BASIC Berkshires

Tinker Tots
2026-11-17 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-11-10 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-11-03 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-10-27 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-10-20 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-10-13 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-10-06 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-09-29 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) and 12 more dates | Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA, 012201
Come tinker and explore with the library and Pittsfield’s CFCE!
Each week children ages 0-2 (siblings welcome) and their caregivers engage in child-centered play, art, music, storytime, and sensory activities to encourage social, fine and gross motor, and pre-literacy skills.
¡Venga a jugar y explorar con la biblioteca y el CFCE de Pittsfield! Cada semana, los niños y sus cuidadores participan en juegos, arte, música, lectura de cuentos y actividades sensoriales centradas en los niños.
Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult 18+ at all times.
For more information call the Children’s Library: 413-499-9480, ext. 5.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum.
Attendance at library programs constitutes consent to be photographed; photos may be used in print or electronic publicity for the Berkshire Athenaeum.

Shakespeare & Company Presents: The Norwegians by C. Denby Swanson, Directed by James Warwick
2026-09-04 19:00 - 2026-10-04 21:00 | Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA, 01240
September 4-October 4th at 2 pm and 7 pm at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Set in a Minnesota bar where heartbreak is served alongside beer, The Norwegians is a sharp, surprising dark comedy about love gone wrong—and the lengths we go to set things right. Betty and Olive, two women reeling from romantic betrayal, hatch an unlikely plan: hiring a pair of Norwegian hitmen to deal with the men who wronged them.
Enter Tor and Gus, professional killers who turn out to be unfailingly polite, disarmingly gentle, and almost aggressively nice. As the women’s simmering rage collides with the hitmen’s courteous manners, the play finds humor in the contrast between Midwestern civility and the brutal business at hand.
With witty dialogue and a clever premise, The Norwegians explores the culture of America’s “flyover country,” where kindness runs deep—even in the most unexpected professions. At once dark, funny, and oddly tender, the play examines love, revenge, and cultural identity, reminding us that people are rarely what we expect and that even the politest among us may be capable of surprising extremes.
Tickets are $30-$88 and on sale now at shakespeare.org, or by calling the Box Office at 413.637.3353

Shakespeare & Company Presents: Midsummer Dreamers, Created by Kirsten Peacock and Nick Nudler
2026-09-01 19:00 - 2026-09-03 21:00 | Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA, 01240
Shakespeare & Company Presents: Midsummer Dreamers, Created by Kirsten Peacock and Nick Nudler of Cosmic Mirth

September 1-3 at 7 pm at the Tina Packer Playhouse

Two lovers fall asleep angry—and wake inside a rare vision, challenging them to confront each other and themselves.
Blending the poetry of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with physical theater, aerial performance, and rambunctious comedy, Midsummer Dreamers reimagines Shakespeare’s classic as a surreal, seductive journey through a couple’s subconscious. Performed by just two actors, this 90-minute whirlwind explores love, resentment, reconciliation, and the mysterious forces that shape our inner worlds.
Tickets are $35 for Adults; $22 for Ages 13-22; $15 for Ages 3-12, and on sale now at shakespeare.org, or by calling the Box Office at 413.637.3353

Content Advisory: This production includes strobe lights, suggestive content, and brief staged violence.

Shakespeare & Company Presents: Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Directed by Ariel Bock
2026-08-13 19:00 - 2026-08-30 22:00 | Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA, 01240
Shakespeare & Company Presents: Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Directed by Ariel Bock

August 13-30 at 2 pm and 7 pm at the Tina Packer Playhouse

Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most searching play—a gripping story of grief, conscience, and the cost of action. Haunted by his father’s ghost, a young prince must navigate a world of secrets, power, and betrayal, where nothing is as it appears. By turns thrilling, darkly funny, and deeply human, this August production brings Shakespeare’s language to life with clarity, physicality, and immediacy.

