Whitney Center for the Arts Taps New Director

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Monica Bliss has been appointed director of performing arts at the Whitney Center for the Arts, the arts center in the renovated historic Thomas Colt House, the former home of the Women's Club of the Berkshires on Wendell Avenue.

A resident of New Lebanon, N.Y., Bliss volunteered as president and chair of publicity for Town Players of Pittsfield, Pittsfield's own historic 98-year old community theater. Previously, she worked as a sales manager for Barrington Stage Company. 

Bliss studied opera at the Hartt School of Music and theater at both Berkshire Community College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She graduated from Wahconah Regional High School in Dalton.

A soprano in the Berkshire Opera Festival Chorus, Bliss has performed with many local music and theater groups, including Shaker Mountain Opera, Berkshire Concert Choir, Berkshire Lyric, Town Players of Pittsfield, Ghent Playhouse, BCC Players and Berkshire Theatre Group. 

"The Whit" will feature monthly theatrical and musical programming for audiences of all ages, including an Early Bird Cabaret, a Teen Open Mic Night, Princess Song & Tea Parties, Jazz Nights, a return of the popular Opera Notte series and more.


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Berkshire Carousel Offer Withdrawn, Volunteers Plan Reopening

By Brittany Polito

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Berkshire Carousel offer has been withdrawn, and a volunteer group plans to reopen it.

Tuesday’s City Council agenda includes withdrawing an order to accept a conveyance and donation of land at 50 Center St. (the Berkshire Carousel.) While the carousel, owned by James Shulman, opened to enthusiastic fans in 2016, it has not operated since 2018 after leadership and funding fell apart.

“On January 17, 2025, I received an email from Mr. Shulman notifying me of his withdrawal of the gift of the carousel and conveyance and donation of land at 50 Center Street,” Marchetti wrote.

“Given this set of circumstances, I no longer intend to create a committee to study the carousel project.”

The mayor’s office said it understands that Shulman is working with friends of the carousel group on other operations plans.

On Friday, iBerkshires.com received a press release from a volunteer group affiliated with the Berkshire Carousel, Inc., announcing the course's reopening in the spring.  It explains that when the volunteers learned that the ride could be revived, they began working with the Berkshire Carousel, Inc. to offer an opportunity for it to be run “By the people who love it most.”

The group reports that an opening date will be announced soon.

“We are excited to reintroduce the Berkshire Carousel to our community,” said Janet Crawford, volunteer group coordinator.

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