Pittsfield, MA – Join us this holiday season when the Berkshire Theatre Group transforms the Colonial into a snow globe come to life and welcomes back director Gregg Edelman (BTG: Coming Back Like A Song, Constellations, Arsenic and Old Lace), music director Ross Patterson (BTG: Coming Back Like A Song) and choreographer Gerry McIntyre (BTG: Nina Simone: Four Women, Godspell) as they celebrate the season by staging the must-see spectacular, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical!
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical is a timeless tale of joy and goodwill about a song-and-dance team putting on a show in a magical Vermont inn and falling for a stunning sister act in the process. With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and a book by David Ives and Paul Blake, this show is full of dancing, laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written. The dazzling score features, “Blue Skies,” “I Love a Piano,” “How Deep is the Ocean?,” ”Count Your Blessings” and of course the unforgettable title song, “White Christmas.” Give everyone the gift they’re dreaming of with this merry and bright holiday musical.
This holiday classic features David Adkins (BTG: The Importance of Being Earnest, Holiday Memories, Petrified Forest, At Home at The Zoo (Zoo Story)) as General Henry Waverly; Avital Asuleen (A Christmas Story) as Ensemble; Julia Bogdanoff (Urinetown) as Tessie, Assistant Seamstress, Ensemble; Allison Briner Dardenne (Bright Star, Mamma Mia!) as Martha Watson; Madison Cyrulik (The Wizard of Oz) as Susan Waverly; Joel Douglas (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) as Train Conductor, Ensemble; Jonathan Duvelson (TV: Girls5Eva) as Mike, Ed Sullivan Announcer, Ensemble; Julia Franklin (A Chorus Line) as Cigarette Girl, Ensemble; Kenneth Onesimus Goubran (Once Upon a Rhyme) as Ensemble; Timothy Gulan (BTG: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Arsenic and Old Lace) as Ralph Sheldrake; Bryan Thomas Hunt (BTG: A Chorus Line) as Choreographer, Dance Captain, Ensemble; Aliah James (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical) as Rita, Ensemble; Isaac Jankowski (42nd Street) as Jimmy, Ensemble; Terita Redd (Leap of Faith) as Mrs. Snoring Man, Seamstress, Ensemble; Alanna Saunders (Once on This Island, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as Judy Haynes; Claire Saunders (BTG: The Importance of Being Earnest, The Skin of Our Teeth) as Betty Haynes; Dan Sharkey (The Music Man) as Ezekiel Foster, Snoring Man; Kelly Sheehan (42nd Street) as Rhoda, Ensemble; Michael Starr (Singin’ In The Rain, Bright Star) as Phil Davis and Michael Wartella (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wicked, BTG: Godspell) as Bob Wallace.
Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org or by calling (413) 997-4444. BTG is offering a 10% discount on tickets for all front line workers. All plays, schedules, casting and prices are subject to change. Ticket office hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm–5pm, or on any performance day from 12pm until curtain.
BTG’s Pittsfield Campus is located at 111 South Street, Pittsfield, MA. BTG’s Berkshire Theatre Festival/Stockbridge Campus is located at 6 East Street, Stockbridge, MA.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical
Based Upon the Paramount Pictures Film Written For the Screen by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama and Melvin Frank
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Book by David Ives and Paul Blake
at The Colonial Theatre
Previews: Thursday, December 2 at 7pm & Friday, December 3 at 7pm
Press Night/Opening: Saturday, December 4 at 7pm
Closing: Thursday, December 23 at 7pm
Tickets: Preview: Adult: $50, Child (16 and Under): $25
Tickets: Adult: $59, Child (16 and Under): $29
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Gregg Edelman (Director) is proud to be returning to BTG for his eighth consecutive season. He returns to direct White Christmas after having received a Best Director nomination for Constellations and helming the Best Musical winner, Coming Back Like A Song, among other productions. As an actor, he has performed on Broadway in fifteen musicals earning him four Tony nominations, the Drama Desk Award and numerous Outer Critics nominations. His Broadway credits include: City of Angels, 1776, Les Misérables, Anything Goes and Cabaret. His films include: Little Children, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Proposal, and Spiderman 2. Television credits include: recurring roles on House of Cards, The Sinner and Shades Of Blue, as well as guest-starring on all of the Law and Order series, 30 Rock, Blue Bloods and The Good Wife, among others. His upcoming directing projects include: a new play based on the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and a new musical comedy, Dating In Hell.
