Over The Moon Reviews for RENT!
July 20, 2024“It’s the best show I’ve seen in years. So much so that I recommend seeing it twice.” says Lodro Rinzler for Trixie’s List
“Andrew Burton Kelley (who was incredible in Xanadu) plays Mark, our point-of-view character who hides behind his camera, documenting the lives of his found family. Good lord this man is talented. It’s worth going just to see him move through the emotional arcs of the show.”
“Our Mimi is new to the MacHaydn and boy, what a find. Anna Viveros brought an incredible balance of wild, sexy and dangerous to the role of Mimi, offering a truly electric performance. She made some big acting choices and I was delighted that every single one of them hit.”
“Marcus Jordan brings unbridled joy to the role of Tom Collins in the first act and beautiful sentimentality in the second; it’s a marvel to behold”
“Amber Mawande-Spytek plays Joanne and just f-ing nails it. Mawande-Spytek is an incredible actor who balances the multiple aspects of Joanne simultaneously with grace and ease.”
“Josh Walker plays Benny, our villain turned hero and they are so fun to watch over the course of the show; it’s hard to take your eyes off them.”
“Everyone around me had a good time and that’s an excellent sign that the Mac has another hit on its hands.” says Peter Bergman for Berkshire Bright Focus
“The show is really held together by fledgling film-maker Mark Cohen, perfectly played by Andrew Burton Kelley. This character both acts within the show’s action and narrates the show for his documentary film in the works as it develops, never an easy task for an actor. Kelley does it all with style and grace and makes it work easily.”
“Joanne is played by Amber Mawande-Spytek in her best role since playing the daughter in Next to Normal.”
Bill Kellert states the Mac-Haydn Theatre “continues to crank out top notch professional productions at the little theatre in the country.”Nippertown
“Backed by the support of the Mac’s music director Eric Shorey, who once again does a masterful job leading the cast through the challenging and demanding roles as well as the flawless choreography as imagined by Elizabeth McGuire that has the cast oftentimes appear to float across the stage.”
“The outstanding performances of the show belong to Velez, the drag queen with the heart of gold and eternal optimism who steals the light whenever he is on the stage.”
“Alivia Cross creates an incredible set for the actors to play on. She constructs a warehouse space that is the apartment for Mark and Ross and also becomes the streets , tent city and parks of New York. Almost miraculously, Cross’s set makes the stage appear larger than the actual stage on which it is built.”
Talkback With The Rent Cast and Creatives
July 18, 2024Join Us For A Special Discussion Sunday 7/21
We’re excited to announce a special talkback session immediately following the 7pm performance on Sunday, July 21.
Join our cast and crew for an engaging discussion exploring the creative process and the themes of RENT through the lens of writing. The talk back will include cast members Andrew Burton Kelley, Adeline Trivers, Anthony Michael Velez, Josh Walker, Marcus Jordan and Amber Mawande-Spytek as well as Director John Saunders, Music Director Eric Shorey and Scenic Designer Aliva Cross.
The Return of Sister Act Earns Joyous Reviews
July 3, 2024J. Peter Bergman says if you are a fan of musicals, ‘Sister Act’ is your finest opportunity. I would say, “go, sit back and laugh” in his review for The Berkshire Edge
“I cannot imagine a better choice for this role than Wemitt. Her final moments with Deloris were so emotionally right that they made the show.”
“On the other hand, Judith Wyatt as Sister Mary Lazarus was hilarious, as was Bella Babcock as Sister Mary-Martin-of-Tours. Samantha Rhea Parrish gave an exuberant performance as Mary Patrick. The men in the show were also quite good, particularly Jake Koch, Fernando Flores, and Anthony Michael Velez in their almost-show-stopping song in Act Two, “Lady in the Long Black Dress.”
“The second offering in Mac-Haydn’s 2024 repertory season promises some comedic relief” according to Sierra Pasquale for Berkshire on Stage
“The band was bright and full the night I was in attendance and I caught Matt Levinstein conducting from off-stage, always something to be applauded. Of particular note was the costumes. Daniel Hewson performs some magic on that stage that, to go off without a hitch, certainly has some divine intervention.”
“Josh Walker, brings heart, empathy and warmth to a character who could easily be forgettable support.”
“As I was sitting in the Mac-Haydn during intermission, I couldn’t help but notice how the arc of the ceiling reminded me of the arc of so many churches I have found myself in in my lifetime and what a beautiful sign that was to sit back and enjoy the rest of the show, like an old- fashioned barn raising.”
“The Mac-Haydn always puts on a good show, in my opinion, and ‘Sister Act’ is thoroughly entertaining.” according to Adreanna Limbach for Trixie’s List
“From the moment the lights go up on the stage, Laiya Parker takes us to church as an irresistible Deloris Van Cartier. She’s equal parts silly, charming and sincere which makes her easy to cheer for as the action unfolds. Combined with her rich, soulful vocals, Parker carries the starring role effortlessly.”
“There were dozens of moments throughout Sister Act that had the audience hollering, belly laughing and clapping along to the music, which is the pure expression of joy that I want in a summertime musical.”
“If you’re in a funk and want to lift your mood, get tickets. If you like soulful vocals and a groovy beat, get tickets. If you like big laughs and a little romance, get tickets.”
Wemitt Returns As Mother Superior
June 24, 2024Back In The Act!
Mac-Haydn legend Monica M. Wemitt returns to this iconic role in the modern classic Sister Act. Eight years ago Wemitt set the stage alight in a moving and heartfelt performance. Given the success of her debut performance in the role, you won’t want to miss it this season as she comes to it with a new perspective this season! We asked her about this experience, second time around.
