New Concerts: Karen O, Rosanne Cash, Ute Lemper and More @ the Colonial Theatre

The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Mass. has announced its new 2010-2011 performance series, and it kicks off with a most unexpected show – vocalist Karen O and guitarist-keyboardist Nick Zimmer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing an acoustic concert on Monday, May 24.

A benefit for the theater, the show will also feature former Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Imaad Wasif as the opening act. Priced at $25 and $45, tickets go on sale to the general public at 10am Wednesday.

But that’s not all that’s going on in the fifth season of the intimate 810-seat jewel of a theater. Among the other prime concerts on tap this year are the area debut of Los Lonely Boys (Thursday, June 17), superb singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash (Tuesday, June 29), a tribute to Joni Mitchell (Saturday, August 21), sublime cabaret singer Ute Lemper (Friday, August 27) – and that’s just the summer season of shows.

Tickets are slated to go on sale for all performances on Wednesday. Here’s the full slate:

Monday, May 24: Karen O & Nick Zimmer
Thursday, June 3: Sherri James Buxton & Friends
Wednesday, June 9: Rusted Root
Thursday, June 17: Los Lonely Boys
Tuesday, June 29: Rosanne Cash
Friday, July 9: Caroline Rhea
Saturday, July 10: “Bruce in the U.S.A.”
Friday, July 16: Marc Salem’s “Mind Games”
Saturday, July 17: The Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats
Friday, July 23: Maureen McGovern
Friday, July 30: “Ricky Nelson Remembered”
Saturday, July 31: Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna in “If You Ever Leave Me I’m Going With You”
Saturday, August 7: Catie Curtis with Jonatha Brooke
Wednesday, August 11: Betty Buckley
Saturday, August 14: John Oliver
Saturday, August 21: “Blue: The Music of Joni Mitchell”
Friday, August 27: Ute Lemper
Sunday, September 26: Vicki Baird
Thursday, September 30: “‘S Wonderful: The New Gershwin Musical”
Friday, October 1: “Rhythm of the Dance”
Thursday, October 7: John Lithgow’s “Stories By Heart”
Friday, October 8: Blue Öyster Cult
Sunday, October 10: “Twist & Shout”
Friday, October 15: “Forever Plaid”
Saturday, October 16: The American Jazz Repertory Orchestra
Friday, October 22: “Open Wings — Broken Strings”
Saturday, October 23: “Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show”
Saturday, November 6: The Spencers: Theatre of Illusion
Friday, November 12: Tommy Tune and the Manhattan Rhythm Kings
Saturday, November 13: Kate Clinton: The Lady HaHa Tour
Tuesday, November 16: Ani DiFranco
Saturday, November 20: Arlo Guthrie
Saturday, November 27: Kathy Mattea
Tuesday, November 30: Elisabeth von Trapp and the Empire Brass
Friday, December 3: Film – “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Saturday, December 4: Mary Verdi & Friends
Sunday, December 5: “The Bearnstein Bears Live!”
Thursday, December 9: The Vienna Boys Choir
Wednesday-Thursday, December 17-18: Romance, Soul & Rock N’ Roll
2011
Saturday, January 22: “The Music Man”
Friday, January 28: Sweet Honey in the Rock
Wednesday, February 9: Hot Tuna
Sunday, February 20: “BubbleMania!”
Saturday, February 26: The Travelin’ McCourys
Saturday, March 5: “Jury’s Irish Cabaret”
Friday, March 11: Loudon Wainwright III and Shawn Colvin
Saturday, April 9: “An Evening With Groucho”
Saturday, April 16: John Hammond and Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks
Saturday, May 14: Black Violin
Saturday, May 21: Tom Paxton