GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Theater program at Bard College at Simon's Rock will premiere 4 one-act student-written musicals this week from April 7-9 in the McConnell Theater at the Daniel Arts Center. 

 

Simon's Rock students have worked with Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winning playwright and screenwriter Marsha Norman over the past eight months in the development process of their musicals.

 

Marsha Norman, who now resides in the Berkshires after retiring from her position as co-chair of Juilliard's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program, won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play, "night, Mother,"  a Tony Award for the Broadway musical book and lyrics for "The Secret Garden," and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical for the libretto of "The Color Purple." 

 

After connecting with theater professor Aimée K. Michel at Simon's Rock, they discussed possibilities for designing a musical theater workshop while also navigating COVID-19 protocols and challenges.

 

Opening night is on Thursday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. with Program A, which runs again on Friday, April 8 at 3:00 p.m. and includes "Seller's Market" by Ashlyn Bagocious, junior, directed by Aimée K. Michel, and "Bird's of Pray" by Rowan Truman, sophomore, directed by Beck Selberg, junior. 

 

Program B runs on Friday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 9 at 3:00 p.m. and includes "Shades of Blue" by Blake Bynum, sophomore, directed by Rowan Truman,  and "Your Choice" by Tevah Rose, sophomore, directed by Provost John Weinstein. 

 

"Marsha has been a huge gift with the weight and depth of her experience," Simon's Rock theater professor and director of the workshop Aimée Michel said. "She has been cheering them on and encouraging them to hold fast to their visions." 

 

Performances run Thursday, April 7 through Saturday, April 9 at the McConnell Theater at the Daniel Arts Center at Bard College at Simon's Rock. Program A tickets can be reserved here for April 7 at 7:00 p.m. and April 8 at 3:00 p.m. Program B tickets can be reserved here for April 8 at 7:00 p.m. and April 9 at 3:00 p.m.