Bennington College History: Drama: Productions, Workshops, Lectures 1940-1949

1940

• Bennington Theatre Studio Presents: Trelawny of the Wells Pinero, Arthur Wing, playwright; Thommen, Edward, director; Leonard, Joan Case, set design; Larrabee, Antoinette, stage manager (1940-03-05) program 

• "Amateur dramatics" hosted by the Recreation Council. (1940-04-04) Recreation Council Minutes | General Meetings 1939-1945

• Robert Speaight. Reading of T.S. Eliot (1940-04-18) General Meetings 1939-1945

• Drama and Music Workshop: Scenes from La Machine Infernale by Jean Cocteau; Hamlet; Victory of Masks, and The Bear Cocteau, Jean; Shakespeare, William; Conklin, Edith; Nelson, Jessie Ann; Chekhov, Anton (1940-05-07) program 

• Drama and Music Workshop. No For An Answer by Marc Blitzstein. (1940-05-21) General Meetings 1939-1945

• The Bennington Theatre Studio Present: The Lady From The Sea. Ibsen, Henrik (Bennington College, 1940-06-12) program

• Richard Goetz. Goetz was invited to the College as a guest lecturer as part of a plan to support "displaced foreign scholars" as a result of World War II. He was a guest lecturer during the fall term in literature and drama. Steps Taken and Plans Being Made to Support Displaced Foreign Scholars, Students and Children | Letter to Richard Goetz from President Leigh | Letter from Richard Goetz to President Leigh | Francis Fergusson to President Leigh Regarding Goetz | 
  Letters of Recommendation for Richard Goetz from Francis Fergusson and Martha Hill.

  • Richard Goetz. "Storm and Stress, the German Chance and Tragedy" lecture. (1940-09-23) General Meetings 1939-1945

  • Richard Goetz. "The Historic Hero and the Dramatic Author" lecture. (1940-10-07) General Meetings 1939-1945

  • Richard Goetz. "The Medieval Conception of Hell" lecture. (1940-10-14) General Meetings 1939-1945

  • Richard Goetz. "Expressionism in Drama: Its Way and Consequences" lecture. (1940-10-21) General Meetings 1939-1945

  • Richard Goetz. "The Russian Theatre" lecture. (1940-11-11) General Meetings 1939-1945

  • Richard Goetz. "Drama and Theatre" lecture. (1940-11-18) General Meetings 1939-1945

• Drama Workshop. (1940-10-29) General Meetings 1939-1945

• The Bennington Theatre Studio Presents: Blood Wedding. Lorca, Federico Garcia; Fergusson, Francis, director; Lauterer, Arch, set and lighting designer; Luening, Otto, music composer; Hill, Martha, dance composer and director; Bales, William, dance composer for Dance for the Moon (1940-12-11) program

• Drama Workshop. (1940-12-19) General Meetings 1939-1945

1941

• The Bennington Studio Theatre Presents: Three One-Act Comedies: The Affairs of Anatol, A Fumed Oak, and The Marriage Proposal Schnitzler, Arthur; Coward, Noel; Chekhov, Anton; Dixon, Joseph, director; Thommen, Edward, director (1941-03-04) program | General Meetings 1939-1945 | College Week

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from Alice in Wonderland, The Bridge Over San Luis Rey, Ethan Frome, The White Steed, The Beaux' Stratagem, No Time for Comedy, and Red Peppers Thommen, Edward, director; Dixon, Joseph, director; Heed, Mary, director; Richardson, Faith, director; Glass, Edward, technical director; Osato, Teru, lighting (1941-04-01) program | General Meetings 1939-1945 

• The Bennington Theatre Studio Presents: Turandot Vollmöller, Karl; Bithell, Jethro, translator; Dixon, Joseph, director; Lauterer, Arch, production director; Hill, Martha, dance composer and director; McBride, Robert, music composer and director; Reitell, Liz, costume design (1941-06-10) program | General Meetings 1939-1945 | Drawings /Designs of Costumes for the Drama Production: Turandot

• The Bennington School of the Arts presents: The School for Wives and The Impresario Molière; Sweetser, Emily, translator; Fergusson, Francis, director; Luening, Otto, musical director; Hill, Martha, ballet composer and director; Park, Edwin Avery, set design; Luening, Ethel, singing coach; Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1941-08-03) program

• The Bennington School of the Arts Presents: The Barker: A Play of Carnival Life in Three Acts Fergusson, Francis, director; Hudelson, Ben, set designer; Thommen, Edward, costume designer (1941-08-10) poster