Ross Patterson (Music Director) is happy to be back working with Berkshire Theatre Group. Ross’s career in music has been varied. After completing his studies at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, he moved to NYC, where he quickly became one of the most sought-after pianists by singers. This led to arranging and recording for many of the city’s top theatre and cabaret artists. The past 20 years, Ross has been the arranger and musical director for the critically acclaimed Broadway By The Year concert series at The Town Hall. He also has collaborated with a number of New York’s leading choreographers. He worked on Noah Racey’s Pulse, as well as Noah’s new one man show, performed at Symphony Space and at the Aspen Solo Flights festival. Ross wrote the musical Cruel Shoes with David Simpatico and also recorded his solo piano concert, 8 Themes for Living, at St. Paul’s Chapel.
Gerry McIntyre (Choreographer) has won widespread acclaim for his recent choreographic credit: Berkshire Theatre Group’s production of Godspell. He was recently named Associate Artistic Director of the York Theatre. His other credits include: Nina Simone: Four Women (BTG), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Casa Mañana Theatre ), Kinky Boots, Hallelujah Baby (York Theatre), Soon of a Mornin’ (Lions Theatre), Once On This Island (Martin Beck Theatre, Virginia Stage, Pioneer Theatre, Actors’ Theatre Of Louisville, La Mirada Theatre, Robby Award for Best Director, Ovation nomination for Best Choreography and Best Musical), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Actors’ Theatre of Louisville), Chicago (Ogunquit Playhouse), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Diana Degarmo and Anthony Federov (Lyric Theatre), The National Tour of Dreamgirls. As a Choreographer: Anything Can Happen In The Theatre (York Theatre), Forbidden Broadway The Next Generation, Side by Side, Tommy and My Fair Lady (Berkshire Theatre Festival), A Saint She Ain’t (Westport Playhouse), Laura Comstock’s Bag-Punching Dog (LA Weekly nomination Best Choreography), The Wiz (Broadway Sacramento), Priscilla (Gateway Playhouse), After The Storm documentary. Gerry is the choreographer of the hit Off Broadway show Spamilton.
David Adkins (General Henry Waverly) has performed in numerous productions at Berkshire Theatre Group over the last thirty years. He is an Artistic Associate at BTG and last summer appeared in The Importance of Being Earnest, and in At Home At The Zoo (Zoo Story) in 2019, in which he was honored with a “Berkie Award” for Outstanding Performance in a Lead Role. He has worked On and Off Broadway, in resident theatres across the country and guest starred extensively on television, most recently Madam Secretary and Evil. Others include: New Amsterdam, Homeland, Blacklist, The Good Wife, Elementary, The Americans (two seasons), Happy-ish, Without a Trace, Black Jaq: a pilot directed by Forrest Whitaker and the Ben Franklin mini-series on PBS.
Avital Asuleen (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her performance debut at Berkshire Theatre Group! She has worked with the company in several past seasons as a choreographer, creating dances for the BTG productions of The Music Man, Tarzan and Shrek. Favorite performance credits include: two seasons as Ms. Shields on the National Tour of A Christmas Story, Sheila in A Chorus Line, Anytime Annie in 42nd Street and dancing in the off-Broadway revival of I’ll Say She Is, the lost Marx Brothers musical. As a director/choreographer, Avital has had the pleasure of working on several world premiere productions, including The Floorshow (Combustion Collective), Jasper in Deadland (Prospect Theatre Company) and Men with Money (Secret Theatre). Avital is the Artistic Director of Combustion Collective (www.Combustioncollective.org) and the founder and Director of New York Theatre Barn’s Choreography Lab. (www.nytheatrebarn.org).
Julia Bogdanoff (Tessie/Assistant Seamstress/Ensemble) is overjoyed to be doing live theatre once again by making her BTG debut in White Christmas! She is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts: New Studio on Broadway. Past credits include: Tisch Drama’s 2021 mainstage Urinetown (Penelope Pennywise) with Tisch Drama Stage, White Christmas (Featured Dancer), Spring Awakening (Ilse), Bright Star (Ensemble, u/s Alice), and Sister Act (Tina/Nun) at the Weathervane Theatre, Kiss Me, Kate (swing) and James and the Giant Peach (Spider) at the Summer Theatre of New Canaan.
