Berkshire Theatre Group holds Gala Event Honoring Michael E. MacDonald, A. King Francis and Gary Scarafoni

Berkshire Theatre Group today announced the Annual Gala in honor of trustees A. King Francis, Michael E. MacDonald and Gary Scarafoni, featuring The Four Tops, the defining voice of Motown, on Friday, November 11 at 8pm.

This Gala will honor three extraordinary supporters of Berkshire Theatre Group. Join us on Veteran's Day to pay tribute to the many accomplishments of trustees A. King Francis, Michael E. Macdonald and Gary Scarafoni and to express our appreciation for their tireless efforts over the past ten years. According to Kate Maguire, Artistic Director/CEO, "The Colonial and now the Berkshire Theatre Group would not be here to serve our region were it not for the vision, commitment and profound dedication of King, Mike and Gary. We will have a wonderful opportunity to honor and celebrate their efforts at our beautiful theatre in an evening that promises to be treasured for years to come."

The event will begin at the Pittsfield Crowne Plaza at 5pm with a Private Sponsor Reception. At 5:30pm cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served to dinner attendees followed by a three course dinner. Finally at 8pm at The Colonial Theatre, The Four Tops will perform a stellar concert followed by an after-party with an open bar and DJ.

The Four Tops, leading voices in Motown history, will perform their legendary music upon our historical stage. According to Rolling Stone's 2004 article "The Immortals - The Greatest Artists Of All Time," Smokey Robinson remembered, "They were the best in my neighborhood in Detroit when I was growing up (and) The Four Tops will always be one of the biggest and the best groups ever. Their music is forever." The Four Tops helped to define the Motown genre of music and their mark on the music world is undeniable. The Colonial cannot wait to sing along to one of the most celebrated singing groups of all time.

The quartet, originally called the Four Aims, included Levi Stubbs, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton. They made their first single for Chess Records in 1956, and spent seven years on the road and in nightclubs, singing pop, blues, Broadway, but mostly jazz-four-part harmony jazz. Stubbs' powerhouse baritone lead and the exquisite harmonies of Fakir, Benson, and Payton started making one smash after another with the writing-producing trio Holland-Dozier-Holland. The Tops penned unforgettable hits such as "Baby I Need Your Loving," "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)," "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)," and "When She Was My Girl." Being one of the few groups to have hits in three consecutive decades, it's no wonder that we are still tapping our toes to The Four Tops today. Finally, in 1990, with 24 Top 40 pop hits to their credit, The Four Tops were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

The Ticket Office is open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-2pm or on any performance day from 10am until intermission. Single tickets for The Four Tops concert are $20-$50 and may be purchased in person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street or by calling (413) 997-4444 or online at www.TheColonialTheatre.org.