Rural Intelligence Summer 2025

WHERE THE BERKSHIRES, HUDSON VALLEY & LITCHFIELD HILLS MEET

Summer 2025

Summer Arts Preview Inspired Menus Crowd-Free Hikes Off-Kilter Decor

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Contents FOOD & DRINK

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The best dishes of summer from the hottest restaurants. And celeb chef Michele Ragussis gives up her secret to the perfect fried clams.

OUTDOORS

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Regional trail expert Bill Siever guides us to seven rewarding hikes away from the crowds and we find the center of the RI region.

STYLE

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Shop for off-kilter, room-defining decor items. Interior designer Hallie Goodman gives us the secret to sourcing homegoods like a pro.

SHOPPING

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Fashionable author Andrew Amelinckx champions the style, economic, and environmental virtues of shopping for vintage clothing locally.

LAST LOOK

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Indigenous artist Jeffrey Gibson’s exhibition at MASS MoCA reflects all the colors of the American experience. Turns out the Trump Administration doesn’t like that.

On the Cover Photographer Landon Speers captured this image of an evening dinner party last summer at Foxtrot Farm and Flowers in Stanfordville, NY, featuring a pop-up served by the crew from Westerly Canteen, a restaurant housed in a 1971 airstream trailer. This summer, Foxtrot has a calendar filled with similarly attractive collabs, dinners, and movie nights in the barn, all surrounded by fields of gorgeous heirloom blooms.

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THEATER

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MUSIC

36

Summer Arts Preview PAGE 27

DANCE

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Michael J.Lutch

ART

James Taylor, with special guest Tiny Habits, Tanglewood, Lenox, MA, July 3-4.

2025 Rural Intelligence 3

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EDITORIAL Editor Jamie Larson jamie.larson@chronogram.com Art Director Kerry Tinger kerry@chronogram.com Digital Editor Marie Doyon Sponsored Content Editor Ashleigh Lovelace Contributors Andrew Amelinckx, Bill Siever, and Hallie Goodman.

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The definitive guide to the Rural Intelligence region.

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D A I LY D I N E - I N O R TA K E - O U T

From the Editor Your Seat at the Table

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ull up a chair and dig into all the Rural Intelligence region has to offer this summer. From the Berkshires to the upper Hudson Valley and down to the Litchfield Hills, artists, artisans, chefs, farmers, and neighbors of all stripes are leading lives and doing work that inspires and delights us.

This magazine is designed to put you at the table, in conversation with the local insiders who can give you the best intel on all there is to do and see out there. And they’ve got some secrets to share.

We’re having plenty of fun this summer—but the conversations around our table aren’t all light. It’s impossible to ignore the deep fractures in our country or the sense that the world is teetering. Still, we believe in the healing power of connection, culture, and community. This guide is an invitation to engage—with the artists reflecting our shared humanity, the local makers whose work sustains our towns, and the farmers and chefs whose labor nourishes us all. In a moment that feels uncertain, there’s clarity to be found in how we live, and how we show up for one another.

At this table, in this guide, we offer you an example of a thriving, thoughtful, hard working community you can be proud to live in, visit, and patronize.

Welcome.

—Jamie Larson, Editor

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FOOD & DRINK // Story by Jamie Larson

Quentin Bacon Gedney Kitchen, New Marlborough, MA

Must-Try Dishes This Summer

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ummer dining isn’t just about eating well—it’s about connecting to a sense of place. For celebrated local chefs like Michele Ragussis of Gedney Kitchen in New Marlborough, and Halo Kaya Perez-Gallardo, owner of Hudson’s Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, the season brings a direct line to local farms, fresh coastal seafood, and other creative collaborators. Their menus shift with the fields and tides.

“I grew up in New England, and my approach has always been very seasonal,” says Ragussis, who’s also known for her frequent Food Network competition show appearances (as both contestant and judge).

“Everything we use comes from local farms unless it’s a dry good or seafood.” That commitment is a common thread among many chefs in the region—where working closely with farmers shapes menus just as much as their own creativity does.

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From briny bowls of shellfish stew to spicy-sweet tomato salads, here are a few dishes that define summer dining here.

Cioppino Gedney Kitchen, New Marlborough, MA At Gedney Kitchen, Ragussis taps into her coastal roots to deliver a standout cioppino, a rustic seafood stew layered with deep, vibrant flavors.

The dish starts with two sauces: a slow-roasted red pepper blend and a housemade tomato sauce, finished with white wine, garlic, shallots, and butter. clams, mussels, and fresh fish fill the bowl, crowned with a hunk of crusty sourdough from nearby Creature Bread.

“The cioppino has become a real staple for us,” Ragussis says. “It’s a dish that keeps evolving depending on what seafood is freshest, but it always feels like summer to me.”

While the cioppino anchors the menu, summer diners also rave about

Gedney’s fried clams. Ragussis first soaks the clams in condensed milk—a trick she learned from an old Maine grandmother—before dredging them lightly in flour and cornmeal. “The condensed milk adds a little sweetness that balances the brininess,” she says.

“It sounds simple, but it makes people go crazy.”

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Salsa Matcha Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, Hudson, NY At Lil’ Deb’s Perez-Gallardo keeps the flavors as lively as the restaurant’s boldly queer, neon atmosphere, using hyperlocal produce. While the whole roasted fish might be the most eyecatching menu item, the heirloom tomato salad with salsa matcha has become a summer staple, featuring ripe tomatoes and melon tossed with a rich, earthy salsa made with peppers, cacao nibs, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds.

“It’s really all about what’s at peak ripeness,” Perez-Gallardo says. “We love being able to pivot based on what’s coming in from the farms each week.”

Finishing touches like cilantro flowers add brightness, making this cold, spicysweet salad a refreshing treat on a hot afternoon.

The dish also reflects the relationships Lil’ Deb’s has built with small, ideologically simpatico farms like Ironwood and Gentle Time, where bespoke crops are sometimes grown specifically for the restaurant’s artistic menus.

Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, Hudson, NY

Osetra Caviar Dulu at the Doctor Sax House, Lenox, MA Inside Dulu, the hotel bar and restaurant at the historic Doctor Sax House, the caviar presentation stands out as a luxurious starter, featuring premium caviar served with North Fork potato chips and all the traditional accoutrements on a twotiered silver platter. It’s playful, it’s expensive, it’s extravagant, and it’s a great way to embrace your inner “dulu,” which translates to “delusional” in Indonesian—an ode to chasing one’s

“Sourcing from local farms isn’t a trend here—it’s just how we cook. When you have produce this good growing practically next door, it changes everything.”

— Michele Ragussis, Executive Chef, Gedney Kitchen

2025 Rural Intelligence 9

FOOD & DRINK Casita Berkshires, North Adams, MA

dreams, even when they seem out of reach.

The restaurant is also a gorgeous space to lose one’s mind a little. The decor is sophisticated and exotic, with maximalist texture and deep blue tropical wallpaper. The vibe encourages the splurge to start a meal that will continue to impress.

Carnitas Tacos Casita Berkshires, North Adams, MA Casita delivers a modern Mexican culinary experience on the MASS MoCA campus. Their carnitas are a standout—the confit pork showcasing the restaurant’s flair for bold flavors. The rest of their tacos are just as impactful, stuffing housemade tortillas with chicken, carne asada, oyster mushrooms or fresh seafood.

