OLLI at BCC and Plays in Progress Present:
Benedict Arnold. A Tragedy in Two Acts
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
In-person at Berkshire Community College (BCC), 1350 West St, Pittsfield, MA
Free and open to the public.
A Staged Reading, followed by a Panel Discussion.
Written by Steven Somkin
Directed by Andrew Joffe
Both Benedict Arnold, who nearly every schoolchild knows as a traitor, and John André, who, if known at all, is known as Arnold’s British counterpart, were in love with Peggy Shippen, a beautiful, cunning and brilliant young woman. This play, based closely on the historical record, is the tragedy underlying their plot to subvert the American War of Independence.
Steven Somkin is the author of many full-length and short plays. He is a member of Plays in Progress (PIP) and a frequent instructor at OLLI at BCC.
Performance is in-person only and will not be recorded.
Actors: Eddie Allen, Marnie Andrews, Mel Cobb, Jane Ives, Andrew Joffe, Phillip Levine, Kate Nourse, James Occhino, Michael David O’Gara, Dan Woods, and Jeannie Woods
Panelists: Katherine Kidd, Steven Somkin, and Andrew Joffe
This event is supported through the generous philanthropy of Nancy and Michael Vale, whose bequest established the Michael and Nancy Vale Performing Arts Fund at OLLI at Berkshire Community College. This endowed fund supports theater-based OLLI programming.