Great Barrington Public Theater Hosts Fee Readings Of New Plays From Berkshire Voices, and a Series Of Conversations With Theater Influencers

On the heels of a successful, ten-week summer that brought four new plays to the stage and increased ticket sales, Great Barrington Public Theater has plans to keep Berkshire audiences engaged and together through the coming winter and spring.

“We focus on new work, and audiences let us know that their love of theater on stage as well as behind the scenes is more than a summer fling,” GB Public’s Artistic Director Jim Frangione says, referring to the company’s bear logo. “We’re are definitely not hibernating. We have a packed few months coming up, with free readings of new plays now in development with Berkshire Voices, and a “Conversation With” series, evenings of lively and illuminating discussions and Q&As with a few of today’s lead influencers on how to create theater, from the good idea to a great play. We have a terrific performance and presentation space in St. James Place for building community and conversations, and we invite everyone to join us for new plays and great conversation this winter and spring.”

The GBPT off-season schedule starts Tuesday, December 12, 7pm at St. James Place in Great Barrington, with a free reading of Iodine. A sharp new play currently in development with Berkshire Voices, Iodine is an adaptation of the Haven Kimmel novel, written and directed by expert storyteller Michelle Joyner, who directed GBPT’s productions of The Shot in 2022 and The Stones in 2023.

The live series begins, Monday, January 29th, 6pm, with a sit-down Conversation With Jeff Zinn, writer, actor, director, and founder of Wellfleet Harbor Actor's Theater on Cape Cod. Jeff Zinn sits with Jim Frangione to talk about Zinn’s groundbreaking, new, 20-part podcast, GURUS: The Story of Acting, from Stanislavsky to Succession. 

Next up, Monday, February 26th, 6pm is a Conversation With Neil Pepe, Artistic Director of NYC's Atlantic Theater Company. He and Frangione will talk about the state of theater today, what new plays are in development at Atlantic, what should we expect Off Broadway, and what happens behind the scenes when a theater company like Atlantic moves a play to Broadway, including the recent transitions, The Band's Visit, Kimberly Akimbo, and from several years back the hit play, The Beauty Queen of Leenane

On Monday, March 18th, 6pm there will be a live Conversation With Berkshire Theater Artists’ Forum. GBPT Associate Artistic Director Judy Braha and Jim Frangione talk with Berkshire Theater Artists' Forum, several well-known area theater artists, about their work as playwrights, directors, and designers, and the value and joy of making theater with fellow Berkshire residents 

Coming in the spring, Tuesday, April 9th, and May 9, 7pm there will be free readings of two yet to be selected new plays now in the works at Berkshire Voices. Titles, playwrights, directors and casts will be announced at a future date.

“We had a wonderful summer and as we move to the new year, we look forward to fostering a deeper connection with our audience, taking you behind the scenes into the development of new works and to exchange ideas amongst theater artists inside and outside our community,” Associate Artistic Director Judy Braha sums up. “We’re here year-round, committed to keeping theater a vital part of community and culture in the Berkshires.”

As of now, all events are scheduled at St. James Place, 352 Main St., Great Barrington, MA. More information can be found on the company website.

Michelle directed GBPT's The Stones in 2023 and in 2022 was director/dramaturg of GBPT's production of The Shot by Robin Gerber, starring Sharon Lawrence, which went on to The United Solo Festival (Theater Row, New York) and won Best Production, Best Performance, Audience Favorite and Best design. It was produced at New Jersey Rep in April 2023. Michelle was Assoc. Director (with Tina Packer) on The Waverly Gallery at Shakespeare and Co. and directed When We Were Young and Unafraid and A Certain Age at their winter reading series, as well as the past three productions of The Valentine Show (with Allyn Burrows). She has directed numerous readings for GBPT and Berkshire Voices as well as many plays on the west coast. This past season she performed an original piece in She/Her at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as at PS21 in Chatham. She starred in The Approach last season at Shakespeare and Co. (Nomination: Best Acting Ensemble). Michelle is also an accomplished screen actor with a long career and has written ten studio screenplays. Her first full-length play Iodine will have a reading this year. She has directed a short film Especially Not Roommates and leads The Long Table, a women’s writing group. Member: SAG-AFTRA, AEA, WGA, and DG. She is currently creating THE RAMSDELL PROJECT, a theatrical development space in Great Barrington to open later this year.

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