Allison Briner Dardenne (Martha Watson) most recently played the role of Dotty in The Public Theatre of Maine’s production of Middletown. Broadway: Bright Star (by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell), Mamma Mia!. National tours: Bright Star, White Christmas, Mamma Mia!, Follies, Titanic The Musical, Les Misérables. Off-Broadway: Sideways, Southern Comfort, Forbidden Broadway & Hollywood, Return To The Forbidden Planet, 25th Anniversary of Jacques Brel, Song of Singapore. Representative regional theatre roles include: M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias, Celeste in Into The Breeches, Meg in Damn Yankees, Dorothy in 42nd Street, Haley in Bad Dates, Mrs. Prentice in What The Butler Saw, Nikki in Things We Do For Love, Chick in Crimes Of The Heart. Starred in Pops Goes Vegas with the Indianapolis Symphony. Television: The Other Two, The Carrie Diaries, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, One Life To Live, All My Children.
Madison Cyrulik (Susan Waverly) has performed in several productions with Berkshire Theatre Group as well as other local theaters since she was a young child. She was seen as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Omar in Aladdin, Piglet in Winnie the Pooh The Musical and Olaf in Frozen. Madison is fourteen years old and has a passion for acting, singing and playing softball in her free time.
Joel Douglas (Train Conductor/Ensemble) Berkshire Theatre Group debut! A St. Louis native, Joel recently graduated from The Boston Conservatory with a BFA in Musical Theater with an emphasis in dance. Most recently Joel was seen at The Muny in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers; he is also excited to be in their 2022 production of Mary Poppins. Other credits include: Newsies (Jo-Jo/Buttons/Scab/Bill), Side Show (Roustabout) directed by the Tony Award-Nominated Bill Russel, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Swing/Dance Captain), A Chorus Line (Larry/Dance Captain) and Catch Me If You Can (Swing/ Dance Captain). Link 2020. You can also catch Joel on Disney+ early next year directed by the Oscar Award-Winning Brie Larson.
Jonathan Duvelson (Mike/Ed Sullivan Announcer/Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his debut at Berkshire Theatre Group in White Christmas. Performing for the first time since the start of the pandemic, he is grateful for the opportunity to bring the joy of theatre back to the community. Johnny was most recently seen co-starring in Tina Fey’s Girls5Eva on Peacock (NBC).
Julia Franklin (Cigarette Girl/Ensemble) is overjoyed to be dancing through the holidays for the first time at Berkshire Theatre Group! Favorite roles include Val in A Chorus Line, Kathy in Singin’ in the Rain and Lois in Kiss Me Kate. When not on stage, Julia can be found teaching yoga or personal training with her fitness company, Warm It Up, LLC! BFA Musical Theatre: Pace University.
Kenneth Onesimus Goubran (Ensemble) is a New York born and raised performer who is thrilled to be back doing live theater as a part of BTG’s production of White Christmas. He is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts: New Studio On Broadway where some of his credits include: Once Upon A Rhyme (Featured Dancer/Murder Mitch), Cabaret (Featured Dancer/Victor) and Wild Party (Featured Dancer/Shadow).
Timothy Gulan (Ralph Sheldrake) is excited to be back at BTG, having previously played Gooper in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace. Broadway and Touring shows include: The Last Ship, Cats, Les Misérables, The Frogs, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Lion King, Blood Brothers, South Pacific, Carousel and Some Like It Hot. Regionally Tim has been in many premieres including: The King Stag, Houdini, Get In The Car, Elliot Ness In Cleveland, For the Boys and Emma. On the screen, Tim starred in the hybrid film version of Emma as Mister Knightley, and has been on Raising Kanan, Sex and the City, Live from Lincoln Center’s Passion, Carnegie Hall’s South Pacific and The Producers.
Bryan Thomas Hunt (Choreographer/Dance Captain/Ensemble) is thrilled to return to the Berkshires after being seen in A Chorus Line in 2012! National Tours: White Christmas and Billy Elliot. Regional: Alliance, Ahmanson, MUNY, North Shore, Ogunquit Playhouse, Paper Mill, Westchester, Goodspeed Opera House, and North Carolina Theatre.
Aliah James (Rita/Ensemble) is ecstatic to be making her debut at Berkshire Theatre Group performing White Christmas! What a delightful way to bring in the holidays! National Tours: Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Swing), Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Musical (Sugarplum). Regional: After Midnight (Tap Captain/Norwegian), Newsies (JoJo/Medda Larkin u/s, Westchester), 42nd Street (Lorraine, The Rev Theatre), Mamma Mia! (Young Donna, Ivoryton Playhouse), Cabaret (Texas, Ivoryton Playhouse), Young Frankenstein (Ogunquit Playhouse). Training: Point Park University: BFA, Modern Dance.
