Gordon in the News: last updated 02/01/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2007
MEDIA CONTACT:
Ashley Hopkins
Office of College Communications
978.867.4569
WENHAM, MA-The Gordon College Theatre Department launches their Spring 2007 season with Quilters, a folk-musical about pioneer women living on the frontier and the importance of quilting. Quilters, written by Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek, blends a series of interrelated scenes that capture the sweep and beauty of the landscape, and the harsh challenge and abiding rewards of frontier life.
"Quilters is an inspiring story that celebrates the lives and work of the virtually forgotten women of the frontier of which quilting was an essential part," says Director, Jeff Miller. "Quilts are made from discarded fabrics, woven into something utterly beautiful. The show reminds us that even the most difficult elements of our lives, what we see as painful and essentially useless can be pieced together for our good, if we choose so."
Music, dance and drama is used throughout the performance to weave in several topics like girlhood memories, twisters, fire, thoughts on marriage, spinsterhood, illness and death, to reveal the many stages of life on the frontier. In each stage there is love, warmth, rich and lively humor and the moving spectacle of simple human dignity and steadfastness in the face of adversity. Throughout the production actors bring illuminated memories or patches to the stage that in the end are assembled into one glorious, brilliantly colorful quilt; the effect is both breathtaking and magical and honors the lives of these pioneer women.
WHAT: Gordon College Spring Theatre Production Quilters
WHERE: Margaret Jensen Theatre, Barrington Center for the Arts, Gordon College, 255 Grapevine Rd., Wenham, MA
WHEN: January 25-27, February 1-3, 8-10, 2007. Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m.; Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday matinees at 4:30 p.m.
General admission for Friday and Saturday evening performances is $16 for adults and $13 for students and seniors. Thursday evening performances and Saturday matinees are $13 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased on-line by visiting the Gordon College web site at www.gordon.edu or by calling the Gordon College ticket line at 978.867.3400. Tickets will also be available at the door before each performance.
This February the Gordon College Theatre Department will also perform their fall production Growing Up Christian, an original ensemble-created work about growing up Christian in late 20th and early 21st century America, at the 2006 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival - Region I. Growing Up Christian is one of six Region I productions selected to perform and compete at Fitchburg State College (2007 Festival Host College) and will be judged on best theatrical performance. The selected production from that competition will move on to participate in the National Festival which will be held in April, 2007 in Washington, DC.
For more information on Quilters or to request actor photos, please contact Ashley Hopkins at 978.867.4569 or e-mail [email protected] .
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Gordon College is a Christian college of the liberal arts and sciences on Boston's North Shore.The college offers majors in 36 fields and has graduate programs in education and music education. Leading the way in Christian college merit, Gordon is nationally ranked for its excellence in academics and its role in character building. These achievements recognize Gordon as one of the nation's top Christian colleges.
