Reflections in March, 2022: My introduction to BTG Plays!

It is easy to offhandedly remark how important theatre is for kids, and how educators of all types are essential workers. But those words of appreciation can tend to feel flaccid when built on sweeping generalizations about the importance of creativity, acceptance, and communication building. Those intangibles are true, good, and worth lauding, but difficult to fully impress. But for those in our education program, the impact and vitality of their work is no platitude, but an eternal truth to keep at the forefront of the mind. Their sensitivity to the ins and outs of teenhood and what the theatrical space provides in the midst of it are a truly foundational part of the kids’ lives with whom they work. 

A group of BTG kids excitedly read from a book together during one of our outreach events

I was extremely grateful to be allowed to join our education team recently, both in rehearsals for the upcoming production of Footloose and in one of the after-school classes at a local Middle School to learn more about the work done by our education department. It has been a hot second since I’ve been in a rehearsal room in person, and even longer since I’ve been in one for a youth show. What struck me right off the bat observing the kids in rehearsal was how, above all else, they so earnestly wanted to do well. In a world where coolness is often shown in the straining binary of either not trying too hard or unhealthily grinding nonstop, I saw in each of these kids the simple desire to do their very best. Sometimes the path there would inherently involve some not-so-cool moments like a voice crack or a slip, but it was worth it in the name of trying. Especially as one having recently had to go through the vocal transition intrinsic to added testosterone, I was especially touched by the young person who, softly but firmly, said “I want to try the high note” and subsequently did with success. It is a feat I still cannot achieve and that cannot help but bring a proud smile to the face. 

There are also the moments when the rehearsal room shows its value not just as a space where those kids make discoveries through the work, but where they can forge their identities and get to know each other as peers. Where the friendship and fun that have been inaccessible in our Zoom-centric past couple of years are revived. But when it is time to return to the show it is there that Caroline Stamm, the stage manager, who snaps the room back into rehearsal mode. She ensures that rehearsals run smoothly and that everything gets done before performance day arrives. With a firm prompt from her and the indomitable director Kathy Jo, they always come back to the work. They return with focus, questions, and insuppressible exuberance for the acts of singing, dancing, and acting that are truly infectious. It is a feat that speaks not only to what great humans these cast members are, but to the skill of the team in creating an environment where play, respect, personality, risk, comfort, and care are all valued. While I have only gotten to hear snippets of songs and see flashes of dance, they have me eager to return when I can over the coming weeks to see it come together!


Cast members of BTG’s Touring show, Magic Treehouse: Dinosaurs Before Dark bring the title to life

Dropping in on Kathy Jo’s after-school class at the Middle School later on, I had the pleasure of meeting an energetic group of tweens. Their sense of relief was palpable as they entered the space that served as a comforting home base after a long day of school. Before jumping into activity, Kathy Jo managed to get everyone – her and I included – into a circle and gave everyone the space to say how their vacation was, where they were with their lines, and how their first day back at school went. This proved important, as we discovered that most were not in a place where doing a line-through would be fruitful. More important still, some were coming into the space with little sleep, feeling not so great physically, and some not so great emotionally. So, while KJo made sure to impress upon everyone the importance of reviewing their lines before the next meeting, she gracefully met everyone where they were to make the most of our time.

Both environments allowed me to appreciate Kathy Jo’s deft work as an educator. As frustrating as the various tasks of office work can be, it is simply incomparable to the skills needed to guide a group of middle schoolers through an afternoon of theatre games. Always, she manages to maintain an air of approachability and true caring. It is clear that for some, she is one of their few true allies on whom they can trust and depend. Stalwart and steady, she is an adult presence who is there for each kid to provide a space to be who they are in awkwardness, anger, depression, silliness, or anxiety. 

And it was incredible to realize how I had forgotten the impact of that. I found myself in that gym feeling 14 again, finding such refuge in that hour and a half of liminal space where I was free to hold all of that openly and process it. Where whatever I had with me that day was seen, heard, and validated by an adult who made themselves human to me and made me feel human in turn. At a time in life when you are constantly trying to balance wanting to be recognized as a full human capable of important thoughts and actions with wanting to develop your shifting sense of self secluded from the public eye, the space of a rehearsal room lets you do both at the same time. Not to get cheesy or anything (look, I got a BFA in Acting) but it gives them a literal rehearsal room for life. It’s a space where they can try on a style, inhabit a new way of moving through the world, share a potentially risky opinion, or even just an event from their day that they don’t otherwise feel the freedom to share in other spaces. For some, it is the only space where their feelings and experiences are validated. And to salve some of that distress, they can escape and express in the absurdity of a game and the story of a script. 

Educational theatre is where we, both as kids and adults, can continue learning the soft skills that make us better citizens of the world. And when that space is stewarded by such thoughtful minds as those at BTG, it is hard not to have a little hope, and want to be a better one alongside them.

The cast of Shrek The Musical, 2019. Photo by Emma K. Rothenberg-Ware.

The 2019 cast of Shrek: The Musical stands downstage letting their freak flags fly!

BTG PLAYS! Year-Round Education Program serves 10,000 school children in over 20 schools across 10 towns in Berkshire County.  Through careful planning and programming, BTG offers children and families access to culturally enriching activities. Thirty percent of families participating in these programs are economically disadvantaged and all Pittsfield Public School students qualify for free and reduced lunch. BTG provides free and reduced ticket prices, camps, and internships. BTG PLAYS! includes 12 different initiatives within three distinct categories: School Partnership Programs, Performing Arts for Young People, and Pre-Professional Internship Programs.

For more information on BTG PLAYS!, contact Allison Rachele Bayles, Administrative Director of Education at 413-448-8084 x19. 

Footloose is playing at The Colonial Theatre on April 8th at 7pm, April 9th at 2pm and 7pm, and April 10th at 2pm.

The Magic Treehouse: Dinosaurs Before Dark is playing at The Colonial Theatre on Saturday, April 23rd at 2pm with a book signing taking place with the author, Mary Pope Osborne, pre-show from 1:00-1:45pm. Books will be for sale provided by the Bookloft. 

Scout Swonger (they/them/theirs) joined BTG as Ticketing Manager in September of 2021, and recently became the Ticketing and Annual Appeal Manager in February. They are honored to have been welcomed into the vibrant community of the Berkshires, and look forward to highlighting how Berkshire Theatre Group has been an integral part of it in the past, continues to be in the present, and how we may best do so in the future.

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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

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! 
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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.
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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! 🤩
Angelina Weld Grimké was a poet, dramatist, radical feminist and lesbian icon. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1880 and raised in a biracial family with a considerable history of social activism. She is widely considered to be the first woman of color to have a play professionally produced in the United States. Since her death, Grimké has been acknowledged as a founder of the Harlem Renaissance.
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