Isaac Jankowski (Jimmy/Ensemble) is thrilled to be part of this cast! Past stage credits include: 42nd Street (National Tour), Anne of Green Gables (Provision Theatre), The Odd Couple, A Chorus Line, Guys and Dolls, Pippin (Tibbits Playhouse), West Side Story (Fiddlehead Theatre), Big Fish (Theatre at the Center), Legally Blonde (Circa ’21). Film: Scrambled, Rapture, Richard^3. BFA: Western Illinois University.
Terita Redd (Mrs. Snoring Man/Seamstress/Ensemble) is from Washington D.C., but has been living in NY for over 20 years. I am so thrilled to be working at Berkshire Theatre Group. Commercial credit: AcipHex. Film/Soundtrack credits: Hairspray (movie), Featured/Dynamites in New Line Cinema, On The Q.T., Waiting For My Bronco and Sista Sing. TV credits: Grammy awards singing backup for Sam Smith 2018, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2018, 2012 Tony Awards, 2000 Tony Awards, Rosie O’Donnell Christmas show and performing with Jerry Seinfeld 2019. Broadway credits: Leap of Faith; Hairspray; Caroline, or Change and Rent. Off Broadway credits: Caroline, or Change. National tours: Ain’t Misbehavin‘ and Rent. Regional theatre credits: Heartbreak Hotel, Hairspray, Ain’t Misbehavin‘, Beehive and The Wiz. Recording credits: Leap of Faith cast recording, Ziggy Marley, Andy Williams, Patty Austin, Benson’s Christmas and Daryl Coley. Background vocal credits: Wynona Judd, Melvin Dawson, William Becton and Walter Hawkins. Education: Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Fisk University (Bachelors in Music degree) and Aims University (Masters degree).
Alanna Saunders (Judy Haynes) is so excited to be making her BTG debut, and to be performing alongside her sister is the biggest treat. Credits include: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Broadway); Scotland, PA (Roundabout); Once on This Island (Pioneer Theatre); Into the Woods (Natl. tour); Little Shop of Horrors (Cleveland Playhouse). TV/film: CBS’s Bull, 18 1/2, NBC’s Peter Pan Live! (Tiger Lily).
Claire Saunders (Betty Haynes) was last seen in BTG’s The Importance of Being Earnest (Cecily) and The Skin of Our Teeth. Off Broadway: Marry Harry (York Theatre), Errol and Fidel (NYMF), Taming of the Shrew (NY Classical Theatre). Regional: School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play (Round House Theatre, Ericka), Cyrano (Goodspeed, Orange Girl), The Wolves (TheatreWorks, #8), In the Heights (Gallery Players, Vanessa), Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Co, Daughter). TV/Film: Modern Love (Amazon), Law & Order: SVU (NBC), Tell Me a Story (CBS), The Good Cop (Netflix), The Intern (Warner Bros), 18 1/2 (Waterbug Eater Films), CitiBank Commercial. Carnegie Mellon Graduate.
Dan Sharkey (Ezekiel Foster/Snoring Man) is thrilled to be making his Berkshire Theatre Group debut and working with this amazing creative team. Broadway credits include: Susan Stroman’s revival of The Music Man, The Bridges of Madison County, Amazing Grace, Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark and Hal Prince’s revival of Showboat on London’s West End. Select Off-Broadway credits: Illrya, The Prince and the Pauper, Lone Star Love, Captains Courageous, The Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge and 1,100 performances as Hucklebee in The Fantasticks. Favorite Regional productions include: Sweeney in Sweeney Todd at The Guthrie Theater, Inn-keeper/Governor in Man of La Mancha at The Shakespeare Theater in Washington D.C. and Officer Lockstock in Urinetown at the Lyric Theater of Oklahoma.
Kelly Sheehan (Rhoda/Ensemble) is so excited to be a part of White Christmas again! Broadway: 42nd Street, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Other credits include: Singin’ In The Rain (Lina Lamont, Lyceum Theatre); Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Judy Haynes, National Tour); Guys and Dolls, Holiday Inn (The Muny); Will Rogers Follies, Anything Goes (Goodspeed Opera House); Lady Be Good, No, No, Nanette, Pipe Dream (Encores!); Oklahoma (Engeman Theater); On The Town (Barrington Stage).
Michael Starr (Phil Davis) is so thankful to be making his BTG debut in such an iconic show! Michael recently won a LA Ovation Award for his role as Don Lockwood in Singin’ In The Rain. He can currently be seen in episodes of Encore! on Disney+ and in Eric Andre’s new film Bad Trip. National Tour: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s musical Bright Star. Some of his favorite past credits include: the world premiere of Romy & Michele the Musical at the 5th Avenue Theater, Mamma Mia! and A Chorus Line onstage at LA’s Historic Hollywood Bowl, shows with San Francisco Symphony, Transcendence Theater Co, La Mirada Theater, Musical Theater West, 3D Theatricals, LA Opera, Old Globe, Hartford Stage, as well as Prince Hans in Disneyland’s production of Frozen Live. He holds a BA from UCLA.
