by Karen Zacarias

June 26 - July 24, 2022

THIRD AVENUE PLAYWORKS

Photos by Heidi Hodges

“A kiss is just a kiss in the movie “Casablanca,” but two spontaneous kisses are powerhouse sensations in “The Book Club Play”…Those kisses say oh so much in the top caliber Third Avenue PlayWorks production of Karen Zacarías’ smart and snappy play...

Director Nicole Ricciardi and a keen cast unfold acting/performing/development subtleties like large silver trays of tasty hors d’oeuvres. That’s a fancy way of saying what’s happening is excellent, splendid and A-plus.

The show is a delightful intellectual romp.” - Warren Gerds/WFRV

“The Book Club Play is a must-see for lovers of books…The journey of these characters throughout the course of the show felt real – and sometimes raw – as they had to come to terms with their own successes and failures.” - Door County Pulse

by William Shakespeare

July 2 - August 28, 2021

SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY

Photos by Nile Scott Studios

*Named one of WBUR 2021's 10 Best Theater Productions

*Nominated for 2021 Broadway World Berkshire’s Best Production, Best Director, Best Performer, Best Supporting Performer, Best Sound Design, and Best Costume Design

“This ‘Lear,’ directed by Nicole Ricciardi, is one of the strongest productions of Shakespeare’s all-encompassing super-drama of man’s fate that I’ve seen in my 18 years as a drama critic.” - Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal

by Donald Marguiles

SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY

September 13 - October 13, 2019

Photos by Emma Rothenberg-Ware

“I remember seeing this play in New York City when it was first produced about a decade ago and, although I knew it was a good, thoughtful play about important issues of our time, I was not expecting to be riveted when seeing it again. However, I am happy to report that Time Stands Still is as relevant now as it was then, and that the Shakespeare and Company production is superb. It achieves a sense of intimacy with the audience that I have rarely seen; you feel as if you are actually in this small apartment with these four actors, who seem born to play these roles. The tension that builds as the play unfolds is at times unbearable, mostly because these actors are absolutely authentic in their roles and in their ability to convey the gravity of what is happening. There is not a single misstep. Every detail — the inflections in their speech, the way Sarah falls when she is not yet able to stand on her own, the expressions on their faces as they dig in their heels — seems spontaneous and true. Much of this must be credited to the amazing direction by Nicole Ricciardi, who has created, out of Margulies’ sentences, a situation that becomes powerfully real.” - Roberta Silman, THE ARTS FUSE

“A brilliant production…the cast on stage in Lenox is incredible, each one perfect in character look, sound and feel. There is a seamlessness in their playing that gives a definite impression that we aren't watching actors, we are witnessing real people in crisis who just happen to be exposed to our view through some telepathic miracle. This is unusual, to say the least, and it pulls out of us a sympathy that might not otherwise exist. Some of this feeling is the actors, naturally, but much of the credit must be shared between the playwright and the director Nicole Ricciardi. Everything we watch on stage is so believable with dialogue that is perfect for the people of the play. Clothing, movement, visible connections and altercations happen generically. Nothing is forced or wrong about this performance; not one false note can be found, no "acting" noticed. There are four people in an apartment and somehow the fourth wall has just dissolved leaving them exposed to their neighbors who cannot help eavesdropping on all levels….Director Nicole Ricciardi keeps everything totally real. Hickey, for example, falls several times and the honesty in each accident hurts us as much as it does Sarah. Joseph's angry explosions emerge naturally and their consequences are honest under her supervision. Ricciardi keeps it all as real as real can be…This is one play it doesn't pay to miss. If you love theater - DONT. “ - J. Peter Bergman, BERKSHIRE BRIGHT FOCUS

“The wounds sustained by photojournalist Sarah Goodman lie deep but, as played by Tamara Hickey in director Nicole Ricciardi's finely-tuned, affecting production, they are perceptible.…Margulies' writing is smooth and unaffected. Without grandstanding or preaching. Ricciardi's production follows suit. There is a beautiful sense of moderation and economy on the Bernstein stage. Penetrating, key emotional moments are given their due without melodrama or histrionics.” - Jeffrey Borak, THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE

“Nicole Ricciardi directs with an invisible, assured hand, letting the ensemble establish its balance…a solid, poignant production.” - Dan Dwyer, THE BERKSHIRE EDGE

“An intense and impeccably performed drama…the moral issues are profound, and director Nicole Ricciardi guides her cast well through a script that frequently erupts into argument, both philosophical and domestic.” - Steve Barnes, TIMES UNION

