This Month’s Featured Article

And so ends “the winter of our discontent.”

Perhaps, not entirely, but the blossoming of the cultural scene in the area as summer is upon us is cause for celebration – and for planning. The bountiful offerings about to explode in the area not only deserve a quick review, but also some very quick decisions. 

Some of these offerings are nearly sold out, so if the thought of a Paul Simon concert, becoming enthralled by the mastery of Yo-Yo Ma, or seeing Karen Allen on stage pique your interest, then consider yourselves duly warned. Act now!

We offer these previews not by date, but by venue for easier reference. In all cases the presenting venues have robust websites that ensure acquiring tickets can be done easily and safely. They also offer driving directions and links to nearby establishments eager to serve dinner or lunch with an eye to getting you to the performances on time.

So, in no specific order: 

Berkshire Theatre Group

The summer season has arrived on the stages of Berkshire Theatre Group, and once, again, creative director Kate Maguire has fashioned a schedule of productions not to be missed. The run for John & Jen continues at The Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, MA through June 7. It’s a “laugh out loud funny and quietly poignant” musical and a great way to begin the season. 

The regional premier of The American Five is next on the Unicorn’s boards, exploring critical moments in the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, Bayard Rustin, Stanley Levison, and Clarence B. Jones. From July 22 through August 23, the Stockbridge venue welcomes back local actor/director Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Ark) who joins Broadway veteran David Garrison, Rebecca Brooksher, and Shawn Fagan in the emotionally engaging Lovesong.

For those who long for big stage, big musical productions on The Colonial Theatre stage in Pittsfield, MA, the July 31 through August 23 presentation of The Legend of Georgia McBride will satisfy that longing with panache. Eric Hill returns to direct a musical that joyfully includes I Will Survive, Don’t Cry Out Loud, and Born This Way.

The 2026 season ends back on The Larry Vaber Stage at The Unicorn Theatre with Summer, 1976. As the country is immersed in the recognition of a 250th birthday, this tender TONY-nominated play by David Auburn looks back 50 years to focus on the inner lives of two women, connected during that bicentennial year.

Musicals at the Mac-Haydn

On the southern edge of the town of Chatham, NY, the Mac-Haydn Theater has happily sustained the reputation of bringing rousing musical theater to the summer season. Rest assured, the 2026 offerings uphold that reputation with panache.

The Addams Family launches the season with its strange but loveable cast on stage from June 11–21. The night after that closes, the theater holds its annual gala celebration.

With the presentation of 9 to 5 from June 25 to July 5, the season begins an almost break-neck run with dark nights between shows only as required to turn over the stage scenery and give the company a chance to rehearse in place before throwing the doors open for eager audiences.

The Secret Garden runs from July 9 to 19, followed by Newsies hawking newspapers and changing corporations from July 23 to August 9. 

Dancing slips into the run as Daddy Longlegs takes the stage for three nights – July 29–31. Musicals return in force as Beautiful: The Carole King Musical fills the theater with King’s classic hits. Feel free to sing along. The dates are August 13 to 23.

The season closes with the outrageously entertaining Hairspray on stage from August 27 to closing night, September 6.

Summer fare at Sharon Playhouse

Nestled in the northwest corner of Connecticut, the Sharon Playhouse has been bringing light fare to the area for decades. The season on the main stage this year is no exception. Three award-winning musicals make up the summer season.

Swingtime Canteen opens on June 19 and brings its collection of World War II classics set in wartime London through July 5. TONY Award-winning 42nd Street appears from July 25 through August 9, closely followed by the heart-warming story of hospitality and friendship in Come From Away, August 11–27.

The Playhouse presents a variety of children’s programs through the summer, and The Launchpad Company offer activities, training, and performances worth considering for the aspiring actors in the family. It’s worth scheduling a visit to get a glimpse of the emerging talent around us.

The Center for the Performing Arts

True to its charter as a magnet for the performing arts, The Center for the Performing Arts in Rhinebeck, NY offers engaging main stage performances as well as a robust educational program for both “Kids on Stage” and “Teens on Stage.”

Two main stage programs anchor the 2026 schedule, beginning with Laurence Olivier Award-winning Legally Blonde – The Musical on stage from June 5–28 and the Tony-winning Stephen Sondheim musical Company being presented from July 10–26.

Music Mountain and the Litchfield Jazz Festival: Music in the air

Music performances are always part of the regional offerings. We’ll cover Tanglewood below, but the offerings of such classic programs as Music Mountain in Falls Village, CT and the Litchfield Jazz Festival in Washington, CT, offer a bountiful selection of genres from which to choose.

Year after year, artistic sirector Oscar Espina Ruiz expands and amplifies the offerings at the Music Mountain concert hall. Classic string quartet programs on Sunday afternoons offered by internationally celebrated groups have long been a staple, and the addition of a jazz programming on Saturday evenings has attracted some local luminaries as well as Grammy award-winning performers over the last several years.

On the classical side, the season begins with Benjamin Hochman and Friends from the Metropolitan Opera in a benefit concert on June 7. A quick visit to the Music Mountain website will provide the rest of the Sunday season, which includes returning favorites, the widely anticipated annual appearance of Espin Ruiz playing clarinet, and the season-ending appearance of the Julliard String Quartet. Of special note is the June 14 appearance of Simone Dinnerstein and her supremely talented group “Baroklyn” playing a program that spans centuries from Bach to Philip Glass.

