J. Peter Bergman

Ghent Playhouse in Ghent, N.Y. Written by Claudia Shear Directed by Sky Vogel “You don’t keep a nice house.” There is a problem with this production at the Ghent Playhouse. Well, actually, a lot of problems. This seemingly straightforward biographical look at actress Mae West is really not a simple play; it is multi-layered and complex, and this production is not its match. Director Sky Vogel has undertaken a monumental task, creating simplicity where none exists.

Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield Written by Alfred Uhry Directed by Julianne Boyd “Lawd knows you ain’ no fool, Miz Daisy.” Daisy Werthan is a wealthy, Jewish, Southern lady whose son doesn’t want her to keep driving and smashing up cars. Against her will, he hires Hoke Coleburn, a Black man, to be her chauffeur, which she resents and refuses to acknowledge. After six days she relents, and thus begins a relationship that lasts the rest of her life.

Berkshire Theatre Group in Stockbridge Book by Tom Greenwald and Andrew Lippa Lyrics by Tom Greenwald Music by Andrew Lippa Directed by Gregg Edelman Understanding the dynamic relationship between siblings becomes an obsession for Jen, six years older than her brother John. She is drawn to him immediately and lives her youth without quite comprehending why she is so completely a part of his soul. Even when they don’t agree on things, they are somehow pulled into one another’s perspectives.