Community Access to the Arts

06/10/2025

🥁 We had a blast at our CATA Sharing at MASS MoCA! What a joy to gather together with CATA artists from our partners at BFAIR, UCP of Western Massachusetts, Guidewire, and Lenox High School to share the talents of our artists on stage. CATA artists Emilee, Sandra, Asa, and Eric helped lead interactive performances in drumming, dance, yoga, and music. A perfect cap to a stellar year of CATA workshops with our North County artists!

✨Many thanks to Mass MoCA for welcoming CATA and our artists—and inviting CATA artists as VIP guests to enjoy the exhibits!

Image description: CATA artists dancing and playing drums in front of an audience at MASS MoCA

06/09/2025

📰🙏Thank you to the Berkshire Edge for this wonderful recap of CATA’s Annual Performance, Kaleidoscope! We’re still glowing with gratitude after an amazing Gala & Annual Performance, full of dazzling work by CATA artists and incredible support from our community.

We love this quote from Kim Cormier who brought the 6th grade class from Du Bois Middle School to our dress rehearsal: “CATA is all about creating a community partnership where we can teach inclusion and tolerance. Those are the most important lessons that children can learn. CATA teaches us that it takes all different types of people to make a community beautiful and strong and inclusive and tolerant.”

💃 Check out the CATA joy on display in this awesome article from the Berkshire Edge:

“Over 100 CATA artists helped to create this show, composing music and lyrics for original songs and choreographic dances, devising original theater scenes, and designing and building the sets," said CATA Executive Director Margaret Keller.

05/29/2025

Inclusion in action! We were thrilled to welcome the Du Bois Middle School 6th graders to CATA to cap off a year-long collaboration with our CATA Writers' Workshop. 📝

All year, the 6th graders have been learning about disability, inclusion, and challenging stereotypes— and CATA artists been sharing their ideas and perspectives with this amazing group of teens. After exchanging notebooks and writing prompts with our CATA writers, they all came together for a special reading of their work, led by CATA Faculty Janet Reich Elsbach, followed by a collaborative art and writing project.

🙌 Thanks to the students and staff at Du Bois Middle School (especially Kim Cormier!) for your partnership!

Image description: Groups of CATA artists and middle school students working on art pieces, as well as watching Janet Reich Elsbach give a reading next to abstract art on easels.

05/21/2025

It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that CATA honors and remembers the life of our staff member, colleague, and dear friend David Dashiell. David’s generous and kind spirit, his witty humor, and his creative talents touched so many in our CATA community.

David was an integral member of our CATA staff, where he served as our Development Associate and previously as Administrative Associate. David’s work at CATA also extended beyond our office, where he drew on his immense talents as a photographer to capture stunning photographs of CATA artists in workshops, performances, and exhibits across the Berkshires.

We are sending our deepest sympathies to David’s husband Norton Owen, and to all of his family, friends, and everyone who knew him. In David's honor, we want to share a selection of the stunning, heart-filled photos that he took of our CATA community— including this beautiful self portrait he took for our staff directory. You can view more of David's photos at https://cataarts.org/2025/05/21/loving-memory-of-david-dashiell/

You can read David’s full obituary here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/berkshire/name/david-dashiell-obituary?id=58362557

05/15/2025

Check out these stunning portraits of CATA artists taken by photographer and CATA super-friend Bill Wright for our Gala & Performance! 🤩

Leading up to our annual performance, Bill from Blue Q brought his photography skills to the CATA studios to take vibrant portraits of our artists. The studios were buzzing with excitement as our performers and visual artists jumped in for their picture before channeling their creativity in our workshops—where they were busy choreographing dances, writing songs, and designing the set for the Annual Performance.

💕 These joyous photos speak for themselves! Thanks to Bill Wright for capturing the joy, exuberance, and creative essence of our CATA artists!

Image description: Portraits of CATA artists in front of a white background.

