Berkshire Theatre Group Announces Additions to the Fall and Winter Seasons

Berkshire Theatre Group and Artistic Director/CEO Kate Maguire are excited to announce music, comedy and community additions to the fall and winter seasons and the 10th Annual Community Production of A Christmas Carol.

Kate Maguire says, "This fall and winter season we have a full lineup of iconic, internationally-known performers, along with locally grown and up-and-coming talent."

Comedy at The Garage features a brand new Laugh Lounge Series. Fill up your tank at The Garage on various Wednesdays throughout the year. The Laugh Lounge Series spotlights up-and-coming comedians, including: Sean Donnelly, Brooke Van Poppelen and Kevin McCaffrey.

Music at The Colonial Theatre includes Grammy Award-winning folk music legends The New Christy Minstrels, five musical brothers with legitimate Band heritage The Weight, the Van Morrison concert experience Moondance: The Ultimate Van Morrison Tribute Concert and Come Fly With Me : A Frank Sinatra 100th Birthday Tribute Concert with The Gregory Caputo Big Band featuring Rob Zappulla.

Join us at The Colonial Theatre on Sunday, November 29, for a free Children's Holiday Extravaganza filled with fun for the whole family. This event includes kid-friendly activities, food and door prizes with pop up entertainers featured on the Colonial's main stage. Tickets must be reserved in advance and children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The 10th annual community production of A Christmas Carol brings holiday cheer for all at The Colonial Theatre, adapted by Eric Hill and co-directed by Eric Hill and Travis G. Daly and presented for the fifth time at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield.

Many events in BTG's 2015 Season were previously announced in April, including: comedian Paula Poundstone, The Homecoming by Harold Pinter, directed by Eric Hill, Romance Soul and Rock and Roll Presents Metamorphosis of Evolution, Arlo Guthrie: Alices 50th Anniversary Tour, Annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, Buddy Valastro: The Cake Boss The Bakin' with the Boss Tour, the Fifth Annual Made in the Berkshires Festival, Natalie Macmaster and Robin Spielberg.

BTGy is a youth outreach initiative for theatre-goers 25 years of age and younger to experience the joy and wonder of live theatre and the performing arts on our stages. Tickets to BTG's theatre productions for ½ of a regular priced ticket and 10% off BTG's presented shows (some restrictions apply). To join BTGy please contact the BTG Ticket Office at 111 South Street, Pittsfield by calling 413-997-4444. Tickets for BTGy are subject to availability and proof of age.

Tickets may be purchased in person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street, Pittsfield or by calling (413) 997-4444 or online at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org. The Ticket Office is open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-2pm or on any performance day from 10am until curtain. All plays, schedules, casting and prices are subject to change.

FALL 2015 OVERVIEW IN DATE ORDER

Laugh Lounge: Sean Donnelly
at The Garage
Wednesday, September 23 at 8pm
Tickets: $10 in advance and $12 at the door

Sean Donnelly is a NYC-based comedian and actor. He made his network TV debut on The Late Show with David Letterman and 2015 is a huge year for the affable comic with appearances on Comedy Central's @midnight, Broad City, and The Amy Schumer Show. Donnelly's first Comedy Central special is set to premiere on November 14th.

An Evening with Paula Poundstone
at The Colonial Theatre
Saturday, September 26 at 8pm
Tickets: A: $55 B: $45 C: $25

In the early '80s, Paula Poundstone packed up her belongings, hopped on a Greyhound bus, and traveled across the country performing at open mic comedy clubs. Poundstone went on to become one of the great humorists of our time. You can hear her through your laughter as a regular panelist on NPR's popular weekly news quiz show, Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me. She tours regularly, performing standup comedy across the country.

