We believe theater is an essential aspect of society and the development of culture, that theater helps build awareness, enlightenment and compassion for everyone.
We are committed to inclusion and equity, to building and nurturing a diverse, thriving community We practice and uphold core principles of anti-racism, equity and accessibility.
We challenge ourselves and recognize our responsibility to remove boundaries, increase community understanding and awareness.
We apply the highest principles to company practices, policies and programs and look for opportunities to undertake positive action against prejudice, racism, sexism, misinformation and the denigration of human dignity.
We prioritize anti-racism, gender inclusion, equality for all and economic justice, knowing these principles sustain our art and work.
WHO WE ARE
Jim Frangione
Jim Frangione
(co-founder/Artistic Director)
Last summer with GB Public, Jim directed the premiere of Mark St. Germain’s new play, Public Speaking 101, as well as Will Lebow’s solo play, The Bard The Beat The Blues. in 2021 he directed the premiere of St. Germain’s autobiographical play, Dad, as well as the east coast premiere of David Mamet’s The Christopher Boy’s Communion.
-
He directed Anne Undeland’s play, Lady Randy, for WAM Theatre; Romance at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater; Private Life at HERE Arts in NY; and An Evening of Shorts by Mamet, Pinter and Silverstein at the ART/Harvard Institute for Advanced Theatre Training. Jim’s play, Flight of the Monarch, premiered at Gloucester Stage Company in 2017 an. will be produced at Shakespeare & Company this summer. His play, Breakwater, the second in a trilogy of Cape Cod plays, received its premiere in 2019 as part of Great Barrington Public’s inaugural season (Berkshire Theatre Critic’s Nomination). Jim has acted On and Off-Broadway, in National Tours; in many plays with the Atlantic Theater Company, with David Mamet and at regional theaters such as: The Mark Taper Forum, Long Wharf, The Alley Theater, Berkshire Theatre Festival, The Humana Festival of New Plays—most recently in Prairie Du Chien at Atlantic and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Shakespeare & Company. Films: Joy, Transamerica, Spartan, Heist, State and Main, The Spanish Prisoner, Homicide, Suits, Claire Dolan and Maryam. Jim is an award-winning audiobook narrator performing over 400 titles.
Judy Braha
Judy Braha (Associate Artistic Director)
Judy Braha has been a director, actor, teacher and artist for social justice for over four decades. Long-time head of the M.F.A. Directing Program at Boston University’s School of Theater, her credits include theaters and universities throughout New England and beyond.
-
With a commitment to raising consciousness around the power of the arts as activism, Judy collaborates with Andre de Quadros in the BU College of Fine Arts Prison Arts Project, teaching incarcerated students in Massachusetts’ prisons and jails. They also work together within the BU community, teaching the socially conscious Collaborative Arts Incubator and the groundbreaking series Race, Prison, Justice, Arts.
As a director, Judy’s work often has concern for human rights at its center: Golda’s Balcony (NEW REP), To Kill A Mockingbird (GSC), Emilie, La Marquise du Chatelet, Defends Her Life Tonight (CST), Othello, I Am Lear, a devised piece on aging (ASP), Deported, a dream play (BPT), Our Class, Our Country’s Good and The Exonerated at BU/SOT and the new work Mr. Fullerton by Anne Undeland (GBPT). Currently, a new solo work about the feminist, suffragist, abolitionist, Julia Ward Howe, Representation and How to Get It by Joyce Van Dyke. A longtime member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers, AEA and SAG-AFTRA, Judy is also proud to have been a founding board member of Stage Source, New England Theater’s service organization committed to connecting theaters, artists and their communities.
Deann Simmons Halper
Deann Simmons Halper
(CO-FOUNDER / PRODUCing director)
Deann works as an actor, director, and producer. Most recently in the Berkshire area she appeared as Elmira in QWERTY at Mixed Company; Paulina Salas in Death and the Maiden at New Stage, Collette in Four Dogs and a Bone with Berkshire Actors Theatre, Jayne in The Attic, The Pearls and Three Fine Girls with WAM Theatre; Roz in Season by Season and Margery in Zara Spook and Other Lures both written by Joan Ackermann and Man’s Best Friend by Linda Josephs.
-
She has numerous Off-Broadway and regional credits including Eva Ruby in Camelot's Ruby at Bank Street Theatre; Sandy in Paper Tigers at the Arc Light Theatre; Gwen Landis in Fifth of July and Viazaphuhrika in Strider, both opposite Tony Award winner Joe Mantello at the Roger L. Stevens Centre; Mom/Margaret in Love and Happiness and multiple characters in The Laramie Project at Barrington Stage Company; Karen/Muriel/Norma in Plaza Suite, Emily Dickinson in The Belle of Amherst and Vera in Mame all at TriArts' Sharon Playhouse; The Amish Project, Talking With, Sylvia, Galatea, Dear Liar and various other productions with the Aglet Theatre Company. Deann has produced several New York and Regional productions including the OBIE nominated Incommunicado and The Vagina Monologues. She has served on the Boards of Directors for Circle Rep, New York Stage and Film, TriArts' Sharon Playhouse, Barrington Stage Company and Berkshire Playwrights Lab; and is currently on the Board of Directors for Space on Ryder Farm and Board of Visitors at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where she received her theatre training.
Serena Johnson
Serena Johnson
Managing Director
Serena Johnson brings over a decade of experience in fundraising and non-profit consulting to the Great Barrington Public Theater. A former performer with a degree in voice from Cal State University Northridge, Serena shifted to non-profit management post-college. She played a key role in establishing fundraising infrastructure for organizations like Glendale Arts, 18th Street Arts Center, and, most notably, Antaeus Theater Company.
At Antaeus, Serena contributed significantly to closing a $3 million capital campaign for a new theater in Glendale, CA. In 2021, she moved to the Berkshires and is now excited to be back working in the theater community with Great Barrington Public Theater. Serena's practical experience in building fundraising systems and her enduring support for the arts make her an asset to the Berkshires' cultural community. Her journey reflects a dedicated commitment to sustaining and advancing cultural institutions, showcasing a blend of passion and professional expertise.
Katherine (Kate) Mccombs
Katherine (kate) McCombs
Director of communications
Katherine (Kate) McCombs is a freelance entertainment professional with a background in events, project management, digital communication, and stage management. She most notably spent 5 years wintering in Dubai at Global Village Dubai managing performers from all over the world, including their resident circus. Katherine is a double graduate of Syracuse University with both her BFA in Stage Management and her MS in Digital Communications; specializing in PR from the Newhouse School. She still proudly bleeds orange! She has been a regular fixture in the Berkshires since 2013 and joined Great Barrington Public Theater in 2021 where she's played varying roles behind the scenes. She is thrilled to be back for her fifth season supporting GB Public.