West Stockbridge, MA – The Foundry, an independent multidisciplinary performing arts venue in West Stockbridge, announces highlights of their upcoming spring and summer programming. In keeping with the venue’s wildly diverse artist line up since 2019, the coming months will bring dance, improvisation, comedy, music of all genres, and theater. Favorite touring artists jazz singer Emily Braden, country singer/songwriter Carson McHone, and classical guitarist Colin Isotti will return to the black box starting in April.

Also returning from New Zealand are Liz Butler and Ben Jardine. These multidisciplinary artists, who specialize in improv comedy and music were nominated for five awards at the 2022 New Zealand Fringe Festival, and Butler picked up a nomination for Best Emerging Artist. They’ve performed at Fringe Festivals across New Zealand, as well as the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. They sold out The Foundry last year with their hit improv musical concert Live from International Waters, and in June will be holding four Monday night improv workshops in addition to performing a series of improv shows with special guest artists during the summer months. 

The venue is launching a family friendly series this year with Happenstance Theater, a physical theatre ensemble from Washington DC, that devises, produces and tours original performances. Their bilingual crowd-pleaser Pinot & Augustine, a family-friendly clown duo inspired by the golden age of Circus, will perform April 30 and Preposterous!, which premiered in the summer of 2017 at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and has been performed at The National Theater as part of their Saturday Morning family series, will be on July 6.

Multi-instrumentalist and Juilliard grad Erica von Kleist, a force to be reckoned with in her riotously funny musical comedy show “BOOBS!”, will perform on April 15. 

Returning jazz guitarist, Charlie Apicella, will be presenting his project Blues Alive on May 13. The performance explores Gertrude Pritchett—a.k.a. Ma Rainey—as a  trail-blazing American composer, band leader, entrepreneur, and social trend setter. The show will feature vocalist Madame Pat Tandy and bassist Avery Sharpe. 

The venue continues to present its Emerging Artist Series, giving voice to up and coming young creators, as well as collaborating with a variety of non profit fundraising events for community organizations.

This year, the venue will offer space to QMob (Queer Men of the Berkshires) with afternoon tea dances and other gatherings. More news about collaborations with Berkshire Pride is on the horizon. Since inception, The Foundry maintains a quality line up of queer artists in dance, comedy, music and theater. 

And finally, international music hits the scene on March 18 with the Scottish flavor of the group Cantrip bringing swirling bagpipes, violin and guitar music. April 28 the trio È.T.È. offers a lively take on Québec traditional music that celebrates the joie de vivre of Québecois culture.

Tickets and more information at thefoundryws.com