Chesterwood presents ‘Artistic INSTINCT vs Artistic INTENT,‘ a presentation with Artist-in-Residence Heidi Wastweet
Stockbridge— On Friday, June 27th at 3 p.m., Chesterwood presents “Artistic INSTINCT vs Artistic INTENT,” a presentation with Artist-in-Residence Heidi Wastweet.
Join Chesterwood’s National Sculpture Society Artist-in-Residence, medalist, and relief sculptor, Heidi Wastweet for a presentation on her research into how instincts and intentions function in compositing visual arts. Drawing examples from her own work as well as her observations of Daniel Chester French, she will demonstrate harmonious geometry hidden in select pieces.
The presentation is on Friday, June 27th at 3 p.m. at Chesterwood, located at 4 Williamsville Road in Stockbridge. It will follow an open studio from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., during which you can try carving plaster. Reservations can be made by emailing rsvp@chesterwood.org. More information can be found online.
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Jacob’s Pillow opens 2025 season with the U.S. Debut and Premiere of Prehistoric Body Theater, an experimental dance theater collective from Indonesia
Becket— On June 25th and 26th, Jacob’s Pillow opens their 2025 season with the U.S. Debut and Premiere of Prehistoric Body Theater, an experimental dance theater collective from Indonesia.
Prehistoric Body Theater channels dinosaurs as they explore themes of mass extinction, climate crisis, and evolutionary ancestry through movement. The group creates “deep-time animal dance” by fusing paleontology with traditional dance and experimental Javanese percussion.
The mesmerizing work is called “Ghosts of Hell Creek: Stone Garuda.” It eulogizes the raptors who perished in the Chicxulub asteroid impact 66 million years ago, while celebrating the survival of our earliest primate ancestors in a world born anew. Praised as “an innovative form of global public outreach for paleontology” (Oxford University Press), Prehistoric Body Theater collaborates with Indigenous Indonesian performing artists as well as international scientists—uniting art, science, and a deep commitment to nature conservation.
The performances are on June 25th and 26th on the Henry J. Leir Stage at Jacob’s Pillow, located at 358 George Carter Road in Becket. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Fisher Center at Bard presents world premiere of Pam Tanowitz’s ‘Pastoral,’ a collaboration with artist Sarah Crowner and composer Caroline Shaw
Annandale-On-Hudson— From June 27th through the 29th, the Fisher Center at Bard presents world premiere of Pam Tanowitz’s “Pastoral,” a collaboration with artist Sarah Crowner and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw honoring and transforming Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 6 in F Major.”
The work muses on and transforms Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F Major. Together, the collaborators take the beloved classical work, also called the “Pastoral Symphony,” as a choreographic and compositional framework, then erase it—creating something new with what remains. Tanowitz first created a dance to Beethoven, then removed the music, replacing it with a specially commissioned score by long-time collaborator Shaw, which itself responds to and transforms the Beethoven score. The décor for the production is created by Crowner, well-known for her painted and sewn abstract canvases which evoke pastoral landscapes in magnificent jewel colors. The resulting performance is a gorgeous palimpsest of many artistic layers, with Beethoven’s evocation of the natural world as a guiding spirit.
Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the Fisher Center at Bard, Gideon Lester, said, “It’s an honor for the Fisher Center to support Pam Tanowitz’s extraordinary career. Pastoral is creative alchemy—a major collaboration between three superlative artists working together to create something quite new and yet rooted in tradition. The Hudson Valley is itself a pastoral idyll, and the perfect place to develop and premiere Pastoral.”
The performances are from June 27th through the 29th at the Fisher Center at Bard, located at 60 Manor Avenue in Red Hook. There is a pre-show conversation with the artists on Sunday, June 29th at 2 p.m. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Hot Plate Brewing Co.’s ‘The Pitt’ outdoor music series continues with Ciarra Fragale
Pittsfield— On Friday, June 27th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Hot Plate Brewing Co.’s “The Pitt” outdoor music series continues with Ciarra Fragale.
Ciarra Fragale is an indie pop singer-songwriter, producer, and actor. By blending the nostalgic traditions of songwriting with unique new-wave sensibilities, she creates a refreshing sound all her own. In addition to making her own music, Fragale has also composed many works for theater and film.