In the early '90s Poundstone was the first woman to win the cable ACE for Best Standup Comedy Special and the first woman to be invited to perform standup at the prestigious White House Correspondents dinner, where she joined the current President as part of the evening's entertainment. Poundstone starred in a self-titled series for HBO in '93 (for which she won her second Cable ACE Award for Best Program Interviewer), and moved the show to ABC which was short-lived, but applauded for its break from convention. Poundstone had her own comedy specials on HBO and Bravo. In fact, she starred in several comedy specials on HBO, including Paula Poundstone Goes to Harvard, the only time the elite university has allowed their name to be used in the title of a television show. Poundstone is recognized as one of Comedy Central's 100 greatest stand-ups of all time. Poundstone won an American Comedy Award for Best Female Standup Comic, and in 2010 she was one of a select group voted into the Comedy Hall of Fame.

The Homecoming
written by Harold Pinter
directed by Eric Hill
featuring Rocco Sisto and Tara Franklin

at The Unicorn Theatre, Stockbridge
The Larry Vaber Stage
Previews: Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2
Press Opening/Opening Night: Saturday, October 3 at 7pm
Closing: Sunday, October 25 at 2pm
Tickets: Preview: $42
Tickets: A: $48

Performance Dates:

Thursday, October 1 at 7pm (Preview)
Friday, October 2 at 7pm (Preview)
Saturday, October 3 at 7pm (Opening)
Sunday, October 4 at 2pm
Thursday, October 8 at 7pm
Friday, October 9 at 7pm
Saturday, October 10 at 7pm
Sunday, October 11 at 2pm and 7pm
Monday, October 12 at 2pm
Thursday, October 15 at 7pm
Friday, October 16 at 7pm
Saturday, October 17 at 2pm and 7pm
Sunday, October 18 at 2pm
Thursday, October 22 at 7pm
Friday, October 23 at 7pm
Saturday, October 24 at 7pm
Sunday, October 25 at 2pm (Closing)

Written by Nobel Prize-Winning British playwright, Harold Pinter, The Homecoming, is a thought provoking, noteworthy piece of theatre. Eric Hill, respected BTG artist-who so diligently directed Benefactors last year-directs this Tony Award-winning play. This production features three-time OBIE Award-Winning television, film and stage actor, Rocco Sisto and notable BTG Alum, Tara Franklin. The Homecoming invites audiences to delve deep into the hidden crevices of the human condition.

Philosophy teacher, Teddy, brings his wife of six years, Ruth, played by Tara Franklin (BTG: Lion in Winter, Equus, The Einstein Project), to his childhood home in North London to meet his family after a long estrangement. Without warning of their visit, Teddy and Ruth are greeted by Teddy's domineering family; Teddy's aggressive father, Max, played by Rocco Sisto (Broadway: Seminar, Amadeaus) Max's younger, incompetent brother, Sam; and Teddy's two brothers-Joey, an aspiring boxer, and Lenny, an amateur hustler. Teddy and Ruth's homecoming instigates a power struggle for the ages, and family ties begin to unravel.

Pioneering British dramatist, poet and actor of the late 20th century, Harold Pinter's influential career spanned more than 50 years. With his one-of-a-kind storytelling style, Pinter's texts are marked with abrupt dialogue and significant pauses. Pinter was a passionate, outspoken writer, whose works include: The Room, The Birthday Party, The Caretaker and One for the Road. The ground-breaking writer passed in 2008, leaving a legacy of unforgettable works behind.

Metamorphosis in Evolution of Music
at The Colonial Theatre
Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10 at 7:30pm
Tickets: $20

The producers of Romance, Soul & Rock N' Roll, are proud to announce a brand new musical revue: Metamorphosis in Evolution of Music. A spin-off of Romance, Soul & Rock N' Roll, Metamorphosis is written, produced and directed by, RSRR Producer & Assistant Director, Donna Vidoli, along with RSRR cast members Melissa Campbell, Michele Marano, Jim Guzzo and Bob Bottume.

Metamorphosis's first show, Evolution of Music, promises to be an fun-filled evening of music and dance performed by talented Berkshire County residents, with a live band under the direction of David Pickard. As the cast sings and dances their way through the decades, audiences are sure to be tapping their feet and humming along to all of the familiar tunes!

