End of Year Update and Coming Events

The snow is falling heavily, the woodstoves are being fired into overdrive, and the hot cocoa is in high demand in Berkshire County this afternoon...and here at the Colonial, staff and audience members alike are all excited for the upcoming Programming Season! This past season went out with a bang with "Leahy Family Christmas," and the coming year promises to be just as thrilling. There are still a lot of shows that are in the works, so if you have any suggestions of what you would like to see, feel free to contact us...and to donate! We are still working on our Annual Fund Drive 2008, so all donations are incredibly appreciated.


Now, onto the programming part:

~JANUARY EVENTS~

Thurs. Jan. 1 @ 3pm: The Berkshire Bach Society presents "Bach at New Year's".......tickets $17-$37 (students free)

Sat. Jan. 3 @ 8pm: "The Winter Dance Party: The Official Tribute to Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper"...........tickets $25-$40

Fri. Jan 9 @ 8pm: Yevgeny Kutik Solo Violin Recital (with Akira Eguchi on Piano)..........tickets $20

Sat. Jan 10 @ 8pm: Albert Cummings..........tickets $17-$27

Sun. Jan 18 @ 2pm: Opera, Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi (sung in Italian with English subtitles).........tickets $20

Fri. Jan. 30 @ 8pm: "Guitar Blues (starring Jorma Kaukonen, Robben Ford and Ruthie Foster)" ............tickets $25-$45

And finally, the Colonial would like to wish everyone

a safe, healthy and happy New Year!

We hope to see you soon!

Happy Holidays to All!

Few things will get you into the holiday spirit as quickly as a classic Christmas tune. This past Saturday, over 600 people were immersed in the holiday spirit at the Colonial when they attended "Leahy Family Christmas." This magnificent show featured eight Canadian-Irish siblings that played Christmas and Celtic music, all the while singing and dancing into our hearts. They returned this year after a sold-out show last year, and here's hoping we can welcome them back to the Colonial soon! We have received fantastic feedback from our audience, which was very impressed with the skill and enthusiasm that reverberated through the house. It was an exciting and wonderful performance, and the Colonial would like to thank everyone who attended and shared their holiday spirit.


A quick reminder for those that are still searching for a great holiday gift: The Colonial Theatre is open on Christmas Eve, and gift certificates in any amount are still available! They're great as a stocking stuffer, or for someone who is difficult to shop for.


Also, the Colonial will be closed on December 25th and 26th so that the staff can enjoy the holiday with their family and friends, but we will be back and ready for action on Monday, December 29th.

From all of us at the Colonial to all of you: MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Have a safe and wonderful holiday, and may you enjoy this time with your family and friends.

It's a Wonderful Life at the Colonial!

This past Wednesday, Dec. 17th, the Colonial presented the classic film "It's a Wonderful Life." We were thrilled to see over 500 people enjoying one of the greatest holiday films ever made. The audience was also able to enjoy popcorn and snacks, and Hilltop Orchards donated cider that was served hot and spiced. It was great to see such a huge turnout for a film, and we're glad that so many people were able to come and revel in the spirit of the holiday season with us!

On Saturday, Dec. 20th at 8:00pm, the Colonial is welcoming some more holiday spirit in the form of an eight-member musical family from Canada. "Leahy Family Christmas" promises to wow and inspire the audience this Saturday night with famous Celtic music and well-known holiday tunes that are sure to impress. We have invited them back this year after their sold-out show last year, and their upcoming show will be no different. (If you plan on attending but haven't bought your tickets yet, they're selling like hot cakes, so hurry!) This show at the Colonial is made possible by a sponsorship from Nelson E. Furlano, CPA, and generous support from Country Curtains. We are excited for this Saturday night's performance, and hope that you are too! Please join us for an incredible evening with "Leahy Family Christmas." Tickets are $45 and $25, so call the Ticket Office at (413)997-4444 and purchase your tickets today!

The Colonial Theatre..."See you there!"

This Month at the Colonial: A Guaranteed Whirlwind of Excitment!

This has been a really hectic few weeks at The Colonial Theatre. Sometimes we just have to push on day and night to get everything done. It’s been some of those weeks but some amazing things have happened. The theatre was absolutely packed during the annual Warren Miller ski film adventure on the 2nd (“Children of Winter”). It seemed like everyone in town came to one of the two showings that night! Happiness is a theater filled with smiling folks. :-)

The next night, we hosted a completely different crowd for “A Christmas Story.” This early Baby Boomer classic brought out a large crowd, many of whom brought non-perishable food items that the Colonial is collecting for BCAC, the local food bank. We’ll be doing the same thing again on December 17 when The Colonial Theatre teams up with Greylock Federal Credit Union to present “It’s a Wonderful Life” at 7:00pm. A non-perishable food item or a $5 donation will get you in for this classic that is best viewed on a big screen with a community of your neighbors around you. We hope that with Greylock’s help, we can collect a lot of food to donate to those in need here in the Berkshires.

