Williamstown Festival Theatre

[kevinr]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 11:45am

I will be attending the Williamstown Festival Theatre for the first time in July. Was just wondering if anyone had any tips about the place....recommendations....etc. I am seeing Fool for Love with Sam Rockwell and Living on Love with Anna Chumlsky.

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 12:46pm

I am attending The Visit on Saturday, August 16 at 3:30pm

Driving there just for the day. Not staying over.
Also do not know anything, tips, etc.

[CoreyRyan3]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 3:45pm

I, too, will be attending with a friend at the end of July and seeing Fool for Love and the first performance of The Visit. Can't wait!

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 4:53pm

I visited a few years ago for The Elephant Man and Far From Heaven. Williamstown is such a charming town with quaint restaurants and stores. The venue is very close to the main downtown area (if you can call it a "downtown") so whether you're there for a weekend or just a single performance, you can basically see the entire town in an afternoon.

I can't remember any particular restaurants, except for one right next to an (incredibly relaxing) Asian massage parlor with a manicured garden. It was New American and very tasty. I wish I could remember the name! The Indian restaurant on the main strip was also very good.

I had an incredibly relaxing weekend when I was there and the Berkshires is such a bucolic setting. I very much wanted to go this year, but alas will be out of the country for most of the festival.

I hope you all enjoy your time please report back!

[IAMWHATIAM]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 7:19pm

Williamstown is a lovely LITTLE place (my daughter went to college there there, and has also worked at WTF, so I have visited very often). The whole town is pretty walkable (although there a few restaurants, like Mezze, that do require a car ride – it’s touted as one of the best restaurants up there, but I think it’s just fair). Route 2, Main Street runs through town (the 62 Center, which is the main theatre building) is located right on Route 2. Spring Street runs perpendicular to Route 2 and is the main business district (it’s tiny – basically one block). Water Street runs parallel to Spring Street. There are a number of restaurants and a few bars on Spring Street. The restaurant to which Play Esq. refers is probably Hops & Vines (on Water Street). Spring Street is home to such restaurants as Sushi Thai Garden (the name speaks for itself) and Spice Root (the Indian restaurant), which are right next to each other. The Purple Pub is on the same side of the street a little way down the block. It has burgers, salads, etc. (good fried pickles – who knew they were a thing?). The service at the Pub can be a little slow, so pay attention to curtain time. Papa Charlie’s, the sandwich shop that names its sandwiches after WTF performers, is across the street and is always an ok inexpensive alternative. There’s also a dive burrito place (emphasis on dive) and a pretty new and mediocre Mediterranean place whose name I can’t recall. The coffee bar, Tunnel City, is all the way down the block on the same side as Papa Charlie’s. “The Bar” (actually The Herring) is a total dive bar, but as it’s almost the only bar there, it does a good late night business. There’s also the Water Street Grill, where I would maybe get a drink, but not dinner. There’s only one chain “restaurant” in town – Subway. If you want to go to a “fancy” restaurant, the options are limited, but The Mill on the Floss in New Ashford is classic French and fairly good for the area (and just a few minutes’ drive).
There’s a cute little Mass MoCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) store on Spring Street, in the same building that houses the movie theatre (an art house theatre). The Clark Museum is worth a visit and is right in Williamstown (walkable from Route 2 if need be). I would also check to see what exhibits are showing at the Williams College Museum (which is right on Route 2). Mass MoCA is just a few minutes away in North Adams, and is certainly worth a trip.
The only “nice” hotel right in the area is The Orchards, which is pretty pricey. Porches, in North Adams, is also nice. The Williams Inn is the other hotel in town (I think all the rest are motels), and that one is closer to the action, but not nearly as nice as The Orchards (it’s a bit worn and dated). I would highly suggest you skip the Northside Motel – great location, but I had a bad creature experience there, although all the motels are sort of … not nice. There are a couple of B & Bs in the area that you could try and Google or look at something like Trip Advisor.
There’s some nice hiking in the area, and Mount Greylock is a nice drive. If I were staying for a few days I would take a drive into Great Barrington and Lenox (and if I was in a shopping mood I might hit the outlets in Lee), all of which are close by.

Finally, if you use T Mobile, you won't have any cell service up there. Not sure about other providers (except Verizon, which has fine service in the area).

Please let me know if I can answer any other questions, and have fun!

Updated On: 6/25/14 at 07:19 PM

[kevinr]

Posted: 7/6/14 at 10:22am

Thanks so much for all the information. I am really looking forward to my visit there. Hope to meet Sam Rockwell after the performances....big fan of his.