“The four actors are well-cast and embody fully-rounded, complex characters, thanks to their talent, Marguiles’ writing, and Ricciardi’s direction…Ricciardi guides them in such a way that every moment seems natural and unobstructed. In a talk back after the performance, the actors emphasized the specificity of the rehearsals, as they painstakingly followed Marguiles’ score: the beats, the pauses, the silences, and the subtext required to fill them. These are trademarks of Ricciardi’s careful direction, seen last year in CREDITORS, which encourages actors to build their characters from the ground up as they mine the text for clues.” - Barbara Waldinger, BERKSHIRE ON STAGE

“Director Nicole Ricciardi has created a wonderful ensemble, as the actors explore their characters with depth, complexity, and humor. Her use of the crowded Brooklyn apartment is masterful. Over the years, we have gotten a great deal from the plays that Nicole has directed. She’s a very skilled director…(she) consistently does very, very strong, interesting, complex, unique work.” - Bob and Sally Sugarman, MORE THEATRE TALK

“Director Nicole Ricciardi guides the performers so that each respects the complicated life choices the characters face. The problems that the characters must deal with are not everyday issues, but Ricciardi helps the audience relate to each on a personal level.” - Bob Goepfert, WAMC

“A very fine production…Director Nicole Ricciardi has done a great job with these four actors telling this very involving story. It fights valiantly to honor the dedication of journalists who go above and beyond at great sacrifice to document all that goes on in the world.” – Patrick White, NIPPERTOWN

by August Strindberg

Adapted by David Greig

SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY

July 19 - August 12, 2018

Nominated for Best Actor (Jonny Epstein), Best Director, and Best Play Production by the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association, October 2018

Photos by Nile Scott Studio

“Rarely have I seen a theater audience as engaged as by Shakespeare & Company’s new production of August Strindberg’s Creditors. They gasped, they laughed, and they hissed at what may be among the weightiest and most intense performances I’ve seen in 40 years of attendance at Shakespeare & Company…mediated by a gifted woman director such as Nicole Ricciardi…Ricciardi’s production is a rare theatrical experience — it leaves you stunned. You will be thinking about this show long after the final curtain call.” - Helen Epstein, ARTS FUSE

“Billed as a dark comedy it is hardly light summer fare. So there is some risk taking on the part of artistic director Allyn Burrows accenting to a request from the gifted director Nicole Ricciardi. That bold move and calculated risk has resulted in one of the short list, must see productions of the Berkshire theatre season. Under the skilled and nicely paced direction of Ricciardi the S&Co. veterans are presenting a master’s class of the very finest of classical acting…It is so powerful and provocative that S&Co. took 128 years to feel safe enough to produce it. To be sure it’s high time and worth the wait.” - Charles Giuliano, BERKSHIRE FINE ARTS

“A perfect piece of dramatic theater is happening at the intimate Bernstein space at Shakespeare & Company: August Strindberg’s ‘Creditors,’ written in 1888. Intricately composed, invisibly directed and superbly acted…Director Nicole Ricciardi leaves no fingerprints on the staging — the movement is seamless, the pacing flawless.” - Dan Dwyer, THE BERKSHIRE EDGE

“Nicole Ricciardi’s pitch-perfect production of David Greig’s supple adaptation stars three S&Co veterans in a round-robin of exquisite performances that add up to the most memorable of the season.” - Chris Rohmann, VALLEY ADVOCATE

“A highly intriguing mini melodrama...the ending of the play is as chilling a moment as I have experienced in several seasons…Director Nicole Ricciardi has done a fantastic job with this difficult play, allowing the laughs where they can come, provoking antagonism with just the right picture, people placed exactly right. She keeps the play in almost constant motion, which, for three nervous people, works wonders.” - J. Peter Bergman, THE BERKSHIRE EDGE

“Creditors, subtly directed by Nicole Ricciardi, has a particular power in this regard with its treatment of the transactional nature of relationships….Ricciardi directs this 90-minute battle of the sexes like a taut thriller…Filled with blisteringly astute insights into human psychology and sexual politics, this production of Creditors crackles with suspense and riveting performances…worth a trip to the Berkshires.” - Peter Hempstead, THEATREMANIA

“Although this is the first time in its history that Shakespeare & Company has produced a Strindberg play, one hopes it will not be the last. Thanks to an accessible translation by playwright David Greig and meticulous direction and performances, this production is a gem and should not be missed…It is a delight to watch these actors, at the top of their game, directed by Maestro Ricciardi.” - Barbara Waldringer, BERKSHIRE ON STAGE

“Engrossing…under the incredible direction of Nicole Ricciardi…the final few minutes surprised me, and I think many in the audience were as awestruck in those last moments as I was. It's real life reflected before us and it’s not to be missed.” - Angelica Potter, ONSTAGE BLOG

