Berkshire Theatre Summer 2008
An Overview of the Season
By: Charles Giuliano - Sep 17, 2008
During this past summer there was a perfect storm, a tsunami of challenges for theatre, museums, Tanglewood, and arts organizations. There was a triple whammy combo of constant rain and generally cool weather, gas on average at $4 a gallon, and a sour economy. Considering the current precipitous drop on Wall Street, if this continues, the Summer of 2008, despite its problems, may be regarded by next season as "The Good Old Days."
The Berkshire arts and leisure economy is largely driven by an influx of vacationing and retired New Yorkers many with second homes particularly in South County. There is also tourism and leisure generated from the Eastern part of the state with the programming of Tanglewood as a primary incentive. For the most part, Bostonians summer on the Cape as well as the North Shore or the coast of Maine.
Governor Deval Patrick has a Berkshire estate and is visible attending various arts events. He exchanged greetings with Shakespeare & Company director, Tina Packer, during an opening of "Othello." He has met with arts leaders and supports incentives to encourage tourism as a support for the economy of the Western region of the state. Similarly, Senator John Kerry whistle stopped his way through North Adams and Williamstown during his reelection campaign. In a lunch at Taylor's in North Adams he fielded questions and complaints from his constituents. Kerry Often informed those with pressing issues to "Speak to Drew," the aide to the Senator, and assured that his office would cut through the red tape.
Considering the difficulties, overall, we enjoyed a magnificent and productive season of the performing arts in the Berkshires. During peak season we were out and about an average of five nights a week. But there was no way to keep up with all that is offered. With fellow critic, Larry Murray, we divided coverage of the four major theatre companies: Barrington Stage Company, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Shakespeare & Company, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Between the three of us, Astrid Hiemer, myself, and Larry, we covered all of the productions of the four major theatres. In some instances we overlapped with triple coverage. For the remarkable, one person play "I Am My Own Wife," at Barrington Stage Company, we each wrote about the performance, and Murray also interviewed the actor, Vince Gatton.
Looking back at a remarkable and diverse season we are each providing summaries. In addition to theatre, Astrid also discusses the numerous Tanglewood performances we attended that started with Mark Morris and ended with the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. Larry and I are concentrating on the theatre season. While we are offering opinions on the "best" and "worst" in the usual categories it is with the disclaimer that our remarks are confined to what we actually attended. There are productions that we each did not attend which, by default, are not included on our individual year end lists. So there may be some redundancy as well as instances of disagreement.
The most significant development for the season of 2008 is that three of the four companies- Barrington, Berkshire, and Shakespeare- undertook major capital campaigns including brick and mortar. In only its second season in Pittsfield Barrington opened a second, smaller stage in space leased from the V.F.W. Hall just a short walk from its main stage and adjacent headquarters. Toward the end of the season Shakespeare & Company opened a new theatre on its developing campus in Lenox. Berkshire Theatre Festival is undergoing ambitious development in Stockbridge.
While the Williamstown Theatre Festival was enjoying its second full season at the new 62 Center for Theatre and Dance there was a major administrative development. Nicholas Martin, the former director of the Huntington Theatre Company, in Boston, replaced Roger Rees, as director of WTF. It was widely viewed that Martin put WTF firmly back on its feet after years of decline. Having felt burned by the poor performance of Rees, whose three year contract was not renewed, the Board acted cautiously offering Martin a two year deal. Martin who is of "retirement" age, and has health issues, informed us late in the season that he has been encouraged to stay on indefinitely. That is great news for WTF and Berkshire theatre audiences.
On many levels, WTF is unique in the mix of Berkshire theatre companies. While the other companies are striving to extend the "shoulder" seasons, and edging toward offering "year round" productions, WTF which has an agreement with Williams College, is strictly seasonal. The season started on June 11 and ended on August 24. During that time there were four Main Stage productions and five on the smaller Nikos Stage. The productions alternated in such a manner that there was a press opening every Thursday. By any definition that's a ferocious pace especially given its superb production standards. Until its somewhat tarnished recent years WTF was able to consistently draw on the top talent that earned it a position on the short list of America's foremost regional theatres.
This is not intended to take anything away from the excellence of the other major theatre companies. Barrington Stage, for example, welcomed home from Broadway, and a national tour, its production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." The Berkshire Theatre Festival production of "Waiting for Godot" received Global media and fan attention. The New York Times covered a lot of Berkshire theatre including a rave review for Shakespeare & Company's production of "Othello." The Boston Globe critic, Louise Kennedy, earned frequent flyer miles for her Berkshire coverage.
Best Musical
There were only two to consider: "She Loves Me" and "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee."
Winner: "She Loves Me" by Joe Masteroff, Jerry Beck, and Sheldon Harnick. After a play by Mikos Laszlo. Sets by James Noone. Directed by Nicholas Martin. This production originated at Huntington Theatre Company before its run at WTF.
Second: "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" by William Finn, Directed by Jeremy Dobrish. By any standard this was a boffo hit and a superb production for Barrington Stage Company.
Best Comedy
The season of 2008 will be noted for its farce. There were not one, but two productions based on works by the French Master Georges Fedydeau at WTF and S&C. We give the edge to S&C
Winner: "Ladies Man" by Georges Feydeau. Directed by Kevin G. Coleman. A true five door side splitter. Shakespeare & Company.
