Barrington Stage Company Presents Cyril the Sorcerer in 'Once Upon a River'

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PITTSFIELD, Mass — Barrington Stage Company (BSC) invites audiences of all ages to experience Cyril the Sorcerer in "Once Upon a River."

The public performance will take place Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 p.m. at the St. Germain Stage, Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center (36 Linden Street). Student matinee performances for local elementary school groups are scheduled for Friday, May 1 at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 2:00 p.m.

According to a press release: 

"Once Upon a River" is an interactive "enviromagic" fairytale show performed by CJ May as Cyril the Sorcerer, designed to teach children about environmental stewardship. The story follows a peasant boy's quest to stop a magician from stealing an entire river, sharing important lessons about sustainability, water protection, and recycling.

Featuring magic, costumes, and music, the production invites young audience members to become "heroes," actively engaging them in the story and its message.

"This is a wonderful way to introduce young audiences to live theatre while also inspiring them to care for the world around them," said Jane O'Leary, Director of Education. "It's entertaining, interactive, and meaningful for the whole family."

Known as the Merlin of Environmental Magic, Cyril was born and raised in the mythical Land of Aquilon, where he began his magical studies. When his homeland faced devastation due to pollution and environmental neglect, he used his powers to restore harmony between humans and nature. Today, he travels the world sharing the lessons that once saved Aquilon—empowering young people to protect the environment in their own communities.

Cyril the Sorcerer is the alter ego of CJ May, an environmental professional who holds a master's degree in environmental management from Yale University.

This special BSC engagement is sponsored by the Virginia and Harvey Kimmel Family Fund, whose support helps make accessible, educational programming like this possible.

Tickets are $5, making this a magical and affordable outing for families, school groups, and theatre lovers alike.

For tickets and information, visit the Barrington Stage Company website at barringtonstagco.org or call the box office at 413-242-6411.

 

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BCC Sees Another $1M for New Trades Program

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College was allocated more than $1 million from the state for an HVAC and heat pump trades program.

This will help BCC renovate an existing space into a lab and classroom, with the hope of welcoming the program’s first students in early 2027. Executive Director of Workforce and Community Education Linda Clairmont said there is "clearly" an interest, a lot of momentum, and demand for the skilled trades.

"We are beyond excited about this opportunity, not only for the college, but for the region, to be able to create a skilled trades program for adults, and it's a complement to what is already happening at the college," she said. 

The $1,188,635 award was announced on Tuesday as part of $13.4 million to 13 state community colleges through the Mass Clean Energy Center’s new Heat Pump and HVAC Training Network.  Between state and federal funding, the college has recently been allocated more than $2 million to diversify its educational offerings. 

Earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal visited the college to highlight the $995,000 he secured through congressionally directed spending for a Trades Academy

The nearly $1.2 million in state funds will support a renovation on the first floor of the field administration building for an HVAC heat pump and lab classroom, along with two cohorts of ten students. 

"We have made a lot of progress," Clairmont reported. 

"We've identified a location, right on campus. We are working with architects and engineers right now to design the space, along with some expertise in what is state-of-the-art for HVAC training in real-world environments." 

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