At $5 a pop for most tacos, the prices at Casita are very reasonable and the 10 ruralintelligence.com

restaurant makes for a relaxing and wellcurated experience after a long day at the museum.

Gluten-Free Fried Chicken with Hot Honey Sambal Hy’s Fried, South Egremont, MA Hy’s owner Jack Luber has transformed a once-abandoned roadhouse into a venue that serves as both a restaurant and a raucous community hub. The establishment features a menu centered around mouthwatering fried chicken, prepared gluten-free with hormone-free, free-range birds that are brined for six hours, fried using a blend of tapioca and rice flours, and finished with a housemade hot honey sambal. The Asian-style spicing provides a balance of sweetness and mild heat that brightens up the crisp exterior and juicy interior of the chicken.​ Beyond its chicken, Hy’s hosts weekend DJ nights, dance parties, and themed events. The interior design reflects Luber’s vision of a space that blends nostalgic elements with a cinematic, almost disorienting deep-red color scheme.

“I wanted to create this wormhole,” Luber says. “Kind of like an Alice in Wonderland thing. The Deer Hunter meets Wes Anderson.”

Grass-Fed Meatloaf Sandwich on House-Made Focaccia Misto, Red Hook, NY A cafe and market operated by husbandand-wife team Wilson and Nadia Costa, Misto reflects the couple’s diverse backgrounds and commitment to local sourcing. The menu at Misto is always changing, as they also run a catering operation and a food truck (commonly found at Rose Hill Farm). The meatloaf sandwich stands out, not because it’s the most showstopping item on the menu in total but because it’s the best version of the nostalgic, often boring sandwich you’ll ever have. It’s made with grassfed beef from Gulden Farm and served on house-made focaccia, it’s spiced in a

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distinct but not overwhelming way and served with house made apple barbeque sauce.

“What we do best is take something people know, but we’ll change it a little bit,” says Wilson Costa. “There’ll always be little hints of something different.”

Lemongrass Pork Sausage Breakfast Sandwich Morningbird, Kinderhook, NY Inside the revitalized Kinderhook Knitting Mill, Morningbird is the cafe arm of the Aviary restaurant. The Southeast Asian-inspired breakfast menu emphasizes bold, fresh flavors.

Their standout pork sausage breakfast sandwich features housemade lemongrass sausage crafted from locally sourced Hudson Valley pork, a fried egg, scallion chimichurri, and sambal-flecked mayonnaise, all stacked on a soft milk bun. ​ Chef Hannah Wong, who recently started the new popup Haema (often found at Airport Rooms in North Adams), and formerly led Michelinrecognized Van Da in New York City, built the menu here. Everything at Morningbird provides an elevated bite, but the breakfast sandwich is a particularly novel spin on a New York classic. ​ Kale Gnudi in Parmesan Broth Isabela, Amenia, NY At this brand new bistro, Michelinstarred chef Jose Ramirez-Ruiz centers his vegetable-driven menu around the region’s seasonal produce.

The kale gnudi, served in a light Parmesan broth, highlights the kitchen’s focus on championing the flavor of local agriculture Ramirez-Ruiz, known for his acclaimed Brooklyn restaurant Semilla, brings his philosophy of cocina de cercanias—“cooking with everything around here”—to Isabela.

“This is Napa in the ‘70s,” he says of the region. “All these producers are doing really dope shit.”

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OUTDOORS // Story by Jamie Larson

The Quiet Wilds Off-the-Beaten-Path Hikes

Kite Hill gazebo, Overmountain Conservation Area, Ancram, NY

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hile the trails of Bash Bish Falls and Monument Mountain are often crowded with hikers snapping selfies, there’s a quieter wilderness waiting not far away. Tucked into lesser-known corners of the region, these seven hikes are recommended by accomplished outdoorsman Bill Siever, author of 100 Hikes in the Southern Berkshires and Just Beyond. These treks offer solitude, 14 ruralintelligence.com

scenery, and a sense of discovery for those willing to take the path less traveled.

When creating the guide, Siever enlists the help of around 30 volunteers to extensively test trails and provide feedback—some recruited through an article in Rural Intelligence! His book covers information never before collected on the area, including updated and comprehensive difficulty ratings,

locations of notable features, and information about accessibility for dogs, kids, and those with physical limitations.

Here are seven off-the-beaten-path hikes from Siever’s guide that offer distinctly memorable experiences in the RI region.

Harvey Mountain Location: Austerlitz, NY Distance: 3.7 miles (loop) Difficulty: Moderate Highlights: Summit views, blueberry fields, quiet trails Harvey Mountain’s rocky summit delivers one of the best panoramic views in Columbia County—without the foot traffic of better-known peaks. The ascent winds through dense forest to a grassy, open ridge flanked by ferns and lowbush blueberry. Along the way, you’ll pass stone walls and old charcoal pits, remnants of the area’s industrious past. Keep an eye out for bobolinks and kestrels as you emerge above the treeline.​ Flag Rock Location: Great Barrington, MA Distance: 3.3 miles (out and back) Difficulty: Moderate Highlights: Dramatic cliffside viewpoints of the Housatonic River valley Flag Rock is the kind of hike that makes you wonder why more people aren’t here. A narrow trail climbs steadily from the outskirts of Great Barrington to a wide, flat ledge with sweeping views of the valley and Monument Mountain

across the way. Hike in the early evening for golden light that makes the pines glow. The trail offers a peaceful alternative to the more frequented paths nearby.​ Tyringham Cobble Location: Tyringham, MA Distance: 2.1 miles (loop) Difficulty: Moderate Highlights: Open meadow ridge, rock formations, Appalachian Trail spur A quick but rewarding loop hike, Tyringham Cobble blends bucolic pastures and dramatic stone outcrops.

Maintained by the Trustees of Reservations, the cobble itself is a narrow, lichen-covered ridge that offers elevated views of the village and surrounding forests. The Appalachian Trail cuts through the preserve, and hikers can tack on a longer walk via the Upper Goose Pond connector. The area is rich in history and offers a serene hiking experience.​ Great Mountain Forest Location: Norfolk, CT Distance: Varies by trail (suggested 4 to 5 mile loop) Difficulty: Moderate Highlights: Old-growth forest, glacial ponds, quiet trails This private, 6,000-acre park is one of the last intact tracts of old-growth New England woodland. Start at the east entrance and choose from trails like the Charcoal Pit Trail or Tobey Bog Loop. You’ll pass hushed ponds, mossy

“There’s so much history in this area. I love finding connections that bring a place to life beyond its trails. And while the mountains here may be smaller, they pack a punch” — Bill Siever Author, 100 Hikes in the Southern Berkshires and Just Beyond

2025 Rural Intelligence 15

western Connecticut. Mary Moore sits beside the Hamlin Preserve and offers a patchwork of mature oak stands, rocky outcrops, and open field edges. You’re more likely to hear pileated woodpeckers than human voices here. The trail is wellmaintained and offers a peaceful retreat into nature.​ Overmountain Conservation Area Location: Ancram, NY Distance: 3.2 miles (Gentian Hill Loop) Difficulty: Moderate Highlights: Meadow-to-summit trail, views of the Taconics With expansive fields, an old red barn, and trails that climb gently toward sweeping ridgetop vistas, Overmountain Conservation Area is pure Hudson Valley charm. The Gentian Hill Loop is especially scenic in late summer, when wildflowers bloom beneath open skies. From the top, views extend to the Catskills and beyond. The area is managed by the Columbia Land Conservancy and offers a variety of habitats to explore.​

