Community Access to the Arts presents ‘Kaleidoscope,’ a vibrant performance by artists with disabilities at Shakespeare & Company
Lenox— On May 10th at 5 p.m. and May 11th at 1 p.m., Community Access to the Arts (CATA) presents “Kaleidoscope,” a vibrant performance by artists with disabilities at Shakespeare & Company.
CATA’s annual “Kaleidoscope” performance is the culmination of hundreds of performing arts workshops that serve 1,250 people with disabilities across Berkshire and Columbia counties. This year, artists with disabilities have shaped every aspect of the show, with more than 100 CATA artists from across the Berkshires contributing to the performance. CATA artists worked alongside CATA faculty to create original performance pieces by composing songs, devising choreography, and crafting scripts and theater scenes. Behind the scenes, CATA artists built the set, made the costumes, and designed the sound and lighting.
200 students from local public schools will attend a special dress rehearsal performance. “This is a highlight of the year for so many students,” says Margaret Keller. “Teens in special education programs get to see people like themselves taking center stage, while those in traditional classrooms get to learn about the talents of people with disabilities.”
Accessibility is woven throughout, including ASL interpretation, open captioning, and assistive listening devices will be available, as well as braille and large print programs. Live audio description will also be provided for attendees who are blind or low vision. The theater and restrooms at the Tina Packer Playhouse are wheelchair accessible.
The May 10th gala performance includes a pre-show cocktail reception, dinner, and dancing. The family-friendly matinee performance on May 11th performance includes a post-show community party. Both performances are held at Shakespeare & Company, located at 70 Kemble Street in Lenox. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire Theatre Group presents a weekend of live music at The Colonial Theatre
Pittsfield— On Friday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., Berkshire Theatre Group presents Big Yellow Taxi: The Music & Genius of Joni Mitchell and on Saturday, May 10th at 7:30 p.m., Berkshire Theatre Group presents The Wailers: 2025 Natural Mystic 30th Anniversary with special guests Woody & The Rebel Alliance at The Colonial Theatre.
On Friday evening, Big Yellow Taxi, New England’s premier Joni Mitchell tribute band, brings Joni’s extraordinary music to life. From her early folk roots to pop masterpieces and jazz-inspired compositions, Big Yellow Taxi immerses audiences in the emotional depth and brilliance of Joni’s work. The performance transcends mere tribute, offering a genuine experience of Joni’s musical genius that leaves audiences entertained, moved and inspired. Tickets and more information can be found online.
On Saturday evening, get ready for an unforgettable night of reggae magic as The Wailers take the stage. As Bob Marley’s legendary band, The Wailers were the driving force behind the global rise of reggae, bringing Marley’s revolutionary music to the world. Today, they continue to carry his powerful legacy, keeping the spirit of classics like “One Love,” “No Woman, No Cry” and “Redemption Song” alive, delivering the same soul-stirring rhythms and messages of unity that made them a cornerstone of reggae history. Joining the lineup is Woody & The Rebel Alliance, whose danceable rhythms and jam band freedom create a feel-good vibe you won’t want to miss. Together, these two incredible acts promise a night filled with rhythm, soul and pure musical brilliance. Tickets and more information can be found online.
The concerts are on Friday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 10th at 7:30 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre, located at 111 South Street in Pittsfield.
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Norman Rockwell Museum presents renowned artist Anita Kunz to lead portraiture workshop
Stockbridge— On Saturday, May 10th from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Norman Rockwell Museum, held in conjunction with “Original Sisters: Portraits of Courage and Tenacity and Courage,” presents renowned artist Anita Kunz to lead a portraiture workshop.
Anita Kunz’s art has been published widely and shown in galleries and museums all over the world. She has also been featured regularly in Time, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, GQ, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, The Atlantic, and The New York Times Magazine, and she has done work for Sony Music. Kunz has also illustrated more than fifty book covers. From 1988 to 1990, she was one of two artists chosen by Rolling Stone to produce a monthly illustrated history of rock ’n’ roll endpaper. In 2017, she was inducted into the Society of Illustrators’ Museum of American Illustration Hall of Fame.
This artist-led session will guide participants through the process of drawing a portrait from a photograph, using Kunz’s signature approach of observation and visual analysis. The workshop welcomes all skill levels and provides hands-on technical guidance. Participants should bring a photograph or other source material for their drawing. All other materials will be provided.
The workshop is on Saturday, May 10th from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Norman Rockwell Museum, located at 9 Glendale Road in Stockbridge. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Adams Theater presents David Lane puppetry exhibit
Adams— On Saturday, May 10th, Adams Theater presents artist and theater maker David Lane will install a retrospective of his puppet-making, with figures brought to life from carved basswood, cast paper, and twisted reed.
Lane’s work recently appeared at the college’s Mosaic space in downtown North Adams in April. This is how they described it: “When a performance is over, what is to become of a once living, breathing, little soul that now lacks the capacity to act and move on its own? What value do they have once the performance has passed? Lane prefers to think of the “spent-puppets as still housing a potential to spark the imagination — that indeed, the creative impulses of the maker live somewhere in the materials of the puppet. Perhaps even the energy of the performance has somehow embedded itself in some mysterious way just below the surface. Can you sense it?”
