Berkshire Theatre Group Announces Updates to its 85th Summer Theatre Season

Berkshire Theatre Group and Artistic Director/CEO, Kate Maguire, are excited to announce three additions to its 85th summer season: the 8th Annual Children's Theatre Production, Peter Pan, at The Colonial Theatre, Just So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling, at The Neil Ellenoff Stage and a special writers workshop with Hunter Bell, of the Tony nominated show, [title of show].

Peter Pan will be Berkshire Theatre Group's 8th Annual Children's Theatre Production and the 3rd Children's Theatre Production to be produced at the Colonial. Due to the success of last year's production of Oliver!, which featured 219 children and adults from the local community, including students from 38 local schools, Peter Pan will be produced in August with double the amount of performances.

Peter Pan
lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden and Adolph Green
music by Mark Charlap and Jule Styne
a musical based on the play by James M. Barrie
directed by Travis G. Daly
music direction by Mark Gionfriddo

at The Colonial Theatre
Opens August 8 at 7pm; Closes August 18
Tickets: VIP: $30; Child VIP: $20; A: $25; Child A: $15

Join Peter, Wendy, John and Michael on an adventure to Never Land! This classic tale of pirates, fairies, mermaids and lost boys, filled with beloved songs such as "Never Never Land," "I Won't Grow Up," and "I'm Flying," will have audiences of all ages believing in magic. All you need is some happy thoughts and pixie dust and away you will fly to Never Land at The Colonial Theatre this summer!

Just So Stories will carry on the tradition of family friendly entertainment produced on the outdoor Neil Ellenoff Stage, which is now located on the Berkshire Theatre Festival campus grounds in Stockbridge. This production is adapted and directed by long time Berkshire Theatre Group company member, E. Gray Simons III and will feature members of the summer acting apprentice program.

Just So Stories
by Rudyard Kipling
adapted by E. Gray Simons III
directed by E. Gray Simons III

at The Neil Ellenoff Stage, now at BTG's Stockbridge Campus
July 18-August 10
Tickets: Adult: $15 Child: $10

How did the leopard get his spots? Why is the elephant's nose so long? Where did the armadillo come from? From the author of The Jungle Book comes Just So Stories, providing whimsical and witty answers to these questions and more, and offering a new perspective on nature's mysteries. Pack a snack, grab a blanket, gather the family and enjoy as these magical stories unfold against the backdrop of the beautiful Berkshire outdoors.

After the premiere of his newest show, FOUND, at The Colonial Theatre in the Fall of 2012, Hunter Bell returns to Berkshire Theatre Group to conduct a special writers workshop entitled DIE VAMPIRE, DIE. Bell will provide a glimpse into his own creative process while helping participants nurture their own ideas.

THE DIE VAMPIRE, DIE WORKSHOP, with Bookwriter Hunter Bell
The workshop will be held in the beautiful and spacious Berkshire Bank Boardroom located on the second floor of 1Berkshire's Central Station Building, 66 Allen St. Pittsfield, MA
Saturday, August 3
Fee: $300 which covers the workshop, a light dinner with Hunter Bell, the opening night performance of BTG's production of The Cat and the Canary, and the after show party.
Space is limited. Deadline for registration is July 16, 2013.

Led by Hunter Bell, co-creator and cast member of the Tony nominated original Broadway musical [title of show], this workshop (based on the song "Die Vampire, Die!" from the show's original score) gives a glimpse into [title of show]'s origins and creative process by inviting participants to identify and nurture their own original ideas through the writing process and into performance.

Hunter Bell earned an OBIE Award, a Drama League nomination, and a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical all for the original Broadway musical [title of show]. Other credits include the books for Silence! The Musical, Now. Here. This. (Vineyard Theatre) Bellobration! (Ringling Bros. Circus),Villains Tonight! (Disney Cruise Lines), Found (Berkshire Theatre Group) and Julie Andrews' The Great American Mousical (Goodspeed). He is a co-creator of the web series the [title of show] show and recently co-created and co-wrote the pilot Glass Houses for ABC Studios/Television and Cherry-Wind Productions. Hunter has developed new works at the O'Neill Center, Ars Nova, PS 122, Weston Playhouse, Manhattan Theatre Source, and the NYMF and NY Fringe Festivals. He is a distinguished alumnus of Webster University, a proud member of WGA, the Dramatists Guild, and a MacDowell Fellow.

Ticketing Information
Tickets may be purchased in person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street, Pittsfield or by calling (413) 997-4444 or online at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org. The Ticket Office is open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-2pm or on any performance day from 10am until curtain. All plays, schedules, casting and prices are subject to change.

For more information about Berkshire Theatre Group and our upcoming season, please visit our website at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org

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