Tri-state marker, Brace Mountain

boulders, and stands of tamarack and hemlock. It’s a place where you can truly feel the ecological richness of the Litchfield Hills—and maybe not see another soul.​ Mary Moore Preserve Location: Sharon, CT Distance: 2.5 miles (loop) Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Highlights: Lookout point, mature oak forest, low traffic This gently rising trail leads hikers to Moore Lookout, a serene perch overlooking the undulating farmland of 16 ruralintelligence.com

Brace Mountain via Mt. Frissell Location: CT/MA/NY Distance: 6.5 miles (loop) Difficulty: Challenging Highlights: Highest point in Connecticut, three-state convergence point, alpine feel This loop crosses through three states and multiple ecological zones. Starting in Massachusetts, you’ll ascend through hardwood forest to the craggy summit of Mt. Frissell, touch Connecticut’s high point (not the summit, oddly), and continue to the grassy crown of Brace Mountain. The open summit offers a rare sense of high elevation in the region, with views over the Harlem Valley, Catskills, and Berkshires. A notable feature is the tri-state marker where Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York meet, providing a great photo opportunity at the spiritual center of the RI region.

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STYLE // Story by Jamie Larson

Secrets of an Interior Designer Where to Find Unusual RoomDefining Decor

Hoffman’s Barn, Red Hook, NY

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or interior designer and stylist Hallie Goodman, a perfectly composed room needs one final, unexpected twist. “If a room is really tastefully done, it can be boring,” she says. “It needs something a little offkilter for punctuation.”

Goodman gravitates toward bold, strange, even risqué elements— unconventional artwork, busts, reupholstered classics—that bring a space to life. We asked her where she sources those standout pieces.

Here’s her list.

Quittner Antiques Germantown, NY “This is where I go when I want to send a client down a very elegant rabbit hole,” says Goodman. Run by Pippa Biddle and Benjamin Davidson, Quittner specializes in early 1900s lighting and historically informed furnishings—all rewired and ready to use.

Freaks Hudson, NY “It’s literally called Freaks,” Goodman says, gleefully. “It’s a low-lit place with fringe on everything. You walk in and you’re like, ‘How could furniture be this sexy? I feel like that couch has nipple tassels on it.’” Run by Kenzi Wilbur and curated with a flair for drama, Freaks is fast becoming the epicenter of a new creative scene in Hudson.

“These things don’t have to come from Europe.

They can come from the farm down the road...

That’s a local economy.

That’s a network.”

—Hallie Goodman Interior Designer, halliegoodman.com

Good Eye House and Style, Hudson, NY 2025 Rural Intelligence 19

Jack Rabbit Studio, Hudson, NY

Good Eye House and Style Hudson, NY Goodman’s “very favorite seller in town,” Good Eye offers offbeat treasures sold primarily through Instagram. “I often buy the bones of a space first,” she says. “Then I get that final piece from Good Eye.” The Auction Barn, LLC New Milford, CT “Go to the preview in person,” Goodman advises. “Things that look amazing on camera aren’t always great in person.” She once snagged a giant altar candle stand here—totally overlooked online. The Barn offers estate finds at accessible prices.

Hoffman’s Barn Red Hook, NY “You go for the $30 stool that would be $600 somewhere else,” Goodman says. Raw, dusty, and full of promise, Hoffman’s is a barn-dig classic where she recommends embracing the art of reupholstery.

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Goodwill North Adams North Adams, MA “This is one of the last thrift stores around not totally scavenged by dealers,” Goodman grins. A short hop from MASS MoCA, it’s one of her favorite under-theradar sources for old-school steals.

Hammertown Rhinebeck & Pine Plains, NY; Great Barrington, MA “They’ve got a big footprint, and it’s quality stuff,” says Goodman. Known for neutrals and polish, Hammertown offers a solid design base. “Then throw in one weird little side table, and suddenly it looks custom.”

Jack Rabbit Studio Hudson, NY “Chubby-legged, weird, wonderful,” Goodman says of Jack Rabbit. The furniture skews toward sculptural with a splash of Memphis Milano attitude.

“Perfect for someone who bought everything else and now needs a piece that screams, ‘I have refined taste but I’m also fun.’”

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SHOPPING // Story by Andrew Amelinkx

8 Great Vintage and Second-Hand Clothing Stores

Catwalk Boutique, Great Barrington and Lenox, MA

T

here are plenty of reasons to shop at vintage and secondhand clothing stores, whether it’s about personal style, frugality, or living a more sustainable lifestyle. And our region is brimming with some wonderful places to get something new to you. There are stores for those who love digging through piles of clothes to find that perfect piece and others for people who prefer having a pro provide them with a curated selection to choose from.

These stores help keep perfectly good clothes out of landfills and can also be spaces for positive change. We’ve gathered some of our favorites below to help readers find their next favorite outfit.

visual delight, with its ever-changing and always stunning window displays.

Inside, you’ll find owner Lisa Durfee likely wearing a chic vintage outfit—she’s been a vintage shopper since her teens— there to help you. She has a curator’s eye and an abiding love for old clothing.

“My greatest pleasure is fixing wounded clothes that were otherwise headed for the landfill,” Durfee says.

You’ll find a selection of women’s clothes from the 1930s to 1980s, with some newer, better-quality designer clothes, and items in the mix as well.

Although the biggest percentage of the clothing is geared toward women, there is always a selection of super-stylish men’s shirts, hats, and loads of neckties.

Five and Diamond Vintage Hudson, NY This Hudson mainstay has been on Columbia Street for 20 years and is a

Thrift 2 Fight Tivoli, NY Founded by Masha Zabara and Jillian Reed in 2020, Thrift 2 Fight is, as the

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name suggests, not just a thrift store, but also helps to fund social change. Ten percent of every purchase goes to local grassroots organizations. Thus far, Thrift 2 Fight has raised more than $90,000 for racial, queer, and disability justice issues.

Thrift 2 Fight is gender inclusive, with the clothes organized by type. Similarly, most of the clothing isn’t separated by size. What you will find here is a wide range of styles from vintage to contemporary, along with designer items, and a curated rack of linen and silk clothing. There’s a whole room where everything is $8, with most items in the store under $20. If you’re there on a Wednesday, you may luck into one of their community events that range from clothing mending to book discussions.

Savvy Hive North Adams, MA Savvy Hive, located at 53 Main Street, began as a side-hustle for Jessica Sweeney, who had a clothing pop-up at Berkshire Emporium before opening Savvy Hive in May 2022. Her store offers a wide range of clothing from vintage to contemporary, and some handmade items. It has men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing organized to be gender inclusive by type. Since a lot of the clothes are donated, there’s a steady stream of new items coming in on a regular basis. They also have repair and alteration services.

Savvy Hive also supports the community, with some of the clothes going to a free clothing closet at ROOTS Teen Center, which supports area youth.

Savvy Hive also has a free bin in front of the store where underserved people can access clothing if and when they need to.

