The Triplex Returns with Movies, Music and ‘Maestro’
Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper in "Maestro." Photo courtesy of Netflix

The Triplex Returns with Movies, Music and ‘Maestro’

Thanks to a dedicated group of film-loving residents, the once-closed Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington, Mass., turned its projectors on again this November. 

The three-screen theater is moving full steam ahead with plenty of winter programming to bring audiences back to the movies. On Sunday, Dec. 17, Nina Bernstein Simmons, Leonard Bernstein’s youngest daughter, will join a live conversation following a screening of the new Bradley Cooper-directed film, “Maestro.” Cooper plays the late American conductor and composer, co-starring with Carey Mulligan as his wife, Felicia Montealegre Bernstein, and Matt Bomer as his friend and collaborator, the late American clarinetist David Oppenheim. Nicki Wilson, president of Triplex Cinema’s new board of directors, discussed the upcoming events.

Alexander Wilburn: How did the programming with Nina Bernstein Simmons come about?

Nikki Wilson: We knew “Maestro” would be a significant release when it opens at The Triplex on Friday, Dec. 15, as much of it was shot in the Berkshires at Tanglewood. So why not honor Leonard Bernstein himself? So, in addition, we’re screening all of the films that he composed music for: “On The Waterfront,” “West Side Story” and “On the Town.” We reached out to Nina and invited her to come to the Triplex and do a talkback after the screening of “Maestro” on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 1 p.m. Deborah Reinisch will be interviewing her after the film. She taught film at NYU and Columbia. Deborah will lead two other talkbacks during the week: “West Side Story” and “On The Waterfront.” To complete the Bernstein on Film series will be Julianne Boyd, the former artistic director of Barrington Stage Company. She was responsible for “On the Town’s” production in The Berkshires and bringing it to Broadway. So she’ll be coming to talk after the film’s showing on Thursday, Dec. 21, at 2 p.m.

 AW: How did the revival of Triplex Cinema come about?

NW: The Triplex closed this year in June, and it was going to be a dark theater, but a grassroots group came together. We raised over $1 million with the help of over 1,000 donors and purchased The Triplex from the longtime owner Richard Stanley. With buying the theater, there was a lot to renovate, so we’re in an active campaign to continue fundraising. On Nov. 15, we opened the doors and started screening “The Holdovers.” On Dec. 15, we will open the third, largest screen to start showing “Maestro.”

AW: You’re also holding a special fundraiser for The Triplex that weekend as well, right?

NW: We will be joined by actors like Jayne Atkinson, who was on many television shows like “Criminal Minds” and “House of Cards,” Michel Gill from “The Gilded Age,” and David Rasche from “Succession.” Maureen O’Flynn, an international opera singer, will join the group. She’s been on all the world’s great stages. Our program is going to present scenes from famous holiday films, but acted live, as well as songs performed from holiday films,  including “The Sound of Music,” which has nothing to do with the holidays but is considered the Number One holiday film people watch on television each year on CBS. It will be a fun-filled evening for people of all ages at Bard at Simon’s Rock’s beautiful 300-seat McConnell Theater in Great Barrington. The event will have two showings on Dec. 16, one at 3 p.m. and an encore at 6 p.m. The script is so much fun. There are scenes from “Elf” and “Love Actually,” and some of the old classics like “Shop Around the Corner,” “Miracle on 34th Street,”  and what’s a Christmas show without a scene from “A Christmas Carol,” with Scrooge saying “Humbug, humbug.” David Rasche is even going to be crooning “White Christmas.”

Tickets for the special screening of “Maestro,” the “Bernstein on Film” screening series, as well as “Bring Back the Movies: Holiday Edition” live at Bard at Simon’s Rock are available at www.thetriplex.org

Latest News

Amenia approves pool at Troutbeck estate hotel

Troutbeck's sign at the intersection of Leedsville Road and Route 343 in Amenia.

Archive photo

AMENIA — Public hearings continued from the previous meeting concluded at the regular meeting of the Amenia Planning Board on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Having considered public comment, the board approved applications from Troutbeck for an indoor pool and from DaVinci Windows for a sign installation.

No public comment was heard in connection with the Troutbeck proposal to construct an outdoor pool as briefly described by project engineer Rich Rennia of Rennia Engineering of Dover Plains. The application is part of Phase 8 of Troutbeck’s adaptive reuse application, revised recently to reduce the environmental impact.

Keep ReadingShow less
Final grant of $675,000 awarded for Eddie Collins Memorial Park pool project
Eddie Collins Memorial Park in Millerton will the the site of a new community pool, with construction expected to begin by Spring 2025.
Archive photo

MILLERTON — Calling the ongoing revitalization of Eddie Collins Memorial Park “the largest project the village has taken on,” Mayor Jenn Najdek has disclosed additional funding has come through in support of its upgrade.

This past December, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation awarded the village a matching grant of up to $675,000 in support of the Eddie Collins Memorial Park Swimming Pool Project. With these monies, funding for Phase II of the project, which stems largely from a NY SWIMS capital grant, is now at $7.56 million.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pine Plains median home prices stay relatively steady at year's end

This 3 bedroom/2 bath renovated raised ranch at 7760 Main St. in Pine Plains sold for $590,000.

Photo by Christine Bates

PINE PLAINS — From August through November there were 14 sales in Pine Plains with only one on Lake Road selling for over a million dollars and two homes for over $500,000 — a midcentury modern in town closing for $590,000 and a historic house on 8.5 acres for $660,000.

Since September 2021 the median price for publicly listed properties in Pine Plains has hovered at around $350,000. Properties listed in mid-January include seven residences ranging in price from $150,000 to $8.95 million, six pieces of land and Harvest Homestead Farm on 343 acres with a fully functioning distillery formerly associated with 1930’s mobster Dutch Schultz.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Francis ‘Frank’ McNally

MILLERTON — Donald Francis “Frank” McNally Jr., passed away peacefully at Vassar Brothers Medical Center on Wednesday Jan. 8, 2025, after a short illness. Frank was a resident of Millerton since 1996. He was born on Jan. 27, 1955, in Cold Spring, New York, at Butterfield Hospital and was raised in Garrison, New York, where he enjoyed exploring and camping in the wilderness of the Hudson Valley, participating in the Boy Scouts as a bugler, and competing as captain of his high school wrestling team.

He was a graduate of James I. O’Neill High School in Highland Falls class of ‘74 and SUNY Cobleskill class of ‘76 where he majored in animal husbandry, specializing in equine science. He then proudly volunteered for the United States Peace Corps where he accepted an assignment to his host country of the Philippines, where he met his wife. Frank would then pursue his lifelong passion for horses and horseback riding on several horse farms in Dutchess County. Later he would work for New York state where he would then retire, spending his time caring for animals, reading, fishing and taking photographs. Frank enjoyed a good laugh with family and friends, while also occasionally winning a game of RISK. Frank was an avid reader, often reading several books a week while in the constant company of his cat.

Keep ReadingShow less