4000 Miles

by Amy Herzog

Shakespeare and Company

Bernstein Theatre

May 25 to July 16, 2017

"4000 Miles has been revived by Shakespeare and Company in a production at least as fine as the one that I saw and admired five years ago in New York…staged with poignant, self-effacing delicacy by Nicole Ricciardi….I can't think of a better place to be." - Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal

“a beautiful and moving portrait of loss and healing...exquisite and genuine...funny and sensitive." - WBRK

"Nicole Ricciardi's wise and knowing production at Shakespeare & Company...In any other playwright's hands, this might well be the stuff of melodrama and soap opera. Herzog knows better than that and so do Ricciardi and her skillful cast. Even when the emotional temperature rises, as it does, for example, in a compelling reckoning between Leo and Rebecca that shakes Leo's stability even further, the tone is tempered; at once measured and wrenching..." - Jeffrey Borak, The Berkshire Eagle

"The production is skillfully directed by Ricciardi.  She does not allow the more sentimental moments from becoming maudlin or over-acted.  Her cast gives life to the characters making them believable and letting you know that you know them.  The staging is economical without wasted movement or extensive time for scene changes, which is the responsibility of the actors.  Most important, her cast maintains the pace of the individual scenes so that, though disparate in tone, are all part of a unified whole...This 4000 Miles is a thought-provoking and genuinely entertaining play." - Macey Levin, Berkshire On Stage

"Under the direction of Nicole Ricciardi, 4000 Miles is well-paced, with great care taken to accentuate comic timing...Ricciardi also understands what is required to drive home the dramatic, emotional events that result in the connection the characters crave and the audience expects...4000 Miles is a delight from start to finish...Ricciardi allows the actors the freedom to interpret who they are within the frame of the director's vision. The result is a funny, moving production with performances that are not to be missed. Begin with a single step." - Nancy Grossman, Broadway World

"It’s Shakespeare & Company’s 40th anniversary season and the celebration kicks off with an impeccable production of Amy Herzog’s warm Obie-Award-winning comic drama...Director Nicole Ricciardi has assembled a perfect cast and design team...I found it charming, insightful, and moving, an enjoyable anthropological study of contemporary American life across the generations." - Helen Epstein, The Arts Fuse

"Directed by Nicole Ricciardi, the four-person cast, led by Annette Miller and Gregory Boover with Emma Geer and Zoë Laiz, immediately grasped the audience’s attention and kept them engrossed for the entirety of the production...this play will make you laugh, make you cry and make you think and reflect on your own life. ‘4000 Miles’ perfectly demonstrates the high quality, professional performances audiences have come to expect and enjoy from Shakespeare & Company and was a fantastic opening to their 40th season." - Angelica Potter, OnStage

Time Stands Still

by Donald Marguiles

New Century Theatre

July 14 - July 23, 2016

(The play is) receiving a strong production with an excellent professional cast, making the most of this smart, literate script that make the most of distressing situations...Nicole Ricciardi gives sensitive attention to the material and her cast, moving the action briskly while making room for emotional depth and occasional levity." Chris Rohmann - StageStruck, Valley Advocate

The Taming

by Lauren Gunderson

Shakespeare and Company

May 27 - July 30, 2016

"I cannot recall having such a good time with a political diatribe in my long and involved life, not even when working, years and years ago, for Bella Abzug back in New York City...Under the clearly clinical guidance of director Nicole Ricciardi, this trio of players maintains a dynamic range of highly specific movements, vocal work and interactions as they learn to 'lead with greed, baby.' That this play works so very well is due in no small part to the absolute control the director has maintained over her actors. I don’t usually say this so early in the summer season, but given the opportunity I would gladly revisit this play for a second chance to catch a glimpse of these people in their situation. I had that good a time." - J. Peter Bergman, The Berkshire Edge

"Ricciardi has directed them to perfection, making boundless use of their comic talents...Marvelous writing, superb acting. Go have fun at this play." – The Berkshire Record

"Loosely inspired by his misogynistic comedy about that Shrew, it’s the smartest, funniest show I’ve seen in a long time. I’ve never laughed so hard while thinking so much." - Chris Rohmann, Valley Advocate

"The actors are well served by Nicole Ricciardi who has staged the play with verve and discipline. What could be a hodgepodge of schtick and poorly timed laugh lines is a controlled, disciplined production that intensifies and elevates playwright Gunderson's multi-leveled script. The Taming is a funny and provocative show, filled with laughs, terrific performances and sharp political commentary." - Macey Levin, The Lakeville Journal

"Wonderfully directed by Nicole Ricciardi the three fantastic females in this cast work together with great chemistry and comedic timing. If you find yourself in the Berkshires and in need of a good laugh go on over to Shakespeare and Company and enjoy this 90 minute hilariously relevant play." - Angelica Potter, Onstage