Stella Rose Designer and Vintage Consignment New Preston, CT At Stella Rose Designer and Vintage Consignment, 255 New Milford Turnpike, you’ll find women’s vintage,

“For me, the hunt is a big part of the allure, so I’m more inclined toward thrift shops, where I can dig around to find something special.

That said, vintage and consignment shops are great, because an expert has already done the leg work and made sure that the clothing is in pristine condition, without stains or tears. Our area has a great mix of both.”

—Andrew Amelinckx Menswear expert and author of multiple nonfiction books including his latest, Satellite Boy: The International Manhunt for a Master Thief That Launched the Modern Communication Age.

designer—and in some cases—vintage designer clothing and accessories.

Brands range from J. Crew to Chanel.

“We do not sell some of fast fashion’s largest offenders… but try to focus on real materials and sustainable goods,” owner Theresa Mieczkowski says. They currently only sell women’s clothes, but 2025 Rural Intelligence 23

Savvy Hive, North Adams, MA

Kenly Brozman Licensed Psychotherapist Board Certified Health Coach Your Partner in Well-Being (518) 929-2050 • kbrozman@gmail.com

Newsletter

Your Hudson Valley Cheat Sheet The latest intel on new restaurants, bars, shops, and things to do, plus news and real estate.

Delivered straight to your inbox, 5 times weekly.

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are looking for another location to add men’s attire.

Mieczkowski is a passionate advocate for sustainability, her community, and helping other women. “I teach people how to find money in their closets and how to make the most of the clothes they have by styling outfits for them that incorporate clothes they have at home,” she says. “Most people don’t need more, they just need to know how to use what they have by learning how to add in a couple of ‘new-to-you’ pieces.”

Catwalk Boutique Great Barrington and Lenox, MA Catwalk Boutique, with two locations in the Southern Berkshires, specializes in women’s apparel and accessories, with the sales going to help the companion animals at the Berkshire Humane Society’s main shelter in Pittsfield and its satellite cat adoption and boarding facility, Purradise, in Great Barrington.

At Catwalk you’ll find a wide range of clothing, from vintage to contemporary, everyday to luxury, and all in excellent condition.

“We closely curate the clothing for quality and offer a variety of styles for any occasion,” Marsha Weiner, who co-founded Catwalk Boutique with Mimi Rosenblatt and Leslie Weil in 2013, says.

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Spanning an impressive 5,000 square feet, and overlooking a 40 foot waterfall, this lifestyle store offers a diverse and carefully curated selection of sustainable products.

Shop over 200 brands including: Cisco and Lee Upholstery • Frank & Eileen CP Shades • AG Jeans • Billy Reid • Filson 9 East Shore Rd, New Preston, CT • jseitz.com

Atelier Renée fine framing The Chocolate Factory•54 Elizabeth Street•Red Hook, NY Appointments preferred, but not necessary. Tuesday–Saturday.

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ART IN ALL FORMS North Adams, MA | massmoca.org

an evening with

aaron tveit sunday, july 13 mahaiwe.org 26 ruralintelligence.com

Summer

arts Tony Turner

PR EVI EW

“Femenine” Kyle Marshall Choreography, PS21, Chatham, NY, July 11-12

As the curtain rises on the 2025 summer arts season, a new wave of innovation is making its mark on a region that already boasts a heralded history of presenting important work. While the Berkshires, Hudson Valley, and Litchfield County have an arts legacy to be proud of, many theaters, companies, galleries, and venues are throwing themselves headlong into the presentation of striking contemporary work and unconventional adaptations this summer. The mix of time-honored tradition and bold progress is riveting.

THEATER

The 2024 production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA.

A

ll the region’s theaters seem to be embracing bold narratives and fresh perspectives presently, ensuring that audiences are treated to performances that are both thoughtprovoking and reflective of our times.

Here are just some of the highlights of the upcoming productions that exemplify this dynamic theatrical landscape.

Williamstown Theatre Festival Williamstown, MA

“Camino Real” July 17–August 3 Tony Danza and Pamela Anderson return to the stage this summer in Tennessee Williams’s “Camino Real.” Directed by Obie Awardwinner Dustin Wills, the production reimagines Williams’s surreal epic, set in a dreamlike plaza inhabited by literary and historical figures. The play explores themes of corruption and the resilience of the human spirit. This marks 28 ruralintelligence.com

Anderson’s first theatrical appearance since her acclaimed 2022 Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in “Chicago.”

“Spirit of the People” July 17–August 1 Playwright Jeremy O. Harris (“Slave Play”) presents the world premiere of this provocative new work that interrogates the legacy of Tennessee Williams through a contemporary lens. Directed by Katina Medina Mora, the production delves into themes of identity, memory, and the narratives we inherit. This piece is part of the festival’s thematic focus, “Williams, Tennessee,” celebrating and reexamining the playwright’s enduring influence.

“Untitled on Ice” July 18–August 2 Blending theater and ice dancing, “Untitled on Ice” is a groundbreaking production conceived and directed by Will Davis. Choreographed

by Olympic medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani, this performance transforms

Four Wings Photography

World-Class Theater in the Hills & Valleys

THEATER a local ice rink into a stage, exploring themes inspired by Tennessee Williams’s works in a new, kinetic medium.

“Many Happy Returns” July 18–August 3 This dance-theater piece, co-created by choreographer Monica Bill Barnes and writer/performer Robbie Saenz de Viteri, looks deeply into the rituals of daily life and the passage of time. Through movement and storytelling, “Many Happy Returns” offers a poignant reflection on memory and the human experience.

Barrington Stage Company Pittsfield, MA

“Camelot” June 25–July 19 Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s classic musical returns in a new production directed

by BSC Artistic Director Alan Paul, based on his acclaimed 2018 staging for the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC. This reimagined “Camelot” aims to explore themes of justice, honor, and hope.

Shakespeare & Company Lenox, MA

“The Taming of the Shrew” August 14–24 Directed by Allyn Burrows and Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer, this production offers a fresh perspective on Shakespeare’s classic comedy, amping up the play’s musings on identity, gender roles, and the clash of wills. Staged at the Tina Packer Playhouse, the performance invites audiences to engage with the timeless battle of the sexes.

Mac-Haydn Theatre Chatham, NY

“Jesus Christ Superstar” July 24–August 3 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s iconic rock opera returns

to the Mac-Haydn stage in a bold new production. The story reimagines the final days of Jesus through the eyes of Judas Iscariot, sung as a spectacle that blends biblical drama with 1970s rock, offering a powerful exploration of faith, fame, and betrayal.

Sharon Playhouse Sharon, CT

“Million Dollar Quartet” June 20-July 6 The Playhouse kicks off its summer season with “Million Dollar Quartet,” a musical inspired by the legendary 1956 recording session that brought together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.

This high-energy show promises rock ‘n’ roll hits and a glimpse into a pivotal moment in music history.

Great Barrington Public Theater Great Barrington, MA

“Madame Mozart, the Lacrimosa” July 10–July 27 Anne Undeland’s poignant profile of Constanze Mozart’s life brings historical nuance and emotional depth to the stage.

“The Best Medicine” August 1–August 17 Written by Robin Gerber and directed by Judy Braha, this production explores the complexities of healing, resilience, and humor.

MASS MoCA

North Adams, MA “Sarah Sherman Live” July 19 Sarah Sherman of “Saturday Night Live” brings her signature unhinged hilarity to MASS MoCA’s Hunter Center.

