Craig, Bohon, Etc. Set for BSC's Summer '07 Season

Bernstein, Laurents and Sondheim, Shaffer and Chekhov headline Barrington Stage Company's 2007 summer MainStage season: West Side Story (June 13 - July 14), Black Comedy (July 19 - August 4) and Uncle Vanya (August 9 - 26) will be presented in the company's fully renovated theatre at 30 Union Street in Pittsfield. 
 
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, Barrington Stage Company has now completed a top-to-bottom renovation of its 520-seat theatre on Union Street in downtown Pittsfield with the reopening of its new mezzanine. The addition of 220 mezzanine seats now makes it possible for BSC to serve a wider audience and to offer special ticket pricing for children, young adults, seniors and local residents. 

West Side Story will run from June 13th through July 14th; opening night is June 17th.  Based on the conception of Jerome Robbins, the musical has a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.  The entire original production was directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins.  BSC's production will be choreographed by Joshua Bergasse, directed by Julianne Boyd and featuring music direction by Darren R. Cohen.

The cast will comprise: Julie Craig (Luisa in The Fantasticks) as Maria, Chris Peluso (Lestat and Assassins) as Tony, Jacqueline Colmer as Anita, Freddy Ramirez as Bernardo, Justin Bohon (Oklahoma! and Les Miserables) as Riff, Beth Crandall as Anybodys, Gordon Stanley (Ragtime and Beauty and the Beast and KBSC's Follies, Mame, etc ) as Doc, Dale Radunz as Lt Schrank, and Xavier Cano, Nicky Cooper, Billy Fagen, Matt Gibson, Melinda Hall, Spencer Howard, Joey Calveri, Jamie Markovich, Michael McGurk, Michael Mindlin, Kristin Piro, John Raterman, Rebecca Riker, Manuel Santos, Kiira Schmidt and Vanessa Van Vrancken. The creative team will comprise: Luke Cantarella (scenery), Anne Kennedy (costumes), Scott Pinkney (lighting), and Randy Hansen (sound).
  
Peter Shaffer's Black Comedy, directed by Lou Jacob, will run from July 19th through August 4th.
 
The cast will comprise: Brian Avers (Lieutenant of Inishmore) as Brindsley Miller, Audra Blaser (Public Theater's The Ruby Sunrise) as Carol Melkett, Beth Dixon (Roundabout's Major Barbara) as Miss Furnival, Gerry Bamman (BSC's Black Sheep) as Colonel Melkett, Mark H. Dold (Tall Grass, BSC's Cyrano, Earnest and Ring Round the Moon) as Harold Gorringe, Gordon Stanley as Schuppanzigh, Ginifer King (recent B'way revival of Gypsy, BSC's Ring Round the Moon and Mame) as Clea. The creative team will consist of: Karl Eigsti (scenery), Ilona Smogyi (costumes), and Scott Pinkney (lighting).

Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya will be performed from August 9th through August 26th.  Boyd will direct the play, which will be performed in a translation by Paul Schmidt.
 
The cast will comprise: Jack Gilpin (The Elephant Man, Beyond Therapy) as Vanya, Keira Naughton (BSC's Wonder of the World) as Sonya, Heidi Armbruster (Tea and Sympathy) as Yelena, Mark Montgomery (Mamma Mia!) as Astrov, Patricia Conolly (The Coast of Utopia) as Marina, Kenneth Tigar (Translations) as the Professor, and Robert Zukerman (BSC's Thief River, Earnest, Collyer Brothers and Ring Round the Moon) as Telegin. The creative team will be: Karl Eigsti (scenery), Elizabeth Flauto (costumes) and Scott Pinkney (lighting)
  
"Barrington Stage Company, a professional award-winning Equity theatre, located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA, was co-founded in 1995 by artistic director Julianne Boyd.  BSC's mission is three-fold: to present top-notch, compelling work; to develop new plays and musicals; and to find fresh, bold ways to bringing new audiences into the theatre.  BSC garnered national attention with William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin's Tony Award-winning musical hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which began as a workshop at BSC in February, 2004, was produced in its world premiere to critical acclaim that summer season, prior to taking New York by storm at Second Stage Theatre and later transferring to Broadway's Circle-in-the-Square Theatre where it is currently running," state press notes.

For more information, contact the BSC Box Office at 413-236-8888 or log on to www.barringtonstageco.org.

Photo - Julie Craig