2014 MADE IN THE BERKSHIRES FESTIVAL Kicks Off Today

Berkshire Theatre Group is pleased to announce that Made in the Berkshires 2014 will be held on Columbus Day Weekend: October 10, 11 and 12 at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA and the Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, MA celebrating the fourth year of this wonderful festival of local art and artists.

The Opening Night celebration kicks off on October 10th at 6pm in the Colonial Theatre lobby with a cocktail hour and visual art show curated by Suky Werman. The opening night program begins at 7:30pm on stage at The Colonial Theatre. Highlights include a film rave by Joe Wheaton, a scene from Diary of a Fashionista; Styled by Destiny, 25 local young dancers from Youth Alive in a performance combining rap and fashion trends and hip hop; 13 year old jazz musician, Nico Wohl; Pas de Deux from Carmina Burana presented by Stockbridge-based dancer Ruslan Sprague; Paul Celebi, classical pianist from Berkshire Music School; Berkshire County's blues rocker Albert Cummings in a music video shot at The Colonial Theatre by Dave Simonds; scenes from Emmy Award-winning writer Lee Kalcheim's new play Speed Dating. The Opening Night Celebration is followed by a "Taste of the Berkshires" reception in The Colonial lobby featuring Berkshire farm to table produce and locally crafted foods with music from DJ RothFitz.

On Saturday, October 11, The Unicorn Theatre, will feature two performance blocks; Lee Kalcheim's new full length play Speed Dating and a Shorts program, a celebration of literary works, from Albert Stern, Maggie Howard, Jane Denitz Smith, Jane Ryan, Andrew Joffe, Dina Nota, Carole Owen, Joel Kalodner and Lisa Avery.

On Saturday evening Made in the Berkshires is thrilled to present Berkshire Dance Theatre, Berkshire Pulse, Dawn Lane and The Moving Company and the choreography of Ruslan Sprague in a "dance extravaganza" on the Colonial stage. "Diary of a Fashionista; Styled by Destiny featuring Destiny Saunders, Jerome Edgerton, Jernee Edgerton and Youth Alive take over the Garage at the Colonial in a "rip the runway" fashion spectacular!

Made in the Berkshires in partnership with The Red Lion Inn will hold a "Meet the Artist" reception on Sunday, October 12 from 4 pm to 6 pm in the side parlor of The Red Lion Inn. Local artists, with Sarah Eustis curating, will be on hand to discuss their creative process and showcase their work.

On Sunday evening at 7:30pm, October 12 l Music Inn and Berkshire Theatre Group Present: Jay and The Americans a part of Made in the Berkshires and a benefit for Music Inn Archives at The Colonial Theatre. Known for their hits "Cara Mia," "This Magic Moment," "Crying," and "Sunday and Me," Jay and The Americans were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002, placing them among the greatest vocal groups in rock and roll history. Jay and the Americans' ties to the Berkshires stretch back to the legendary Music Inn in Lenox where they were presented by impresario David Rothstein.

Before the Jay and the Americans concert on Sunday, October12 at 4pm, The Music Inn Revival will have a special reunion at 4pm in the Colonial Lobby with guest performance by local creative artist Heather Fisch.

Tickets for Made in the Berkshires 2014 are on sale now.

TICKETS FOR THE FESTIVAL: All-Access MITB 2014 Pass (includes 15% off Jay and the Americans): $50

Friday, October 10
6pm Berkshire Visual Artists Curated by Suky Werman in The Colonial Theatre lobby (cash bar)

7:30 pm Opening Night Celebration Program and Taste of the Berkshires reception at The Colonial Theatre: $35

Saturday October 11
1pm Full length play Speed Dating The Unicorn Theatre: $10
3:30pm "The Shorts" Literary program The Unicorn Theatre: $10
7pm Dance Block The Colonial Theatre: $15
9:30pm Diary of a Fashionista Styled by Destiny Garage at The Colonial Theatre: $5

Sunday October 12
7:30pm Concert: Jay and the Americans The Colonial Theatre: A: $65 B: $50 C: $35

Contact the Colonial Ticket Office, located at 111 South Street, Pittsfield by calling 413-997-4444. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.berkshiretheatregroup.org. Ticket Offices are open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-2pm or on any performance day from 10am until curtain. All plays, presentations, schedules, casting and prices are subject to change.