Known for her surreal and boundarypushing comedy, Sherman delivers a performance that blends absurdity with sharp social commentary.

2025 Rural Intelligence 29

“Julio Torres Live” August 8 Comedian and writer Julio Torres brings his distinctive brand of surreal humor to the Hunter Center stage. Known for his work on “Saturday Night Live” and “Los Espookys,” Torres’s performance blends whimsical storytelling with sharp wit.

Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck Rhinebeck, NY

“Gypsy” July 18–August 24 This summer, the Center revives the classic Broadway musical with a powerhouse score by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim.

Centered on the fiercely determined stage mother Rose and her daughters’ rise through vaudeville, “Gypsy” is a sharp and entertaining portrait of ambition, identity, and transformation.

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A SHAKESPEARE CABARET

Directed by Daniel Gidron

Created by Allyn Burrows & Jacob Ming-Trent

Featuring Annette Miller

Directed by Allyn Burrows

JUNE 19 – JULY 20

JULY 1 – 6

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Tina Packer Playhouse OU

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ROMEO AND JULIET

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THE PIANO LESSON

by William Shakespeare

Directed by Christopher V. Edwards

Directed by Kevin G. Coleman & Jonathan Epstein

JULY 25 – AUGUST 24 Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

JULY 12 – AUGUST 10

Outdoors at the Arthur S. Waldstein Amphitheatre

THE

TAMING

OF THE

SHREW

CIRCUS & THE BARD

by William Shakespeare

AUGUST 21 – 31

Directed by Nicole Ricciardi

Tina Packer Playhouse

AUGUST 14 – 24 Tina Packer Playhouse

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by Paula Vogel

An Introduction to New Works

Directed by Ariel Bock

AUGUST 26 – 28

AUGUST 29 – OCTOBER 5

CELEBRATING JEWISH PLAYS

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Outdoors at the Rose Footprint Theatre

A Lively, Costumed Reading

by Kate Hamill

AN IMMERSIVE WEEKEND OF STAGED READINGS

Based on the novel by Jane Austen

Directed by Ariel Bock

DECEMBER 12 – 14

OCTOBER 10 – 12

Tina Packer Playhouse & Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Get Tickets: 413.637.3353

SEASON 2025

SHAKESPEARE.ORG

30 ruralintelligence.com

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Hudson, NY

“Avoidance & Peculiar 2025” August 29 As part of the 2025 Hudson Eye Festival, Time & Space Limited presents “Avoidance & Peculiar 2025,” a revived and reimagined performance text by TSL cofounder Linda Mussmann. Originally staged in 1985, the piece returns in a newly conceived form that blends live performance with archival film.

Performed by Mussmann’s longtime collaborator, wife, and muse, Claudia Bruce, the performance is a meditation on memory, abstraction, and the passing of time. Drawing inspiration from the aleatory techniques of John Cage, “A&P 25” becomes a layered experience where movement, language, and image intersect unpredictably, offering a haunting and poetic take on collaboration, distance, and the strange beauty of ordinary things.

June 30–July 26

July 24–August 17

at The Unicorn Theatre

at The Colonial Theatre

The Larry Vaber Stage

Berkshire Theatre Group presents The Berkeley Repertory Theatre Production of

written and performed by

Ari’el Stachel

by Agatha Christie

directed by Tony Taccone

World Premiere

directed by Gerry McIntyre

August 7–30

September 25–October 26

The Larry Vaber Stage

The Larry Vaber Stage

at The Unicorn Theatre

at The Unicorn Theatre

based on the myths of Ovid written and originally directed by Mary Zimmerman

written and performed by Renée Taylor directed by Elaine May

directed by Isadora Wolfe

(413) 997-4444 BerkshireTheatreGroup.org 111 South Street • Pittsfield, MA 6 East Street • Stockbridge, MA

Great Barrington Public Theater Presents

By Maggie Kearnan Directed by Clay Hopper

June 5th thru June 22nd • Liebowitz Black Box Theater

By Anne Undeland Directed by Judy Braha

July 10th thru July 27th • McConnell Theater

The Best Medicine

By Robin Gerber

Directed by Matthew Penn

August 1st thru August 17th • McConnell Theater

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: www.greatbarringtonpublictheater.org Box Office: 413-372-1980 • boxoffice@greatbarringtonpublictheater.org 2025 Rural Intelligence 31

MUSIC

The Sound of Summer

F

rom an orchestral collab between hip-hop legend Nas and the Boston Symphony Orchestra to the soulful melodies of Jon Batiste and the timeless presence of Yo-Yo Ma, the 2025 summer music landscape promises a dynamic return to form.

At the center of it all is Tanglewood, which once again offers a rich tapestry of sound designed to electrify audiences and resound through the Berkshire landscape. Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma has always appreciated the venue’s ambiance and the effect it has on concert goers. In a past interview with Rural Intelligence, Ma remarked, “It’s a different mix from a city audience. Urban folk start to shed city habits in a rural setting, and rural folk are less harried and more in touch with nature’s rhythms.”

With Tanglewood and a host of other venues across the region embracing bold, genre-spanning lineups, this summer is set to be filled with song, rhythm, and energy. Below are some of the key performances to catch.

Tanglewood Lenox, MA

Nas with the Boston Pops June 27 Hip-hop icon Nas teams up with the Boston Pops for an orchestral performance that blends his legendary tracks with classical instrumentation.

This one-of-a-kind event offers a genredefying night under the stars.

Jon Batiste June 28 Grammy-winning multiinstrumentalist Jon Batiste brings his 32 ruralintelligence.com

Nas with the Boston Pops, Tanglewood, Lenox, MA, June 27

singular fusion of jazz, soul, and classical to Tanglewood in a performance expected to be filled with musical mastery and emotional positivity.

James Taylor and Band with Special Guest Tiny Habits July 3 and 4 Beloved troubadour James Taylor returns for his annual Independence Day concerts, joined by his All-Star Band and rising vocal group Tiny Habits. The July 4 performance concludes with a fireworks display.

Yo-Yo Ma and Brooklyn Rider August 13 Contemporary string quartet Brooklyn Rider joins forces with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma for a special performance.

The program features contemporary works

by Colin Jacobsen, Reena Esmail, and Philip Glass.

MASS MoCA

North Adams, MA Guster and the Mountain Goats July 26 Two iconic indie rock powerhouses share the stage in an outdoor concert that may be nostalgic but will likely still pack a punch.

MUSIC Roomful of Teeth August 24 The Grammy-winning vocal ensemble returns with a concert that reconstructs conventional ideas of choral music, blending throat singing, yodeling, and contemporary composition.

Berkshire Opera Festival Great Barrington, MA

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center and Saint James Place August 14–29 Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Berkshire Opera Festival presents a season of operatic excellence in Great Barrington. The festival opens with a special anniversary concert on August 14, featuring highlights from beloved operas performed by the BOF Orchestra and Chorus under the baton of artistic director Brian Garman.

The centerpiece of the season is a new production of Verdi’s “La Traviata,” staged on August 23, 26, and 29. This timeless tale of love and sacrifice stars soprano Vanessa Becerra as Violetta, tenor Joshua Blue as Alfredo, and baritone Darren Drone as Giorgio Germont.