Arlo Guthrie: Alice's Restaurant: 50th Anniversary Tour
at The Colonial Theatre
Sunday, October 11 at 7pm
Tickets: A: $75 B: $60 C: $40

Arlo Guthrie's career exploded in 1967 with the release of the album, Alice's Restaurant, whose title song helped foster a new commitment to social awareness and activism. "Alice's Restaurant" is eighteen-minutes long and tells a winding, interwoven tale of a true story that took place over a Thanksgiving weekend in 1965. Rarely played on recent tours, Arlo is reviving this classic for the Alice's Restaurant 50th Anniversary Tour. Arlo's band for the tour includes Terry Hall (drums), Bobby Sweet (guitar, vocals), Darren Todd (guitar), and his son, Abe Guthrie (keyboards). Each show is curated with a special multi-media presentation featuring previously unseen images from the Guthrie archives.

Annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival: Greg Hopkins Jazz Orchestra
with guest soloist Randy Brecker on trumpet
at The Colonial Theatre
Saturday, October 17 at 8pm
Tickets: A: $35 B: $20

Six-time Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Randy Brecker has helped shape the sound of jazz, R&B and rock for more than four decades. Starting with Blood, Sweat and Tears, his trumpet and flugelhorn performances have graced hundreds of albums by a wide range of artists from James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen to Frank Sinatra; Steely Dan; Jaco Pastorius and Frank Zappa. Performer, composer, arranger and band director, Greg Hopkins, has been teaching at the Berklee College of Music since 1974, the year The Times in London called him "a real find" for the Buddy Rich Orchestra. His busy teaching and performing schedule takes him all over the world doing concerts, festivals, jazz club dates, and clinics.

An Evening with Buddy Valastro: The Cake Boss
The Bakin' with the Boss Tour
at The Colonial Theatre
Sunday, October 18 at 2pm and 5pm
Tickets: A: $80 B: $65 C: $35

Join celebrity baker Buddy Valastro for an evening of cakes, stories, and fun. In this rare live, interactive event, TLC's Cake Boss will share the stories behind his hit series and his colorful Italian family, answer audience questions, and give a live demonstration of the techniques that have made him one of the most successful and renowned cake artists in the nation.

Since it first aired on April 19, 2009, Cake Boss continues to be a centerpiece show of the TLC network. Viewers continue to celebrate the mouthwatering desserts and not-to-be-missed Valastro family moments occurring in bustling Hoboken, NJ, home of Carlo's Bakery. In December 2010, TLC premiered the spin-off series, Cake Boss: Next Great Baker, where Buddy challenged bakers from around the country to compete for a chance to work alongside the Valastro family at Carlo's. In December 2013, TLC launched Bakery Boss, a series following Buddy Valastro across the country helping other family-run bakeries that are struggling to find their own sweet success with his famous blend of business skills and baking expertise.

Expanding outside of Hoboken for the first time, in 2013 Buddy and the famiglia opened three new bakeries in New Jersey: Carlo's Bakery Ridgewood, Carlo's Bakery Westfield and Carlo's Bakery Red Bank. A year later, Buddy opened Carlo's Bakery Morristown in New Jersey and Carlo's Bakery Las Vegas, the company's first West Coast location. In October of 2013, Buddy brought his family's classic Italian recipes to the table, opening his first restaurant, Buddy V's, in the Venetian Las Vegas. Old favorites and new recipes are on the menu as well as desserts you know and love from Carlo's Bakery.

Buddy has a big personality, and an even bigger heart! The Bakin' with the Boss Tour is sure to be filled with laughter, delight and sweet treats. Bring the whole family for a night with the Cake Boss.

Made in the Berkshires Festival
at The Colonial Theatre, The Unicorn Theatre, and The Garage
Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25
Tickets: 3-Day All-Access Pass (VIP Access to all events and also includes 20% off of tickets for the run of The Homecoming): $50
Opening Night Celebration: $35
Tickets for the rest of the festival range from $10-$25

The 5th annual festival features cutting-edge theatrical works performed as staged readings, live music, film, short stories and dance in a festival atmosphere like no other. New and innovative pieces as well as established work will be presented by local Berkshire County playwrights, actors, directors, musicians and performers. Featured as performance blocks, Made in the Berkshires will allow audiences to enjoy the breadth and depth of the artistic talent that has landed in Berkshire County while celebrating the best in the visual and performing arts. Professional artists and artists-in-the-making gather to share their talent with the Berkshire community. The festival will once again be curated by Hilary Somers Deely and Barbara Sims; two local artists who have helped create the rich cultural tapestry that permeates the Berkshires.

