Berkshire Theatre’s Place in History

Front view of the Berkshire Playhouse during the daytime.

Postcard of The Berkshire Playhouse c. 1930s.

American Theatre at the start of the 20th century was characterized by a dichotomy between commercialized theatre (best exemplified by Broadway) and experimental theatre (best exemplified by the Little Theatre Movement). Most theatres in existence at that time could be classified as one or the other. The Berkshire Playhouse’s artistic vision sought to blend these two extremes together and create a theatre that entertained, inspired, and challenged audiences.

Headshot of F. Cowles Strickland looking off to the side.

F. Cowles Strickland Photo by Vandamn Studio, NY

Artistic Directors F. Cowles Strickland (recent Yale graduate) and Alexander Kirkland (member of Eva Le Galliene’s acting company) produced both conventional and atypical works. Eva Le Galliene’s company performed The Cradle Song on the opening night of The Berkshire Playhouse in June 1928. A Little Theatre play was the first ever to be performed at this new venue, but only after it had been performed on Broadway.

The Little Theatre Movement of the early 20th century was a rejection of commercialism that gave rise to local, independent theatres across the country. Focusing on new American voices, avant-garde works, and anything other than melodrama, Little Theatres helped produce some of America’s great 20th century writers.

Kirkland and Jones laying on their stomachs, smiling as he points at something in the distance.

Alexander Kirkland and Zita Johnn in The Lake at The Berkshire Playhouse, 1930.

Eugene O’Neill was one such writer, and quickly became a staple for The Berkshire Playhouse, along with Broadway-tested shows and classical works. Kirkland once said that he felt no season was complete without a Shaw piece. George Bernard Shaw used his plays to tackle the philosophical and social issues of his time, but stayed within the conventional realm of Realism. Shaw’s use of an established form to pursue contemporary issues mirrors The Playhouse’s use of established works to allow room for exploration. (Pictured to the right: Alexander Kirkland and Zita Johann in The Lake at The Berkshire Playhouse, 1930.)

The audience of The Berkshire Playhouse was largely a New York crowd that escaped to the country in the summers. Bringing in well-known Broadway actors and plays ensured that the theatre would be well-respected and attended. It also allowed the theatre to produce works that were more for artistic value than commercial value.

Eva Le Gallienne dressed in costume as a nun, looking contemplative.

Eva Le Gallienne in The Cradle Song at The Berkshire Playhouse, 1928.

While not strictly classified as a Little Theatre, it is clear to see the movement’s influence on The Berkshire Playhouse. Eva Le Gallienne, affectionately termed the “First Lady of the Playhouse,” would later go on to be a champion of the Regional Theatre Movement in America, which grew from the Little Theatre Movement. (Pictured to the left: Eva Le Gallienne in The Cradle Song at The Berkshire Playhouse, 1928.)  

Many of these original Little Theatres or independent regional theatres have been relegated to the history books as summer stock. Summer stock theatre is often affiliated with a negative connotation, and yet many theatres that fit the literal definition of summer stock provided the foundation for Regional and Repertory theatres throughout the country.

The Berkshire Playhouse fit the literal definition of a summer stock theatre when first established. As many summer stock theatres have, The Playhouse went on to provide a beginning to countless actors, directors, designers, stagehands, carpenters, and other theatre practitioners. With a blend of stars of stage and screen, and up-and-coming summer workers, Berkshire Theatre has always provided an educational space where high quality theatre is produced.

The four stages of Berkshire Theatre Group: The Colonial Theatre, The Unicorn Theatre, The Fitzpatrick Main Stage, and The Garage.

Much of the Playhouse’s original vision is reflected in Berkshire Theatre Group today. No longer fitting the bill of summer stock, Berkshire Theatre Group produces and presents shows year-round. Variety is still abundant, and each of the four stages at BTG is unique and houses distinct works. Just as when it first opened, Berkshire Theatre’s summer season seeks to create theatre that entertains, inspires, and challenges audiences.

Plan Your Visit

Read our suggestions on where to dine, and where to hang your hat.

Get Started
Did You Know?
Just like NPR, Berkshire Theatre Group depends on the generous giving of its members!
Join Today!
We believe the performing arts can transform a community.
Learn More
Of the 16,000 Berkshire County school children, we serve 13,000 through our BTG PLAYS! Year-Round Educational Programs.
Learn More
Theatre is the place where we go to understand what lies in the human heart.
About Us
BTG's buildings, on two campuses in Stockbridge and Pittsfield, are historic treasures.
Theatre Info
Berkshire Theatre Group believes that the creative arts encourage freedom of speech and debate.
Get Involved
"Out of need will come the way. Once the pandemic ebbs, whenever that is, there will be an incredible need to gather again." - Artistic Director, Kate Maguire
Join Today!
The theatre has existed from the time of the Greeks. We will go on.
Learn More
Join Our Mailing List

Receive the latest BTG News, Updates, Special Offers, and more right to your inbox.