(August 15–16). Other highlights include performances by Martha Redbone (July 12), Elisapie (July 13), and the electropop duo Ringdown (June 28). The Bluegrass on Hudson series also returns, featuring artists like Alison Brown (July 31) and Brittany & Natalie Haas (August 7). After hours dance parties, curated by Andy Monk of Queer Conspiracy, keep the festivities going late into the night on weekends.

Bard Music Festival: Martinu and His World August 8–10 & August 14–17, Fisher Center Now in its 35th year, the Bard Music Festival explores the life and music of Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů through concerts, talks, and discussions.

“Dalibor” July 25–August 3, Fisher Center Presented as part of SummerScape, this new production of Bedřich Smetana’s rarely staged opera is conducted by college president Leon Botstein and directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini. It tells a dramatic tale of rebellion and love.

Bard College

Annandale-on-Hudson, NY Bard SummerScape: Spiegeltent Series June 27–August 17 The Spiegeltent returns for its 18th season, offering an eclectic mix of cabaret, jazz, world music, and late-night revelry under its iconic colorful pavilion. This year’s lineup features a diverse array of performers, including Grammywinning artist Meshell Ndegeocello presenting “No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin” (August 9–10), drag performance artist Juno Birch (August 1–2), and cabaret legend John Cameron Mitchell with “Queen Bitch: John Cameron Mitchell Sings David Bowie”

Bard SummerScape, Spiegeltent Series, Annandale-on Hudson, NY, June 27-August 17.

2025 Rural Intelligence 33

MUSIC Litchfield Jazz Festival Washington, CT

July 25–27 The celebrated jazz festival returns with performances from the Emmet Cohen Trio, Anat Cohen Quartetinho, Pasquale Grasso and Frank Vignola, Matt Dwonszyk Sextet, and a jazz brunch finale with the Champian Fulton Trio.

Black Bear Music Fest The Lustre Kings, Black Bear Music Fest, Harwinton, CT, August 22-24

Harwinton, CT

August 22–24 Harwinton Fairgrounds More than 50 bands perform across four stages at this genre-spanning festival, which includes rock, folk, bluegrass, and blues—plus camping, food trucks, and family fun.

The Stissing Center Pine Plains, NY

Twin Flames, the Stissing Center, Pine Plains, NY, June 28

Twin Flames June 28 Canadian duo Twin Flames brings a cross-cultural blend of music, comedy, and storytelling to the Stissing Center. With 44 awards and nominations, their performance bridges Indigenous traditions and contemporary styles.

Millbrook Vineyards & Winery Millbrook, NY

Bernie Williams, Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, Millbrook, NY, June 28 34 ruralintelligence.com

Bernie Williams: Jazz in the Vineyard June 28 Legendary New York Yankees centerfielder turned jazz guitarist Bernie Williams returns with a concert that also debuts the latest vintage of Bernie’s Blend—a wine crafted with Millbrook’s winemaker Ian Bearup. The event includes signed prints of the wine label, designed by Williams’s daughter Beatriz.

Boston Early Music Festival A show-stopping double bill of stylish slapstick and scintillating drama from the GRAMMY-winning BOSTON EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL!

LIVE OPERA IN THE BERKSHIRES

World-Class Chamber Music in the Berkshires!

Sheffield Town Park Sat. June 14 at 4pm & Sat. Sept. 13 at 4pm www.LichGateConcerts.org

Music, Theater, Dance, Comedy, Film, Children’s Programs & More Shows Every Weekend!

One of the Hudson Valley’s Most Beautiful Venues thestissingcenter.org

F R ID AY, JUNE 27 | 8P M S AT UR D AY, JUNE 28 | 3P M

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center 14 Castle St, Great Barrington, MA

OR DER Y OUR T IC K E T S T OD AY!

413-528-0100 | MAHAIWE.ORG “From Bach to Marsalis” Broadway musicians join NDSO for a show stopping performance where cabaret meets classical.

Friday, August 29, 7:00 p.m.

Stissing Center for Arts and Culture Pine Plains, NY

2950 Church St Pine Plains, NY

2025 Summer Exhibition Open thru 9/13 Thursday-Sunday 12-5PM

Rachel Handman and Keve Wilson

43 artists in a 7 story grain mill

wassaicproject.org

NORTHERN DUTCHESS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Learn more and get tickets at www.ndsorchestra.org 2025 Rural Intelligence 35

DANCE

Becca Oviatt Sekou McMiller & Friends, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Becket, MA, July 30-August 3.

Dance Indoors, Outdoors, and on the Digital Frontier

T

his summer marks a transformative moment for regional dance with the grand reopening of Jacob’s Pillow’s Doris Duke Theatre. Destroyed by fire in 2020, the theater has been reimagined as a 20,000-square-foot, state-of-theart venue. The new space features advanced spatial audio systems, infrared camera tracking, and immersive video capabilities—positioning it as one of the most technologically advanced dance venues in the world. “We envisioned and built the new Doris Duke Theatre 36 ruralintelligence.com

grounded in the Indigenous history of the land on which we dance,” says Pamela Tatge, executive and artistic director of Jacob’s Pillow. “At the same time, it is a global hub for innovation, offering tomorrow’s most groundbreaking mixed-reality dance experiences.”

As the Doris Duke Theatre returns to the fold, it sets the tone for a summer season across the region, rich in the physical language of emotional expression. Here are some of the highlights.

DANCE Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

premiere of work that showcases her vibrant and eclectic style.

Opening Week Celebration July 6–13 The festival kicks off with Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Annie-B Parson, Shamel Pitts | TRIBE, and the US premiere of “OTMO Live” by the UK-based Alexander Whitley Dance Company, which uses motion-capture technology to connect dancers live across stages.

Huang Yi August 20–24 The Taiwanese choreographer debuts a work that fuses robotics and dance, creating a dialogue between human movement and technology.

Becket, MA

Ted Shawn Theatre Highlights BODYTRAFFIC July 2–6 The Los Angeles-based company makes its Ted Shawn Theatre debut with a program featuring “Blue Until June,” set to the songs of Etta James, alongside works by Juel D. Lane and Matthew Neenan.

Sekou McMiller & Friends July 30–August 3 The group’s performance will showcase Afro-Latin dance traditions, highlighting the rich cultural heritage and contemporary expressions of the genre.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater August 20–24 Performing as a full company for the first time at the Pillow since 1963, the theater presents a program that includes audience favorites and new works.

Doris Duke Theatre Highlights Andrew Schneider July 16–20 The popular Obie Award winner premieres “HERE,” a performance exploring technology and intimacy that takes advantage of the capabilities of the new facility.

Eun-Me Ahn July 30–August 3 Returning to the Pillow after 25 years, the South Korean dancer and choreographer presents a US

Henry J. Leir Stage Highlights Almanac Dance Circus Theatre July 2 A Philadelphia-based ensemble, Almanac merges acrobatics and storytelling, pushing the physical boundaries of movement and narrative.

Ice Theatre of New York August 7 Skaters perform a world premiere performance on a special danceable ice surface installed specifically for them, combining the artistry of dance with the athleticism of figure skating.

Matthew Rushing’s Sacred Songs August 21–22 Dancers explore spirituality in a new work led by Matthew Rushing, reflecting on the sacred through movement.

Kaatsbaan Cultural Park Tivoli, NY

2025 Annual Festival guest curator Michele Steinwald presents four weekends of dance, storytelling, film, and visual art across Kaatsbaan’s Hudson Valley campus.

