BTG's Year-Round Education Series to Present DANNY DOLLAR, MILLIONAIRE EXTRAORDINAIRE

BTG PLAYS!, Berkshire Theatre Group's Year-Round Education Program, presents its annual touring show, Danny Dollar, Millionaire Extraordinaire, a play adapted from the book by Ty Allan Jackson, by E. Gray Simons III and directed by Travis G. Daly.

Beginning in October and running through the school year, BTG's Artists-in-Residence and members from the community perform an original play at dozens of venues throughout the region. These well-crafted productions are tailored to elementary and middle school and are designed to introduce students to the excitement of Live Theatre. A question and answer session with the actors follows each performance.

In addition to the touring performances, a public performance of Danny Dollar, Millionaire Extraordinaire will be held at The Colonial Theatre on Thursday, November 3 at 7pm. Tickets to this performance are $10 for adults, and $5 for students and children. Contact the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street, Pittsfield by calling 413-997-4444, or online at www.berkshiretheatregroup.org. Ticket Offices are open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-2pm or on any performance day from 10am until curtain.

Local Author (Pittsfield, MA), Ty Allan Jackson, says, "Ever since I took this path to become an author, I've been hustling to sell books, and to get noticed. This collaboration with Berkshire Theatre Group, as prestigious as it is, I didn't have to hustle. BTG came to me. It was a humbling experience for me, to get that phone call from Kate Maguire (BTG's Artistic Director/CEO), asking to make this into a play.

The book, Danny Dollar, is about 5-years-old. Children have seen this book grow and develop, and these kids are able to say, 'if I can see this book grow, I can grow.' I'm really excited for the child that read this three years ago, who first saw it as a book, and can now see it as a play at the Colonial on November 3, or in their school as part of the touring component. I hope that it shows them the potential they have for growth within themselves."

At the heart of BTG PLAYS!, Berkshire Theatre Group's Year-Round Education Program, is a passionate commitment to bring Live Theatre and all its inherent excitement and creativity to children throughout the region with hopes this experience will stimulate a life-long love of theatre and help produce the next generation of playgoers, actors and other theatre professionals. Tours have been an integral component of BTG PLAYS! since 1997. BTG's touring production reaches thousands of students on an annual basis.

Director Travis G. Daly says, "The touring show has evolved into a multi-generational production; we have elementary and middle school kids performing, as well as adults. After each touring show, the cast conducts a talkback with the students. It is truly remarkable to see the young cast members interacting with the students, answering their questions with heartfelt answers, and acting as mentors. To give these younger kids the opportunity to be a part of a production that tours in schools throughout Berkshire County and beyond, and will be performed on the Colonial stage, is extremely rewarding, and is a central part of BTG's mission."

About Danny Dollar, Millionaire Extraordinaire: Danny Dollar, just your average Eastchester neighborhood kid! Good student Monday through Friday, basketball in the park with friends on Saturday, church with the family on Sunday, and puts up with his annoying older sister seven days a week. Just your ordinary kid, who also happens to have more odd jobs than you can count on two hands, who faithfully makes a trip to the bank every week to deposit his earnings into a savings account, and who's knowledge of high finance and entrepreneurial skill would likely earn him a job at any reputable, big-time investment firm. Yep, just your typical, every-day kid who aspires to be a millionaire by the time he's twenty-one years old! Only his grand ideas don't always go as planned, especially when Pablo and his gang are prowling the block. From his lemonade stand, to town hall, to a big company board room, it's all part of the average, ordinary, typical, every-day life of Danny Dollar, Millionaire Extraordinaire!

The Colonial Theatre, founded in 1903, and Berkshire Theatre Festival, founded in 1928, are two of the oldest cultural organizations in the Berkshires. In 2010, under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Kate Maguire, the two organization merged to form Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG). Berkshire Theatre Group's mission is to support wide ranging artistic exploration and acclaimed performances in theatre, dance, music and entertainment. Every year, BTG produces and presents performances to over 68,000 attendees and, through our Educational Program, serves over 13,000 Berkshire County schoolchildren annually. BTG's celebrated stages reflect the history of the American theatre; they represent a priceless cultural resource for the community. The Fitzpatrick Main Stage, cataloged by the National Register of Historic Places, has been home to the Berkshire Theatre Festival since 1928. Nestled at the corner of Main Street and Yale Hill Road in Stockbridge, this 318-seat theatre epitomizes summer theatre for many of its faithful patrons. The intimate 122-seat Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, is BTG's home for new and experimental works, showcasing world premieres and reimagined classics. Built in 1903 and declared a National Historic Treasure in 1998, the 780-seat Colonial Theatre is a cornerstone of Pittsfield's revitalization. Re-opening to the public in 2006 after a $21 million restoration, the Colonial serves as a cultural resource for the community. Located in the lobby of the Colonial, the 150-seat Garage is a convertible space that serves as a dance floor, stage for comedians, bands, theatre and more.

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