Bennington College History: Drama: Productions, Workshops, Lectures 1960-1969

1960

• Hecuba of Euripides Sherman, William, director; Alexander, Priscilla J., set designer; Brant, Henry, music; Tarnay, Matthias, technical director. Presented by the Drama Division Research, Rehearsal, and Production class. (1960-04-14) program

• The Drama Division Present Drama Workshop: Scenes from La Ronde and The Maids Schnitzler, Arthur; Genet, Jean; Alton, Bill, director; Hedlund, Carol, stage manager; Pickering, Sue, stage manager; Hambleton, Anne, scenery; Alexander, Priscilla J., lighting; Dawson, Nancy, sound; Goldsmith, Joy, costumes (1960-06-18) program

• The Drama Division Present Drama Workshop: Scenes from Saint Joan and This Evening Shaw, George Bernard; Alton, Bill, director; Fogg, Susan, stage manager; Sirulnikoff, Jack, composer; Shapli, Omar, staging; Sherman, William, design; Hambleton, Anne, scenery; Alexander, Priscilla J., lighting; Goldsmith, Joy, costumes; Dawson, Nancy, sound (1960-06-20) program

1961

• On Circe's Island a play by Claude Fredericks. (1961 spring) Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 30 n 4, May 1962 p. 21

• Bennington College Drama Department Present: The Boy Friend  Wilson, Sally; Duque, Manuel, director; Wittman, Josef, musical director; Sherman, William, designer; Whitman, Meryl, choreographer; Tarnay, Matthias, technical director; Eiseman, Julie, assistant director (1961-06-02) program

• Drama Workshop Present Two Plays: The House that Jack Built and Alice in Limbo Ryan, Charles; Marston, Jo; Gifford, Jessie, designer; Gurian, Donna, lighting (1961-06-09) program

• Drama Workshop (1961-10-19) Tentative Schedule of Events, Fall Term 1961 

1962

• Happening. Robert Whitman. "A new theatrical combination of a number of art forms [which] must be seen, as it cannot be described," it evoked such a flurry of intense reactions in the form of "Galleys," arguments (sometimes among groups of people none of whom had seen it), and then a panel discussion, that even if one can't put one's finger on what actually happened, one can weave in words the pattern of reaction to it." (1962-04-06) Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 30 n 4, May 1962 p. 20-21| 

• Drama Workshop. House of Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca(1962-04-13) Bennington College Calendar of Events, Spring 1962 | Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 30 n 4, May 1962 p. 20

• Jacques Guicharnaud. Lecture on French theatre. (1962-05-24)  Bennington College Calendar of Events, Spring 1962 

• Drama Workshop. A Clearing in the Woods by Arthur Laurents (1962-05-31) Bennington College Calendar of Events, Spring 1962 | Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 30 n 4, May 1962 p. 20

• Kenneth Burke lecture."Drama, Dramatism, and Logology" (1 of 4) Carriage Barn (1962-10-01) Bennington College Calendar of Evening Events, Fall, 1962 | Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 31 n 3 February 1963  p. 17

• Kenneth Burke lecture. "Drama, Dramatism, and Logology" (2 of 4) Carriage Barn (1962-10-08) Bennington College Calendar of Evening Events, Fall, 1962 | Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 31 n 3 February 1963 p. 17

• Kenneth Burke lecture. "Drama, Dramatism, and Logology" (3 of 4) Carriage Barn (1962-10-15) Bennington College Calendar of Evening Events, Fall, 1962 | Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 31 n 3 February 1963  p. 17

• The Production Class of Bennington College Presents: Yerma Lorca, Federico García; Syna, Seymour, director; Griffin, Tom, assistant director; Wolcott, Reed, stage manager; Austin, Sue Fogg, designer; Hecht, Suzanne, lighting; Hayes, Debby, costumes (1962-10-18) program

• Kenneth Burke lecture. "Drama, Dramatism, and Logology" (4 of 4) Carriage Barn (1962-10-22) Bennington College Calendar of Evening Events, Fall, 1962 | Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 31 n 3 February 1963  p. 17

• Drama Workshop (1962-12-13) Bennington College Calendar of Evening Events, Fall, 1962 

• The Drama Production Class, under the direction of Seymour Syne, presented two plays by John Synge, The Tinker's Wedding and Riders to the Sea, which Alice Miller '60, reviewing for the Bennington Banner, termed "a delightful and cerebral night." Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 31 n 3 February 1963 p. 17

1963

• The Production Class of Bennington College Presents: Separate Tables Rattigan, Terence; Syna, Seymour, director; Stevens, Allan, scene designer; Kelley, Mary, light designer; Pickering, Susan, costume designer (1963-04-18) program

• The Production Class of Bennington College Presents: The Waltz of the Toreadors Anouilh, Jean; Syna, Seymour, director; Ruby, Alice, scene designer; Hayes, Deborah, light designer; Appleman, Linda, costume designer; Levin, Nina, costume designer (1963-06-06) program

• Drama Workshop Present: Directing Class Projects Bick, Stephen, director; Cliffton, Vala, director; Wolcott, Reed, director; Krueger, Jillian, director; Kelley, Mary, director. There are two different programs with slight variations. It is unclear if one or both were performed. (1963-11-08) program

• The Production Class of Bennington College Presents: Blood Wedding Lorca, Federico García; Duque, Manuel, director; Donald, Margaret, set designer; Stevens, Allan, costumes (1963-12-05) program

1964

• Pantomime performance by David Krohn. (1964-04-10) Bennington College Calendar of Evening Events, Spring Term 1964 

• Bennington College Playwrights' Workshop Presents: Three Original One-Act Plays Richter, Elizabeth; Garnett, Katherine; Cliffton, Vala; Bick, Stephen, director; Stevens, Allan, director; Gitlin, Rima, director; Donald, Margaret, scene designer; Coffey, Anna, choreographer; Kelley, Mary, lighting; Grilli, Diane, scene and lighting designer (1964-06-05)  program

• An Homage To Marc Blitzstein Holden, Isabella; Caffall, Charles; Boepple, Joan; Erdman, Wendy; Maxham, Joan; Peckham, Carol; Bick, Steven; Taussig, Ellen; Taylor, Holland; Ostheus, Nancy; Blake, Richard; Cohen, Moss; Richmond, Lee; Snider, Peter; Koenig, Frederick; Waldman, Anne; Leavitt, Meredith; Wolcott, Reed; Fredericks, Claude (1964-06-06) program and statement

• The King Stag Gozzi, Carlo; Laskaris, Ion C., director; Garnett, Katherine, stage manager; Maxham, Joani, technical director (1964-06-11) program | Bennington College Calendar of Events, May 1 through August 29, 1964 

• Puppet show: Tragical History of Dr. Faustus.  Produced by Mary Kelley '65 with puppets designed and built by Alan Stevens '66. (1964-10-31) Bennington College Bulletin Alumnae Issue vol 32 n 3, February 1964 p. 17

• Drama Project: Scenes from The Importance of Being Earnest, Mary Stuart, and The Chairs  Wilde, Oscar; Schiller, Frederick; Ionesco, Eugene; Taylor, Holland; Duque, Manuel; Sanford, Maryann (1964-06-17) program

• Of Thee I Sing  Kaufman, George S.; Ryskind, Morrie; Gershwin, George; Laskaris, Ion, director; Tarnay, Timothy, technical director; Bick, Stephen, chorus director; Baker, Frank, vocal coach; Wittman, Josef, vocal coach; Clemmons, Diana, costumes; Wolcott, Reed, lighting (1964-11-03) program 

• In Tribute to William Carl Fels: The Research, Rehearsal, and Production Class Presents: Hippolytus Sherman, William, director; Vlastas, Michael, assistant director; Calabro, Louis, composer; Stevens, Allan, scene designer and art director; Ruby, Alice, light designer; Grilli, Diana, costume designer (1964-12-15) program | ticket

1965

• Richard Schechner. Lecture. (1965-04-08) Bennington College Calendar of Evening Events, Spring 1965 

• Drama film, Sabbat. (1965-05-03) Bennington College Calendar of Evening Events, Spring 1965 

• Drama Presentation for Alumnae. (1965-05-15) Bennington College Calendar of Evening Events, Spring 1965 

• The Balcony  Genet, Jean; Gray, Paul, director; Donald, Margaret, set designer; Ruby, Alice, costume designer; Kurtz, Brenda, lighting designer; Hyman, Jai, stage manager; Russiyan, Nicholas, technical director (1965-06-09) production information

• Bennington College Drama Division Presents: The Northrydyng Mystery Plays Foster, Catharine Osgood; Gray, Paul, director; Snider, Margaret Donald, set and costume designer; Schrieber, David, lighting designer; Sanford, Maryanne, sound (1965-12-09) program and poster

1966

• Four Original One Act Plays: L'Azote Obaldia, René; Sanford, Maryann; Woodbridge, Patsy; Maxham, Joan A. (1966-04-10) production information

• Four Original One Act Plays: Chicago Shepard, Sam; Fink, Paul, director; Zahl, Eda, design assistant; Muniz, Elenita, stage manager; Greene, Margo, sound (1966-04-10) production information

• Four Original One Act Plays: The Snipers Ormsby, Alan; Waldman, Anne, director; Hyman, Jai, designer; Clemmons, Diana, stage manager; Muniz, Elenita, sound (1966-04-10) production information

• Four Original One Act Plays: One of Us Has Been Ignited Max, Jermone; Bumbalo, Victor, director; Snider, Margaret Donald, designer; Greene, Margo, stage manager; Gerson, Judy, sound (1966-04-10) production information

• The Cenci (program) Artaud, Antonin; Gray, Paul, director; Snider, Margaret, set and costume designer; Sanford, Maryann, translator and sound score; Levin, Nina, translator; Hyman, Jai, stage manager; Yeo, John, lighting (1966-05-26)

• Hansel and Gretel Maxham, Joan A., director and designer; Muniz, Elenita, stage manager; Anderson, David, technical director (1966-06-09) production information

• Die Freimauler, a seven member German Kabarett theatre group, performed. (1966 fall) Quadrille, Vol I, No. 1 

• The Good Woman of Setzuan by Bertholt Brecht. Presented by the Bennington College Drama Division; directed by David Hamilton. (1966-11-10) Quadrille, Vol I, No. 2 review

• Eight Original Scenes. Cronin, Anna, playwright; Noyes, Zoe, playwright and director; Van Winkle, Valerie, director; Robbins, Diana, playwright; Maxham, Joan A., director; Purnell, Alice, playwright; Eubanks, Dennis, director; Parker, Margaret, playwright; Wood, Kenneth, director; Zenge, Judy, playwright; Feldman, Linda, director; Allan, Dian, playwright; Hoffman, John, director (1966-11-28) production information

• The Midnight Bride, or, The Crime and Trial of Muriel Snyder and Martin Judd Ormsby, Alan; Bumbalo, Victor, director; Kirby, Ted, set and costume designer; Zahl, Eda, stage manager; Neal, Holly, sound. One of two new plays by Alan Ormsby presented together.  (1966-12-08) production information

• The Snipers Ormsby, Alan; Waldman, Anne, director; Hyman, Jai, set designer; Snider, Peter, lighting designer. One of two new plays by Alan Ormsby presented together.  (1966-12-08) production information

1967

• The Visit of the Old Lady Durrenmatt, Friedrich; Gray, Paul, director; Brant, Henry, sound score; Baker, Frank, choral work and songs; Woodbridge, Pat, set designer; Davis, Judith, costume designer; Snider, Peter, lighting designer; Zahl, Eda, stage manager (1967-05-25) production information

• Drama Workshop. Reading of Medicine by Richard Tristman. (1967 fall) announcement

• Drama Workshop. Reading of The Day Speaks but Cannot Weep by Arthur Sainer. (1967 fall) announcement

• The Bread and Puppet Theatre Performance. Commons Theatre. (1967-10-12) announcement | press release

• Drama Workshop. Five scenes from Shakespeare directed acted and designed by the members of the Ensemble Theatre. Scenes from Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, King Lear, Taming of the Shrew, and Hamlet. (1967-10-22) announcement

• Drama Workshop. Torrent of Madness by Tawfiq al-Hakim. directed by George Whitmore, Graduate Fellow in Directing, and designed by Patsy Woodbridge. (1967-10-23) announcement

• L'Amant Militaire. A commedia dell'arte production by San Francisco Mime Troupe. (1967-11-16) announcement

• Bennington College Ensemble Theatre ls currently rehearsing Samuel Beckett's, Malloyadapted, directed and designed by Ted Kirby as his Master's Theiss Project, and Pablo Picasso's Desire Caught by the Taildirected by Paul Gray and designed by Judy Davis. These pieces will be presented in repertory for the college community early in December announcement

1968

• Krapp's Last Tape and Mime for Two Players Beckett, Samuel; Van Winkle, Valerie, director; Kalinowski, Michael, lighting designer; Gershman, Judy, stage manager (1968-05-10) production information | production information | Bennington College Calendar of Events May 1-11, 1968 press release | announcement

• Teen Angel Ormsby, Alan; Wood, Kenneth, director; Woodbridge, Patsy, set and costume designer; Davis, Judith, lighting designer; Lukinson, Sara, stage manager; Kollender, Anne, composer; Simonds, Caroline, composer (1968-05-16) production information | Bennington College Calendar May 8 - 18, 1968 press release 

• Invasion Ormsby, Alan; Whitmore, George, director; Robbins, Diana, set designer; Allen, Dian, costume designer (1968-05-16) production information

• Experimental Workshop Production by Jane Evans. A light-time-sculpture /space-structure theatre. (1968-06-03) Bennington College Calendar of Events June 3 - 11, 1968 press release

• Experimental Workshop. Event based on Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring on the night of Halloween, performed in the orchard and at the pond. (1969-10-31) Pastiche 

• Experimental workshop. Concert reading of Arthur Sainer,'s play Rites. (1968 fall) Pastiche 

• Experimental workshop. Featuring Boxes by Jane Evans. (1968 fall) Pastiche 

• Paradise Now performed by Living Theatre. "A theatrical event which takes about five hours to perform. Members of the audience were encouraged to join the 35-member troupe in performance. Community reaction ranged from distaste and boredom to wild enthusiasm." (1968-11) Quadrille vol III no 1 review by Claude Fredericks.

• The Celebration by Arthur Sainer, playwright in residence at the college. The play will be read by Arthur Saine and students. (1969-12-03) Bennington College Calendar November 27 - December 4, 1968 press release

1969

• Andrzej Wirth  "Brecht vs. Brecht: His Reception in West and East" lecture. Wirth was invited by Brecht to the Berlin Ensemble for a year in 1956, the last year. of Brecht's life. (1969-03-24) Bennington College Calendar March 19 - 26, 1969

• Experimental Workshop Production. You Can't Make Your Bed and Eat it, Too Gershman, Judy, writer and director. (1969-04-10) Bennington College Calendar April 10 - 18, 1969 

• The Bennington Drama Ensemble presents The Madman and the Nun Witkiewicz, Stanisław; Bumbalo, Victor, director; Walker, Nancy, designer (1969-04-18) Bennington College Calendar April 15 - 28, 1969

• Dr. Faustus presented by Firehouse Theatre. "The Firehouse Theatre started in 1965 in Minneapolis as an amateur theatre group, devoted to experimentation with new plays and new staging techniques. Since then, the Firehouse has been presenting plays by new American playwrights such as Meagen Terry and Irene Fornes." (1969-05-12) Bennington College Calendar May 6 - May 12, 1969 press release

• The Ensemble Theatre and the Music Department will present Susannah's Secret an opera in one act by Ermanno Wold-Ferrari. Directed by Marty Barolsky. (1969-05-14) Bennington College Calendar May 14 - 22, 1969 press release

• Boat Sun Cavern by Arthur Sainer. (1969-05-28) Bennington College Calendar May 20 - 26, 1969 press release