Week 1: August 30–31 Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company The renowned Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company will premiere “Curriculum III: apatride,” a new work exploring themes of statelessness, displacement, and the human quest for freedom amidst environmental and political upheaval.

2025 Rural Intelligence 37

DANCE Week 2: September 6–7 Nichole Canuso—“Branching Paths: Lunar Retreat” Choreographer Nichole Canuso presents “Branching Paths: Lunar Retreat,” an immersive, participatory dance performance inspired by the moon’s gravitational pull on Earth’s oceans.

Week 3: September 12–13 The Porch – Live Storytelling Series This is a live storytelling series inspired by “The Moth,” where local characters share true stories with an audience of friends and neighbors. This evening of spoken stories offers a refreshing alternative to screen entertainment and has garnered a loyal following among Hudson Valley residents.

Week 4: September 19–21 Ayodele Casel “Freedom… In Progress and New Work” Award-winning tap dancer and choreographer Ayodele Casel presents two works that blend tap dance with jazz legacies. Directed by longtime collaborator Torya Beard, Casel’s new work examines the transformative ties between tap dance and the dynamism of ‘90s Hip-Hop and R&B music.

Kayla Farrish—“DOCILE and A Beast That Came Apart Mid-Air” Choreographer Kayla Farrish debuts two works: “DOCILE” and “A Beast That Came Apart Mid-Air.” Farrish is known for her versatile company and innovative performances that explore themes of identity, power, and transformation through a blend of dance, theater, and film.

PS21

Chatham, NY PS21’s 2025 summer season presents a diverse and daring slate of dance works, featuring US premieres, legendary repertory, and experimental collaborations between movement 38 ruralintelligence.com

and music, all performed in the open-air Pavilion Theater and surrounding grounds.

Kyle Marshall Choreography July 11 and 12 Choreographed by Kyle Marshall and set to Julius Eastman’s radiant 1974 score, “Femenine” is a joy-filled and emotionally charged celebration of queer Black and Brown identity.

Paul Taylor Dance Company August 7–9 The Paul Taylor Dance Company returns to PS21 with four selections from its celebrated repertory.

“Cascade” (1999) features vibrant, shifting choreography set to Bach; “3 Epitaphs” (1956) offers absurdist charm to the tune of early New Orleans jazz; “Tablet” (1960), a rare duet with costumes and set by Ellsworth Kelly, channels surreal minimalism; and “Vespers” (1986), choreographed by Ulysses Dove, is a raw and powerful work for six women set to a pulsing percussive score.

Samantha Shay August 15 and 16 Making its US premiere at PS21, “Life in This House is Over” is a dance-theater meditation on grief, ritual, and absurdity. Directed by Samantha Shay and developed at Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, the piece is structured like a funeral and wake, fusing physical theater with Chekhovian existentialism.

Hudson Hall Hudson, NY

“Hudson Terminus” July 18–August 17 This interdisciplinary exhibition by choreographer and visual artist Jon Kinzel, is a monthlong installation that combines dance, visual art, and performance, pushing the boundaries of form and inviting audiences to engage with innovative expressions of movement and space.

Sponsored

A Decade in the Spotlight

film colu mbia 2025 McConnia Chesser’s award-winning performance in “An Iliad”

Over the last 10 years, Ancram Center for the Arts has helped transform a quiet Columbia County hamlet into a destination for must-see courageous contemporary theater.

Founded by theater industry veterans Paul Ricciardi and Jeffrey Mousseau, Ancram Center is the upstate home for cutting-edge performance and offers an incubator for innovative theater-makers to develop and stage bold works that challenge audiences’ notions about themselves and the world.

This summer, Ancram Center welcomes two productions that draw upon the immediacy and vibrancy of storytelling and live music: “Where the Mountain Meets the Sea” in July and “Penelope” in September. Two beloved series are also popping up at delightful outdoor venues: its community storytelling project, “Real People Real Stories,” at Roeliff Jansen Park in Hillsdale on June 28, and the roving site-specific “Plein Air Plays” with three short theatrical performances staged in secret Ancram locations, August 7-10.

The Birthday Bash on August 2 celebrates this milestone season and will raise funds for Ancram Center’s annual programming and strengthen its impact for the decade ahead.

Tickets and more at Ancramcenter.org.

Produced by the Chronogram Media Branded Content Studio.

10/17–26 filmcolumbia.org

BERKSHIRE FILM and MEDIA COLLABORATIVE

of Western Massachusetts

Your Filmmaking Resource in Western MA - Finding locations and crews for filmmakers - Teaching filmmaking in our schools - Offering workforce development workshops For more information: www.berkshirefilm.org info@berkshirefilm.org BFMC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization 2025 Rural Intelligence 39

ART

The Art of Fearless Expression Lives Here

A

t MASS MoCA this season, the act of examining our past is helping connect visitors to the present. In her immersive installation, “The Archive of Lost Memories,” artist-in-residence Randi Malkin Steinberger is building a living collage of found photographs, salvaged museum furniture, and handassembled display panels that spark nostalgia and longing. “My process is living and working with my art,” she explains, as guests wander into the bright, memory-saturated space. What began as a quiet studio practice, now strewn publicly about a former factory wing, has become one of the museum’s most unexpectedly affecting installations this year.

“Even though they’re memories of people I don’t even know,” says Steinberger, “it’s triggering the audience’s own memories. And, there are kids coming in who have never actually touched a real photograph before.”

The show is a reminder that here, art doesn’t just live in galleries—it spills into side rooms, restaurants, homes, and out into fields and forests. Here is just a sample of the exciting visual art exhibitions to see this summer at a few of the region’s most beloved institutions.

40 ruralintelligence.com

The Rope, (After Marsden Hartley), Vincent Valdez, oil pastel on paper, 2018, from “Vincent Valdez: Just a Dream...” at MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA.

MASS MoCA

North Adams, MA “Vincent Valdez: Just a Dream…”

Though April 5, 2026 Spanning over two decades of Valdez’s work across various media, the exhibition delves into themes of American identity, politics, and collective memory. He addresses subjects such as boxing, the lynching of Mexican Americans, border walls, the Ku Klux Klan, and societal triumphs and failings.

“New York State of Mind” Opening June 28 Take a trip back to New York from 1969 to 1999 with New York State of Mind, the latest in a series of exhibitions of music photography. Highlights include Bob Gruen’s legendary photographs of the Woodstock Festival, and candid shots from famed venues like Max’s Kansas City, showcasing artists including

ART Johnny Thunders, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Joan Baez, and Bruce Springsteen.

his monumental painting The New Adam, Stevenson challenged traditional norms and celebrated queer aesthetics in his art.

Art Omi

Berkshire Botanical Garden

“Staging Area: A Barn Raising in Two Parts” Late July This summer, Art Omi invites the community to engage in a unique participatory experience with the second phase of Erin Besler’s Staging Area: “A Barn Raising in Two Parts.” Building upon the themes explored in the indoor exhibition that concluded on June 8, the upcoming event will feature the physical raising of a barn frame in the sculpture and architecture park. As Besler emphasizes, “Historically, barns were built through oral traditions and hands-on knowledge, practices that architecture, as a field, often overlooks.”

