Hot Berkshire Summer Begins - Mark Morris, Jacobs Pillow, FilmTopia, Randy Harrison

Mark Morris Dance Group in Morris's Mozart Dances. Photo by Stephanie Berger.
And so our 2010 Summer of Plenty begins this weekend. With the always surprising Mark Morris and his dance company at Tanglewood's Ozawa Hall this Sunday and Monday June 27-28 at 9 pm, the once bad boy of dance will show us how refined he has become.

Over at Jacob's Pillow, the State Ballet of Georgia has put together a program from the Petipa days to the present day that is sure to delight dance aficionados. Their Falling Angels is, quite frankly, not to be missed.

From India, The World Unseen, part of the Film Topia series.
Then there is the fledgeling FilmTopia series which is kicking off Saturday at 7 pm at the Topia Arts Center in Adams. Unspooling are three short films by Nuria Olive-Belles, a really fabulous Spanish filmmaker who worked at Jacob's Pillow for several summers as their Video Director. But the big attraction is the feature - The World Unseen by Shamin Sarif. Caryn from Topia tells us it is a gorgeous multilayered story of two Indian women living under apartheid South Africa in the 1950's.

Then, Saturday afternoon, Susan Mikula, who is Rachel Maddow's partner, opens her photographic exhibit at the always interesting Ferrin Gallery. Her latest work titled American Vale: Recent Photographs features images of the Berkshire's industrial past. While they are easily identifiable, they have a somewhat soft, translucent quality that give the impression of looking back through the mists of time. Being that the opening reception is this Saturday June 26 from 4 to 6, you know who will not be in the Big Apple preparing for her nightly program. Could be interesting.

Randy back then. New images with interview in Berkshire on Stage later this weekend.
Yesterday I caught up with Randy Harrison, who is back in the Berkshires for the sixth year preparing for Endgame at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. Arriving in the Berkshires for a month, he assured me that his cats Ella and Aggie are being looked after while he is preparing for the Samuel Beckett play. He spends his time on stage cooped up in a trashcan as Nagg.

Though Endgame doesn't begin performances until July 6, his fans from Queer as Folk have snapped up every available seat for opening night, and are gnawing away at the rest. The interview with Harrison will not go up until late this weekend (lots of transcribing to do first) but as usual it probes the depth of his theatrical knowledge. Which is considerable.

Some people only think of him as his character on QAF, but he was a serious actor long before that role, and intends to keep it that way. He is not a circuit boy, and keeps his private life private. As serious as our talks are, his fans have discovered my think piece on Beckett which has a teeny tiny pic of the lad, and it's gone viral becoming the most read piece on my Berkshire on Stage site. His fans from Germany, Italy and Japan have whole websites devoted to him. The QAF series continues to be rebroadcast both in the US on Logo and Ovation, and internationally.

The Jewdy Show - My Life as a Sitcom
As mentioned in the previous post, Judy Gold took over the Nikos Stage at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She knows funny (with a Jewish Lesbian Mother twist) like few others. This is no stand-up act however, it is a full bore theatrical production, and you can read a bit of its history in this advance story.

When Men Dance Together: Trey McIntyre at Jacob's Pillow August 4-8

Jonathan Powell and Jonathan Dummar duet. Photos by Jonas Lundqvist
Gay Berkshires is always on the prowl for artistic events that appeal to the LGBTQ community and its friends. It appears that the first half of August is going to be the perfect time for LGBT folks to plan their stay in the Berkshires.

Not only are there two incredible dance events of interest to the gay community at Jacob's Pillow, but the highlight of the Berkshire Theatre Festival 2010 season is likely to be their fresh version of Samuel Beckett's Endgame (July 6-24), featuring Randy Harrison as "Nag."

Randy Harrison last summer between rehearsals. Larry Murray photo.
Randy played Justin in the groundbreaking Queer as Folk series (now being rerun on the Logo Channel). In his sixth season at BTF, he continues to prove that he is far more than just another pretty face, but an actor of depth and substance who can hold his own on any stage.

When I wrote up the Jacob's Pillow schedule earlier this year I focused on the highly amusing and talented Trockaderos who will perform August 11-15.

