PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire County Historical Society will present "Poor Herman," by playwright Elizabeth Doss, Herman Melville's great-great-great granddaughter. 

 

According to a press release: 

 

Poor Herman unearths the life of Herman Melville, who arguably wrote America's best and worst novels back-to-back in 1850 and 1851.  The production considers what compelled Melville, struggling to salvage his declining reputation while trying to feed a growing family, to write a virtually unreadable book, Pierre or the Ambiguities, in the aftermath of Moby Dick's initial failure with critics and readers. The play gives voice to the unsung people in his life, chiefly his mother, wife, sisters, and daughters who each contributed to his fame and flourishing and endured his decline and demise. While hindsight now celebrates his achievements, this production will investigate what it cost him to make history. All characters in the play, including Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne are played by five women: Diana Lynn Small, Katie Bender, Alexis Scott, Marie Ponce and Zoë Laiz.

 

 

Performances take place at Arrowhead's historic barn and begin at 7 pm. Tickets are $25 for BCHS members, $30 for non-members, $10 for EBT card holders, children under 12 are admitted free. A $45 ticket includes a tour of Arrowhead. 

 

Tickets are available by using the BOOK NOW button at berkshirehistory.org. This event is sponsored by The Feigenbaum Foundation and MOSAIC/Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.