On Friday night, we had a rare opportunity to say 'thank you' and honor five people who have each served the citizens of Pittsfield as our Mayor. The event was “The Greg Caputo Big Band presents: Classic Christmas,” and we began the night with a reception for our current and past Mayors, surrounded by family and friends. During the reception, we unveiled a plaque and individual seat name plates that had been donated by several very generous area businesses. Berkshire Bank, Berkshire Health Systems, General Systems, Inc., Greylock Federal Credit Union, and Legacy Banks were Gold Sponsors, and Pittsfield Co-op Bank and True North – A Mountain One Partner were each Silver Sponsors. We had the opportunity to sincerely thank Mayor James Ruberto, and former Mayors Gerald Doyle, Jr., Sara Hathaway, Edward Reilly, and Anne Everest Wojtkowski for their individual and collective work during the years when The Colonial Theatre project was moving forward. They were also thanked from the stage just prior to the concert. Unfortunately, former Mayor Reilly was unable to attend, but we were proud to honor him as well. Each of these mayors did their best to make Pittsfield a better place to live, and we wanted them to know that we appreciate them.

The next night, Saturday, was a fundraising concert to raise support for the future Berkshire Carousel. The concert was a family affair, with David Grover as the featured performer. Sunday was a rousing international concert built around Grammy Award-winning The Klezmatics. This band, the #1 Klezmer band in America, teamed up with a great Celtic fiddler and vocalist. Take a deep breath and catch one night of sleep, and we’re at it again Wednesday night with “A Tuna Christmas,” benefiting the Berkshire County Chapter of the American Red Cross, and a packed weekend of “The Nutcracker” performances. A Leahy Family Christmas will be a Celtic holiday treat the following weekend, and we close out with “Hansel und Gretel,” a big screen operatic broadcast direct from the Glyndebourne Festival.

Whew!

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he’s bringing us a night off very soon.

December Events at the Colonial

• Tuesday, Dec 2 @ 6pm & 9pm.......JEEP presents: Warren Miller's Children of Winter ($18.50)
• Wednesday, Dec 3 @ 7pm.......FILM: "A Christmas Story" ($5, or donation of non-perishable food item to go to BCAC)
• Friday, Dec 5 @ 8pm.......The Greg Caputo Big Band presents: Classic Christmas
• Saturday, Dec 6 @ 7pm.......Berkshire Carousel Holiday Concert with David Grover and Friends (adults: $15, children 12 & under: $8)
• Sunday, Dec 7 @ 7:30pm........The Klezmatics: Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah Tour with Special Guests Susan McKeown and Boo Reiners. (A: $40, B: $25)
• Wednesday, Dec 10 & Thursday, Dec 11........Lost Planet Productions presents: "A Tuna Christmas" ($30)
• Saturday, Dec 13 @ 3pm and 7:30pm; & Sunday, Dec 14 @ 1:30pm and 4:30pm........Albany Berkshire Ballet: The Nutcracker (A: $32, B: $26, C: $19)
• Wednesday, Dec 17 @ 7pm..........FILM: "It's a Wonderful Life" ($5, or donation of non-perishable food item)
• Saturday, Dec 20 @ 8pm.......Leahy Family Christmas (A: $45, B: $25)
• Sunday, Dec 21 @ 2pm.......FILM: "Hansel und Gretel" ($20)

For more information about each show, please visit the Colonial's homepage at www.thecolonialtheatre.org or call (413) 448-8084 x14. Hope to see you soon!

Hot Flashes and Sweaty Feet...Menopause is in Town!

The Colonial hosted four lovely ladies for two days last week when the tour of “Menopause the Musical®” sang and danced its way into the lives of so many wonderful Berkshire County citizens.

I was able to snag some time with Fredena Williams, Licia Watson, Pammie O’Bannon and Sandy DeWoody, and they told me about their touring schedule. This is a very busy troupe of actresses—they are typically on the road 325 days out of the year. When you think about how hard that would be, to live out of a suitcase almost every day, rarely staying more than a couple of days in one hotel – and sometimes back to back to back one-night gigs for weeks at a time – it really makes you wonder how they can be so darn cheerful…

…but they were delightful! They sincerely loved their stay in Pittsfield, and were most complimentary about everyone they met here. We did our best at the theater to be prepared and accommodating, and it really paid off. They gave our audience great shows on both nights, and left the audience wanting more.

