Berkshire Country Day School Original Theater Production

LENOX, MA (12/09/2013)(readMedia)-- Berkshire Country Day School's Upper School Theatre co-curricular program has launched into another season of creating an original work for the stage. Rehearsing and eventually performing at BCD's Winthrop Theatre in Lenox, the eleven-member ensemble is comprised of Grade 7 and 8 BCD students. Uplifted by the success of last year's original piece exploring communication in a digital world titled "Two Cans Connected by a String," the ensemble is exploring the question "What are you afraid of?" Borrowing the title "Duck and Cover" from the 1951 Defense Department film instructing students what to do in the event of an atomic bomb, the theme spins out from a central image of a school's lockdown practices touching on historical societal fears (nuclear warfare), social issues (bullying), fear of public speaking, failure, embarrassment, fear of abandonment, fear of spiders, fear of acne, etc. More than just examining the fear, the group is exploring how to overcome fears.

The students are creating the piece through a series of composition-building exercises, interviews, existing poetry and literature, audio, and visual materials to be woven in a collage-like structure. Students are also developing original music for the project. The process requires the students to be courageous as they delve into this self-discovery and collaborative effort. The group is inspired by writings and work of directors such as Anne Bogart and Robert Wilson, American artists who redefined and presented the question of 'What is theatre?'

"Duck and Cover" will be presented at the Winthrop Theatre at 45 West Street in Lenox on Friday, February 7 at 7 PM and Saturday, February 8 at 2 PM and 7 PM. There will be a suggested donation at the door.

About Berkshire Country Day School

Berkshire Country Day School, established in 1946 at located at 55 Interlaken Road in Stockbridge, MA, is an independent school for students in Preschool through Grade 9. Berkshire Country Day School exists to inspire the individual promise of every student, that each may become an exemplary citizen of the world. For more information about the school, visit berkshirecountryday.org.