Rachel Louchen reports from Pittsfield. For the 21st year, Barrington Stage Company celebrated its season-opening gala with a show, party, and excitement for the summer ahead. On Saturday, June 25, the evening started fittingly with BSC founder/artistic director Julianne Boyd and board chair Mary Ann Quinson addressing the crowd of "longtime, faithful supporters" from the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage. They then introduced Tony Yazbeck, current star of Broadway's Finding Neverland for a hour-long performance, The Floor Above Me, which traced his career, life and loves through song and tap dancing. Yazbeck, who starred in BSC's 2012 production of On The Town, spoke of his time at the company, zeroing in the expert crew and strong community spirit. Post song and dance, guests crossed North Street en mass to the Boys & Girls Club of Berkshires for cocktails and a chance to bid on auction items before a sit-down dinner. [Above, associate artist Brian Prather and Erin Keller. ]
Gala committee member Cynthia Welch and Glenna Gerard; Jerry and Donna Weiss.
Veverly James and Andrew James; Al Jaffee and Kathleen Jaffee.
Theater student Amara Brady, Eva Blachere and JP Blachere; Charles Stuzin, sponsor of American Son, and George Whaling.
Managing director Tristan Wilson, his wife Peggy Pharr Wilson, Jeff Dreisbach and artistic assistant Pat McCorkle.
Don Morrison and Ann Morrison; Gala committee member Linda Febles and Mass. State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.
Nina Jung and Brad Aspel; Judith Jacobs and Rita Sperling.
Alex Skarmeas, Director of Education Tim Paré, Colin Nelson and Daniel Garrity.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
