Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, MA, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (/məˈheɪwi/) is a major performance space in the town of Great Barrington, Massachusetts.[1] The theater's name comes from the indigenous Mahican term for "the place downstream" in relation to the Housatonic River.[2] The theater itself has hosted events for the Berkshire County community since it was built in 1905[3] and as the performing arts center since 2005, with offerings ranging from movies to live music, dance, drama, and comedy.
Front of Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center | |
| Website | mahaiwe.org |
|---|---|
| Location | 14 Castle St., Great Barrington, MA |
| Built | 1905 |
| Non-profit active | 2005 - present |
| Founder | Lola Jaffe |
History
Construction of the Mahaiwe Block building that houses the theater began in 1904, led by architect Joseph McArthur Vance.[4] The Mahaiwe Theater first opened its doors on September 26, 1905, with the musical comedy Happyland as the main performance.[5] The theater offered silent films, vaudeville acts, big bands, and later on “talkies” in 1929.[5] Several notable figures visited the Mahaiwe in its early years, including John Philip Sousa, who performed with his band in 1912;[5] and later Pauline Kael, who frequently rented out the theater to critique movies sent for her to review.[6]
In 2002, philanthropist Lola Jaffe founded a nonprofit organization to restore and run the theater.[7] Jaffe raised and invested over $9 million with the help of a board of directors.[8] Hugh Hardy, an American architect known for reviving theaters and other public spaces, led the restoration project.[citation needed] The theater re-opened officially as the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on May 29, 2005. The nonprofit organization is a part of the Downtown Great Barrington Cultural District.[9]
Recent performers of note since the restoration include Whoopi Goldberg,[10] Leslie Odom Jr.,[11] John Mulaney,[12] and Jane Lynch[13]