This outdoor installation aims to celebrate communal labor and the social dimensions of construction, challenging traditional notions of architectural authority.

“DayDream” and “Sleepwalkers” June 6–August 11 This summer, Berkshire Botanical Garden invites visitors to immerse themselves in “DayDream,” a curated exhibition by James Salomon that transforms the garden into a realm of artistic imagination. Spanning painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media, the exhibition features works by iconic artists such as Salvador Dalí, Annie Leibovitz, Yoko Ono, Jamie Wyeth, Roz Chast, Will Cotton, Ellsworth Kelly, and Kenny Scharf.

Complementing “DayDream,” sculptor Mark Mennin presents Sleepwalkers, an outdoor installation featuring three monumental stone sculptures.

Ghent, NY

“Harold Stevenson: Less Real Than My Routine Fantasy” June 28–October 26 This is the first institutional solo exhibition of Stevenson’s work in New York. The show offers a comprehensive look at Stevenson’s career, highlighting his exploration of identity, desire, and the human form. Known for

Stockbridge, MA

Private Public Gallery Hudson, NY

“Janet Biggs: Eclipse (Amazon, Sept. 7, 1858)” July 19–August 24 Private Public Gallery hosts a large-scale video installation

by Janet Biggs taking up the entire gallery, which documents the trail of an eclipse through the Amazon in 1858.

Biggs is renowned for her immersive video installations that often delve into

Partial view of “Eclipse (Amazon, Sept. 7, 1858),” a multi-channel video installation by Janet Biggs at Private Public, Hudson, NY. 2025 Rural Intelligence 41

ART

Letters, Shakir Hassan Al Said, oil, gesso, cotton, linen, canvas, 1961, from “All Manner of Experiments” at the CCS Bard Hessel Museum.

Courtesy Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha.

extreme environments and the limits of human endurance.

Olana State Historic Site Hudson, NY

“A Closer Look” Ongoing This thoughtfully curated series invites visitors to slow down and engage deeply with select works from Hudson River School of Painting master Frederic Church’s collection, inside his magnificent home.

CCS Bard Hessel Museum Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

“All Manner of Experiments: Legacies of the Baghdad Group for Modern Art” June 21–October 19 This landmark exhibition offers the first comprehensive US survey of the 42 ruralintelligence.com

Baghdad Modern Art Group, founded in 1951. The group sought to synthesize Iraq’s rich artistic heritage with global modernist movements, encapsulated in their guiding principle of istilham al turath—drawing inspiration from tradition. The exhibition features works spanning from 1946 to 2023, including paintings, sculptures, and drawings by artists such as Dia al-Azzawi, Suad Al-Attar, Ismail Fattah, Hanaa Malallah, and Lorna Selim.

The Clark Art Institute Williamstown, MA

“Fragile Beauty: Treasures from the Rosenberg Collection” July 6–October 6 This summer, the Clark presents a major exhibition of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works from the renowned Rosenberg

Collection. Featuring paintings by Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Vuillard, the show explores the legacy of one of France’s most influential art dealers and the resilience of art through war and displacement.

COMMUNITY * COLLABORATION* CONNECTION COMMUNITY * COLLABORATION* CONNECTION COMMUNITY COMMUNITY * COLLABORATION* COLLABORATION* CONNECTION CONNECTION COMMUNITY **COLLABORATION* CONNECTION

COMMUNITY * COLLABORATION* CONNECTION

Spencertown Academy Arts Center Spencertown, NY

“Gee’s Bend: The Next Generation” July 12–August 3 Experience the renowned Gee’s Bend quilts in this special exhibition, featuring talks, RESERVE COWORKING SPACE workshops, and demonstrations by the quilters, including a special RESERVE COWORKING SPACE copakeconnect.com appearance by Willie Joe Pettway, son Monday-Friday 8-5pm copakeconnect.com of legacy quilter Lola Pettway.

RESERVE COWORKING SPACE RESERVE COWORKING SPACE RESERVE RESERVE COWORKING COWORKING SPACE SPACE Monday-Friday 8-5pm copakeconnect.com copakeconnect.com copakeconnect.com copakeconnect.com 1676 County Rte 7A Copake Monday-Friday 8-5pm NY 1676 County Rte 7A Copake NY

Jack Shainman Gallery: The School Kinderhook, NY

“General Condition” Through November 25 Featuring over two dozen artists working across various media, the exhibition offers reflections on contemporary social and political climates, exploring ideas of displacement, identity, and systemic structures. Artists include El Anatsui, Gordon Parks, Hayv Kahraman, Richard Mosse, and Rose B. Simpson, who have created works ranging from large-scale installations to the deeply intimate.

Monday-Friday 8-5pm Monday-Friday Monday-Friday 8-5pm 8-5pm 1676 County Rte 7A Copake NY

1676 County 7A7A Copake 1676 County 1676 County RteRte 7ARte Copake Copake NY NYNY

FINE WOODWORK SHOW AND

Silent Auction

AUGUST

30 & 31

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

at the Berkshire Botanical Garden

BERKSHIREWOODWORKERS.ORG

The Mount Lenox, MA

“Movement” Through September 30 This outdoor sculpture exhibition features 25 large-scale, juried works set amidst the estate’s historic gardens and woodlands. Motion, transformation, and change are expressed through kinetic sculptures and pieces reflecting personal and cultural shifts.

Every Saturday 9am–1pm

CHURCH ST, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA

MAY 10th - OCTOBER 25th 2025 Rural Intelligence 43

LAST LOOK // Story by Jamie Larson Tony Luong

This is America

U

nder the direction of the Trump administration, in May the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) rescinded a $50,000 grant previously awarded to MASS MoCA for the support of Jeffrey Gibson’s immersive exhibition, “POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT.” The NEA stated that the exhibition “no longer serves the interest of the United States.”

Occupying MASS MoCA’s expansive Building 5 gallery through August 2026, the exhibition is a vibrant celebration of Indigenous and queer identities.

It features seven oversized garments adorned with beads and found materials, suspended above patterned glass stages. A five-channel video installation, Your Spirit Whispers in My Ear, showcases contributions from 44 ruralintelligence.com

Installation view of Jeffrey Gibson’s “POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT,” at MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA.

over 30 Indigenous creatives, including DJs, drag performers, and activists.

The exhibition also hosts a series of performances by Indigenous artists from across North America, fostering a space where difference is not only seen but celebrated.

Gibson’s installation transforms the gallery into a dynamic environment that blurs the lines between art, ceremony, and community gathering.

By integrating elements of faith-based regalia and club culture, the exhibition pays homage to the past while signaling hope for the future. As the American government turns its back on the arts, “POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT” stands as an emotional reminder of the strength intrinsic in the creativity of our nation’s marginalized communities.

GROUND/WORK 2025

JUNE 28, 2025–OCTOBER 12, 2026 Explore this year-long exhibition of monumental sculpture featuring specially commissioned works located across the Clark’s campus.

Yō Akiyama Hugh Hayden

Ground/work 2025 artists: Laura Ellen Bacon Aboubakar Fofana Javier Senosiain Milena Naef

WILLIAMSTOWN MASSACHUSETTS CLARKART.EDU Ground/work 2025 is made possible

by Denise Littlefield Sobel.

Detail of Javier Senosiain’s Ground/work 2025 sculpture Coata III during the fabrication process

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