FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BSC Press Director Charlie Siedenburg, 551-655-0968

BARRINGTON STAGE COMPANY RECORD-BREAKING 2012 SEASON
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF BEST-SELLING MUSICAL;
DR. RUTH, ALL THE WAY PLAYS TO 6,000 PATRONS
SEASON ATTENDANCE BREAKS 51,000
SECOND YEAR FOR SINGLE TICKET SALES TO EXCEED $1 MILLION

PITTSFIELD, MA – Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, is proud to announce that its 2012 season was the most successful season since its founding in 1995.

Celebrating its seventh year in Downtown Pittsfield (the theater reopened with Ring ‘Round the Moon in August 2006 following a 10-month full restoration), Barrington Stage presented nearly 300 performances and events in 2012 that included: Fiddler on the Roof, All My Sons and See How They Run on the newly-named Boyd-Quinson Mainstage; Lungs, the world premiere of Dr. Ruth, All the Way (the first commission in the New Works Initiative), The North Pool and The Black Suits (a new workshop production of the Musical Theatre Lab) at the St. Germain Stage; the Youth Theatre production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Berkshire Museum; concerts, cabarets, staged readings and the Conversations With… series, along with other special events.

“We are thrilled that we have contributed so much to the rebirth of downtown Pittsfield. We feel fortunate to be working in such a supportive and vibrant community,” said Artistic Director Julianne Boyd.

2012 BY THE NUMBERS:

  • Single ticket sales exceeded $1M for the second time in BSC’s 18-year history, even breaking last year’s total (the first time was in 2011).
  • Total season pass sales for 2012 are 30% greater than 2011 season pass sales. St. Germain Stage passes alone increased 44% from 2011 to 2012 (after nearly doubling from 2010 to 2011) – representing an all-time record number of season passes.
  • 2012 attendance is more than 51,000, representing a 6% increase over 2011 and setting an all-time record (and the first time to exceed 50,000 patrons). Since BSC moved its home to Pittsfield in 2006, attendance by Pittsfield residents has steadily increased and now represents more than 27% of all ticket sales.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
Fiddler on the Roof was the most attended musical in Barrington Stage’s 18-year history. BSC’s extended run of Dr. Ruth, All the Way (54 performances) was one of the highest attended (by 6,000 patrons) and highest-grossing productions at St. Germain Stage (formerly Stage 2), second only to Mark St. Germain’s Freud’s Last Session (2009) which currently holds the title as the longest-running, highest grossing production in BSC’s St. Germain Stage history. In September, BSC announced that the rarely-performed Bernstein/Robbins/Comden/Green musical On the Town would open the 2013 season and Shakespeare’s brilliant romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing will play the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage in August. This has already yielded more than $60,000 in season passes for the 2013 season.

2013 Season Passes Now on Sale
For the 2013 Season, Barrington Stage is introducing the Premium Combo Pass which includes seven shows for the price of five. This pass is the best value of the season and provides a savings of up to 31% off the 2013 single ticket price. Combo passes include front orchestra section A seating at all three shows at the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage on any date, including On the Town and Much Ado About Nothing, plus tickets to any date at all four St. Germain Stage shows (to be announced).*

Patrons who order a 2013 pass by October 31, 2012 will get early access to the best seats beginning January 1, 2013, and the $5 per pass handling fee will be waived.

*Mainstage Passes can also be purchased at this time and are available for a range of prices and seating sections. Passes for St. Germain Stage alone are not for sale at this time, but may be available at a later date.

For more information on 2013 season passes or to order today, call 413-236-8888, visit the Box Office at 30 Union Street or go online to barringtonstageco.org.

About Barrington Stage Company
Barrington Stage Company, a professional award-winning Equity regional theatre located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA, was co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julianne Boyd. Barrington Stage’s mission is three-fold: to present top-notch, compelling work; to develop new plays and musicals; and to find fresh, bold ways to bringing new audiences into the theatre—especially young people. Barrington Stage garnered national attention in 2004 when it workshopped, and premiered William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s musical hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which later transferred to Broadway where it won two Tony Awards and played more than 1,000 performances. In 2009/2010 Barrington Stage produced the world premiere of Mark St. Germain’s Freud’s Last Session, which later moved Off-Broadway and ran 775 performances. Barrington Stage was voted “Best Live Theatre” by The Berkshire Eagle readers in 2011 and 2012 and was named “Best Theatre Company” in Metroland’s Best of the Capital Region 2009-2012.

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