Berkshire Theatre Festival
berkshire theatre festival one oldest professional performing art venue berkshire celebrating year theatre main building berkshire theatre festival originally stockbridge casino designed stanford white built one point center social life stockbridge fallen disuse mabel choate daughter one casino founder purchased property wasnt interested casino moved mission house property three prominent stockbridge resident sculptor daniel chester french businessman artist walter leighton clark dr austen fox riggs formed committee called three art society save casino choate sold building condition relocated french clark riggs agreed structure dismantled moved current location extensive renovation newly christened berkshire playhouse opened june production cradle song eva le gallienne actor starred production berkshire playhouse include james cagney lionel barrymore lillian gish katharine hepburn buster keaton notable producing director included billy mile joan white robert paine grose george tabori arthur penn josephine abady julianne boyd bill gibson richard dunlap arthur storch three art society dissolved berkshire playhouse incorporated nonprofit organization berkshire theatre festival berkshire theatre festival purchased beaupré performing art center property stockbridge renaming lavan center performing art site used dormitory classroom performance space organization apprentice intern formal season play offered unicorn theatre meet growing popularity festival prior unicorn use year house various offering course season including slate cabaret workshop production unicorn theatre completely replaced new facility prior summer season inaugural production new space lplay beth henley berkshire theatre festival merged colonial theatre pittsfield form berkshire theatre group berkshire playhouse facility added national register historic place past year berkshire theatre festival produced fully staged production eclectic mix revival classic premiere embracing fully role true theatrical “festival” actor worked btf performance including notable actor emmy oscar tonys many playwright btf pulitzer nobel prize buster keaton ethel barrymore thornton wilder calista flockhart christopher walken rain maker al pacino tiger wear necktie dustin hoffman fragment gene hackman fragment karen allen linda hamilton jeffrey donovan toy attic randy harrison equus amadeus one flew cuckoo nest mr warren profession waiting godot ghost endgame who tommy kate baldwin little night music constitution mean christine lahti world premiere smile berkshire theatre festival berkshire county culture park service page video