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

Join us and The Diego Mongue Band on-stage at the Colonial Theatre on October 12 for an intimate a trailblazing twist on the blues genre that defies conventions, captivating even the most entrenched blues enthusiasts.

Get your tickets today at berkshiretheatre.org and brace yourself for an unforgettable experience!
Wishing the cast and creative team of Copenhagen a happy opening night! 💥 

(Photo by David Dashiell)
Only one more day left to nominate BTG for Rural Intelligence's 2023 Readers' Choice Awards for Arts Organization, Live Music Venue, Live Theater Venue, and Performance Space, so scan the QR code or go to the link in our bio to cast your ballot now! ✨
Today on September 28, BTG is celebrating The Colonial Theatre's 120th anniversary 🎭🎼

Built in 1903, the Colonial opened its doors with a production of the operetta Robin Hood by the Bostonians, a famed touring group. Today, the Colonial still stands, having served hundreds of thousands of patrons, and counting.

We hope you join us at the Colonial soon as we continue to support wide-ranging artistic exploration and acclaimed performances in theatre, dance, music and entertainment!
BTG and The Trustees are thrilled to announce that patrons who purchase tickets for Copenhagen at BTG's Unicorn Theatre will be offered an exclusive opportunity to purchase tickets for the same day to the 5pm entry of The Incredible Naumkeag Pumpkin Show 2023. Whether you're captivated by the drama of Copenhagen or looking to bask in the splendor of the The Incredible Naumkeag Pumpkin Show, this partnership offers a day in Stockbridge filled with unparalleled entertainment and autumnal fun.

Get your tickets to see Copenhagen today at berkshiretheatre.org and you'll receive an email with your ticket access to The Incredible Naumkeag Pumpkin Show!
Did you enjoy our 2023 Season? If so, there are only 3 more days left to nominate BTG for Rural Intelligence's 2023 Readers' Choice Awards for Arts Organization, Live Music Venue, Live Theater Venue, and Performance Space, so scan the QR code or go to the link in our bio to cast your ballot now! ✨
This Friday, September 29 at 7:30pm, Harvest & Rust: A Neil Young Experience, comprised of beloved local Western Massachusetts musicians, hit the Colonial stage with Neil Young's greatest hits! 

Get your tickets today at berkshiretheatre.org 🎸
2024 Season Passes are on sale now! From now until November 1, receive 3 Standard tickets for any 2024 Produced Show to be used in any configuration (3 tickets to one show, 1 ticket each to 3 shows, etc.) for only $135 🎫🎫🎫

Don't wait! This offer is only available for a limited time, so visit berkshiretheatregroup.org/passes to get your 2024 Season pass today
On this day in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show made its American premiere at the Westwood Theater in Los Angeles. After initially being deemed a failure, the film vastly exceeded expectations and now has the longest theatrical run for a film.

Visit berkshiretheatre.org or do the time warp towards our box office to get your tickets today to experience the queen of all cult films, including a thrilling after party and drag queen Nancy Nogood, at the Colonial on October 28!
It is almost here! Copenhagen, the Tony Award-winning play that explores the ethical dilemma of when science and politics collide, begins previews at the Unicorn Theatre this Thursday, September 28!

Get your tickets at berkshiretheatre.org today 💥🧪
Western Massachusetts-based band Harvest & Rust is hitting the Colonial stage on September 29! Representing the wide-array of Neil Young’s influential material in one show, Harvest & Rust captivates audiences with chart-topping hits including “Old Man,” and “Heart of Gold,” to the more electric explorations of Rust Never Sleeps like “Hey Hey, My My.” 

Visit berkshiretheatre.org to purchase tickets today 🎵
REMINDER! ✨ Voting ends soon, so make sure to vote Berkshire Theatre Group as Berkshire Eagle's Best of the Berkshires 2023 in "Live Theatre" and "Concert Venue" at the link in our bio! Thank you all for your support ❤️
Calling all Pink Ladies and T-Birds! 🦩🦅

Coming to the Colonial on October 15, The Olivia Show Tribute is an exciting musical journey filled with all of the late Olivia Newton-John’s award-winning hits and an exciting Grease sing-along where everyone can join in on the excitement!

Get your tickets today at berkshiretheatre.org!
The Tony award-winning Copenhagen, running September 28-October 29 at the Unicorn, is a must-see for anyone interested in history, science or politics. Exploring how one secret meeting broke the friendship between two physicists involved in the race to create the first atomic bomb in WWII, Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, Copenhagen forces us to confront the difficult questions that arise when science and politics collide. 

Don't miss this stunning production by getting your tickets today at berkshiretheatre.org!
Did you tap your toes to Million Dollar Quartet? Laugh along with On Cedar Street? Ponder long after What the Constitution Means to Me, Photograph 51, and The Smile of Her? If so, let us know by voting Berkshire Theatre Group #1 again in Berkshire Eagle's 2023 Best of the Berkshires Poll for "Live Theatre" and "Concert Venue" in the Entertainment category!

To vote, visit the link in our bio. Voting ends on September 24 at 5pm.
On Thursday, October 5, at 5:30 p.m., Berkshire Magazine (@berkshiremagazine) will celebrate this year’s Berkshire 25 by inviting all past honorees to mark this milestone—and everyone is invited to join the celebration! 

To purchase tickets, visit berkshiretheatre.org. Ticket sales will go towards our education programs at BTG ✨
Sing until you lose your voice, dance like nobody’s watching, and relive your glory days at The Olivia Show, an exciting musical journey honoring the memory of Olivia Newton-John! Audiences will be treated to Olivia's greatest hits with live vocals, powerful musicianship, amazing costumes and chart topping hits and an exciting Grease sing-along! 

Get your tickets at berkshiretheatre.org today 🎵🎶
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