Michael Wartella (Bob Wallace) is an actor, director and musician who has been seen on Broadway, in National Tours and at regional theatres across the country. Some of his favorite acting credits include: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Mike Teavee), Tuck Everlasting (Hugo), Wicked (Boq). Off-Broadway: RENT (New World Stages), The Kid (The New Group), Seussical (Theaterworks/USA), Oliver Twist (TFANA). Regional: Godspell (Berkshire Theatre Group), Chasing Rainbows (Paper Mill Playhouse, Flat Rock Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House), Midsummer, A Prayer for Owen Meany (Denver Center Theatre Company). Upcoming: The Wanderer (Paper Mill Playhouse). Film/TV: FBI: Most Wanted, Mysteries of Laura, Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet, Loving Leah. His debut album entitled Polarity was released this year and can be found on all major streaming platforms.
Safety Protocols
Patrons must be fully vaccinated in order to attend this event. Patrons must present a photograph or physical vaccination card upon arrival to the theatre. This show is appropriate for school-aged children. Children ages 11 and under who are not fully vaccinated must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time or a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 6 hours of the performance start time. At home tests WILL NOT be accepted. This policy will be evaluated as recommendations are made by the CDC. If this policy changes patrons will be notified.
Masks are mandatory for all indoor events for all patrons regardless of age (unless eating or drinking in specified areas). No-contact scanning stations for tickets will be at the point of entry. Free-standing hand sanitizer stations will be placed at various locations throughout the spaces. Seating and surface areas are sanitized frequently using an electrostatic sprayer. Theatres have upgraded HVAC filters, added ozone-free NPB ionization and otherwise comply with all local and state safety requirements. A doctor/nurse will be on duty for all performances. Patrons who are not feeling well should contact BTG’s box office to discuss rescheduling options.
A Special Sensory-Friendly Performance of
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical
Based Upon the Paramount Pictures Film Written For the Screen by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama and Melvin Frank
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Book by David Ives and Paul Blake
at The Colonial Theatre
Tuesday, December 14 at 7pm
Tickets: $15
Berkshire Theatre Group presents a special sensory-friendly performance of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical on Tuesday, December 14 at 7pm at The Colonial Theatre.
A “sensory-friendly” performance is a production that is slightly modified to accommodate individuals with sensory-input disorders, such as people on the autism spectrum. At this performance, patrons will notice relaxed “house rules”; people may need to get up, move around, and leave the theatre during the performance, theatre lighting will remain at half for the duration of the performance and sound may be modified. The goal is to create an environment where people with autism or sensory needs, along with their families, can enjoy coming to the theatre together and will feel comfortable, supported and free to be themselves.
Celebrate the timeless holiday tradition of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical with the whole family, and revel in the joy of this musical comedy filled with singing, dancing, laughter and the wonderment of the season.
Tickets to this sensory-friendly performance are $15. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org or by calling (413) 997-4444. All plays, schedules, casting and prices are subject to change. Ticket office hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm–5pm, or on any performance day from 12pm until curtain.
Sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union and Greylock Insurance Agency.
Safety Protocols for Sensory-Friendly Performance
Patrons must be fully vaccinated in order to attend this event. Proof of vaccination is required for this event. Patrons may present a photograph or physical vaccination card upon arrival to the theatre. This event is appropriate for school-aged children ages 6 and above. Children ages 11 and under who are not fully vaccinated* must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time or a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 6 hours of the performance start time. At home tests WILL NOT be accepted. *Fully vaccinated means the performance date must be at least 14 days after the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or at least 14 days after a single-dose vaccine. Masks are mandatory for all patrons regardless of age (unless eating or drinking in specified areas).
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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. In 2010, under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Kate Maguire, the two organizations merged to form Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG). Berkshire Theatre Group’s mission is to support wide ranging artistic exploration and acclaimed performances in theatre, dance, music and entertainment. Every year, BTG produces and presents performances to over 68,000 attendees and, through our Educational Program, serves over 11,000 Berkshire County school children annually. In July
2020, Berkshire Theatre was the first company in the United States to earn approval from
Actors’ Equity Association to produce a musical (Godspell) in the wake of the COVID-19
Pandemic.