A Christmas Carol

BTF’s annual production of the classic story about the redemptive power of kindness and generosity.

Playing in the Unicorn Theatre Dec. 11-14, Dec. 17-22, and Dec. 26-30 at 7pm.

There will be 2pm matinee performances on Dec. 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, and 28.

A 10am matinee will be held on Dec. 15, 18, and 22. There will be no performances on Dec. 24 and 25.    Children $20, Adults $36-$39

There are many reasons to come to the Berkshires in December.   One of them is the annual production of A Christmas Carol at the Berkshire Theater Festival in Stockbridge, MA.   For tickets, CLICK HERE.

Another is a stay at Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast in Lenox, less than a 10 minute drive from the theater.  Hampton Terrace is considered one of Lenox's top-rated inns, and one that decorates lavishly for the holidays.

For many decades there has been concern that there is not enough music education in the schools.   But one of the by-products of so much classical music in the Berkshires is a plethora of music education opportunities. More on Music in the Berkshires: Classical Beyond Tanglewood, Part 3

Of course, Tanglewood created the reason people began coming to the Berkshires annually to hear classical music.   But under the rationale of "critical mass," numerous arts presenters have sprung up over the years to give concert-goers multiple nightly options.

The Berkshire Choral Festival began in 1982 and performs weekends from mid-July to early August at the Berkshire School in Southern Berkshire County.   The Springfield Symphony provides the musical accompaniment.   If you are an experienced choral singer, and you would like to spend a week in the Berkshires, it is possible to sing with the Berkshire Choral Festival.   They also offer opportunities to sing with the Chorus in England, Canada and Austria.

The Berkshire Opera presents fully staged performances, featuring internationally known opera stars, on multiple venues throughout the Berkshires.  

The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield and the Mahaiwe Theater in Great Barrington also present an annual slate of classical music.   Their websites offer calendars and the opportunity to purchase tickets.

Hampton Terrace in Lenox also offers classical music…much more ambiantly.   We have hidden speakers in our common area rooms that play classical background music during the day and jazz at night.   We also have a 1929 Steinway L Grand piano which is in great shape, is always in tune, and is frequently played by guests.   So for a great Berkshire bed and breakfast experience, stay at Hampton Terrace, one of the best reviewed Lenox inns.

In 1937, when the Depression and taxation caused the gild to come off the Gilded Age, the great mansions and estates of Lenox were largely abandoned.   Many became institutional:   schools, asylums or monasteries, and some spent more than half a century empty.   But luckily, one was donated to the Boston Symphony…and the rest, as they say, is history.

Over the decades, as the audiences who attended concerts at Tanglewood grew, more and more of these great estates and historic "cottages" were able to be put back into service:   Cranwell, Wheatleigh, Blantyre…and even Hampton Terrace, one of the original "Berkshire Cottages."   In fact, most of the Lenox inns are the former second homes of the turn-of-the-century's rich and famous.   Tanglewood itself, one mile down the hill from Lenox town center, consists of multiple performance venues inhabiting a most embracing rural setting.   Lenonard Bernstein, a alum of the affiliated Tanglewood Institute always proclaimed that the Tanglewood property, and the Berkshires in general, had captured his soul. More on Music in the Berkshires: Tanglewood

I believe I mentioned that theatre in the Berkshires is not limited to Barrington Stage Company, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Shakespeare & Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the stages of the Colonial and Mahaiwe Theaters.  When a guest at Hampton Terrace asks "what is there to do once I get there?" I  find myself almost speechless.   Where do I start?    Or, more often, a guest will start by announcing that they plan to go to Tanglewood on Saturday night and they were wondering if there is something to do on the other two nights of their stay.   This is why everyone who stays at our Lenox inn gets several attachments on their confirmation:   a list of dining options and a list of other activities to consider, including spas, museums, hikes, theater, music, night life, etc.   We also provide links to the Berkshire Visitors Bureau website, the Berkshire Eagle website, the Lenox Chamber of Commerce and other resources to help our guests plan their stay. More on Theatre in the Berkshires: Berkshire Fringe, Capital Steps, Chester Theatre Company, Mac-Hayden Theatre, Mass Moca, The Theater Barn, Ventfort Hall

Is this theater?   You betcha.   One thing you have to understand about the Berkshires:   museums present theater, restaurants present theater, historic house museums present theater (tomorrow's blog) and Tanglewood presents theater. 

Nine years ago, Garrison Keillor hosted his first "Prairie Home Companion" at Tanglewood  - a show stuffed with local references and talent.   I guess it went over well because Keillor has now made Tanglewood the traditional closing show of each radio season.   No lack of local color to fill the annual bill.   Last year featured Lenoxite (or is it Lenoxonian) James Taylor.   This is a great opportunity to load up the picnic basket, pick out your favorite wine, and relax in a lawn chair with your eyes closed.   Of course, you could do that in your living room with the radio on…but there is something special about participating in a group "listen."   And though there will be 10,000 people at the show, you will be able to hear a pin drop as Keillor unwinds his tales.

Tanglewood is less than a one minute drive from Hampton Terrace, a top rated bed and breakfast in Lenox.   We happen to have a couple rooms still left for the June 28th weekend:  one for just Saturday night the 28th and another for two nights.   Unlike most Berkshire lodging, we feature an outdoor heated pool and a full breakfast buffet.   So if you plan to attend "A Prairie Home Companion" at Tanglewood, and need a Berkshire bed and breakfast, call 800-203-0656.

As you fill your car tank this week and consider your Spring and Summer plans…we have a suggestion. If you live in the Northeast, consider a Berkshire b&b. Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast is located in Lenox, MA, the vortex of the Berkshires. We are about 2 hours from Boston, 2 1/2 hours from the Greater New York City area, and less than 2 hours from most points in Connecticut. Hampton Terrace is a 14 room Berkshire bed and breakfast which features fireplaces in virtually all rooms and Jacuzzis in most. Several of the rooms have antique claw-foot tubs or walk-in showers. Full breakfast included, and as of tomorrow, our outdoor heated pool will be open. If you mention our "Tanks a Lot" promotion and stay 2 or more nights during our "off-season," we'll give you $30 for your gas. 800-203-0656 CLICK HERE

When a future guest books at Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast in Lenox, we send out an immediate e-mail confirmation which contains every bit of information we feel that a guest might want to know about our inn: directions, room description, policies, etc. But equally important, as travellers ourselves, we know how important it is to pre-plan a trip. Just last month, we did not. On the evening of our arrival we took 20 brochures from the hotel rack and tried to plan our week…and it just did not go that well. So in addition to the above, we put two well-researched lists as attachments to our confirmation. The first is called "A List to Help You Plan Your Stay" which covers everything from spas, historic house tours, museums, live music and theater to hikes, golf and nightlife. The second list is very warmly received: it is our list of "Recommended Places to Dine." We eat out WAY too often…but more importantly, we have sent literally 15,000 people out our front door to dinner and we ALWAYS hear about their experience at breakfast the next morning. There are several restaurants which ALWAYS get a positive review. One of those is Rouge in West Stockbridge. Other than the fact that it is small and they do not take reservations (so there usually a line at the bar and sometimes out the door) we just do not hear anything negative. Especially about their food, which is classically French. The chef/owner is from France and studied at the French Cullinary Institute. His wife is American (speaks French and met her husband while travelling in France) and she runs the front of the house. Honestly, we cannot get enough of this food. Everything on the menu is to die for. That does not mean that there are not other restaurants that do as good a job. There are…and they are on our list. So please consider Hampton Terrace when planning a trip to the Berkshires, or Lenox in particular, and let us help you plan your stay. CLICK HERE.