Strong women dancers too. Alison Roper can hold her own with the boys.
Now I would like to bring the Trey McIntryre Project to your attention, playing at the Ted Shawn Theatre from August 4-8. It will be an uplifting experience in more ways than one.

Hymn from Trey McIntyre Project on Vimeo.

In the video above you get a real sense of the company and its work. Hymn was commissioned by DRA for the 2007 Fire Island Gala. The dance was created by Trey McIntyre, with music by CocoRosie and simple costumes by Liz Prince. The gorgeous dancers are Marc Petrocci and Jonathan Powell.

One of the challenging things about filming dance is that - for the moment at least - it is strictly two dimensional. On stage the dancers come towards you, getting closer before they move away. The diagonal line delivers the feeling of both arrival and departure.

On film these effects are difficult to replicate. The flatness of film and video renders the dancers getting larger and smaller or moving side to side. A very different vocabulary than what is possible on stage. This presents a true creative challenge to filmmakers who must suggest the third dimension depth through special camera setups, lenses and lighting. This particular film does the job extremely well. It was filmed in the studios at White Oak Plantation.

In the end, you must see dance in person. It's the only way to fully enjoy it. Sitting close up you can even feel the air move as the dancers execute their combinations.

Company founder, Trey McIntyre.
While Hymn is not currently scheduled for the Pillow, Trey McIntyre has equally entrancing works planned. We think that now is a good time to line up your seats, and before the season begins, you do have access to some of the best seats in the house, which go quickly as the summer approaches.

For all their daring, this company is sometimes called the "Bad boys of dance."

Tickets: Jacob’s Pillow Member single ticketing began Wednesday, March 10. Single ticket ordering for all others opens via phone, fax, mail, and online on Wednesday, April 7. Box Office phone ordering begins March 1, Monday-Friday, 10am - 5pm, with additional hours during the Festival. Box Office: 413.243.0745 (phone) or 413.243.0749 (fax). For complete ticket policies, visit jacobspillow.org.

Randy Harrison in Ghosts at Berkshire Theatre Festival

Randy Harrison, David Adkins, and Mia Dillon in BTF's 2009 Main Stage production of Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts. Directed by Anders Cato. Photo by Jaime Davidson.

Last night at the Berkshire Theatre Festival in Stockbridge, the much anticipated new adaptation of Ibsen's Ghosts opened and it is a a roaring success. The play will be running through August 29 (Ticket and Performance Information) and a full review will appear tomorrow in Berkshire Fine Arts. This article is not so much a review as a continuation of the conversation I recently had with Randy Harrison, who plays Oswald (Osvald) in the play. But first some buzz.

Randy Harrison at the opening night after party for Ghosts. Charles Giuliano Photo.
There was a first nighters after-party following last night's show and a rare chance to meet and mingle with the players. Randy's fans were out in force, since many of them have become regular ticket buyers and subscribers to the BTF. Some traveled great distances to be there.

I was digging into the munchies when I noticed a whirlwind of activity approaching. Cameras were flashing, people were getting excited.. Many guests dropped what they were doing and soon were circling their target like gnats around a lightbulb, though they were so thick you couldn't see the object of their attention. I knew immediately it had to be Randy. He does cause quite a commotion when he gets recognized. In fact it is one reason he often wears a hat and nondescript garb when he is out in public.

Randy Harrison plays Oswald in Ghosts at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. Photo by Jaime Davidson.
Randy Harrison came to the fore through his role as Justin in the Showtime series Queer as Folk which ran for five seasons and was its highest rated show. Although the last episode was telecast in 2005, it went on to be rebroadcast on the Logo network, was released on DVDs and was re-edited last year for Canadian broadcast, all of which have continued to spread his name and image. Showtime's early marketing of the show was primarily targeted at gay male (and to some extent, lesbian) audiences, yet a sizeable segment of the viewership turned out to be heterosexual women. That's who were the bulk of his fans last evening.