05/14/2025

WOW—what an amazing CATA weekend!! We're still glowing from a truly unforgettable CATA Gala & Performance. Thank you so much to our CATA artists for crafting such an imaginative out-of-this-world performance— and to our community for joining us for each invigorating (and sold-out!) show and for supporting our mission. It was so powerful to welcome you all into our CATA community this weekend.

Did you have a favorite part of the show— or something you can't stop thinking about? Let us know!

🙏 And a huge shoutout to our CATA Gala sponsors who made this heart-filling weekend possible: Guidos Fresh Marketplace, Hillcrest Educational Centers, One Mercantile & Sett, Pamela Sandler Architect, Apella Wealth, Berkshire Magazine, Dana Bixby Architecture, Dare Bottleshop and Provisions, Frankie's Ristorante, Granville House, Park Square Financial Advisors of Raymond James, Qualprint, Berkshire Money Management, Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Blue Spark Financial, Interprint USA, Hot Plate Brewing Co., Mahaiwe Tent, Mezze Events, Rob Alberti's Event Services, Lee Bank, Barrington Brewery, Berkshire Photo Booth, Lee Wash & Dry Laundromat, Lenox Wash & Dry Laundromat, Ombra, Domaney's Liquors & Fine Wines, Extra Special Teas, Hammill Design, The Trustees

Photos by the incomparable Christina Lane!

Image description: CATA artists in costume performing on stage at Shakespeare & Company in acting, dance, juggling, and drumming

05/10/2025

Kicking off the CATA Gala & Performance weekend with an inclusive preview performance for over 200 children and teens from local public schools! ❤️

🎟️ We can’t wait to share this incredible show with you this weekend— every element has been devised and crafted by CATA artists! Our Gala and Matinee are sold out, but we may have limited tickets available tomorrow at the door for our Sunday matinee.

Image description: CATA artists on stage at Shakespeare & Company with a packed audience of local students

05/06/2025

🎥 Did you know that CATA artists are shaping every part of our Annual Performance? Not only are they crafting performance pieces, designing costumes and set design, but they're also operating the cameras at our Matinee!

This past month, CATA artists in our “Through the Lens” photography workshop have been learning about filmmaking at CTSB-TV. Keep an eye out for CATA artists working alongside CTSB at our Matinee!

👉 Check out our blog to see how CATA artists are shaping every part of the show: https://cataarts.org/2025/04/24/on-stage-and-off-cata-artists-shape-every-part-of-our-may-annual-performance/

🎟️ Tickets to our Matinee are sold out online, but we may have additional seats open up. Call CATA at 413-528-5485 to add your name to our Wait List.

🍻And here’s to all the amazing in-kind supporters who work behind the scenes to make CATA’s Gala happen! Many thanks for the generosity of Hot Plate Brewing Co., Hammill Design, Extra Special Teas, The Trustees, Domaney's Liquors & Fine Wines, Mezze Events, Berkshire Photo Booth, Rob Alberti's Event Services, Barrington Brewery, and Mahaiwe Tent.

05/05/2025

WOW! 🤩 The response to CATA's Annual Performance has been INCREDIBLE and online tickets to our Matinee are now sold out! If you're hoping to attend and haven't bought tickets, please call us at 413-528-5485 to add your name to our Wait List (limited tickets may open up this week).

🎭 Learn more about the CATA Gala & Performance at https://fundraise.givesmart.com/e/mEmuJQ?vid=1jd6h0

Image description: A photo of last year's CATA Annual Performance, showing a woman on stage holding a globe with a flower sprouting out of it, surrounded by other CATA performers

(photo by Christina Lane)

05/02/2025

Guess what! CATA artists are giving a sneak peek of our Annual Performance for a VIP audience: 200 students from local schools! 🤩

CATA artists with disabilities have been visiting local schools across the Berkshires—including special education classrooms at Wahconah High & Nessacus Middle School, and the 6th grade at Du Bois Middle. Students are learning from CATA artists about their experience on stage before they join us as special guests at our dress rehearsal.

