A CHORUS LINE, EDITH, et al. Set for Berkshire Theatre Group's 2012 Summer Season

Berkshire Theatre Group and Artistic Director/CEO, Kate Maguire have just announced programming for Summer 2012. BTG's Summer of 2012 boasts a full assortment of theatrical productions, concerts, comedy, Friday Series play readings, Musical Mondays, Made in the Berkshires and more.

Season pass and Member tickets are exclusively available starting Friday, March 9, 2012 and to all on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. Season Passes are still available for purchase.

Tickets may be purchased in person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street, Pittsfield or by calling (413) 997-4444 or online at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org. The Ticket Office is open Monday-Friday 10am–5pm, Saturdays 10am–2pm or on any performance day from 10am until curtain.

Ms. Maguire is excited to be announcing such a diverse lineup of events. "With one extraordinary summer as Berkshire Theatre Group under our belts, we cannot wait to move forward with this summer's exciting events. The theatre we are producing in Stockbridge will be filled with inspiring premieres, touching classics and thought provoking contemporary works. It is always exciting to present new work and this year we have three premieres: Homestead Crossing, Brace Yourself and Edith. Not to mention our two musicals this summer, the show stopping A Chorus Line, at The Colonial and its companion show, A Class Act at The Unicorn Theatre. A Chorus Line is the magnificent landmark piece about the dancers behind a Broadway musical and A Class Act is the heart warming back story about the artists behind the Tony-winning, A Chorus Line. It just felt so natural to do them both and spread this musical story across Pittsfield and Stockbridge. We are also thrilled to be offering such a diverse array of music and entertainment at The Colonial as well. From the TV personality and comedian Bill Engvall, to hip-hop phenomenon Raekwon, to the awe inspiring Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats, we strove to create programming as diverse as our audiences. We are proud to host Jamie Bernstein, the daughter of the late musical genius, Leonard Bernstein, in the musical revue, We are Women, at The Colonial. We are very thankful to The Mount, who has generously invited us back to continue our collaboration with them and create more beautiful outdoor family theatre with our summer production of Pinocchio. Finally, after our wildly successful community production of The Wizard of Oz, which involved over one hundred community members, we are excited to announce we will be producing the classic musical Oliver! at The Colonial this fall. Our goal is to reach the widest possible audience with great theatre and entertainment, presented by the most vibrant artists. We believe this summer responds to that mission."

Simon Shaw, BTG's programmer, comments, "It is a great pleasure working with Kate Maguire on this artistic adventure that is the Berkshire Theatre Group. This summer we decided to focus on variety and really appealing to every single member of our audience. With not only a variety of music but also outstanding comedy and the ground breaking Hip Hop artist, Raekwon, this summer has something for everyone."

Berkshire Theatre Group oversees the development, production and presentation of theatre and entertainment on five stages in the Berkshires. BTG's goal is to present the best of the performing arts for everyone. Their campus in Stockbridge, which is home to the Berkshire Theatre Festival, presents work at two venues: The Fitzpatrick Main Stage and the Unicorn Theatre. The Fitzpatrick (408 seats), founded in 1928, is the ultimate "summer theatre." This iconic building, designed by Stanford White, helped establish the Berkshires as a cultural destination. Each summer, the finest in classical theatre and world premieres are produced on our historic stage. The Unicorn Theatre (122 seats), a theatrical jewel, is the home for new and emerging artists, and challenging and thoughtful work. The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield (780 seats) re-opened in 2006, following a $21 million restoration. This stage boasts pristine acoustics, classic gilded age architecture and state of the art technical systems, hosting family entertainment, comedy, live music and more year round. Located in the lobby of the Colonial is The Garage. Its name pays homage to its former owner, Berkshire Auto Co. This newly developed venue, complete with stage, lights and sound system, is the dedicated venue for local and regional music performers. And, there is Theatre at The Mount in Lenox! Here BTG presents work outdoors on The Neil Ellenoff Stage. The glorious Dell sets the stage for evenings of family enchantment. Come be a part of the excitement on five stages this summer!

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