Tickets are $40-$99 and on sale now shakespeare.org, or by calling the Box Office at 413.637.3353
Free Youth Tickets are sponsored by the Harvey and Virginia Kimmel Family Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation. Learn more at shakespeare.org.

Shakespeare & Company Presents - Shake It Up: The Remix
2026-07-31 19:00 - 2026-08-03 21:00 | Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA, 01240
A blend of modern music and Shakespearean verse. Co-created by Allyn Burrows and Jacob Ming-Trent, Directed by Allyn Burrows

July 29-August 2 at 3:30 pm, 6 pm, and 7 pm at the Tina Packer Playhouse

The hit that had audiences on their feet returns—revved up and remixed. The Tina Packer Playhouse transforms once more into the Elephant Lounge for Shake It Up: The Remix, an exuberant mash-up of modern music and Shakespearean verse. Audiences are invited to clap, sing, stomp, and dance in the aisles as the players unleash a breathless, rocking revue

Tickets are $25-$78 and are on sale now at shakespeare.org, or by calling the box office at (413) 637-3353

Shakespeare & Company Presents: Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
2026-07-30 14:00 - 2026-08-23 21:00 | Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA, 01240
Shakespeare & Company Presents: Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune

By Terrence McNally, Directed by Nicole Ricciardi

July 30-August 23 at 2 pm and 7 pm at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Set over the course of a single late night in a small Hell’s Kitchen apartment, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune is a tender, funny, and deeply human play about two people standing at the edge of connection. Frankie, a guarded waitress, and Johnny, an earnest short-order cook, work together at a Manhattan diner. After their first date, they find themselves in bed—and talking through the night.
What unfolds is an intimate conversation filled with humor, vulnerability, and longing. Johnny, a hopeful romantic, believes he may have found something rare and real. Frankie, shaped by past disappointments, keeps her defenses firmly in place. As they circle each other—sometimes clashing, sometimes connecting—the play reveals the quiet courage it takes to risk love after life has left its marks.
Accompanied by the soft glow of Debussy’s “Clair de lune,” playing on the radio at Johnny’s request, McNally’s play blends gritty realism with gentle romance. Both funny and achingly honest, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune explores loneliness, resilience, and the possibility that even late in the night—and later in life—love may still be waiting.
Tickets are $40-$99 and are on sale now at shakespeare.org, or by calling the Box Office at (413) 637-3353
Content Advisory: Frankie & Johnny takes an honest, often funny look at two adults on the late-night hours of a first date. Please be advised that the production includes moments of sexual intimacy and brief nudity.

Ron Ramsay’s Berkshire Music Salon Series at NRM
2026-07-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Glendale Road Route 183, Stockbridge, MA, 01262, United States
Planned in conjunction with Norman Rockwell’s Museum’s American Stories: Revolution to Rockwell, this three-part musical salon series will explore how artists and songwriters have shaped the American imagination over the last 250 years. Featuring acclaimed Berkshire performers Ron Ramsay and Samantha Talora, each thematic salon blends storytelling, history and a wide range of musical genres including patriotic songs, jazz standards, pop classics, and Broadway favorites.
Terrace seating (weather permitting)
July 16: Inventing America: From Revolution to Rockwell
August 20: American Mirror: Rockwell and the Moral Imagination
September 3: Visions of a Nation: Who Gets to be America?

Shakespeare & Company and Spirit of the Circus Presents: Circus & The Bard: The Next Chapter.
2026-07-16 11:30 - 2026-07-26 17:00 | Tina Packer Playhouse, 70 Kemble St., Lenox, 01240
Circus & the Bard: The Next Chapter bounces back July 16–26 at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm at the Tina Packer Playhouse!

Co-created by Allyn Burrows, Robin Eldridge, and Pedro Reis, Co-directed by Allyn Burrows and Pedro Reis

Shakespeare & Company and Spirit of the Circus reunite for a playful mash-up of jaw-dropping circus acts paired with Shakespeare’s beloved characters. When high-flying feats meet the Bard’s words, sparks fly, laughs abound, and something truly magical happens.

