FRANCESCA OLSEN: TELLING THE STORY OF THE ADAMS THEATER
Francesca Olsen
Director of Communications
at The Adams Theater
I’m Francesca Olsen, the Adams Theater’s director of communications. I’m a freelance marketing and branding consultant in the Berkshires, and I work with other creative businesses and artists all over the country who want to sharpen their digital marketing strategy, build a following online, launch new projects, and more.
Yina and I met in 2021 when she was in one of my 1BerkshireSmall Business Technical Assistance cohorts, and we just kept working together after that. It’s my job to help tell the story of the Adams Theater – to showcase this project and all of its talented characters, fascinating intersecting points, and amazing community aspects.
I love working on this project because there’s always some element of surprise and delight and newness. There is some amazing art taking place at the theater this season, and the level of community support and commitment has been thrilling to see. And the space isn’t even close to done yet!
I went to the Majesty of the Berkshires pageant on June 2, and then volunteered at the box office for Charlie Nadler and Isabel Hagen’s comedy show on June 3. I was struck by how many people I saw on both nights–volunteers and guests. A lot of people told me they were coming back for DysFUNKcrew on June 4. One guy told me he drove all the way here from Boston and had never been in the Berkshires before. I met so many season pass holders who told me “it’s amazing to see downtown so busy” and “I remember when this place was a movie theater.”
It’s so powerful to activate a space like that. There is so much meaning and value and quality of life when downtown areas thrive. I think the theater’s history feeds its hopes for the future, and I am really honored to be involved with the project.