April Newsletter- Theatres within a short drive!

Greetings!

We are enjoying springtime here at The Wilmington Inn! The snow has slowly melted away & the trees are starting to bud! One of the many things that we have been able to enjoy since we arrived in Wilmington is the abundance of theatre (stage plays) locations near Wilmington. Our April blog shares the theatre spots that are under an hour's drive from the inn. Hope you enjoy reading it! We can't wait to see everyone this year. Thank you, Charlie & Megan

Visit our website

Theatre Day trips from Wilmington One our favorite getaways for a day trip is to go see a great play or theatre production. Check out these locations that are within one hour drive from Wilmington.

Memorial Hall Wilmington, VT Memorial Hall is located right down the street from The Wilmington Inn. Memorial Hall is a town-owned community/performance center dating back to 1912. It serves as the town's war memorial and has the largest collection of 19th century portrait photography in Vermont.Check out their website below to get a list of upcoming plays & music event s. Website and Schedule

Weston Playhouse Weston, VT Vermont’s oldest professional theatre is a living testament to a community’s belief in the arts. In 1935, while the Great Depression was raging, Weston-born architect Raymond Austin was putting the finishing touches on a playhouse that one Boston Globe critic would dub “the most beautiful theatre in New England.” A former church renovated for the town’s dramatic club, the Weston Playhouse quickly attracted the attention of director Harlan Grant, who produced the theatre’s first summer stock season in 1937, featuring a young actor named Lloyd Bridges. Website and Schedule

Dorset Theatre Dorset, VT Dorset Theatre Festival is a major player in the arena of world-class summer theatre. Dorset Theatre Festival's mission is to create bold, innovative, and authentic theatre that engages a diverse, multi-generational community, and economically diverse region: enlightening, entertaining, and inspiring their audience through the celebration of great plays. They aim to redefine the landscape of theatre by presenting thought-provoking productions drawn from the new and classic canon, as well as through the development of new plays, new audiences, and new artists for the future of American theater.  History The Festival’s summer home is an intimate theatre built from 2 pre-revolutionary barns. Opening its doors to local thespians in 1929, the Dorset Playhouse became host to the professional Equity Summer Festival in 1977. Today, Dorset Theatre Festival is a rich cultural resource and integral part of the community. Whether they're staging dramatic classics, producing great plays from the contemporary canon, or providing a platform for fresh new theatrical voices, the Festival is always pursuing its single mission: to create an environment in which their audiences can experience thought ‐ provoking, inspiring, and entertaining live theatre. Website and Schedule

Barrington Stage Pittsfield, MA Barrington Stage Company is the fastest growing arts venue in Berkshire County, attracting more than 58,500 patrons each year. BSC continues to gain national recognition for its superior quality productions and comprehensive educational programming. Barrington Stage has produced several award-winning plays and musicals, beginning in its inaugural year with  The Diary of Anne Frank , which won the Elliot Norton/Boston Theatre Critics Award. In its third year, BSC won two Elliot Norton/Boston Theatre Critics Awards and four Outer Critics Awards for its smash hit production of  Cabaret , which moved to Boston and played an extended run at the Hasty Pudding Theatre. In 2018, BSC produced the critically acclaimed production of  West Side Story , in honor of Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins’ 100th birthdays. In 2017 and 2018, BSC won the Best of the Berkshires Readers’ Choice for Best Live Theatre. 2019 marks BSC’s 25th Season Anniversary. Website and Schedule

Williamstown Theatre Williamstown, MA Since 1955, Williamstown Theatre Festival has brought America’s finest actors, directors, designers, and playwrights to the Berkshires, engaging a loyal audience of both residents and summer visitors. Each WTF season is designed to present unique opportunities for artists and audience alike, revisiting classic plays with innovative productions, developing and nurturing bold new plays and musicals, and offering a rich array of accompanying cultural events including COMMUNITY WORKS, Late-Night Cabarets, readings, workshops, and educational programs. While best known for acclaimed productions, WTF is also home to one of the nation’s top training and professional development programs for new generations of aspiring theatre artists and administrators. WTF was honored with the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 2002 and the Commonwealth Award for Achievement in 2011. Website and Schedule

Oldcastle Theatre Bennington, VT In an age when the average life of an American theatre company is only five years, the Oldcastle Theatre Company is thrilled to be celebrating their 47th birthday! Formed by five New York actors in 1972, the troupe began touring in Vermont because one of its founding members, Eric Peterson, was originally from Bennington. Plays developed at Oldcastle have been produced in more than 25 states and in such foreign countries as South Africa, Canada, Spain and Argentina. OTC presents at least one new play each season and has premiered plays by such well-known writers as Elliot Hays, Reginald Rose and Bob Shanks. Tony winning actresses such as Karen Ziemba and Emmy winning actors and directors such as Richard Thomas, James Goldstone, Melissa Leo, Larkin Malloy and others have worked with the company over the years. Academy Award winning composer, John Addison, wrote original music for an OTC premier production. In the early days the troupe toured in Vermont, New York and New Jersey with many Vermont performances taking place at the historic Park-McCullough House in North Bennington. Oldcastle is a true company of actors, writers, directors and designers working together over time to create a theatrical style as well as developing s close long term relationship with its audience. Entering its 47th season, Oldcastle has produced almost 300 shows and is now creating a new chapter of exciting growth, as Oldcastle renovates its new home the new Oldcastle Theatre in downtown Bennington. Website and Schedule

Looking to come visit this summer? Check out the calendar of events from the Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce to see what's happening! Chamber website

Thank you for your continued support