58 AMERICANWAY
NOVEMBER 15 2009
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Becket,Massachusetts, for the past 78 years.
And thenewly restoredMahaiwePerforming
ArtsCenterand theColonialTheatre, located
in Great Barrington and Pittsfield, Massa-
chusetts, respectively, host national musical,
theatrical, and comedicacts.
ThehillsofLenoxandStockbridgearealso
home to a plethora of elaborate estates that
began to spring up at the turn of the twenti-
eth century, aperiodknownas thegildedage
of the Berkshires. Most of the estates, once
owned by wealthy families, are now open
to the public in some form, thanks to the
historic preservation initiatives and private
investments that have morphed the stone
mansions into luxuryresorts,restaurants,and
museums. Some of themost famous include
Naumkeag, a 44-room Stockbridge coun-
try house designed by noted architect Stan-
ford White; Wheatleigh, a cottage inspired
by sixteenth-century Italian villas and built
by railroad baronHenry H. Cook in Lenox;
Blantyre, a 220-acre Lenox estate-turned-
hotel; and Chesterwood, the former home
and studioof sculptorDanielChesterFrench,
whose famous sculptureof a seatedAbraham
Lincoln is the centerpiece of theLincolnMe-
morial. Edith Wharton’s former home, the
Mount inLenox, is currentlyundergoing res-
toration and is one of the fewNational His-
toricLandmarksdedicated towomen.
TheBerkshireMuseumhaspaid tribute to
Berkshire County’s large creative aggregate
with a permanent exhibition called “Feigen-
baumHall of Innovation,” which showcases
generations of artists, inventors, and other
pioneers who have sprung from the region.
Among those featured in the exhibit are Ted
Shawn, who forged male dance as an art
form in the early twentieth century; sculp-
tor andpainterNancyGraves, who is known
for her nature-inspired work; and Douglas
Trumbull, amasterofmotion-picture special
effects whose talent helped bring
StarWars
,
2001: A Space Odyssey
, and
Star Trek: The
MotionPicture
to life.
“It’s a permanent exhibition designed to
constantlyevolveand change, just as innova-
tion does,” says Chase. “Wewanted to show-
case great minds who have come out of the
Berkshires andwhohave alsohad an impact
globally.”
In addition to featuring dancers, artists,
and special-effects wizards, the museum
spotlights a number of theatrical perform-
ers, sincemany thespianshave settledamong
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Cenegenics American Airlines 09-15-09 A.pdf 1 9/22/09 6:33 PM