Harrison, meanwhile, has made great efforts to not let the series typecast him, and to return to his real roots, which are grounded in live theatre. He has acted since an early age. Indeed, it may be the only thing he can reliably do to earn a living. "I have been fired from every job besides acting that I have had. I got fired from waiting tables, being a bag boy, temping at a bunch of different companies, and being a caterer. I can't do anything else but act," he has said.

Randy Harrison indulges the yapping blogger. Photo by Charles Giuliano.
Last night's performance proves that it is a wise choice, and we are all the beneficiaries. On stage with older and more seasoned actors such as David Adkins, Jonathan Epstein and Mia Dillon, he more than held his own. It is interesting that Mia Dillon's husband Keir Dullea was in attendance as well. He has had a career path similar to Harrison's. He started as a bit of a heartthrob in the films Hoodlum Priest and David and Lisa, went on to play David Bowman ("Please close the pod bay doors HAL,") in 2001 A Space Odyssey. Today he is past the 70 year old mark, but still working, and still a handsome devil.

Actor Keir Dullea, then and now. Now Photo by Charles Giuliano.
Still, the crowd wasn't circling Keir, but rather Randy. Once again, they had witnessed a breathtaking performance of great depth from the actor, and even been rewarded with a scene in which he was partially undressed by his mother. But don't get too excited. It revealed far less than the famed Showtime series.

When we met to talk, we spoke about his role in developing new audiences for the theater. Many of his loyal fans in evidence last night are proof that his early fame has helped his theatre career. He probably signed a hundred programs last night, and many more photographs, tee-shirts and the like from his fans who were in the audience simply because he was on stage. And in this, he is not alone. At the Berkshire Theatre Festival, this process has a long tradition. In fact, Kate Maguire, Artistic Director, tells how the actor, Richard Chamberlain, has played a similar role in developing audiences for the theatre, and talks to him often hoping to have him back as early as next season. He played the title role of Dr. Kildare in a TV series from 1961-66 and recently has been seen on Desperate Housewives, Nip/Tuck and is also remembered for the series The Thorn Birds.

Actor Richard Chamerblain, then and now.
Harrison, who just turned 30, is happy about the event, "and I look forward to my 40's and 50's too. There's a lot of good roles coming up. The fact that I have worked on Shaw, Ibsen, and Beckett here is amazing. I do want to play Uncle Vanya when I am an older man, but it isn't something I will play anytime soon. So where do I see myself? I am more artistically satisfied now with the work I have been doing over the past five years than I've ever been. So I intend to keep it up, to make enough money to pay my mortgage and act."

Randy Harrison steps into the bright daylight as he takes a break from rehearsal earlier this month. Larry Murray photo.
I wondered if his approach to his career, somewhat serendipitous, but constantly moving forward has been calculated and deliberate. "Well, yes, it has, though slowly. It hasn't been a particularly intellectual planned career, masterminding ideas. It's more like acknowledging that I have different passions and interests and trying to pursue them all. Slowly but surely it seems I am becoming more active, more satisfied and more mature. I enjoy doing projects with friends, and I have been spending more time doing music, too, though no more karaoke in the Berkshires, even though it was fun while it lasted. "

When I interviewed Randy in 208, he said at the time that he didn't have much interest in pursuing musical theatre. This was a surprise, since he has had considerable training and experience in the form. (He was in the Broadway production of Wicked). The conversation turned to Matt McGrath whom I interviewed for Caroline in Jersey and the ongoing development of a musical version of Armisead Maupin's Tales of the City, presented last month in a staged workshop version at Connecticut's O'Neill Center. "You know I do miss music now. I have been away from it long enough, and I have done lots of other kinds of work that I wanted to try. I would feel confident going into another musical at some point."

The thought of Randy Harrison in a new musical, especially one based on such a famous book, is something to contemplate, but frankly, I will be happy just as long as we get to see him trying out a new role each summer at the Berkshire Theatre Festival.

In April of 2009 Randy Harrison appeared with Olympia Dukakis in the Craig Lucas drama, The Singing Forest at New York's Public Theater. Photo by Peter James Zielinski.

The limited engagement of Ghosts extends to August 29 and there are some tickets remaining. You get get full (Ticket and Performance Information) by visiting the berkshiretheatre.org website.