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Salt Tree Art Debuts Berkshires New Theater Festival Featuring Works on Identity and Ecology

Salt Tree Art introduces a new theater festival in the Berkshires, showcasing works that delve into themes of identity and ecology.

American Theatre·Jun 16, 2026·via American Theatre

Salt Tree Art Debuts Berkshires New Theater Festival Featuring Works on Identity and Ecology

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June 16, 2026 American Theatre Editors Leave a comment

Salt Tree Art Launches Berkshires New Theater Festival

The new festival will include works exploring identity and ecology.

By American Theatre Editors

BERKSHIRES, MASS.: Salt Tree Art will host the inaugural Berkshires NEW Theater Festival (the Berkshires NEWT) on Saturday, July 4 for a day of original performance in the Berkshires. Led by artistic director Chris Browne Valenzuela, the festival features artists from five continents working across theatre, movement, dance, puppetry, and music exploring the relationships among people, place, culture, and the natural world.

The Berkshires NEWT is a continuation of Salt Tree Art’s commitment to creating spaces for community engagement, artistic practice, and ecological awareness. The festival invites international artists to converse with local audiences while exploring the environment that surrounds them.

This year’s inaugural program explores stories of land, migration, memory, identity, and belonging. Participating artists will present original work that crosses disciplines, experiments with form, and offers distinct cultural perspectives.

The Berkshires NEWT will take place on the 250th anniversary of American independence, with a celebration ideas, stories, and artistic practices that continue to shape American culture. The festival aims to establish a new platform in the Berkshires for performance and artistic dialogue.

“The most exciting aspect of the Berkshires NEWT is we get to celebrate the 250th birthday of our nation with stories from five different continents melting together for a rendezvous in the mountains,” wrote artistic director Browne Valenzuela via email.

This year’s performers include Anissa Naji (Morocco/Germany), Sancho Alcina (Spain), Sasha Novich (Eastern Europe), Yun Gao (China), Cherie Chalouhi (USA/Lebanon), Chris Browne Valenzuela (Chile), Eliot Madrid (USA), Brian Soliwoda (USA), and Jen Jurek (USA).