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FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Friday, October 10 at The Colonial Theatre
Opening Night Celebration

6:00 Berkshire Visual Art- Curated by Suky Werman
7:30 Opening Night Celebration begins on the Colonial Stage
Berkshire Rave film by Joe Wheaton
Solo jazz performance by Nico Wohl
Scene from Speed Dating by Lee Kalcheim
Piano Performance by Paul Celebi
Amazing Grace: Short film by Dave Simonds
Free Bird Flyin': Berkshire Pulse Solo Dance choreographed and danced by Ellen Gorman
Scene from Speed Dating by Lee Kalcheim
Pas de deux from Carmina Burana featuring Ruslan Sprague and Anna Acker
"Working Man Blues" Music Video by Dave Simonds featuring Albert Cummings
Finale Performance: Diary of a Fashionista Styled by Destiny; Featuring Destiny Saunders, Jerome Edgerton Jernee Edgerton and Youth Alive
Reception: A Taste of the Berkshires featuring farm to table produce and locally crafted foods. Dance party with music by DJ RothFitz

Saturday, October 11 at The Unicorn Theatre
1pm Staged Reading of Full Length Play, Speed Dating written and directed by Lee Kalcheim
3:30 pm Literary Shorts Program at The Unicorn Theatre
Short Stories: Who Am I, Road Kill, and Spring Offensive written and read by Maggie Howard
Short Play: Deidre's Bake Sale written and directed by Andrew Joffe
Short Story: Newfangled Jew written and read by Albert Stern
Short Story: Washington DC and The Sad Opera Singer written and read by Jane Ryan
Short Play: Mommy Detox written by Jane Denitz Smith directed by Karen Beaumont
Poetry written and read by Joel Kalodner
Short Story: Fun Night, 1988 written and read by Dina Nota
Short Story: Bob Dylan and the Aurora Borealis written by Carole Owens, read by Lisa Avery

Saturday, October 11 at The Colonial Theatre
7pm Dance Extravaganza featuring:Berkshire Pulse, Berkshire Dance Theater, Ruslan Sprague and friends, Dawn Lane and the Moving Company

Saturday, October 11 in the Garage at The Colonial Theatre
9:30pm Diary of a Fashionista, Styled by Destiny

Sunday, October 12 at The Colonial Theatre
7:30 pm Jay and The Americans

Supporting Events, Sunday October 12
The Music Inn Revival Reunion
4-6pm in the Garage, at The Colonial Theatre

"Meet the Artist" Reception
4-6pm in the side parlor at The Red Lion Inn Curated by Sarah Eustis

For additional information about Made in the Berkshires, please visit our website at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org or visit www.MadeInTheBerkshires.org.

About Berkshire Theatre Group - The Colonial Theatre, founded in 1903, and Berkshire Theatre Festival, founded in 1928, are two of the oldest cultural organizations in the Berkshires. Having united in November of 2010 under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Kate Maguire, these two institutions are providing the Berkshires and beyond with the finest in live theatre, music, dance and the visual arts on five stages in Stockbridge, MA and Pittsfield, MA. The Fitzpatrick Main Stage (400 seats), cataloged by the National Register of Historic Places, was originally designed and built by Stanford White as the Stockbridge Casino in 1888. The intimate Unicorn Theatre (122 seats) is a home for emerging artists and new theatrical ideas. The Colonial in Pittsfield (780 seats) re-opened in August of 2006, following a $21 million restoration, and boasts pristine acoustics, classic gilded age architecture and state-of-the-art technical systems. BTG also performs at the outdoor Neil Ellenoff stage, located on the grounds of BTF in Stockbridge, and at The Garage, a music venue located in the lobby of The Colonial. BTG serves over 100,000 patrons per year and reaches over 17,000 students through its educational and outreach programs.

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