You can find classical music of some variety just about every night at Tanglewood from mid-June until late August every year.   But on any given night in the Berkshires there are thousands of visitors and second homeowners who are willing to support music at other venues up and down the county.

The Concerts at Tannery Pond is a series of six or seven chamber music evenings held in an 1834 Shaker building in New Lebanon, New York from May through October.   Established in 1991 by photographer/pianist Christian Steiner, the annual series combines music with a serene setting that would be hard to beat anywhere.

Continuing in the chamber music genre, there is the South Mountain Concert Series, held on weekends in September each year.   Located just north of Lenox, the series has been presented since 1918 and is held in a hall built that specifically for chamber music.   Performers over the years have included Leonard Bernstein, Gary Graffman, Leontyne Price and Peter Serkin, and quartets have included the Borromeo, the Emerson, The Guarneri, the Tokyo, the Julliard, the Orion and the Vermeer. More on Music in the Berkshires: Classical Beyond Tanglewood, Part 2

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

Recently having earned a Tony Award for the best regional theater in the country, Williamstown Theater Festival in 2008 is again presenting an impressive array of classic and new plays on its Main, Nikos and Center Stages, Free Theatre, Late-Night Cabaret, and readings, workshops, and other special events.  

WTF has historically wowed Berkshire audiences, and guests of Hampton Terrace, with notable names, most recently Emmy Rossum (pictured), Elizabeth Banks, Dianne Weist, Blythe Danner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Burton, James Naughton, Jean Smart, Olympia Dukakis and Bebe Neuwirth.  This year's performances include "Beyond Therapy," "The Athiest," "She Loves Me," "Broke-ology," "Three Sisters," "The Understudy," "A Flea in Her Ear," " Not Waiving," and "Home."  

Combine a romantic getaway to one of the highest rated bed and breakfasts in Lenox by visiting Hampton Terrace and seeing a show at Williamstown Theater Festival.   Hampton Terrace is uniquely positioned compared to much Berkshire lodging, by being centrally located in Lenox.   We are just 5 minutes north of the Mass Pike…but 20 minutes from Great Barrington, 10 minutes from Stockbridge, 15 minutes from Pittsfield and about 30 minutes from Williamstown.   All Lenox shops and restaurants are less than a 2 block walk from us, and Tanglewood is one mile.  When considering a romantic b&b and a New England getaway, click here:   www.hamptonterrace.com.

80 Years!   If that is not sustainability, what is?   The Berkshire Theatre Festival is the lone presenting organization that matches Tanglewood's tenure, and its stage has featured some of the most important actors of the century.   The 2008 schedule includes "Candida," opening next week and showcasing Jayne Atkinson, most recently famous for playing CTU Director Karen Hayes on 24. 

Other important offerings on the Main Stage include "The Book Club Play," "A Man for All Seasons," "Noel Coward in Two Keys," "Oliver!,"  and six plays in the Unicorn Theater.   BTF will feature "A Christmas Carol" in December….what a great opportunity for a Romantic Getaway at a Berkshire inn, such as Hampton Terrace, which is located just a ten minute drive from Stockbridge and the Berkshire Theatre Festival.   TripAdvisor.com ranks Hampton Terrace among the top two Lenox inns based on unsolicited guest reviews.

Unquestionably Tanglewood is the most internationally known attraction in the Berkshires, but our theater offerings are an embarrassment of riches:   Shakespeare & Company, Barrington Stage Company, Williamstown Theater Festival, Jacob's Pillow and many others.   This column will feature a different theatre company each day, and while attending shows and considering Berkshires lodging, check out Hampton Terrace, located just steps from Lenox's heralded restaurants and shops.  

Tanglewood fills the Berkshires every weekend during the summer.   If you want to avoid the large crowds and enjoy a wide range of theater offerings while staying in a romantic b&b, consider a mid-week visit and save 30% compared to our normal room rates.