Second: "Beyond Therapy" by Christopher Durang directed by Alex Timbers. Flawed, but a winner for the send up performance of Kate Burton as a deranged therapist. Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Worst: "Home" by David Storey, directed by Joseph Hardy. Was this supposed to be funny? WTF. "Violet Hour" by Richard Greenberg, Director, Barry Edelstein. Huh? At Barrington Stage Company.
Best Drama
Winner: "Waiting for Godot" By Samuel Beckett. Directed by Anders Cato. Sets by Lee Savage. An uneven but ambitious production of the most influential and challenging play of the 20th Century given a total makeover for the 21st Century. Berkshire Theatre Festival.
Second: "Noel Coward in Two Keys" Directed by Vivian Matalon. Again a flawed production with memorable moments particularly in the second of the two, one act plays. Berkshire Theatre Festival.
Worst: "Three Sisters" By Anton Chekhov. Directed by Michael Greif. Sets by Allen Moyer. Just about everything was wrong with this production particularly the ersatz modernist sets by Allen Moyer which failed to evoke late 19th century Russia. Good grief. Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Best One Person (or Two) Show
This was a rich category. Barrington Stage mounted two: "Trumbo" and "I Am My Own Wife" both during the Shoulder season. Willamstown offered "The Atheist" and Berkshire Theatre Festival is currently staging "Eleanor."
Winner: "I Am My Own Wife" by Dough Wright. Starring Vince Gatton as Charlotte von Mahlsdorf. This magnificent performance inspired three reviews from our BFA staff. Astrid Hiemer wrote with the insights of one who grew up in the Post War Germany which is a focus of the play. Barrington Stage Company.
Second: "The Atheist" by Ronan Noone, Starring Campbell Scott as the anti hero and non believer, amoral, journalist Augustine Early. This was a spellbinding performance. Williamstown Theatre Festival.
So So: "Eleanor Her Secret Journey" by Rhoda Lerman starring Elizabeth Norment. A plucky performance by Norment in a play that is fast and loose with the facts stridently striving to make a social and political point. "Eleanor" is all the more relevant in the Post Hillary era of Sarah Palin. Berkshire Theatre Festival.
Worst: "Trumbo" by Christopher Trumbo. With Brian Hutchinson in a supporting role as Christopher Trumbo and Thom Christopher as Trumbo. It was difficult to stay awake during a soporific evening of theatre. Barrington Stage Company.
Best New Play
The Nikos Stage of the Willimstown Theatre Festival focused on new work with great success. "The Atheist" was imported from the Huntington and "Not Waving" had previously been staged as a festival reading. There were world premieres for "Broke- ology" and 'The Understudy." This was a highly competitive category.
Winner: "Broke-ology" by Nathan Louis Jackson. This was a last minute substitution when another new play, also by an African American playwright, was cancelled. It proved to be a thoroughly absorbing story about a family making tough decisions in the face of illness. WTF.
Second: "The Atheist" by Ronan Noone. Riveting. WTF
So So: "The Understudy" by Theresa Rebeck. A superb production with great sets and a terrific cast. But needs some rewrite on its inevitable way to Off Broadway.
Worst: "Not Waving" by Ellen Melaver. There wasn't much to prevent this play from just washing out to sea. WTF
Best Actor
Winner: John Douglas Thompson was just superb as "Othello" at Shakespeare & Company.
Second: Wendell Pierce in "Broke-ology" a heart wrenching performance.
Best Actress:
Winner: Kristen Johnson was a last minute substitution as Roxanne in "The Understudy." The play came alive every minute she was on stage.
Second: Gretchen Egloff had that je ne sais quois panache and duende as the glamorous and flirty Amanda in the Noel Coward play "Private Lives" at Barrington Stage Company.
Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Randy Harrison reinvented the demanding role of Lucky in "Waiting for Godot" at Berkshire Theatre Festival.
Second: Brooks Ashmanskas was actually brilliant in two comic roles "She Loves Me" and "Flea in Her Ear" both at Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Best Supporting Actress:
Winner: Kate Burton was something to like about the forgettable "Beyond Therapy" at Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Second: Elisabeth Aspenlieder as Suzanne Aubin in "Ladies Man" at Shakespeare & Company. She has a deft comic touch. Aspenlieder is scheduled for a Theresa Rebeck one woman play "Bad Dates" in January. It is something to anticipate.
Best Director
Winner: Nicholas Martin for "She Loves Me." As frothy as a glass of champagne at Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Second: Anders Cato there was guts and glory in his risky production of "Waiting for Godot" at Berkshire Theatre Festival.
Best Set Design:
Winner: James Noone for "She Loves Me" the complex and beautiful sets were worthy of a Broadway production. Huntington Theatre Company and Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Second: A tie between Alexander Dodge for "The Understudy" for Willimstown Theatre Festival and a daring interpretation of Beckett by Lee Savage for Berkshire Theatre Festivals' "Waiting for Godot."
Worst: Yoshi Tanokura for "Othello." What set? Shakespeare & Company.
MVP
Winner: Nicholas Martin for getting a distinguished company back on track. He also did so with grace, humor and style. We look forward to his coming season at Williamstown Theatre Festival.