Karen Allen, David Auburn, Greg Keller, et al. Set for Berkshire Theatre Festival’s 2011 Season

The Berkshire Theatre Festival (BTF) has announced its 2011 lineup.

The company will begin the year with The Who’s Tommy, to run July 7-16 at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. Eric Hill will direct this rock opera about a young man who loses his sight and hearing after witnessing a violent incident as a a child.

On the theater’s schedule for the Fitzpatrick Main Stage in Stockbridge are A.R. Gurney’s look at how a couple’s life is affected by a stray dog, Sylvia (July 12-30), featuring David Adkins and Jurian Hughes under Anders Cato’s direction; Kathleen Clark’s romantic comedy In the Mood (August 2-13), and Tennessee Williams’ look at a Korean War veteran’s struggles at home, Period of Adjustment (August 16 – September 3), to be directed by David Auburn.

In the Unicorn Theatre, the Festival will produce a revival of Michael Weller’s look at college students in the 1960s, Moonchildren (June 28 – July 16), directed by Karen Allen; Greg Keller’s world premiere portrait of an encounter between two men on the subway, Dutch Masters (July 19 – August 6); and Chris Newbound’s investigation of a man’s conflicts as he hits 40, Birthday Boy (August 30 – September 3 & September 29 – October 16). This theater will also be home to a production of the musical romance Finian’s Rainbow (August 9-27), directed by Kyle Fabel and featuring the BTF’s pre-professional acting company.

The Berkshire Theatre Festival will also continue its family programming with productions of Hansel and Gretel’s Grimm Tale (July 6-16) and The Wizard of Oz (September 9-11), as well as A Christmas Carol (December 17-30). In addition, the company will offer its Made in the Berkshires festival of new works (October 8-17) and its readings series for new plays and musicals.

In addition to the news of the BTF productions that will play at the Colonial Theatre, a lineup of additional presentations scheduled for the venue have been announced. Among them will be Songs From The Great American Songbook (June 2), headlined by Sherri Buxton and featuring special guest Matt Cusson; Tommy Tune in Steps in Time (August 11); and appearances by journalist and commentator Frank Rich (October 9) and by humorist David Sedaris (October 19).

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