This is the theater’s first visual art installation since its opening in 2021, and the exhibit will stay up through the season, ending with Lane’s workshop performance of Emile Zola’s “The Belly of Paris” on September 6th. More information can be found online.
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Salisbury School presents ‘The Art of Covenant: How Ancient Wisdom Can Transform Our Relationships,’ a panel discussion
Salisbury, Conn.— On Friday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., Salisbury School presents ‘The Art of Covenant: How Ancient Wisdom Can Transform Our Relationships,’ a panel discussion.
Join Casper ter Kuile, author of “The Power of Ritual,” for an evening to understand the root causes of our loneliness crisis, why so many of our friendships and family relationships are fraught, and what we can do about it. You will learn from wisdom practices across religious traditions and reflect on how to create covenants in your own life with the people you love.
He is the co-founder of The Nearness, a digital community of people exploring life’s big questions through deep conversations. Featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, and NPR, he has spoken widely on community trends, rituals, and emerging spirituality.
The free discussion is on Friday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m. at the Salisbury School, located at 251 Canaan Road in Salisbury, Conn. Registration and more information can be found online.
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West Stockbridge Historical Society presents “The Birds of Berkshire County” with Chip Blake
West Stockbridge— On Saturday, May 10th at 7 p.m., West Stockbridge Historical Society, as part of its Berkshire Nature Talk Series, presents “The Birds of Berkshire County” with Chip Blake at Old Town Hall.
The varied habitat of Berkshire County—lakes, mountains, fields, forests, and rivers—makes it an excellent place for both birds and birdwatchers. The history of birdwatching in the county is equally fascinating. The talk will cover both birds and history, as well as information about how the county’s birdlife is changing.
Chip Blake is an independent editor and writing instructor. Chip has lived in Berkshire County for almost three decades, exploring every corner of it as a naturalist and birdwatcher. He is the president of the Hoffmann Bird Club and the author of “The Birds of Berkshire County,” to be published later this year by the Nuttall Ornithological Club.
The talk is on Saturday, May 10th at 7 p.m. at Old Town Hall, located at 9 Main Street in West Stockbridge. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire Botanical Garden’s annual ‘Plants-and-Answers’ plant sale
Stockbridge— On May 9th and 10th, the Berkshire Botanical Garden (BBG) presents its 48th annual Plants-and-Answers Plant Sale.
Curated by BBG’s horticulture staff, this year’s sale features hundreds of perennials, annuals and vegetables with a focus on diversity and nature-based landscaping, a trend toward gardens that are exuberant and alive, out of the uniform and into something comfortable, and welcoming to birds, bees and butterflies. As always, the popular “Ask Me” staff and volunteers will be on hand to provide expert advice.
The sale is on May 9th and 10th at the Berkshire Botanical Garden, located at 5 West Stockbridge Road in Stockbridge. More information can be found online.
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Wander presents ‘SAVOR + SAVOR + SOUND + SOUP’
Pittsfield— On Friday, May 9th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wander presents “SAVOR + SAVOR + SOUND + SOUP.”
You’re invited to an immersive sensory experience led by Holly Benzenhafer, beloved storyteller, spiritual director, and contemplative sound practitioner. Known for helping individuals explore the deeper meaning of their lives, Holly offers a gentle and grounding journey through sound, inviting you to attune, release, and reconnect. Let calming vibrations and restorative tones wash away the noise and stress of the day, creating space for rest, reflection, and renewed well-being.
Nourish your body before the journey begins with a bowl of soul-warming soup from local chef Bobby of Savor Soups, thoughtfully prepared with ingredients and intention. This is more than just self-care—it’s a moment to slow down, listen deeply, and find peace in the community.
The event is on Friday, May 9th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Wander, located at 34 Depot Street in Pittsfield. Bring a yoga mat, pillow, blanket, and whatever you need to be comfortable. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Poetry reading by Monica Bliss at the Lee Library
Lee— On Friday, May 9th from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monica Bliss will read poetry from “Drunk Cherry Cake,” her second book of whimsical food poetry, at the Lee Library.
A home cook, Bliss is the Events & Food Editor for The Berkshire Edge, where she also reviews restaurants and contributes recipes. She is the founding author of “Berkshire Family Eats” and the author of “Lemon Chocolate Kiss,” her first book of food poetry. She has also served as a recipe tester for multiple published cookbooks, including “The Tanglewood Picnic: Music and Outdoor Feasts in the Berkshires” by Gina Hyams.
Deeply passionate about food and dining, Bliss has worked almost every restaurant position from coffee hostess to short order cook, and she took professional cooking and wine courses while completing her arts degrees. Dubbed the “Berkshire Pie Princess,” she has served as a “celebrity” judge for the Hancock Shaker Village Pie Contest and the YMCA Wing Fling.
The reading is on Friday, May 9th from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Lee Library, located at 100 Main Street in Lee. It is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. The book is available for purchase online only. RSVP to bliss23m@mtholyoke.edu.