One student at Du Bois said "I felt like I could smile so hard my smile would fly away! I felt an immediate connection with the CATA artists— I saw that we were all the same. We’re all human beings trying to live our best lives." 💕

👀 Check out our blog to see how young people are challenging stereotypes and embracing inclusion at CATA’s Dress Rehearsal: https://cataarts.org/2025/04/30/in-the-schools-students-challenge-stereotypes-embrace-inclusion-ahead-of-cata-dress-rehearsal/

🎟️ Limited Matinee tickets are available at Shakespeare.org. Additional tickets may become available. Call CATA at 413-528-5485 to add your name to our Wait List.

🙏 And a HUGE thanks to our Gala & Performance underwriters, who are making CATA programs possible right now. Today we’re shouting out Berkshire Money Management, Ray Murray, Inc., Hillcrest Educational Centers, Pamela Sandler Architect, INTERPRINT, Ombra, and Granville House

Image description: Students in local classrooms meet CATA artists and explore props and tactile models of the set design.

05/01/2025

🎭 Accessibility is woven into every part of the CATA Annual Performance— for audiences and performers alike!

We're providing ASL interpretation, open captioning, and assistive listening devices for each performance, as well as live audio description for those who are blind or low vision (CATA is the first in the Berkshires to offer audio description in the theater!). New this year is our CATA Accessibility Table in the theater lobby where you'll find braille and large print programs, and more!

You'll also encounter innovative accessibility features on stage: Adaptive set design features colorful stage borders (created by CATA artists) that defines edges of the stage for performers who are blind, low-vision, or who use a mobility device. Artists also use an adaptive “Feeding In” technique, where they receive prompts for their lines from CATA faculty, allowing them to focus on character and expression rather than memorization.

Leading up to the show, CATA artists visited the Tina Packer Playhouse at Shakespeare & Company as paid user experts, providing valuable feedback that shaped accessibility accommodations for the cast and crew. Check out the photo of our artist Scott during his tour of the theater as a paid user expert this year!

📖Read on about adaptive tools at the Annual Performance in our latest blog post: https://cataarts.org/2025/04/30/all-access-cata-annual-performance-centers-and-celebrates-accessibility/

🎟️ Limited Matinee tickets are available at Shakespeare.org. Additional tickets may become available. Call CATA at 413-528-5485 to add your name to our Wait List.

And thank you to CATA’s Gala & Performance underwriters for making CATA’s programs possible! Today we’re shouting out Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Dana Bixby Architecture, The Red Lion Inn, Lee Bank, Sonya Kurzweil Developmental Center, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Lee Wash & Dry Laundromat, Lenox Wash & Dry Laundromat, and Park Square Financial Advisors of Raymond James.

Image description: CATA artists perform onstage and discuss accessibility offstage.

04/29/2025

What makes the CATA Annual Performance so unique? Artists with disabilities are shaping every part of the show! 🖌️In our new “Costumes & Props” workshop, CATA artists have been crafting eye-catching costumes and set pieces. Together with CATA Resident Faculty Adam Gudeon and CATA’s scenic consultant Marcus Kearns, these CATA artists are designing every piece of the stage design to evoke the right mood onstage.

👀 Visit our blog to see how CATA artists are shaping the show: https://cataarts.org/2025/04/24/on-stage-and-off-cata-artists-shape-every-part-of-our-may-annual-performance/

🎟️ Don't wait to buy your Matinee tickets! Tickets are selling fast. Buy yours today at https://shakespeare.org/shows/2025/2025-cata-kaleidoscope/

🙏 A BIG thank you to our Gala & Performance underwriters who are making CATA programs possible. Today's shout outs go to Apella Wealth, Berkshire Magazine, Qualprint, Dare Bottleshop and Provisions, Guidos Fresh Marketplace, Frankie's Ristorante, One Mercantile & Sett, William Lyon Carpentry and Son, and Blue Spark Financial.

Image description: CATA artists in the visual arts studio create props and set elements for the stage.