summer destination for theatre-goers from around the nation.

After an extensive national search, Shakespeare & Company announced today that the renowned actor and director, Allyn Burrows, a long-time member of the Company, has been named its new Artistic Director.

Shakespeare & Company presented The Two Gentlemen of Verona last night and Broadwayworld was at the opening.  Written by William Shakespeare, and directed by Co-Artistic Director Jonathan Croy, this early romantic comedy takes a gleeful look at the fickle nature of young love, playing in-the-round at the Tina Packer Playhouse throughSeptember 4, 2016.

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge recently stopped by the theatre company in the beautiful Berkshires to chat with some Shakespeare & Company insiders for a scoop on the summer season. Below, check out interviews with Jonathan Croy, Tamara Hickey, Cloteal L. Horne, and Ryan Winkles as well as sneak peeks of some of their currently-running shows!

The magic of Venice was in the air at Shakespeare & Company last night.   After a stirring performance of The Merchant of Venice, directed by Tina Packer in the Tina Packer Playhouse, it was cocktails, dinner, and dancing under the stars on the beautiful campus of Shakespeare & Company.   Guests mingled with actors and dignitaries at the annual Gala and BroadwayWorld was there.  The play runs through August 21st. Check out the photos below.

Former Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, journalist Ted Koppel, invited dignitaries, and special guests came together for a stirring public reading of one of the most potent and influential documents in history. They read the Declaration of Independence at the annual Shakespeare & Company All-American Independence Day Celebration.   

Shakespeare & Company opened its 39th Performance Season on  May 27 with the regional premiere of The Tamingand Broadwayworld was there for one of the performances. Written by award-winning playwright Lauren Gunderson, and directed by Company veteran Nicole Ricciardi, the outlandish and politically charged comedy is playing at the Elayne Bernstein Theatre running through July 30, 2016.

Shakespeare festivals around the globe are paying homage to the world's greatest playwright with yearlong celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Shakespeare & Company is proud to join this worldwide movement, and will kick off the 2016 Performance Season with a Shakespeare 400 Bard Birthday Celebration. Please join us in the Tina Packer Playhouse on Saturday, April 23 at 7pm, for the Northeast Regional Tour of Shakespeare's Macbeth followed by a post-show reception, with birthday cake.

Shakespeare & Company has announced its lineup for the 2016 summer season, which includes three Shakespeare plays: The Merchant of Venice, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Twelfth Night, plus the Regional Premieres of Or, by Liz Duffy Adams, and Lauren Gunderson's The Taming. Additional titles include Ugly Lies the Bone by Lindsey Ferrentino a bracing drama fresh from an acclaimed Off-Broadway production, Sotto Voce by Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz, and the return of Stephan Wolfert in Cry 'Havoc!'

Fresh from their starring roles in 'Cymbeline' at the Delacorte Theater in New York, real life couple Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater will appear together at Shakespeare & Company in a special Staged Reading of Shakespeare's great historical tragedy Richard III, to benefit the Company's performance, training, and education programs.  This special event is scheduled for Saturday, October 10 at 2 p.m. in the Tina Packer Playhouse. Ms. Rabe will portray Queen Elizabeth, opposite Mr. Linklater who is cast in the title role.  The reading will also feature Tina Packer, Annette Miller and other special guests, and will be directed by Co-Artistic Director Jonathan Croy.

From the chic cocktail reception, to the spectacular performance, the lavish dinner and the elegant VIP after-party, Broadway in the Berkshires, Shakespeare & Company's Benefit Celebration was a smash hit! Monday evening Artistic Directors Ariel Bock and Jonathan Croy welcomed a full house at The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington.

Last night, Shakespeare & Company presented the world premiere of Mother of the Maid, a powerful and wry drama by Emmy award-winning writer, producer and director Jane Anderson, starring Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer, directed by Matthew Penn, and Broadwayworld's Stephen Sorokoff was on the scene. Check out pics from the evening below!

From the chic cocktail reception, to the spectacular performance, the lavish dinner and the elegant VIP after-party, Broadway in the Berkshires, Shakespeare & Company's Benefit Celebration was a smash hit! Monday evening Artistic Directors Ariel Bock and Jonathan Croy welcomed a full house at The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington. Broadway actor and three-time Emmy Award- Winner Dick Cavett hosted the one-night-only Benefit Performance with verve and witty repartee, and even offered audiences a 60 second lesson in moonwalking. Proceeds from the event benefit the Company's wide-reaching and nationally recognized Training and Education programs.

Shakespeare & Company has announced its lineup for the 2015 summer season, which includes three Shakespeare plays, Henry V, The Comedy of Errors and Hamlet, plus the Regional Premiere of Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti, and the World Premiere of Jane Anderson's Mother of the Maid, starring Tina Packer. In addition, the summer season includes The Unexpected Man by Yasmina Reza, and opens with the provocative new play by Sarah Treem, The How and the Why.

Shakespeare & Company has finalized casting for its 38th performance season, and released a complete schedule of Opening Night dates. The announcement was made this week by Interim Artistic Directors Ariel Bock and Jonathan Croy, along with a positive report from Interim Managing Director Stephen D. Ball on the Company's box office successes to date. Shakespeare & Company's season opens on May 22 with The How and The Why, by Sarah Treem.

Shakespeare & Company announced today that Kenneth E. Werner has been elected Board Chair and Treasurer, and Jeffery Konowitch has been elected Vice Chair and Clerk. Mr. Werner has been a Shakespeare & Company Board Member since 2010, and served on the Company's Advisory Board for two years prior to his appointment. Mr. Konowitch has been a board member for the past eight years, and prior to his appointment worked with Shakespeare & Company in various management positions. The new slate of officers follows the recent announcement of the new management triumvirate of Steve Ball, Interim Managing Director, and Ariel Bock and Jonathan Croy, Interim Co-Artistic Directors.

Shakespeare & Company's groundbreaking Shakespeare in the Courts program celebrates its 15th year with a presentation of scenes and sword-play from Henry V tonight, March 25th at 7pm in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. Led by Company directors and teaching artists, the Shakespeare in the Courts six-week long program guides adjudicated youth, who meet four times a week, in an exploration of Shakespeare's plays.

Shakespeare & Company's groundbreaking Shakespeare in the Courts program celebrates its 15th year with a presentation of scenes and sword-play from Henry V next Wednesday, March 25th at 7pm in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. Led by Company directors and teaching artists, the Shakespeare in the Courts six-week long program guides adjudicated youth, who meet four times a week, in an exploration of Shakespeare's plays.

Rick Dildine is returning to St. Louis to serve as Artistic & Executive Director of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, a company he led from 2009-2014. Dildine became Executive Director & President of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA, in September 2014.

Shakespeare & Company has announced its lineup for the 2015 summer season, which includes three Shakespeare plays, Henry V, The Comedy of Errors and Hamlet, plus the Regional Premiere of Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti, and the World Premiere of Jane Anderson's Mother of the Maid, starring Tina Packer. In addition, the summer season includes The Unexpected Man by Yasmina Reza, and opens with the provocative new play by Sarah Treem, The How and the Why.