by Jess Hoffman Harbinger Theater brings yet another regional premier to the New York Capital District with Mrs. Packard at The Albany Barn. Mrs. Packard tells the story of the real life Elizabeth Packard, who was sent to an insane asylum by her husband for disagreements over religion. The ensuing…

by Jess Hoffman Far too many theaters for my taste tend to offer feel-good, holiday-themed, peppermint and sugar-cookie flavored entertainment this time of year. So I am very pleased to announce that Albany Civic Theater, at least, has opted to instead present for their December show a play about hardy…

by Roseann Cane The jubilation of the audience at the Capital Repertory Theatre’s Million Dollar Quartet opening night was unmistakable. From the beginning of the show, the hoots, hollers, and foot stomping rose steadily, and by the show’s end, the crowd, roaring with such delight that they overwhelmed the music,…

by Jess Hoffman It’s hard to know what to make of The Sound Inside. The two-person show, currently playing at Cohoes Music Hall, is a bold and questionable choice for Creative License Theater Collective. The Sound Inside is a simple story about a lonely professor with cancer who forms a…

by Jessica Hoffman Bridge Street Theater takes audiences to 1990s San Francisco with its production ofSympathetic Magic: a play about very smart people making very questionable decisions. Twoastrophysicists, a university chair, a sculptor, a choirmaster, an elderly anthropologist, herassistant, and a gay priest make up the cast of enigmatic characters…

Top Honors Split Four Ways PITTSFIELD, MA (November 13, 2023) – At an SRO ceremony held at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield, the Board of the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association (BTCA) presented the Berkshire Theatre Awards, colloquially known as The Berkies, on the evening of Monday, November 13, 2023. This was the seventh time the awards…

by Jessica Hoffman I must admit I’m a sucker for a comedy–a Neil Simon comedy all the moreso. Schenectady Civic Players’ current production, Chapter Two, is neither Neil Simon’s funniest comedy nor his most profound drama, but it is nevertheless chock full of Simon’s witty repartee and true-to-life, laugh-out-loud humor.…

by Jeannie Marlin Woods Author’s Note: As a reviewer for Berkshire on Stage for the last few years, I have seen some wonderfully imaginative costume designs. However, I was completely amazed to view a design exhibit of costumes for INTO THE WOODS, which is now on display at Shakespeare &…