Jacob's Pillow to Present an In-Depth Film on the Doris Duke Theatre

Jacob’s Pillow is inviting fans into the development of their reimagined Doris Duke Theatre with the release of a new film that offers a substantive update on the bold new theater and makerspace for dance scheduled to open in 2025 on the site of the original Doris Duke Theatre, at the organization’s historic site in the Berkshires. 

The film details key design decisions that have shaped this visionary project, and provides a bold visual look at the new building’s advanced technological capabilities, flexible performance spaces, and sustainable and accessible design. 

The video is available to watch online at jacobspillow.org/duke, alongside design renderings, 360-degree virtual reality views, and details on the new building’s capital campaign: Dance Unleashed.

“This initiative sets out to impact the future of dance, both here on our historic campus and across the globe,” explains Jacob’s Pillow Executive and Artistic Director Pamela Tatge in the film. “For over 90 years, Jacob’s Pillow has been a sanctuary for dance, where artists, scholars, and dance enthusiasts gather to celebrate the art form. As we look ahead to our second century, this new theater amplifies our commitment to being a global crossroads for dance, fostering creativity, community, and digital exploration in an increasingly interconnected world.”

The new Duke Theatre’s versatile black box space is intended as an enhanced haven for artists, according to Tatge. “This flexible design will support a wide range of artistic expressions, from immersive experiences at the intersection of dance and technology to in-the-round performances, opening the doors to endless creative possibilities.”
The film also includes commentary from Sydney Skybetter—a choreographer and design consultant on the project who works closely with innovative dance artists who are integrating emerging technologies such as AI, VR, and robotics into their dancemaking—and from Vincent Vigilante, Director of Facilities at Jacob’s Pillow. This coming fall, Jacob’s Pillow expects to make first announcements about the artists and events that compose the building’s inaugural season of programming, planned for 2025.