What if the family narrative that shapes us is a lie? Three Decembers tells the story of aging Broadway star Madeline Mitchell and her two adult children as they struggle to connect and heal old wounds while family secrets are revealed. This intimate, compelling drama takes place over two decades during the AIDS crisis, and has been hailed by critics as a modern masterpiece.
Berkshire Opera Festival mounts a new production of THREE DECEMBERS by Jake Heggie as its Second Stage production this year.
The one-act THREE DECEMBERS takes a deep look at the meaning of connection in the contemporary American family through the story of Broadway star Madeline Mitchell and her children. Stage Director Beth Greenberg, renowned for her work at the New York City Opera, says of the opera: “Buried secrets...dark whispers...love, and devastating loss...all collide and burst forth in Three Decembers. With its skillful balance of drama and élan, the work probes the fraught relationships between a successful actress-mother and her two children—a daughter coping with a failing marriage, and her young, gay son at the beginnings of the AIDS epidemic.”
Following the Thursday, July 21 performance of Three Decembers, BOF Artistic Director and Co-Founder Brian Garman will host a discussion with director Beth Greenberg, conductor Christopher James Ray and all 3 cast members - Adriana Zabala (Madeline Mitchell), Monica Dewey (Beatrice) and Theo Hoffman (Charlie). There will be a question-and-answer session and audience participation is encouraged. Everyone is welcome.
Music by Jake Heggie Libretto by Gene Scheer
Based on an original play by Terrence McNally Commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera in 2008
CAST
Adriana Zabala - Madeline Mitchell
Monica Dewey - Beatrice
Theo Hoffman - Charlie
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor Christopher James Ray Stage Director Beth Greenberg Scenic Designer Janie E. Howland Costume Designer Brooke Stanton Lighting Designer Alex Jainchill Hair & Make-up Designer Beckie Kravetz Musical Preparation Noah Palmer English Diction Coach Lynn Baker Production Stage Manager Cindy Knight
And featuring the Berkshire Opera Festival Orchestra
Berkshire Opera Festival’s production of THREE DECEMBERS is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Ticket Types
General Admission: $60
Students and Youth: $20
Twenty-for-Twenty*: $20
*20 General Admission tickets (normally $60) in Row L are available on a first-come, first-served basis for just $20.
Attendees will be required to provide proof of full vaccination (two shots and at least one booster), or a negative PCR test within 72 hours of performance, or a negative antigen test the day of the event. Masks are optional.
Venue Details
PS21 "Open Air " Pavillion Theater
2980 New York 66 Chatham, New York 12037
PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century
PS21 has two unique venues in one stunning building on a bucolic setting just one mile outside the Village of Chatham: a traditional stage with open air seating protected by a sweeping pavilion roof as well as an enclosed black box theater. Equipped with state-of-the-art theatrical equipment, PS21 is able to accommodate a wide range of works by today's most brilliant artists in dance, theater and music.