Subscribe

News & Articles

From the Archive: Eva LeGallienne

By: Katie Birenboim (She/Her/Hers)   Devoted fans of BTG may gasp to discover that until doing a first round of research in the amazing BTG archives, I had never heard … Read On

🎶👯‍♀️ Get ready to celebrate the amazing women of the Berkshires! 🌟 Join us at The Colonial Theatre TONIGHT for "Song & Dance: A Celebration of Women in the Berkshires." 🎉 Featuring a talented cast of female performers, this show will showcase the strength, resilience and creativity of women in our community. 💪🏼 From powerful ballads to stunning dance routines, this event will leave you feeling inspired and empowered. Don't miss out on this unforgettable night! Get your tickets now at https://www.berkshiretheatregroup.org/event/song-and-dance-a-celebration-of-women-of-the-berkshires/ #SongAndDance #WomenInBerkshires #BerkshireTheatreGroup #CelebrationOfWomen #Empowerment #Inspiration #PerformingArts #LiveEvent #GetYourTicketsNow
Have you heard of Hyprov? It's a hilarious and mind-bending show that combines hypnosis and improv comedy. The result is a unique and unforgettable experience that will leave you laughing and scratching your head in amazement.

The show is led by two talented performers: hypnotist Asad Mecci and improv comedian Colin Mochrie. Together, they take volunteers from the audience and guide them through a series of comedic scenarios, all while under hypnosis.

What makes Hyprov so special is how the performers seamlessly blend the two art forms together. You'll see improvisational comedy taken to new heights as the volunteers' subconscious minds drive the scene, leading to unexpected and hilarious moments.

If you're looking for a night of entertainment that will leave you feeling amazed and delighted, then you definitely need to check out Hyprov on Saturday, March 25 at The Colonial Theatre. Trust us, you won't regret it! #Hyprov #hypnosis #improvcomedy #hilarious #mindbending #comedyshow #entertainment #laughoutloud #unforgettable #mustsee 

Get your tickets now! https://www.berkshiretheatregroup.org/event/colin-mochrie-presents-hyprov-with-master-hypnotist-asad-mecci/
Our very own Allison Rachelle Bayles will be one of the awesome women honored at Song and Dance! A Celebration of Women of the Berkshires! Allison is the Director of Education here at BTG and we can’t wait to honor her during this celebration! 

