Who would have suspected that the drive-in movie would make such a powerful return? The Four Brothers Drive in in Amenia, New York brought back the vintage type of venue several years ago (in a kitschy, contemporary way), but going out to the movies, drive in or multiplex, seemed to be going the way of the kinescope. Until now.

Beginning this week, the drive-in movie pulls up to two locations in the Berkshires: at Taconic High School in Pittsfield and Shakespeare & Company in Lenox. Several organizations have stepped up to bring entertainment in line with social distancing protocols. After all, your car is probably one of the safest places you can be, as long as you’re not giving rides to strangers.

(Edited to add: Just received word that the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, in partnership with Bard College at Simon's Rock, is announcing a drive-in movie theater in the parking lot of the college's Daniel Arts Center in Great Barrington, beginning July 16 and running through Labor Day. Check the website for more information.)

In Pittsfield, the Berkshire Theatre Group has joined forces with the Pittsfield Public School system to create a family-friendly outdoor theater at the Taconic High parking lot. Forced to shut down most of its summer theater season, Berkshire Theatre Group’s CEO and Artistic Director Kate McGuire, had been brainstorming different ways to bring groups together make up for lost programming. She approached Jake McCandless, Pittsfield Superintendent of Schools, about the possibility of showing movies in a school’s parking lot. She got his go ahead, as well as support from Mayor Linda Tyer.

The series, running through July, is called “BTG Sunset Cinema Outside at Taconic High School." It starts tomorrow night with Disney’s “Newsies: The Broadway Musical,” and is followed on other nights by “The Wiz Live” and “Jurassic Park.” Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. and movies begin around 8:30. BB's Hot Spot food truck (traditional American favorites paired with Caribbean specials) and Pittsfield Police Department's Operation Copsicle ice cream truck will be on site. Tickets are $25 per vehicle and may be purchased online, or by calling (413) 997-4444.

In Lenox, two other venerable organizations that had to cancel their seasons are collaborating to present a “pop-up drive-in.” Shakespeare & Company has the space, Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) has the films. And they’ll work together to create the wide screen draped from one of the buildings on the S&Co campus.

Shakespeare & Company Artistic Director Allyn Burrows reached out to BIFF Director Kelley Vickery and suggested they create a drive-in theater together on the S&Co campus. Programming will be varied and include some of the films that would have been shown during the film festival last month. The lineup will be announced next week on the BIFF website.

“What we’re excited about is that we’re going to have a unique program, championing and supporting independent films,” Vickery said. “We’ll have films from our partnership with the Palm Springs International Animated Film Festival, some oldies, some Shakespeare-themed, and a film in support of Black Lives Matter. It feels very much like how I would program for the BIFF.” Sunday nights will be devoted to family-friendly films.

Movies will start July 23 and run Thursdays through Sundays through September 13. The audience will be limited to 40 cars and the parking spaces for the cars will need to be 10 feet apart, as mandated by the Lenox zoning board. “Doors” open at 7:30, with show time at 8:30. People can picnic in their cars, and theorganizers are working on potential collaborations with area restaurants to make their meals available for curbside pickup. Tickets must be purchased in advance through the BIFF website. Admission is $15 per person, or $60 per carload of four or more.

“See you at the movies” sounds pretty great right about now, doesn't it?

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