GREAT BARRINGTON PUBLIC THEATER INC

GREAT BARRINGTON PUBLIC THEATER OFFERED THREE FULL PRODUCTIONS IN SUMMER 2023, ALL OF WHICH WERE AMERICAN OR WORLD PREMIERES. FOR 2023, WE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PERFORMANCES FROM TEN TO FIFTEEN FOR ALL THREE PRODUCTIONS IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWING DEMAND FOR TICKETS FROM OUR AUDIENCE.THE SEASON BEGAN WITH THE AMERICAN PREMIER OF THE STONES BY KIT BROOKMAN DIRECTED BY MICHELE JOYNER. THE PLAY RAN FROM JUNE 15 - 25 IN THE BLACK BOX THEATER OF THE DANIEL ARTS CENTER AT BARD COLLEGE AT SIMON'S ROCK. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS OF TWO NEW ENSEMBLE PLAYS IN THE MCCONNELL THEATER: THE WORLD PREMIERE OF OFF PEAK BY BOSTON PLAYWRIGHT BRENDA WITHERS, DIRECTED BY JAMES WARWICK FEATURING TWO OF THE BERKSHIRES MOST RESPECTED ACTORS PEGGY PHARR WILSON AND KEVIN O'ROURKE; FOLLOWED BY JUST ANOTHER DAY BY PLAYWRIGHT/ACTOR DAN LAURIA DIRECTED BY MARK ST GERMAIN.2023 ALSO SAW THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF BERKSHIRE VOICES, GBPT'S PLAYWRIGHT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. EACH YEAR, 15-20 BERKSHIRE VOICES PLAYWRIGHTS MEET TO EXPLORE NEW WORK AND OFFER CONSTRUCTIVE INSIGHTS. PUBLIC READINGS BY BERKSHIRE VOICES PLAYWRIGHTS INCLUDED DESPERATE LOVE BY RICHARD REISS, MADAME MOZART: THE LACHRYMOSA BY ANNE UNDELAND, AND IODINE BY MICHELE JOYNER. IN ADDITION, WE ADDED A NEW ELEMENT TO THE PROGRAM WITH THE COLLABORATIVE SKILLS LABS WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER PLAYWRIGHTS, DIRECTORS AND ACTORS TO GIVE NEW PLAYWRIGHTS A GLIMPSE OF THE REHEARSAL PROCESS.GBPT ALSO PRODUCED OUR FIRST FUNDRAISING BENEFIT EVENT WHICH WAS HELD AT ST JAMES PLACE IN JUNE. THE EVENING INCLUDED A "SNEAK PEEK" OF THE UPCOMING SHOWS FOR THE SEASON AND A PREVIEW OF A COUPLE OF SHOWS IN DEVELOPMENT. THE EVENT WAS ATTENDED BY CLOSE TO 140 OF OUR PATRONS AND RAISED OVER $26,000 AFTER EXPENSES.GBPT IS LED BY JIM FRANGIONE AND TRISTAN WILSON, BOTH OF WHOM EACH HAVE OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PROFESSIONAL THEATER AND THE PERFORMING ARTS RANGING FROM BROADWAY AND OFF-BROADWAY TO TV, OPERA, DANCE AND CONCERT PRODUCTIONS. DURING THE SUMMER SEASON WE EMPLOY MANY LOCAL ACTORS, DESIGNERS, TECHNICIANS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TO ASSIST IN THE PRODUCTION OF OUR PLAYS.GBPT'S MISSION IS TO PRODUCE NEW PLAYS; SUPPORT AND DEVELOP LOCAL PLAYWRIGHTS AND THEATER ARTISTS; AND OFFER ALL OF OUR PROGRAMMING AT A PRICE THAT IS AFFORDABLE TO EVERYONE.