The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center is a vibrant cultural hub of the Berkshires, generating $8.6 million in annual economic impact. The Mahaiwe’s live performances inspire tens of thousands of audience members each year; family programs, educational offerings, and community engagement programs enrich the region; live HD satellite broadcasts and classic movies supplement programming; and a robust year-round schedule enhances the quality of life for those who visit and live in the Berkshires. What never varies at the Mahaiwe are standards of quality. Ticket buyers know that if it is at the Mahaiwe, it will be good.
Last year, the Mahaiwe had 11 sold-out performances, setting a new record for the most sold-out shows in one year at this theater. These performances included Grammy winners Lyle Lovett and Lisa Loeb; Delta blues musician Keb’ Mo’; Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues; 24-year-old jazz vocalist and three-time Grammy-winner Samara Joy; South Africa’s heart-lifting Ladysmith Black Mambazo; comedian/actor/writer Lewis Black; the iconic singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega; perennial favorite Pink Martini; beloved international folk trio, the Wailin’ Jennys; a live performance of the acclaimed Selected Shorts with guest Jane Curtin and other luminaries; and another Mahaiwe favorite, jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli.
In November, we also had a "sold-out" school field trip performance of My Father's Dragon, presented by Enchantment Theater Company, which brought 590 children from 13 regional schools to the theater, along with their caregivers and teachers. And, in September, as a capstone to the annual Festival Latino of the Berkshires, the Mahaiwe invited the community to see the brilliant Villalobos Brothers free of charge. The packed house was an exciting testimony to the cross-cultural appeal of the Mahaiwe’s increasingly inclusive programming.
In 2024, the Mahaiwe presented 129 events reaching 29,000 people, more than 6,800 of whom received free or deeply discounted tickets thanks to donor support. The 2025 season is off to a similarly strong start with the opening of the Mahaiwe’s new performance venue, the Indigo Room, located in the newly renovated firehouse next door to the historic theater. That second stage will afford the opportunity to add to the great multi-disciplinary programming the Mahaiwe is known for, with more affordable tickets and an even broader range of offerings.
