Boston Children's Theatre Finishes Its Season With A Timely Classic

Boston Children's Theatre finishes off its 2017-2018 season with George Orwell's 1984. Literature on stage has been the theme for BCT's productions this past year. BCT opened its season with the New England premiere of Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium, then brought The Velveteen Rabbit to life during the holidays. Now Boston Children's Theatre's pre-professional training program for teens, New England Theatreworks, is presenting Orwell's classic. Ironically, this classic appears to be as timely as ever.

"That's what our New England Theatreworks program is all about," Director Burgess Clark shared. "We present timely plays with young talent, targeted to serve our teen audiences." BCT's New England Theatreworks troupe serves more than teens, however. Past productions have received raves from teens and adults alike. Many of these productions have even won accolades from the Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) and Elliot Norton Awards.

Adapted for the stage by Robert Owens, Wilton E. Hall Jr., and William A. Miles, 1984 tells the story of Winston Smith, a low-ranking member of the ruling Party in London, in the nation of Oceania. Everywhere Winston goes, the Party watches him through telescreens. Everywhere he looks he sees the face of the Party's seemingly omniscient leader -Big Brother. The Party controls everything in Oceania. They've even forced the implementation of an invented language called Newspeak, which attempts to prevent political rebellion by eliminating all words related to it.

Because BCT's New England Theatreworks prides itself on presenting timely plays, there seemed to be no other choice than 1984. "With the present political divisiveness and media presence in our everyday lives, this story about a rebel in an assimilative society is more relevant than ever," Clark added. "The 'Big Brother' of technology is no longer a future possibility, it is our reality."

Boston Children's Theatre's New England Theatreworks' production of 1984 runs April 21 - April 29, 2018 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center of the Arts in Boston's South End. For more information, tickets, or showtimes, please visit www.bostonchildrenstheatre.org.