Silverthorne Theater celebrates its 10th anniversary by launching its first summer season in many years. The three-show slate of contemporary American plays kicks off with the world premiere of Liz Duffy Adams’ The Broken Machine, directed by Gina Kaufmann, with performances June 7-15, 2024 at the Hampshire College Theater in Amherst.
The Broken Machine is a fast-moving, whimsical climate-change fantasy, set in the great outdoors in the not-too-distant future. Characters include bumbling forest rangers, a Gray Fox, and a madcap Psychopomp. The Broken Machine stars Silverthorne favorites Julie Nelson* (The Revolutionists) and Noah Tuleja* (The Norwegians, Irma Vep), along with performers new to our stage, including Hia Ghosh, Walt Manasse-Latham, and Darrow Sherman.
“It is so exciting to dive into the fantastical world Liz Duffy Adams created,” says director Kaufmann. “The language plays with the way we think about time and what it means to be human. The play wrestles with climate change in a way that truly makes us reckon with what humans have done, while still somehow making us laugh and hope and love.”
“It is a coup for Silverthorne that Liz has gifted us the world premiere of this remarkable play,” says local playwright and board member Harley Erdman. “She is a hot writer nationally. We take a lot of pride that she is based here in the Valley as we reimagine ourselves as a summer theater while keeping true to our mission of doing bold, intimate theater that speaks to our times.”
Silverthorne’s second play is the East Coast Premiere of Eisa Davis’ Bulrusher, directed by Michelle Ong-Hendrick. Performances are July 5-13, also at Hampshire College Theater. Bulrusher is a lyrical, uplifting coming-of-age story of a clairvoyant Black girl in Northern California in 1955, and features Liz Almonte, Aracelli Sierra, Jasmine Rochelle Goodspeed (The Fantasticks), Frank Aronson* (Diary of Anne Frank), Aaron Mancaniello, and Godfrey Simmons*, artistic director of Hartford’s HartBeat Ensemble.
Silverthorne’s summer concludes with Boston-based playwright Lydia R. Diamond’s Smart People, directed by Michael Ofori. Performances are August 2-10 at Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield. Smart People is a comedy of errors in which a white, male professor proves white people are racist – a conclusion not appreciated by the prestigious university that employs him. Smart People features a dynamic quartet of performers, including Kyle Boatwright (Intimate Apparel, Bright Half Life), Silk Johnson (New Soul), David Keohane*, and Yurika Ohno.
*Member of Actor’s Equity
More information and tickets here.
Our season is made possible by the generous support of the Mass Cultural Council and the Amherst Cultural Council, Pelham Cultural Council, Hadley Cultural Council, South Hadley Cultural Council and the West Springfield Arts Council, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.