CLARK ART INSTITUTE TO HOST FREE PERFORMANCES BY WILLIAMS COLLEGE STUDENT THEATER GROUP

April 19, 2018

Williamstown, Massachusetts—The Clark Art Institute hosts student theater group Cap & Bells of Williams College for three free performances of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on Thursday, May 3, Friday, May 4, and Saturday, May 5. All performances are at 7:30 pm and will be held in the Clark’s auditorium, located in the Manton Research Center.

Written by Williams alumnus Bill Finn, the play presents a variety of characters—some discovering a new enthusiasm for the opposite sex, some trying to fulfill their parents’ expectations—who are united by their strange and obsessive love of spelling. Directed by Evelyn Mahon, Williams College class of 2018.

Free; no reservations required.

ABOUT CAP & BELLS

Since its formation in 1898, Cap & Bells has been devoted to providing student directors, designers, actors, and stage managers with the opportunity to produce their own plays for the Williams campus and the Berkshire community. Essential to this endeavor are the resources of the state-of-the-art ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance, which hosts the Tony Award-winning Williamstown Theatre Festival every summer.

In any given school year, Cap & Bells typically puts on six to eight productions, including the annual sketch-comedy-kind-of show Frosh Revue, which takes place during Parents’ Weekend in October. The rest of the shows are spread throughout the year in various venues, with work running the gamut from Shakespeare, Stoppard, and Sondheim (Williams class of ’50) to original student-written work.

Every Cap & Bells show is produced, directed, designed, performed, and run exclusively by Williams students.

ABOUT THE CLARK

The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of more than 270,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.

The Clark is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, children 18 and younger, and students with valid ID. Free admission is available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; EBT Card to Culture; Bank of America Museums on Us; and Blue Star Museums. The Institute also has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide. For more information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.

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