Jacob's Pillow Dance Center to Launch New Theater Following Devastating Fire

The newly constructed theater at Jacob's Pillow, a premier dance center in the United States, is set to open its doors this week in western Massachusetts.

As the center embarks on its 93rd season, it will showcase performances from some of the world's most talented dancers over the course of nine vibrant weeks each summer. The atmosphere at Jacob's Pillow transforms into a hub of performances, workshops, and events.

"Jacob's Pillow is the longest-running dance festival in the nation and the only national historic landmark dedicated to dance," Executive and Artistic Director Pamela Tatge emphasized.

The inaugural performance in the new theater is scheduled for July 9, marking a significant moment in the center's history.

"Functionally, the intimate space needs to be a black box. It needs to be a flexible space. In theater, we call it a black box," Tatge explained. "But we wanted to make it different. We wanted it to resonate with the landscape."

This vision includes honoring the land of the Stockbridge, Muncie, and Mohican peoples, incorporating curves that hold cultural significance for Indigenous communities.

"Everyone who is anyone in dance history, nationally and internationally, has made their way to Jacob's Pillow," Tatge noted. "It's where companies come to do their very best work."

However, the pandemic halted these artistic endeavors in early 2020, and a catastrophic fire in November of that year destroyed the main theater.

"It was like the physical manifestation of everything we'd lost," Tatge reflected on that challenging time.

The redesigned Doris Duke Theater retains the intimacy of its predecessor while integrating advanced technology essential for future performances.

"We weren't going to rebuild what we had," Tatge stated. "We had to rebuild a place that would serve us into the next century."

Enhancements include a state-of-the-art sound system, a sliding entrance, sophisticated lighting and projection capabilities, and adaptable seating arrangements. Livestreaming capabilities are also a priority for the new space.

"We have remote cameras here so that they can be shooting from multiple angles," Tatge added. "It really enhances the communication of the art around the world. And it helps us fulfill our mission of access."

Tatge shared an interesting historical tidbit: "In the 1790s, the road that went from Boston to Albany, which is now Route 20, was called Jacob's Ladder Road. So when the Carter family came here to this land, they found this beautiful, big boulder. And in the Book of Genesis, when Jacob lays his head down and dreams of going to a ladder up to heaven, the Carter family thought, well, maybe this boulder was Jacob's Pillow."

The name has since become synonymous with excellence in dance worldwide.

"When I get to make a call to a company and invite them to come to Jacob's Pillow and fulfill a lifelong dream, there's nothing better. It's such joy," Tatge concluded.