"...an often hilarious romp across the liberal-conservative divide...The Taming is an uproarious good time." - Steve Barnes, Times Union

Shakespeare and Company

Bernstein Theatre

May 30 to July 26, 2015

Named one of "Top Ten Productions of the Season" by the Berkshire Eagle, 2015

"... the questions of life are about to go on display in a two-plus hour riveting performance that is as fabulous as a play can get. Yes, this work is that good." - Did You Weekend

"The play and the acting are beyond the beyond, a magical tour de force." - The Berkshire Edge

"...a flawlessly acted, deeply profound and haunting production." - The Berkshire Eagle

"Ricciardi went on to professional training at Carnegie Mellon and now is based in New York but has returned to home turf to helm this production. Every word lands, and the tempos of the verbal exchanges have the variety and liveliness of real speech." - BroadwayWorld.com

"As directed with deftness and an eye for dramatic arcs by Nicole Ricciardi, the production is perfectly suited to the intimacy of Shakespeare & Company’s Bernstein Theatre; you luxuriate in the pleasure of being so close to expert acting." - The Times Union

"...director Nicole Ricciardi has made the most of what’s available, giving life to these fractious, fragmented characters and playing out their conflicts both emotionally and, as they move around the stage, in an effective physical manner." - Metroland

by Norman Plotkin

The Nora Theatre Company

Central Square Theater, Boston, MA

June 5 – 29, 2014

With Tod Randolph

"I was overwhelmingly impressed with how well this particular story was told. This was no common one-woman show; rather, it was an emotional, present hour and a half with a woman dealing with second thoughts before her wedding, reminiscing and recollecting all that she had done in her life prior. It was a glimpse into the mind of someone great...I so very much enjoyed this powerhouse piece. Playwright Plotkin and Director Nicole Ricciardi obviously worked well together, creating a production that jointly spanned decades and contained itself to a present day morning. This was a one-woman show done right." - Alex Lonati, Broadway World

"...stirring, funny, unsettling, revealing and incredibly entertaining. Try, if you can, to catch this beautifully rendered solo depiction of a brilliantly intense, fascinating character." - Boston Arts Daily

“Director Nicole Ricciardi has done a skillful job of helping Randolph to shape her performance and keep it emotionally honest.” - David Brooks Andrews, West Roxbury Transcript

"Superb...Dazzling. " - Susan Miron, The Arts Fuse

__________________________________

WORLD PREMIERE

Shakespeare and Company

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Summer 2012

With Tod Randolph

Named one of "Top Ten Productions of the Season" by the Berkshire Eagle, 2012

“Factually this play does its job well and so does the director, Nicole Ricciardi, who has not only handled the physical Thompson well in all aspects including her vocal presentation but also has worked within the strict structure of the one-person play to present through Randolph’s amazing talents a whole host of personalities.” - J. Peter Bergman for EDGE Boston 

“You have to see Cassandra Speaks, it is a wonderful play, it’s as simple as that. The elements of this biographical story are so carefully woven together under Nicole Ricciardi’s direction, that Randolph needs only to bring the lines to life for us to ponder and admire.” - Larry Murray for Berkshire On Stage

“Director Nicole Ricciardi's illuminating production of "Cassandra Speaks" at Shakespeare & Company's Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre…” - Jeffrey Borak for the Berkshire Eagle

“The production, skillfully directed by Nicole Ricciardi, is beautifully paced and balanced.” - Lesley Ann Beck for Berkshire Arts Almanac

"...smartly directed by S&C newcomer Nicole Ricciardi..." - Michael Eck for the Times Union

Photos by A.R. Sinclair and Enrico Spada

by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield

Shadow Lawn Stage, AEA

Summer 2009

featuring Buddy Haardt, Nathan Kaufman, and Colin Ryan

This irreverent, fast-paced romp parodies all of Shakespeare's 37 plays in 90minutes.  It ran for 10 years at the Criterion Theatre, making it London's longest running comedy.

"Ricciardi's direction is steady and sure, no doubt a challenge given the wild atmosphere. Ricciardi succeeds marvelously..." - Two River Times

"This is a night of comedy you won't want to miss." - The Link

by Conor McPherson

Shadow Lawn Stage

Summer 2009

featuring Jonathan Cantor, Buddy Haardt,  Maria Silverman, and David Sedgwick

Shining City is set in Dublin, where a guilt-ridden man reaches out to a therapist after seeing the ghost of his recently deceased wife. Wrestling with his own demons, the therapist can only do much to help his patient. Routine visits between the two men quickly become a gripping struggle to survive, changing both of them for the rest of their lives.

"First-rate Theatre...sensitively directed by Nicole Ricciardi and admirably performed by four perfectly-cast (no small compliment) actors, Shining City is compelling drama." - Philip Dorian for the Two River Times