Hancock Shaker Village becomes a stage this summer when Chester Theatre presents its summer season of three thought-provoking plays outdoors under the tent. “The return to live theater is such a thrill to all of us in this culture-rich region of Massachusetts,” said Director Jennifer Trainer Thompson, “and what better place than on a stage overlooking the fields and pastures of Richmond.”
Known for intriguing, contemporary theater, Chester Theater Company was founded in 1990 by the former Artistic Director of Dublin’s famed Abbey Theatre. With a reputation for producing the best in contemporary theatre, Chester Theater Company has consistently won top honors with critics and audiences, producing “some of the most adventurous theatre in the area,” according to The New Yorker. WAMC highlighted Chester Theater for its upcoming season and the focus on BIPOC voices. This three-show series outdoors on the grounds of an historic village may be the season we’ve all been waiting for.
Echoed Daniel Elihu Kramer, Artistic Director of Chester: “The journey through these three plays is about our need to connect with one another, how difficult that can be to accomplish, and the deep satisfaction of how we sustain each other when we succeed.”
June 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 27
“A haunting and often fiercely funny meditation on life.” – The New York Times
The Berkshire premiere of Will Eno’s Title and Deed opens the series. Directed by Keira Naughton, The New York Times calls Title and Deed “A haunting and often fiercely funny meditation on life.” Will Eno’s script – “skewed with humor” and with “deep lyrical pleasures,” according to the Times — bursts moments that are at once intriguing, amusing, and enigmatic. Title and Deed stars James Barry, known to Chester Theatre audiences for his work in The Aliens, The Night Alive, and Sister Play. Director Keira Naughton, daughter of acclaimed Tony Award winner James Naughton and a Williamstown Theater Festival regular, was nominated for a Berkshire Theatre Critics’ Award for 2019’s Curve of Departure.
Theatre tickets available here. Present your ticket confirmation at the Hancock Shaker Village ticket desk for a $5 discount off the daily admission price (either day of, or day following).
July 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
“… one of the best plays I’ve seen about who gets to tell the story of America, and how.” – The Washington Post
The season continues with The Niceties written by Eleanor Burgess. The Washington Post calls The Niceties “a barnburner of a play,” and “one of the best plays I’ve seen about who gets to tell the story of America, and how.” Zoe, a Black student at an elite liberal arts college, is called into her white professor’s office to discuss her paper about slavery’s effect on the American Revolution. What begins as a polite clash in perspectives explodes into an urgent debate about race, history, and power.
Theatre tickets available here. Present your ticket confirmation at the Hancock Shaker Village ticket desk for a $5 discount off the daily admission price (either day of, or day following).
August 18, 19, 20, 22, 25, 26, 27, 29
“Tiny Beautiful Things turns out be about the endangered art of listening to — and really hearing and responding to — other people” – The New York Times
Written by Nia Vardalos and directed by Daniel Elihu Kramer, “Tiny Beautiful Things turns out be about the endangered art of listening to — and really hearing and responding to — other people” according to The New York Times. A celebration of the simple beauty of being human, based on the “Dear Sugar” column written by Cheryl Strayed (author of Wild), Tiny Beautiful Things offers affirmation of love and loss, of pain and pleasure, of deep loneliness and shared humanity. Adapted by Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Tiny Beautiful Things is the story of what we can feel and learn when we open up to each other, and to hearing answers we can’t figure out on our own.
Theatre tickets available here. Present your ticket confirmation at the Hancock Shaker Village ticket desk for a $5 discount off the daily admission price (either day of, or day following).