Laugh Lounge: Brooke Van Poppelen
at The Garage
Wednesday, October 28 at 8pm
Tickets: $10 in advance and $12 at the door

Brooke Van Poppelen is a NYC based comic, actress and writer, who has been seen on @Midnight, John Oliver's New York Stand Up Show, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, IFC's Comedy Drop, and currently hosts Hack My Life on truTV. Brooke has been a writer and producer for MTV's Girl Code, and recently released her own web series, Seeing Other People, to much critical acclaim.

Brooke's stand up comedy has been profiled by Esquire Magazine, Splitsider, and Brightest Young Things, and in addition to performing at venues across North America, she has been featured in such prestigious international comedy festivals as the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Riot Fest LA, the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, and the Bridgetown Comedy Festival.

Natalie MacMaster Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond: A Celtic Family Celebration
at The Colonial Theatre
Saturday, November 7 at 8pm
Tickets: A: $65 B: $55 C: $35

Since marrying in 2002, two of Canada's brightest stars have been captivating audiences all over North America with their exceptional musical skills and obvious joy of performing together. Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy have received both industry-acclaim and a loyal fan following by combining their incredible individual talents, giving audiences a remarkable musical experience. Now, for the first time on stage, they'll feature their children alongside dancers and singers from their hometowns of Cape Breton and Lakefield, Ontario. The evening will highlight the unique talents, influences, and stories of the first family of traditional fiddlers through dancing, singing, and, of course, world-class music-making. This multimedia tour, features exclusive video footage of both Natalie and Donnell, as well as endearing stories of their native island that will help audiences understand the land, lives, and loves that have shaped these two musical families into one.

The New Christy Minstrels
at The Colonial Theatre
Saturday, November 14 at 7pm
Tickets: A: $55 B: $45 C: $25

The New Christy Minstrels are Grammy Award-winning folk music legends with 20 albums and numerous hits, including: "Today," "Saturday Night," "Denver," "Mighty Mississippi" and "Green, Green." The band includes Randy Sparks, Pete Henderson, Becky Jo Benson, Jennifer Lind, Greg O'Haver, Dave Rainwater, and John Denver's Uncle, Dave Deutschendorf. The New Christy Minstrels strive to bring traditional Folk Music filled with important stories and memorable songs to every generation. Stay after the show for an autograph from the band!

On The Stage Series: Robin Spielberg
at The Colonial Theatre
Sunday, November 15 at 2pm
Tickets: $30

Beloved pianist/composer Robin Spielberg has been capturing the hearts of listeners around the world for years with her gripping melodies and intricate piano technique. Since debuting her first recording of original piano solos in 1993, Heal of the Hand, Spielberg has sixteen recordings under her belt, and appears on over 40 compilations around the world. With hundreds of thousands of recordings sold, Spielberg has the masses head over heels with her touching live performances.

Moondance: The Ultimate Van Morrison Tribute Concert
at The Colonial Theatre
Thursday, November 19 at 8pm
Tickets: A: $45 B: $35

Rock and roll doesn't get any better than Van Morrison. Van has done it all-from classic rock songs like "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Domino," to legendary tunes like "Tupelo Honey" and "Into The Mystic," the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has never failed to impress music lovers around the globe.

Moondance: The Ultimate Van Morrison Tribute Concert is packed with favorite tunes, including: "Brown Eyed Girl," "Moondance," "It Stoned Me," "Wild Night," "Caravan" and many more!