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from The Tragic City, From Rags to Riches, Winterset, I Know I Can, My Girls, Love for Love, and Saint Joan Pottberg, Valerie, director; Malon, Ray, director; Mills, Ann, director; Paul, Jacqueline, director; Handwerk, Marjorie, director (1941-11-04) program | General Meetings 1939-1945

• The Bennington Theatre Studio Presents: The House with the Columns, The Happy Journey, Androcles and the Lion Pirandello, Luigi; Wilder, Thornton; Shaw, George Bernard; Fergusson, Francis, director; Lauterer, Arch, set design; Bottomly, Helen, costume design; Dixon, Joseph, director; Wood, Mary Somers, stage and lighting design; Merriss, Joan, costume design; Handwerk, Marjorie, director; Collier, Joan, set design and lighting; Engel, Lisette, costume design (1941-12-11) program | General Meetings 1939-1945

1942

• The Bennington Theatre Studio Presents: The Tourchbearers Dixon, Joseph, director; Malon, Ray, set design; Michaels, Jeanne, costumes; Kelly, George (1942-03-05) program

• Panel discussion on Tragedy (1942-04-19)  General Meetings 1939-1945

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from The Affairs of Anatol, Tooth or Shave, The Women, and The Reunion Schnitzler, Arthur; Niggli, Josephina; Booth, Clare; Heed, Mary (1942-04-21) program

• The Bennington Theatre Studio Presents: The Seagull Chekhov, Anton; Young, Stark, translator; Fergusson, Francis, director; Bottomly, Helen, costume designer; Hopkins, Merrell, lighting designer; Feeley, Paul, set designer; Buhler, Carlos, music director (1942-06-04) program

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from Mistress of the Inn, Sacred Monsters, Golden Boy, Romeo and Juliet, Dill Pickle, School for Wives Goldoni; Molière; Cocteau, Jean; Odets, Clifford; Mansfield, Katherine; Shakespeare, William (1942-10-27) program

• Bennington College Presents: Antigone and Don Perlimplín and Belisa Cocteau, Jean; Lorca, Federico García; Fergusson, Francis, director; Malon, Ray, stage manager; Feeley, Paul, set design; Buhler, Carlos, music composition; Thompson, Christine, costumes (1942-12-10) program

1943

• Bennington College Presents: Scenes from The Way of the World Cosgreve, William; Crowell, David, director; Gay, John, music; Freedman, Rita, set design; Hopkins, Merrell, lighting (1943-04-09) program

• Francis Fergusson. "On Reading Dante in 1943" lecture. General Meetings 1939-1945

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from Chason de Roland, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Importance of Being Ernest, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Le Médecin Malgré Lui  d'Estournelles, Paul, director; Straus, Joann, director and set design; Hopkins, Merrell, lighting (1943-05-25) program

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from Chason de Roland, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Importance of Being Ernest, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Le Médecin Malgré Lui d'Estournelles, Paul; Straus, Joann; Hopkins, Merrell (1943-05-25) program

• Bennington College Presents: The People Say Yes Sandburg, Carl; Lauterer, Arch, adaptation; Tucker, Gregory, composer; Hill, Martha, movement and dance composer; Bales, William, movement and dance composer; Foster, Catharine Osgood, speech director; Hopkins, Nettie Beall, costumes (1943-06-26) program

• Drama Workshop. (1943-07-21) General Meetings 1939-1945

• Drama Workshop. (1943-07-30) General Meetings 1939-1945

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from Lake Scene, MacBeth, Uncle Vanya, King Henry the Eighth, Infernal Machine, Rocket to the Moon, and Alice in Wonderland  Otis, Mary, director; Straus, Joann, director; Friedman, Rita, director; Merriss, Jay, director; Robinson, Carolyn, costumes (1943-10-29) program

• Drama Workshop: Scenes and recitations from Wife to a Famous Man, Othello, Psalms 42 and 19, Cradle Song, and The Skin of Our Teeth Kirsten, Polly, director; Straus, Joann, director; Fergusson, Francis, director (1943-12-02) program

1944

• V-12 Happy Hour Entertainment Winter, Ethel; White, Evelyn; Broughton, Shirley; Newman, Pat; Kobin, Carol; Briden, Brenda; Skinner, Joan; Strong, Theo; Parrish, Betsy (1944-04-28) A variety show type production. Most acts were by Williams College students, including students in the V-12 program and one act was by Bennington College students. The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II. The location of this production is unknown. program

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from Romeo and Juliet, Month in the Country, Family Portrait, Waiting for Lefty, Hedda Gabler, As You Like It and The Doughgirls Friedman, Rita J.; Rorimer, Joan; Straus, Joan; Otis, Mary; Robinson, Caroline; Shakespeare, William; Turgenev, Ivan; Coffee, Lenore; Cowen, William Joyce; Odets, Clifford; Ibsen, Henrik; Fields, Joseph (1944-06-13) program

• Bennington College Presents: Five Senior Projects Robinson, Carolyn, director; Wilson, Ruth, director; Schulyler, Joy, director; Straus, Joan, director; Otis, Mary, director (1944-07-18) Scenes from Women Beware Women by Thomas Middleton, I'm Coming Home by Sally Litchfield, Scenes from Yerma by Federico García Lorca, Scenes from Letters to Lucerne by Fritz Rotter and Allen Vincent, and The Super Salesman by Mary Otis. program

• Drama Workshop (1944-07-28) College Week

• Williams V-12 Unit Presents: Give Me a Liberty or Give Me Death  Hill, Martha, director; Bales, William, director (1944-09-28) A production by Williams College students in the V-12 program and Bennington College students. The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II. The production was held at Adams Memorial Theatre in Adams, Massachusetts. program | logistics

• George Amberg, Curator in the Department of  Dance and Theatre Design, Museum of Modern Art. "Function and Design in Modern Stage Setting" Talk illustrated with slides from the MoMA collection. (1944-10-26) planning documents

• George Amberg, Curator in the Department of Dance and Theatre Design, Museum of Modern Art. Talk on the theatre and dance archives and museums with particular reference to the work being done at MoMA. (1944-10-27) planning documents

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from The Needlecase, Romeo and Juliet, Gaol Gate, Tartuffe, Liliom, and The Women Bowen, Elizabeth; Shakespeare, William; Lady Gregory; Molière; Molnár, Ferenc; Booth, Clare; Sherwood, Mary, director; George, Patricia, set design; Moore, Frank, lighting; Eliot, Joan, director; Ortiz, Jorge, lighting (1944-11-21) program

1945

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from A Doll's House, The Importance of Being Ernest, The Intellectual Ladies, Albert, My Sister Eileen, Uncle Vanya, and The Red Peppers Ibsen, Henrik; Wilde, Oscar; Molière; Fields, Joseph A.; Chodorov, Jerome; Chekhov, Anton; Coward, Noel; Stern, Audry; George, Patricia; Czaja, Michael; Sherwood, Mary; Eliot, Joan; Friedman, Rita; White, Evelyn; Tobin, Genevieve; Loebl, Margot (1945-05-15) program

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from All for Love, Alice in Wonderland, The School for Scandal, Lucrece, The Spoils of Poynton, and Oklahoma!  Dryden, John; Carroll, Lewis; Sheridan, Richard Brinsley; Obey, André; James, Henry; Hammerstein, Oscar; Rodgers, Richard; Stern, Audrey, director; Friedman, Rita, director; Eliot, Joan, set design; Abrams, Sally, stage manager (1945-07-03) program

• Dance Drama Workshop: Scenes from All for Love, Lucrece, Alice in Wonderland, and original dance compositions Dryden, John; Carroll, Lewis; Obey, André; Friedman, Rita, director; Baldridge, Richard, costumes; Stern, Audrey, director (1945-07-19) program

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from Pelléas and Mélisande, Juno and the Paycock, Hamlet, Luncheon's All But Served, Romeo and Juliet, and The Imaginary Invalid O'Casey, Seán; Maeterlinck, Maurice; Shakespeare, William; Martin, Carole; Molière; Czaja, Michael; Baldridge, Richard (1945-11-20) program

1946

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from The Three Sisters, The Green Pastures, Kinuta, I Remember Mama and Showboat Chekhov, Anton; Connelly, Marc; Van Druten, John; Kern, Jerome (1946) program

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from The Battle of the Marne, the Washtub, This Property Is Condemned and Miss Lucy in Town Obey, André; Williams, Tennessee; Fielding, Henry (1946-06-25) program

• Dance and Drama Workshop: Scenes from Side by Side by the Seaside, Mask Against Tragedy,  In Due Season, and Showboat. (1946-07-18) College Week - Special Commencement Edition