The free concert is on Friday, June 27th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Dunham Mall, located at 100 North Street in Pittsfield. There will be a beer garden by Hot Plate and food by HAND CRAFTED Catering & Events. More information can be found online.
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Berkshire Theatre Group presents ‘Pink Floyd’s The Wall: A Theatrical Concert
Pittsfield— On June 27th and 28th, Berkshire Theatre Group presents “Pink Floyd’s The Wall: A Theatrical Concert Experience” featuring Beyond The Wall with Mike Wartella at The Colonial Theatre.
Since its 1979 release, “The Wall” has captivated generations with its hauntingly powerful narrative of isolation, fame, and self-destruction, following the fictional protagonist, “Pink,” from his post-World War II childhood to his descent into a psychological wall of his own making. The album’s themes remain as potent and resonant today as ever, making this a must-see event for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Returning due to overwhelming demand, the concert event transforms The Colonial into an immersive Pink Floyd experience. Audiences will be enveloped in the album’s legendary soundscape, brought to life with dazzling visuals, stunning effects, and the same musical complexity that has made “The Wall” a cultural landmark. Whether you missed it last year or can’t wait to relive the magic, don’t miss this encore presentation of a one-of-a-kind theatrical journey through Pink Floyd’s masterpiece!
The event is on June 27th and 28th at The Colonial Theatre, located at 111 South Street in Pittsfield. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Jewish Federation of the Berkshires presents ‘Our Stories are Recipes, Our Recipes are Stories’ with food historian Tina Wasserman
Great Barrington— On Friday, June 27th at 10:45 a.m., the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, as a part of the Knosh & Knowledge series, presents “Our Stories are Recipes, Our Recipes are Stories” with food historian Tina Wasserman.
Jewish culinary historian and Union for Reform Judaism food columnist Tina Wasserman explores our culinary history since the forced expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. She will discuss the real reason latkes are eaten for Hanukkah, why gefilte fish is eaten and its transformative cooking techniques over the last 800 years, plus more stories from the Jewish Diaspora.
Tina Wasserman is the best-selling author of “Entree to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora” and “Entrée to Judaism for Families: Cooking and Kitchen Conversations with Children.” An award-winning cooking instructor specializing in historical and contemporary Jewish cuisine, Wasserman is a popular food educator in her own cooking school and as a scholar-in-residence in communities across North America. In 1994, she was elected to Les Dames d’Escoffier, an international culinary society that honors women in the food and beverage industry.
The free presentation is on Friday, June 27th at 10:45 a.m. at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, located at 270 State Road in Great Barrington. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Great Barrington Libraries present ‘Huzzah!’, an author talk with Timothy Symington at Mason Library
Great Barrington— On Friday, June 27th from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Great Barrington Libraries present “Huzzah!”,an author talk with Timothy Symington at the Mason Library.
Raising a glass to toast someone at a wedding or birthday dinner is a familiar and usually informal occurrence, but at one time it was a carefully orchestrated ritual. Toasts were planned, revised, given at an event, and then printed in newspapers. During the tumultuous years of the nation’s founding, toasts were used to praise heroes, commemorate events, spread ideas of nationalism, and attack political enemies. They displayed popular opinion at the time of the pursuit of independence. Timothy Symington’s book explores the toasts between the American Revolution and the War of 1812, a unique portrayal of the beginning of the United States as a nation.
The talk is on Friday, June 27th from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mason Library, located at 231 Main Street in Great Barrington. More information can be found online.
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New Farmers Market in Stockbridge
Stockbridge— From June 25th through September 24th, on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Town Of Stockbridge will host a new farmers market.
The Stockbridge farmers market will feature an abundance of fresh organic fruits and vegetables from local farmers as well as fresh baked goods, mushrooms, honey, maple syrup, herbs and tinctures, and flowers. All fresh produce is certified organic from farms that practice regenerative sustainable agricultural methods.
SNAP recipients can use the Market Match program to buy healthy and nutritious food at half price. Information on this is at the Market managers desk. Weekly updates can be found online.