As we were standing backstage before Wednesday night’s performance, we got chatting about the theater’s history. Whenever we do this it has a “magical” effect on performers. They love to hear about the theater’s early years—how it was saved by the Miller family, and how the community has embraced it so warmly since its reopening. They asked if I could stay around after the performance and give them a complete tour. So, after the crowds went home and they changed out of costumes and makeup we stepped off the stage and wound our way up to the Gallery level as I told them stories about the theater’s distant and recent past. We had a great time. They all laughed and loved running around in the deserted balcony and boxes. Fredena, Licia, Pammie and Sandy told me many things that night that we’ve heard before, but one never gets tired of hearing “This is by far the most beautiful and amazing theater in which we have performed.” “I could tell when I stepped out onto the stage that I’d like to come back and sing without a microphone to just enjoy the wonderful acoustics.” “Your entire staff has been amazing. They are so professional and are the friendliest folks we can remember meeting on this tour.” Afterwards, we snapped some photos, exchanged email addresses, and had our farewell hugs.

Pittsfield and The Colonial Theatre are getting a reputation in the entertainment industry, and it is a good one! This is a very gossipy business and word gets around fast about the “good ones” and the “ones to avoid.” One last thing, they could not stop talking about the friendliness of our audiences. Over the two nights all of you tossed a total of $1,780 into their buckets to raise money to build a house here in New England for a woman who has become homeless. All they said about that is “not many communities have been that generous.”

Shall we bring them back soon?

Ani DiFranco at the Colonial

Our Director of Programming and General Manager, Seth, announced a few days ago that Ani DiFranco is coming to the Colonial! We are more than excited to have the Grammy Award-winning performer come to our beautiful theatre here in Pittsfield, MA. Tickets are still available. The performance date and information is listed below:


Tuesday, April 21st 2009
7:30PM
Ticket prices: A: $55 B: $35

Ani DiFranco is a songwriter, vocalist and guitarist perpetually on the move. From the raw folk-punk of her early albums through the jazz-funk grooves created while touring with her five-piece band, to the twists and turns of her current work as a solo artist, DiFranco’s restless creativity continually leads her and her listeners into ever more exciting territory.

Get your tickets today!

"I Saw the Sign...And It Opened Up My Eyes"

A common question has arisen from passersby of the Colonial as of late: What is that brick structure going up near the edge of the building? Well, after more than two years of careful planning, and thanks to a generous contribution from two donors, the Colonial is getting a monumental sign that will clearly identify the building as The Colonial Theatre. Many people have cajoled or chastised us for not making this important improvement sooner, but the fact is that this type of sign is very expensive, and we have not been able to afford it until recently. The recent donation has allowed planning and installation to move forward swiftly. As you may see when you drive or walk by the Colonial, the dirt is flying and brick has been laid as Colonial staff, patrons and donors look forward to the sign's completion.

Prior to the arrival of the lettered sign, a foundation for the base has been excavated and electricity has been run out to the site. The sign's placement was almost completely dictated by the limitations of city-mandated setbacks, location of underground structures and patron access to the front of the Colonial from our parking lot. This past week, the brick base was completed and power is in place. Now we are all awaiting the arrival of the sign.

Once the sign is installed, the Colonial will address the appropriate design review commission for a variance to allow the installation of an LED display. This will enable the Colonial to show images on the sign that may be changed electronically so that a variety of messages and pictures corresponding with upcoming events can be displayed over time.

Keep your eyes peeled, South Street passersby! A beautiful sign in front of The Colonial Theatre will soon be up and running for your enjoyment, made possible by the kindness of our caring donors.

Dave

The 1960s Return with CHAD & JEREMY

The performer’s life is filled with glamour, right?

Well, not exactly. The things the audience never sees are the things that keep life interesting at The Colonial Theatre.

Singer-songwriters Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde tour on the same kind of a “showstring” budget that was typical during their heyday in the 1960s. This past weekend, Chad and Jeremy were driving into Pittsfield from their previous gig in New York. No problem. Granted there were a few radio interviews along the way, but how much time could that take? Apparently, with torrential rain and no GPS, longer than expected. The anticipated 4pm sound check time came and went. After a few frantic calls with phrases like “lost,” “not sure where we are,” and “should be there soon,” they arrived just before 6pm.