Monica, what is it like taking on Mother Superior again and what is different?
“I’m more comfortable with the role and feel like instead of getting to know Mother Superior, this time around I gets to sit down, talk, and have a conversation with her. There are more vulnerabilities within her. The second time around you are able to find the nuances you normally cannot in a theatrical space such as this.”
“Not to put down earlier moments of the Mac-Haydn Theatre, but the talent and voices within this specific cast and others the artistic team has gathered over the years are “goose bumpy.” It is thrilling to know how strong of musicians we have across the board.”
“It is amazing to reprise this role knowing this theatre has grown into exactly what the founders would have ever dreamed of – Lynn and Linda would be excited and proud to know where the Mac-Haydn Theatre stands today; producing musicals and very strong ones at that.”
Sister Act opens on June 27 and runs for three weeks until July 14.
2024 Subscriptions Still Available
May 20, 2024There’s still time!
4 Shows for $170?! Even better, 7 Shows for $280?!
99% of our subscribers from 2023 have already renewed or upgraded there subscriptions in 2024 and we have so many new subscribers this year to date that our subscription sales are up by 12.5% accross the board. What better indication could there be that this is an amazing opportunity to see wonderful musical theater through the entire summer season in 2024.
2024 Local Auditions Have Arrived
March 20, 2024THE MAC-HAYDN HEADS HOME TO AUDITION
Local submissions for the 2024 season at the Mac-Haydn are now open!.
2024 Audition Submissions Close
February 13, 2024MAC-HAYDN SUBMISSIONS THROUGH THE ROOF
Audition submissions for the 2024 season at the Mac-Haydn are now closed. We are delighted to report that almost 900 actors submitted their materials. Needless to say, the casting team has a busy few weeks ahead of our callbacks in New York City.
Thanks to all those who took the time to submit. We are looking forward to seeing you in action.
Local to the Chatham area and looking to audition? We’ll be sharing details about Local Auditions very soon, so follow us on social media to hear updates!
2024 Audition Submissions Are Live
February 5, 2024MAC-HAYDN OPENS ACTOR SUBMISSIONS
Audition submissions for the 2024 season at the Mac-Haydn are now live! The deadline to submit is Monday, February 12th at 9pm.
After video submissions, New York City callbacks will be March 6th (Dance) and March 12th – 14th (Principal Callbacks).
Local to the Chatham area and looking to audition? We’ll be sharing details about Local Auditions very soon, so stay tuned!
2024 Season Announcement
December 31, 2023MAC-HAYDN SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT EXCLUSIVELY ON INSTAGRAM
Surprise! It’s time for our 2024 Season Announcement. Our announcement of the first 5 shows of the 2024 Season will be posted EXCLUSIVELY to Instagram Monday, January 1st starting at 10am.
SINGLE TICKETS GO ON SALE AS SOON AS THE SHOW IS ANNOUNCED
Please note that 7-SHOW will go on sale when MAINSTAGE SHOW 6 and the LIMITED PERFORMANCE schedule is finalized. 4-SHOW SUBSCRIPTIONS are now available. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES
We wanted to have a little fun with the annoucnement this year, so we hope you will join us throughout the day for a guessing game! Here’s how it works.
Each show will be announced in a series of three tiles on Instagram. We will post one tile every 20 minutes beginning at 10am.
The first person to guess the full title of each show correctly in the comments will win a pair of tickets to that show! We will tag you in an IG story post if you’ve won. (Please note, the game is limited to one win per account!)
Got it? Head to our Instagram profile (@machaydntheatre), follow us, and turn post notifications on so you don’t miss a beat! Good Luck!
If you’re not already following us on Instagram (@machaydntheatre), now is the time. Set alerts for our posts by clicking the 🔔 (bell icon) in the top right corner of our Instagram profile – to be sure you don’t miss a single part of the announcement!
Stay tuned throughout the day on Instagram for a first look at our hit lineup for 2024!
Don’t have Instagram? No worries. We’ll fill you in with the full season announcement Tuesday morning on Facebook, via Email, and here on our website!
Shows Will Appear Below As They Are Announced!
Click Here For The 2024 Season Page
West Side Story – June 13 – June 23
Sister Act – June 27 – July 14
Something Rotten – August 15 – September 1
2023 Berkshire Theatre Award Nominations
October 19, 2023We’re Nominated for 11 “Berkies!”
This week, The Berkshire Theatre Critics Association announced the nominees for the 7th Berkshire Theatre Awards, known colloquially as “The Berkies”.
Nominations for the Mac-Haydn are as follows:
Outstanding Choreography
Mandy Modic, 42nd Street, Mac-Haydn Theatre
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
John Saunders, 42nd Street, Mac-Haydn Theatre
John Saunders, The Sound of Music, Mac-Haydn Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play or Musical
Andrew Gmoser, The Sound of Music, Mac-Haydn Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design of a Play or Musical
Bethany Marx, 42nd Street, Mac-Haydn Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Alexandra Haines, The Sound of Music, Mac-Haydn Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Madison Stratton, 42nd Street, Mac-Haydn Theatre
Amber Mawande-Spytek, Godspell, Mac Haydn Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Andrew Maguire, Jersey Boys, Mac-Haydn Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Gabe Belyeu, 42nd Street, Mac-Haydn Theatre
Outstanding Production of a Musical
The Sound of Music, Mac-Haydn Theatre
The purpose of the BTCA and the Berkshire Theatre Awards is to promote and celebrate the quality and diversity of theatre in the region. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on the evening of November 13 at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield.