[WILLIAMSTOWN, MA, August 26^th, 2008] – The ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance today unveiled its fourth season of diverse and challenging theatre, music, and dance programming for the Williams College community and beyond.

Continuing its mission to contextualize arts within scholarly inquiry, the Center will be presenting an impressive body of work that sets student work side-by-side with that of professional artists. This season will challenge traditional forms, engage with a larger political dialogue and allow students to explore diverse modes of expression. Not content merely to present popular work, the Center’s professional performances, workshops and students productions are designed to invite the entire academic community to engage, debate, and celebrate the experience of both witnessing and creating live art.

The CenterSeries will have five productions this season. The real life drama of life in an age of war and terrorism are brought to life by dai (enough) by Iris Bahr (September 20^th and 21^st), set in a Tel Aviv café moments before a suicide bombing, and Betrayed by George Packer (April 16^th and 17^th), an exploration of the relationship between Iraqi translators and their American supervisors. Both shows are recipients of a 2008 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Achievement.

The series will also feature a special preview performance of Michael Gordon and the Ridge Theatre’s new production of Lightning at our Feet (October 4^th). This multimedia production explores the work of Emily Dickinson, whose exquisite insights created some of the most moving and personal poems ever written in English.

The dance component of the Series will comprise performance and residency programs for two world-class companies, DanceBrazil (February 14^th) and the Limón Dance Company. “There can’t be much anywhere to match the strength, flexibility, speed, and idiomatic allure of the dancers and musicians of DanceBrazil,” says the Washington Post. With the live performances by the Williams Jazz Ensemble, Limón will revive Anna Sokolow’s seminal masterwork Rooms (January 24^th). “The reason we need major moderns such as Limón . . . on our dance menus is not just because they’re part of our artistic heritage but because they’re often better than contemporary choreographers who attack the same scores, subjects or themes . . . the millennial Limón dancers still satisfy and then some.” The Los Angeles Times.

Critical to the ’62 Center’s mission of bringing academic context to our productions is the Integrated Programming. Each CenterSeries production will feature panels, movies, lectures, workshops, and master classes. All of these events are free and open to the public. Please see our website for the latest details. http://62center.williams.edu

The Williams College Theatre Department continues to engage its students and audiences through contemporary and historical modes of performance with a wide or diverse spectrum of productions. This season will feature Machinal by Sophie Treadwell (October 23^rd to November 1^st), directed by department chair, Robert Baker-White; the second annual Dialogue One Festival for Solo performances (November 20^th to 22^nd), directed and curated by Omar Sangare; and Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet (March 12^th to 14^th), directed by David Eppel. Rounding out the season will be a special series of entirely original performances in April created by the collaborative student ensemble of "Theatre 228," mentored by department faculty members Deborah Brothers and David Evans Morris.

The Williams College Dance Program’s five ensembles continue to excite and challenge with new works. INISH, directed by Holly Silva, will perform October 24^th and 25^th and March 13^th and 14^th. Dance Company, also directed by Holly Silva, will perform November 7^th and 8^th and April 10^th and 11^th; the spring performance will feature live music performed by members of Symphonic Winds. Sankofa, the student-run Step company, will perform on November 21^st and 22^nd and May 8^th and 9^th. Kusika and the Zambezi Marimba Band, directed by Sandra L. Burton and Ernest D. Brown, will perform December 5^th and 6^th and April 24^th and 25^th; both performances will have a special Saturday family day matinee with children’s activities.

Some other highlights if the ’62 Center’s fourth season include: Laylah, the Creature Beyond Dreams by Israeli artists Gil & Moti with Arab violist Yossi Gutmann (September 9^th); The Box, Music by Living Composers, curated by David Kechley (September 12^th, January 9^th, and March 17^th); Peter Singer Lecture: The Ethics of What We Eat (October 16^th); The Williamstown Film Festival (October 17^th); the 8^th annual Williamstown Mountain Film Festival (November 7^th and 8^th); Stalwart Originality: New Traditions in Black Performance celebrates the 100^th birthday year of choreographer/scholar/activist Katherine Dunham with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company, residency and performance (February 23^rd to 28^th); Awaji Puppet Theatre Company (March 2^nd); Ritmo Latino (March 6^th and 7^th); Dance Dhamaka (March 13^th to 14^th); the 18^th annual Intercollegiate Jazz Festival (May 1^st & 2^nd); and the 11^th annual Williamstown Jazz Festival (May 2^nd).

This is just a taste of what to expect this season as this award-winning building throws its arms wide open to the arts on campus and the Berkshires. A complete calendar follows, and for tickets, prices and additional information, please call (413) 597-2425 (Tuesday through Saturday 1:00pm to 5:00 pm and one hour before each performance) or visit http://62center.williams.edu/ Tickets on sale starting Saturday, September 6^th at 1 pm!

Calendar for the ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance 2008-2009 Season: (all programs are subject to change)

WT-WilliamsTheatre; DP- Dance Program; CS- CenterSeries; OC- Off CenterSeries; IP- Integrated Programming; AH-Additional Happening