https://buff.ly/3ldCPGe
The Secret Garden: Spring Version, is a new adaptation of the acclaimed Broadway musical abridged for younger audiences in an enhanced concert-style production that is as beautiful and spirited as the original.
This enchanting classic of children’s literature of hope and perseverance is reimagined in brilliant musical style by composer Lucy Simon and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Marsha Norman. Orphaned in India, 11-year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his disabled son Colin. The estate’s many wonders include a magic garden which beckons the children with haunting melodies and the “Dreamers,” spirits from Mary’s past who guide her through her new life, dramatizing The Secret Garden‘s compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal. Join us July 29 and 30 for this beautiful story.
Two-time Tony Award nominated actor, Kate Baldwin, joins the cast of “What the Constitution Means to Me!” This boundary-breaking play breathes new life into the Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans.
Kristen van Ginhoven, who will direct this co-production with WAM Theatre, connected to the play as an activist and as a former speech and debate coach for the International High School in Brussels, Belgium. “As an artist, activist, and human, I find myself yearning for more collaboration, accountability, and engagement.” van Ginhoven explained, “This play answers that call with humor, intelligence and poignancy. I look forward to using my past experience as a
speech and debate coach while having the privilege and joy of directing this co-production.”
It’s National Women’s Day! To celebrate we are going to share a little about our upcoming event, “Song and Dance! A Celebration of Women of the Berkshires!” The Berkshires serve as home to a number of women artists and women behind the scenes who are making a positive difference in our area, and celebrated musician Wanda Houston is looking forward to shining a spotlight on some of them. Houston spearheads a concert that will simultaneously pay tribute and entertain, fulfilling one of her own personal dreams. "For the last five years, I've thought about doing this show," recently explained Houston. "I wanted to find a way to celebrate women who work so hard to make the Berkshires a better place for us all." Highlights of the concert promise to be Wanda Houston singing "You make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman," a brief monologue about Elizabeth Freeman spoken live with choreographed movement, the full cast opening the show together, and much, much, more. 
Join us March 24 for this celebration of amazing women! 
.
link in bio!
We are getting excited for our St. Patrick’s Day festivities here at BTG! The Young Dubliners, an American rock band who have been recording albums and touring since 1993 and whose style of music has come to be called Celtic Rock for the fusion of Irish traditional music with modern rock ‘n’ roll! They will be joined by Kilashandra, an award-winning Albany, NY–based band. They began meeting in fall 2021 as a group of friends getting together to play Celtic music in pubs and at regional Irish Festivals. Get your tickets now and join us for this awesome concert!
☀We announced our full summer season! We have some amazing shows coming up at BTG and we can’t wait for you to be a part of it! Follow the link in our bio to grab your tickets now!☀
UPDATE! Children's Auditions have been postponed to tomorrow night, March 1. Families that have registered should check their emails for more details. Thank you!
This is going to be SUCH a fun time! Twenty random volunteers from the audience will be put under hypnosis, their inhibitions evaporated and their minds no longer their own. The contestants will be methodically and hysterically whittled down until the five best are left on stage when one of the world’s leading improvisers enters! Colin Mochrie will take the stage to improvise with the top five while they are still under hypnosis, which will turn the show into an improv extravaganza! This show is March 25 and tickets are on sale now!
.
link in bio!
The band is joyous, and their stage is full of smiles and laughter, both during and between songs. Max Creek is engaging, sculpting lengthy shows on-the-fly from their 200+ song catalog with rockers, ballads, deep jams and crowd sing-alongs. Furthermore, Creek is, most definitely, a family. 40-odd years in, the audience is a multi-generational stew—it’s not uncommon to witness old-school “Creek Freeks” getting down with their teenage (or older!) kids. Grab your tickets for April 7 now!
The Togetherness Project was created with the aim of building bridges through the power of art between teens and young adults in the Arts in Recovery for Youth (AIRY) Program and local residents in need of support. The Project involved AIRY members visiting and making art in Pittsfield with women Veterans at Soldier On, women and children survivors of domestic abuse at Elizabeth Freeman Center, and adolescents of color in the R.O.P.E. program (Rites of Passage and Empowerment). Artworks include drip pour paintings, Satori circles, watercolor triptychs and symbolic self portrait paintings.
Artwork will be on view March 10 through April 6 with an opening reception on Tuesday March 14 from 4 to 6 pm.
We recognize that Ukraine has been fighting for democracy for one year today. We hope for a better year ahead.  Our hearts are heavy for all souls lost.
May Miller was an award-winning playwright, poet, and professor who first came to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance. Miller was the most published female playwright of the Harlem Renaissance and had nine of her twenty plays selected for publication during the height of her playwriting career. Miller helped establish the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, serving as Chair of the Literature Panel for the Commission’s first three terms. From her retirement from teaching in 1943 until her death in 1995, Miller dedicated herself to writing poetry, publishing nine books of poems, and one edition of collected works.
This Saturday at 7:30 we've got "Tapestry, The Carole King Songbook" starring Suzanne O Davis. She'll be playing all of your favorite songs live on stage!
.
link in bio!
Highlighting Berkshire women in the Arts, this show features performances by Gina Coleman, Olga Dunn Dance Co., Wanda Houston, Mary Ann Palermo and The All-Star Women’s Band, along with more of our extraordinary region’s unsung female heroes in the art, business, social and medical communities. Join us March 24 at 7:30pm for an evening of celebrating women of the Berkshires!
.
link in bio!
This Saint Patrick’s Day we will be feeling extra lucky! We’ve got The Young Dubliners with special guest Kilashandra and Scoil Rince Bréifne Ó Ruairc, the Irish Dance Team from right here in Pittsfield! The dancers will be performing before the show in The Garage from 6:30pm to 7:20pm!
We all need a good laugh, am I right? This show will do the trick! Grab your tickets now for the Ivy League of Comedy Tour on March 3rd.
.
link in bio!
Zora Neale Hurston was an American author and filmmaker. Her works focused on the struggles of being an African American woman and her writings went unrecognized for decades. She passed away in 1960 but between 2001 and 2018 she had 3 of her works released.
BTG has two audition opportunities coming up! Find out more through the link in our bio! 🤩
Follow Us