Tickets are $35 for adults, $22 for ages 13-22, and $15 for ages 3-12. Tickets are on sale now at shakespeare.org, or by calling the Box Office at (413) 637-3353

Join us on Wednesday, July 22, and Thursday, July 23, for relaxed, sensory-friendly performances.
What is a Sensory-Friendly Performance?
Sensory-friendly performances are adapted to be less overwhelming and to welcome individuals with a range of sensory needs, including people who are neurodivergent; those with cognitive, social, or physical challenges; first-time theatergoers, and others. These performances offer pre-show materials such as story synopses and “what to expect” guides, along with reduced-intensity lighting and sound, dimmed house lights, and clear theater maps. Performances are relaxed; audience members are free to come and go, and total quiet is not expected. These shows are open to all patrons.

Tab Benoit
2026-07-12 20:00 - 21:30 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Join us for an exhilarating evening as the legendary multi-Grammy nominee and wetlands activist Tab Benoit brings his high-energy Soul of the Swamp Tour 2026 to stages across America. Known for his passionate performances and deep-rooted connection to the swamp, Tab Benoit is a true master of his craft, boasting over 20 releases that showcase his unique artistry.
With iconic radio hits like “Nice and Warm” and “Cross the Line” from his 90s recordings, critics have often described Benoit’s voice as “Otis Redding-ish,” while his guitar playing is celebrated for its originality and distinctive style. In 2024, he made a triumphant return with his first recording in 13 years, “I Hear Thunder,” signaling that his best work is yet to come.
On the Soul of the Swamp Tour, Tab will take you on a musical journey, performing songs from his vast catalog and digging deep into the rich tones and storytelling lyrics that have made him an admired figure in the music world. True to his authentic style, Tab performs without effects—just a guitar, a cord, and an amp—allowing the magic of his music to shine through his hands , fingers, and his band.

Indigo Comedy Night with Cathy Ladman
2026-07-11 18:00 - 22:00 | Indigo Room, 20 Castle Street, Great Barrington, 01230
Performances will take place at 6pm and 8:30pm.
Cathy Ladman’s relatable stand-up presents herself as the self-probing, anxiety-venting person that she is. She has appeared on “The Tonight Show” ten times and had her own “Dry Bar” special in 2024. She’s been on “The Late Late Show” five times, has had her own HBO “One Night Stand” comedy special, and was awarded the American Comedy Award for Best Female Stand Up Comic. Her TV and film credits include: recurring roles on, “I’m Dying Up Here” and “Pretty Little Liars,” “Modern Family,” “Scandal,” “How to Get Away With Murder,” “NCIS: LA, Mad Men,” “Brothers and Sisters,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Caroline in the City”(recurring), “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Politically Incorrect,” “Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist,” “Charlie Wilson’s War,” “The Aristocrats,” “White Oleander,” “What Planet Are You From?,” “My Fellow Americans,” and “Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead.” Her solo show, “Does This Show Make Me Look Fat?” opened this past year.

Shakespeare & Company Presents: Twelfth Night
2026-07-04 19:00 - 2026-07-26 21:00 | Arthur S. Waldstein Amphitheatre, 70 Kemble St. Lenox, MA 01240, Lenox, MA, 01240, United States
Shakespeare & Company Presents: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, Directed by Kate Kohler Amory

July 4-July 26 at 7 pm at the Arthur S. Waldstein Amphitheatre

Shipwrecks, disguises, and mistaken identities spark the joyful chaos of Twelfth Night, Shakespeare’s most playful romantic comedy. Love runs amok, wit flies, and nothing is quite what it seems in this sun-soaked tale of music and mischief. Performed outdoors July 4–26 at one of Newsweek’s Top 10 Outdoor Theater Venues in the U.S., this summer production invites audiences to relax, laugh, and revel in Shakespeare under the open sky.
Tickets are $40-$99 and on sale now at shakespeare.org, or by calling the Box Office at (413) 637-3353