The pre-arranged afternoon snack sat untouched, as Chad and Jeremy were famished for an actual dinner. A very quick stage check satisfied them that all was ready on the show front. We asked the management at Patrick’s Pub to clear a table and rush them through dinner. In the meantime, audience members were arriving in the lobby. Chad & Jeremy returned to dress a lot later than originally planned. However, the show went up on time, they sounded great, the audience loved it, and no one knew about the behind-the-scenes drama that kept us on the edge of our seats all afternoon. But in this blog, you will learn what really goes on …behind the scenes.

Dave Fleming
Executive Director

November Events at the Colonial

Events/Films for this month:

• Thursday, Nov. 6 @ 7 pm....The Pittsfield Eagles Band presents Symphonic to Swing (FREE CONCERT)
• Saturday, Nov. 8 @ 8 pm....Chad and Jeremy (A: $40, B:$22)
• Sunday, Nov. 9 @ 4 pm....Bolshoi Ballet Film: BOLT* ($1-$15)
• Saturday, Nov. 15 @ 7:30 pm....Romance Soul Rock 'N' Roll presents Feel the Beat! (A:$22, B:$16)
• Tuesday & Wednesday, Nov. 18-19 @ 7:30 pm.... "Menopause the Musical" (A:$45, B:$25)
• Thursday, Nov. 20 @ 8 pm.... Arlo Guthrie's Lost World Tour (A:$55, B:$25)
• Sunday, Nov. 23 @ 4 pm....FILM: Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema presents "The Pharaoh's Daughter" ($1-$15)
• Tuesday, Nov 26 @ 7 pm....CTA FILM: "Casablanca" (1942, NR; Warner Bros./Turner) ($1-$8)
• Saturday, Nov. 29 @ 2 pm....CTA FILM: "The Neverending Story" (1984, PG; Warner Bros.) ($1-$8)
• Saturday, Nov. 29 @ 7 pm....CTA FILM: "Blazing Saddles" (1974; Warner Bros.) ($1-$8)
  

*Please note that the film BOLT is not the animated film, but a ballet-in-film presentation.

THE EAGLES BAND PRESENTS: Symphonic to Swing

THE EAGLES BAND PRESENTS: Symphonic to Swing

Thu, Nov 6th '08
7PM Free Concert

The Eagles Band will perform a free community concert titled “Symphonic to Swing” which will highlight the group’s Symphonic and Swing units. The Eagles Band is the county’s oldest continuing performance ensemble incorporation in 1936.

Marc Cohn with opening act Toby Lightman

MARC COHN with opening act TOBY LIGHTMAN
Sponsored by TD Banknorth
TUES 8/26/08 7:30PM
A: $45 B: $30

“I think Marc Cohn is easily in the top half-dozen talents in the world.” –David Crosby

“I love his songs, he’s an incredible singer and I marvel at his ability to mesmerize every audience he plays for.” –Bonnie Raitt

Singer-songwriter and pianist Marc Cohn burst onto the scene in 1991 on the heels of “Walking In Memphis,” one of the most resonant songs to make the Top 40 in the last twenty years. The Best New Artist Grammy for 1991 soon followed. Cohn’s short-story songwriting style is heavily influenced by Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne, and he is often named among the most personal and introspective lyricists of his generation. Cohn performs songs from his new album Join The Parade as well as his classics hits.
http://www.marccohn.net/

Toby Lightman’s sound is a fresh mix of acoustic rock and soul. Her first album Little Things, released in 2004, featured the hit single “Devils and Angels.” Her second album, Bird on a Wire, released in 2006, includes “Let’s Go Racing Boys” the 2008 opening theme for NASCAR on FOX. Lightman has toured and performed with bands such as OAR, Rob Thomas, Jewel, Gavin DeGraw, Train and Prince. http://www.tobylightman.com/

Steve Solomon's My Sisters An Only Child

STEVE SOLOMON’S MY SISTER’S AN ONLY CHILD
SAT 8/16/08 2PM & 8PM
A: $45 B: $25

“Steve’s…Alan King, Billy Crystal, a smidgen of Don Rickles and George Carlin all thrown in.” –Variety

Steve Solomon’s hit Broadway smash My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish & I’m in Therapy sold out two shows at the Colonial in 2006. Now, Steve is back with another hilarious hit; the chaos continues with: My Sister’s An Only Child. In this hysterical prequel, Steve introduces myriad characters from his past, including Uncle Willie, Stuttering Cousin Bob and Demented Cousin Kenny. Each character is brought to life onstage with Steve’s gift for creating voices, dialects and wacky sound effects.
www.stevesolomoncomedy.com