Jacobs Pillow Cancels Festival 2025 After Tragic Workplace Death

Jacobs Pillow has canceled the remainder of its 2025 festival following the tragic workplace death of its production manager, Kat (Kathryn) Sirico.

The Jacobs Pillow Board of Trustees and institutional leadership has decided that Festival 2025 will not continue, the western Massachusetts-based dance center said in an advisory on its website and social media, adding this difficult decision was made following the tragic accident on our campus on August 1.

Sirico, 40, of Rochester, New York, died Aug. 1 in a workplace accident on the campus of the historic dance center in Becket, about 130 miles west of Boston, according to the Berkshire District Attorneys Office in a news release Aug. 1.

The production manager and a summer intern were moving theater staging platforms using a dolly down a sloped area of the property when they lost control of the equipment, according to the DAs office.

Sirico, who used the pronouns they/them/their, tried to get the runaway dolly but tripped and fell. The dolly ran over them, resulting in the platforms falling on Sirico, authorities added.

The district attorneys office did not immediately respond to USA TODAYs request for an update, but no criminal charges are expected to be filed.

Jacobs Pillow executive and artistic director Pamela Tatge, in an Aug. 2 statement, described Sirico, a Pillow alum, as an essential and hugely devoted leader whose spirit, generosity, and dedication touched the lives of many.

Their spirit, generosity, and dedication touched the lives of many, Tatge said. We are holding their family, friends, and colleagues in our hearts as we grieve together.

Berkshire Theatre Group, where Sirico formerly worked as an electrician, also posted a tribute on Facebook, writing: May their memory continue to shine brightly in the theaters they helped bring to life.

After the accident, the organization canceled all weekend performances, expecting the festival to resume the following week. However, Jacobs Pillow leadership later decided to cancel the remainder of the 2025 Festival, originally scheduled to run until August 24. The 93rd annual Dance Festival, which began on June 25, included nine weeks of performances by world-class artists and various family-friendly events, according to a media release.

For 93 years, Jacobs Pillow has been a haven for dance and a community dedicated to its creation, presentation, education, and preservation, the organization said. We look forward to welcoming audiences back to our campus.

Ticket holders affected by the cancellation will receive full refunds, the organization said. Questions can be directed to the Jacobs Pillow Box Office at (413) 243-0745 or via email at [email protected].

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.