Production Manager Kat Sirico passed away August 1.
Jacob’s Pillow leadership has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of its 2025 Summer Festival, following the death of a staff member in a tragic workplace accident. The news comes mere weeks into what was meant to be a landmark year—including the debut of its newly reimagined Doris Duke Theatre.
On August 1, Production Manager Kat Sirico, age 40, died after a dolly loaded with staging platforms lost control on a sloped section of the Pillow grounds and impacted Sirico. Emergency responders arrived, but Sirico succumbed to their injuries. The Berkshire District Attorney confirmed the incident was an accident and that no criminal charges would be filed.
Initially, only performances scheduled last weekend were cancelled. But by Tuesday evening (August 5), the festival leadership announced that Festival 2025, which was set to run through August 24, would not continue. The board cited the accident and the need to grieve, recover, and honor Sirico’s memory as the reason for the decision. Refunds are being issued to ticket holders.
Pamela Tatge, Jacob’s Pillow’s executive and artistic director, remembered Sirico as “an essential and hugely devoted leader” saying in a statement, “Their spirit, generosity, and dedication touched the lives of many.”
Sirico, a Pillow alum from Rochester, had returned to the institution where they’d earlier trained to serve as production manager, overseeing the ambitious staging required at the site’s three dance locations.
2025 was poised to be a banner year for the Berkshire and global dance institution. After the original Doris Duke Theatre was destroyed by fire in 2020, Jacob’s Pillow embarked on a bold reconstruction. On July 6, the reimagined Doris Duke Theatre officially opened its doors. designed by Dutch architects Mecanoo and integrating Indigenous design principles, sustainable architecture, and cutting-edge tech, this season was to usher in the next-generation of dance here.
The cancellation means that dancers, residents, local businesses, visiting artists, and an eager summer audience are all facing significant disruption, but in its statement, the Board affirmed that the organization will emerge with renewed commitment—to safety, to its people, and to the power of dance.