• Bennington College Presents: The Male Animal Nugent, Elliott; Thurber, James; Thommen, Edward, director; Soldwedel, Pamela, stage manager; Martin, Carol, régisseur; Cole, Jane, lighting; Worth, Deane, costumes (1946-11-12) program

1947

• Actors Cooperative, a new repertory in Providence, Rhode Island, mainly composed of Bennington alumnae, students, and faculty. Article discusses their winter repertory (1947) The Beacon Volume 1 Number 1 p. 6

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from The Old Maids, Mostly Married, The Shoemaker, Antony and Cleopatra, Ways and Means, Little Eyloff, and School for Wives. (1947-04) The Beacon Volume 1 Number 2 p. 5

• Frances Fergusson. Talk about his play, Penelope. (1947-05-12) The Beacon Volume 1 Number 2 p. 5

• Bennington College Presents: The Leghorn Hat Labiche, Eugène; Michel, Marc; Chesley, Clair Vincent, translator; Martin, Carol, régisseur; Baldridge, Richard, set and costume design; Cole, Jane, lighting (1947-06-30) program | The Beacon Volume 1 Number 5 article about the upcoming production p.1 | The Beacon Volume 1 Number 7 review of the production p. 6

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from House of Bernarda Alba, The Infernal Machine, and Serena Blandish Cocteau, Jean; Lorca, Federico García; Behrman, S. N.; Worth, Deane, director; Bishop, Diane, designer; Baldridge, Richard, director; Thommen, Edward, director; Thompson, James, technical director (1947-11-12) program | The Beacon Volume 1 Number 12 p.1 | The Beacon Volume 1 Number 14  review including photograph

1948

• Bennington College Drama Division Presents: The Spoils of Poynton James, Henry; Baldridge, Richard; Thommen, Edward, acting coach; Thompson, James, technical director; White, Mary Lou, stage manager (1948-05-26) program | The Beacon Volume 2 Number 2 article about upcoming production p. 1 | The Beacon Volume 2 Number 4  photograph p. 1 | The Beacon Volume 2 Number 5  review of production p. 3

• Drama Workshop: Scenes from Red Roses for Me, Anna Christie, Romeo and Juliet, and Way of the World O'Casey, Sean; O'Neill, Eugene; Shakespeare, William; Congreve, William; Lewis, Allan, director; Alvin, Robert, director (1948-10-20) program | The Beacon Volume 2 Number 11  review including photograph p. 3

• Bennington Night at Hunter College. The Drama Department presented a scene from O'Neill's Ah Wilderness and Congreve's Way of the World.  The Beacon Volume 2 Number 13 p.1

• The Drama Department of Bennington College Presents: An Open Workshop of Three One-Act Plays Waring, Brooke; Lewis, Allan; Chekhov, Anton; di Donato, Pietro; Borden, Linda, stage manager; Rhodes, Turri, costumes; Alvin, Robert, director; Thompson, James, set design; McCallum, Joanne, stage manager; Warburg, Felicia, director; Prensky, Bert, set designer; Franklin, Laura, stage manager. One-act plays: Yes, Mr. King by Brooke Waring and Allan Lewis, The Love of Annunziata by Pietro Di Donato, and The Boor by Anton Chekhov (1948-12-13) program | The Beacon Volume 2 Number 13 article announcing the upcoming performance p.1 | The Beacon Volume 2 Number 15 another article about the upcoming performance p.1 | 

1949

• Dance and Drama students variety show. (1949-05-20) The Beacon Volume 3 Number 3 

• Senior projects. Mary Lou White in a scene from Congreve's The Way of the World, original play by Felicia Warburg, and Irene Moore  project (1949-06-29) The Beacon Volume 3 Number 3 

• The Drama Department of Bennington College Presents: Blood Wedding Lorca, Federico García; Lewis, Allan, director; Norton, Coe, assistant director; Nowak, Lionel, original music; Gillett, Betty Anne, choreography; Hyman, Charles, set design; Warburg, Felicia, production manager; McCallum, Joanne, technical director (1949-06-02) program | photograph |  The Beacon Volume 3 Number 7 review p. 1

• Drama Workshop: Senior project scenes from Anna Karenina, The Misunderstanding, and The Way of the World (1949-06-29)  The Beacon Volume 3 Number 7 review p. 1

• The Drama Department production Right You Are (1949-11-07) The Beacon Volume 3 Number 11 review p. 1

• The Drama Department production Right You Are at The General Stark Theatre in Bennington, VT. (1949-12-05) The Beacon Volume 3 Number 11 advertisement p. 6