The Saturday programs venture into new, refreshing territory when the Paul Winter Consort appears on July 4 at 7pm, a performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado charms the audience on August 8, and in what should be an amazing evening, Donald Sosin and Joanna Seaton will perform a live score to the presentation of Buster Keaton’s silent classic, The General.

Stepping back a few weeks, the fabulous Bob Parker’s Jive By Five will take the stage on July 25 featuring local celebrities Wanda Houston and trombonist Peter McEachern in appearance.

This year’s Litchfield Jazz Festival runs from July 24 to 26 on the campus of the Frederick Gunn School in Washington, CT. Celebrating 40 years of both performance and education – the jazz camp is a great incubator of young, aspiring talent, the festival attracts musicians from around the world to offer a striking array of concerts.

The Play’s the Thing – Shakespeare & Company 

In his 10th season as artistic director, Allyn Burrows, joined by a brilliant core group of returning actors and directors, continues to offer a dazzling assortment of plays and … call them “experiences” …that range from premieres to Shakespearean classics to song, Shakespeare, and dance reviews.

The Lenox-based season begins with Fireflies from June 19 to July 19. The annual gala pops in for one afternoon and evening on June 26 with cocktails, performances, dinner, and dancing on offer, all benefitting the company’s richly diverse educational and performance program offerings.

A wonderful addition to the campus has been the outdoor theater, considered one of the 10 best outdoor venues in the country. Twelfth Night takes the stage on July 4 and runs through July 26. 

And, if the light side of the Bard appeals, the review Circus and the Bard will amaze and amuse from July 16–26. An intimate contemporary piece, Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune will captivate the audience from July 30 to August 23. 

Music and unbridled energy combine in Shake It Up – the Remix, which invites the audience to dance in the aisles from July 31 to August 3. Then, there’s Hamlet. The play’s the thing. The classic conflict of the prince of Denmark returns to Lenox August 13–30, followed by another, more contemporary play of deep emotions: The Norwegians closes out the summer season, appearing from September 4 to October 4.

Artistry, access, and acrobatics at Jacob’s Pillow

After a 2025 season was cut short by a tragic workplace accident, Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA has returned with a full schedule of performances on two indoor stages and the outdoor stage that overlooks the Berkshire Hills. In addition to performances by internationally recognized dance ensembles, classes, “Pillow Talk” lectures, family classes, and a West African and spiritual well being class offer totally immersive experiences throughout the summer.

Beginning June 24 with the triumphant return of the Paul Taylor Dance Company  and continuing through visits by the Urban Bush Women; Australia’s Circa Contemporary Circus; the San Francisco Ballet; America’s oldest dance company, Martha Graham Dance Company; and concluding with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago at the end of August, the Ted Shawn Theatre will celebrate world-class performances all summer.

The newly reconstructed Doris Duke Theatre will present notable solo artists, and the Henry J. Leir outdoor stage will present family-friendly, very modestly priced programs. The Pillow is back, grander than ever, with a comprehensive summer program that invites audiences to drive the “Jacob’s Ladder” road up the hill to be welcomed, entertained and enriched. 

And, the sheer, overwhelming magic and majesty of Tanglewood

The crown jewel of Western Massachusetts has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops for generations. From its inception in 1936 with visiting members of the New York Philharmonic to the juggernaut that brought Serge Koussevitsky and the BSO to a giant tent on the grounds of Tanglewood in Lenox, MA, the series has grown to attract well over 350,000 music lovers each summer. And, with good reason.

A careful stroll through the BSO Tanglewood website offers the opportunity to witness performances by both of the Boston musical giant companies with guest appearances by no less than Yo-Yo Ma and Joshua Bell. Whether the choice is evening tickets or sunning with a picnic lunch during open rehearsals, the musical experience at Tanglewood is unparalleled.

The program elements that have grown, exponentially, over recent years are the concerts by the Popular Artists Series performers, whose body of work can not only fill the expansive “shed,” but also in many cases, fill it two nights running. Rather than violins, cellos, and tympani, these performances feature guitar, bass, and drums. Comedian and social commentator Jon Stewart gets the series going on June 20 followed by a veritable tsunami of talent that stretches through the summer.

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra under the direction of Wynton Marsalis appears on June 26, followed by two nights with Paul Simon – June 27 and 28. July begins with the now-traditional two-night appearance of James Taylor on the third and fourth. In an homage to contemporary music and humor, Weird Al Yankovic takes the stage on July 21.

After a three-week interlude of classical performances, Hugh Jackman commands the stage on August 11, followed by Brandi Carlile July 18, Cynthia Erivo July 21, Carrie Underwood July 29, and Judy Collins, who first appeared on this stage in 1968 on her farewell tour with Mary Chapin Carpenter and Roseanne Cash, on July 30. Into fall, the Tedeschi Trucks Band appears September 2, followed three days later by the Alabama Shakes with Mavis Staples. A final “pop” concert will present John Fogarty and Steve Winwood on September 6.

Exhausted? That’s quite understandable. The sheer number of plays, musicals, dance performances, and concerts available requires a discipline to choose wisely, plan accordingly, and get ready for a summer of creative delights – enjoy! •