Come Fly With Me: A Frank Sinatra 100th Birthday Tribute Concert
with The Gregory Caputo Big Band featuring Rob Zappulla
at The Colonial Theatre
Sunday, November 22 at 2pm
Tickets: A: $40 B: $25

Celebrating the music of Frank Sinatra, Come Fly With Me spans the five decades of classic Sinatra, from the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra to the Las Vegas showrooms.

Gregory Caputo has drummed for the world famous Count Basie Orchestra, Harry James, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Lionel Hampton, Nelson Riddle, and has toured with Connie Frances, Joe Wilder, Buddy Grecco, Grover Mitchell, Claude Williams, Melba Joyce, Shelia Jordan, Don Cornell, Barry Harris, Charlie Venture, Lenny Welch and Sammy Davis Jr. He is a sought after Jazz History lecturer, and the author of Classic Swing Drumming. Caputo received the Jazz Ambassador Award, and was inducted into the Hamilton Jazz Archives. Caputo has recorded and performed with the legendary alto sax player, Phil Woods, and has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for Billy Taylor's Jazz Mobile program.

Rob Zappulla has headlined performances at the Birdland Jazz Club, Lincoln Center, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos, Las Vegas and has performed as a guest vocalist with the United States Military Academy's West Point Jazz Knights Big Band and Concert Band. From 2001 to 2009, Zappulla was the featured vocalist for The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra under the direction of the legendary Buddy Morrow. Zappulla has been on tour with the Orchestra around the globe and all the way to the 2005 President's Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C.

Children's Holiday Extravaganza
at The Colonial Theatre
Sunday, November 29 at 11:30am-2pm
Free, General Admission

Kick off the holiday season with a children's holiday extravaganza filled with fun for the whole family. The Colonial lobby will be bustling with kid-friendly activities, food and door prizes with pop up entertainers featured on the Colonial's main stage. Goodie bags will be handed out to the first 400 kids who enter. Don't miss this free, fun, community day at the theatre. Please bring non-perishable food items to support local food pantries. Tickets must be reserved in advance and children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Laugh Lounge: Kevin McCaffrey
at The Garage
Wednesday, December 2 at 8pm
Tickets: $10 in advance and $12 at the door

Kevin McCaffrey is a NYC-based comedian and writer originally from Chicago. He made his network TV debut on The Late Show with David Letterman and did so well that Letterman hired McCaffrey to write with his monologue team until his retirement last month. McCaffrey has also been on VH1's I Love the 2000s series, the History Channel'sI Love the 1880s series, and weekly on truTV's World's Dumbest.

McCaffrey's storyteller style of comedy also includes enough quick jokes for him to be hired as a writer for National Lampoon, Fuse TV, and for awards shows across many networks. Kevin also hosts the College Stories with Kevin McCaffrey podcast, the Technically Tomorrow Queens public access TV show, as well as sketches for the comedy group Vicarious George, who own the Funny or Die network.

The Weight
at The Colonial Theatre
Thursday, December 3 at 8pm
Tickets: A: $45 B: $35 C: $25

Due to their unparalleled airplay in the in the '70s, The Band's music ultimately became an indelible thread, deeply woven into the fabric of the evolving American culture. Some of their mega radio hits include: "The Weight," "Ophelia," "Up On Cripple Creek," "Arcadian Driftwood," "Makes No Difference," "Rag Momma Rag," "Chest Fever," "King Harvest," and "The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down." The Band's music continues to mark time in the lives of millions of baby boomers around the world, and is now being rediscovered by today's youth.

At the core of The Band's existence stood Levon Helm, and his recent passing came with a wish that the resurgence of the group's music continue its upward evolution and remain a vibrant force in the concert world.

Specific members of The Band, guitarist Jim Weider and dual drummer Randy Ciarlante, soulfully chose to heed the call. Logical recruits, bassist Byron Isaacs and keyboardist Bran Mitchell (both members of Levon's side project, The Midnight Ramble Band) eagerly climbed aboard. Marty Grebb, who often jammed with members of The Band and wrote for their critically acclaimed Jericho album, has also joined the cause.

These five musical brothers, all with legitimate Band heritage, locked at the hip and passionate in their mission of performing songs of The Band, will perform live and in concert as The Weight.

