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!