NORTH ADAMS, MA—For its second show of the season, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ Theatre Department will present a collection of one-act play readings titled “Connections: A Festival” from Dec. 4-6.
A virtual experience completely run and directed by MCLA students, the shows include “A Marriage Proposal,” by Anton Chekov (directed by Alex Aleksandrov); “Bears,” by Mark Rigney (directed by John Archer-Harvey); “No Exit,” by Jean-Paul Sartre (directed by Abigail Daggett), “The Man With a Flower in His Mouth,” by Luigi Pirandello (directed by Makayla Keeney and Lindsey Rosa); and “Bad Auditions on Camera: A Stay at Home Play,” by Ian Mcwethy and Carrie Mcwethy (directed by Edgar Perez).
A different staged-reading will be presented on each day of the festival:
“Connections: A Festival” will take place on Zoom, and is free and open to the public. To reserve tickets, visit www.mcla.edu/theatre.
MCLA Theatre’s production of “Connections: A Festival” gives students the opportunity to direct, design, and perform shows of their choosing. These plays feature all-student design teams, with costume work by Elizabeth Rodio, Xaida Brazeau, and Brennan Eckman; scenic work by AJ Burton, Sam Berthel and Mak Wagner; and lighting by Anthony Simon. The student Zoom Master for the performances will be Michelle Frost. In their role as producers of the festival, faculty members Assistant Professor of Theatre Michaela Petrovich and Associate Professor of Theatre Jeremy Winchester serve as mentors and advisors to the students.
Each of the works presented in “Connections” intends to explore the themes of staying connected to one another in such an uncertain and dysfunctional time. “As we continue to navigate these unprecedented times of disconnection and disharmony, our ability to come together as artists, in the same digital space as our audience, remains an incredibly powerful act,” said Winchester. “We may be physically separated, but the things that hold us together are what’s important.”
About the MCLA Theatre Program:
The Theatre Program at MCLA develops innovative theatre artists prepared for careers
in theatre and graduate study. In the intimate, culturally rich setting of the Berkshires,
students hone their craft through intensive studio training and hands-on experience,
within the context of their broader liberal arts education. Opportunities for practical
experience abound, from courses in acting, directing, design and production to working
alongside a faculty of talented professionals in our award-winning production season.
On stage and in the classroom, theatre students at MCLA make theatre of the highest
quality, as they explore the rich tradition of this unique, multi-disciplinary art
form.