A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
adapted by Eric Hill
at The Colonial Theatre
Tickets: Adults: $37 Children 16 and under: $27

Performance Dates:
Saturday, December 12 at 7pm (Opening)
Sunday, December 13 at 2pm
Thursday, December 17 at 7pm
Friday, December 18 at 7pm
Saturday, December 19 at 2pm and 7pm
Sunday, December 20 at 2pm and 7pm
Monday, December 21 at 7pm
Tuesday, December 22 at 7pm (Closing)

Celebrate the timeless holiday tradition of A Christmas Carol with the whole family and revel in the joy and redemptive power of Christmas as told in the timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, the infamous miser who is shown the error of his ways and reformed by four spirits. Journey back to Victorian England and experience the classic story filled with holiday carols and the wonderment of the season.

CALENDAR OF 2015 PRESENTED SHOWS

Laugh Lounge: Sean Donnelly: The Garage: Wednesday, September 23 at 8pm
An Evening with Paula Poundstone: The Colonial: Saturday, September 26 at 8pm
The Homecoming: The Unicorn: Thursday, October 1 at 7pm through Sunday, October 25 at 2pm
Metamorphosis in Evolution of Music: The Colonial: Friday, October 9 and
Saturday, October 10 at 7:30pm
Arlo Guthrie: Alice's Restaurant: 50th Anniversary Tour: The Colonial: Sunday, October 11 at 7pm
Annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival: Greg Hopkins Jazz Orchestra
with guest soloist Randy Brecker on trumpet: The Colonial: Saturday, October 17 at 8pm
Buddy Valastro: The Cake Boss The Bakin' with the Boss Tour:
The Colonial, Sunday October 18 at 2pm and 5pm
Made in the Berkshires Festival: The Colonial, The Unicorn, and The Garage
Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25; times vary
Laugh Lounge: Brooke Van Poppelen: The Garage: Wednesday, October 28 at 8pm
Natalie MacMaster Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond: A Celtic Family Celebration
The Colonial: Saturday, November 7 at 8pm
The New Christy Minstrels: The Colonial: Saturday, November 14 at 7pm
On The Stage Series: Robin Spielberg: The Colonial: Sunday, November 15 at 2pm
Moondance: The Ultimate Van Morrison Tribute Concert: The Colonial: Thursday, November 19 at 8pm
Come Fly With Me: A Frank Sinatra 100th Birthday Tribute Concert with The Gregory Caputo Big Band featuring Rob Zappulla: at The Colonial: Sunday, November 22 at 2pm
Children's Holiday Extravaganza: The Colonial:
Sunday, November 29 at 11:30am-2pm
Laugh Lounge: Kevin McCaffery: The Garage: Wednesday, December 2 at 8pm
The Weight: The Colonial: Thursday, December 3 at 8pm
A Christmas Carol: The Colonial: Saturday, December 12 at 7pm through Tuesday, December 22 at 7pm

For more information about Berkshire Theatre Group and our upcoming season, please visit www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org

About Berkshire Theatre Group
The Colonial Theatre, founded in 1903, and Berkshire Theatre Festival, founded in 1928, are two of the oldest cultural organizations in the Berkshires. Having united in November of 2010 under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Kate Maguire, these two institutions are providing the Berkshires and beyond with the finest in live theatre, music, dance and the visual arts in Stockbridge, MA and Pittsfield, MA. The Fitzpatrick Main Stage (300 seats), cataloged by the National Register of Historic Places, was originally designed and built by Stanford White as the Stockbridge Casino in 1888. The intimate Unicorn Theatre (122 seats) is a home for emerging artists and new theatrical ideas. The Colonial in Pittsfield (780 seats) re-opened in August of 2006, following a $21 million restoration, and boasts pristine acoustics, classic gilded age architecture and state-of-the-art technical systems. BTG also performs at The Garage, a music venue located in the lobby of The Colonial. BTG serves over 100,000 patrons per year and reaches over 13,000 students through its educational and outreach programs. To purchase tickets, call (413) 997-4444 or go online to www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org.