A People, Friday April 25, 9pm

A People opens on the cusp of a world about to begin. It’s mostly empty, fairly dark, and largely silent. A gust of wind blows, and with it—whispers of music and prayer. From silence and darkness a group of people is formed, composed of fire, music, dance, and cloth. These people emerge buzzing with vitality—they stomp, sing wordless melodies, and hold tight onto each other’s hands as a shared lifeforce pulses in them and through them. Another gust of wind scatters them across the globe, dispersing them like pollen and leaving them humming fragments of melodies they once knew by heart. They spend the next 4,000 or so years trying to figure out how to translate this lifeforce into rituals and texts. They call it Judaism. They connect. They argue. They pray and they reckon and they denounce and they dance and sing and light candles. The cracks begin to show, but so does the alchemy of human touch and song.

Together, we will ask: how can we both honor and challenge the histories and practices that we inherit? How do we tell stories about our ancestors, and what do we ask of them? And what possibilities of radical change and becoming do each of our bodies hold?

Thursday, 4/24, 8pm
Friday, 4/25, 9pm
Saturday, 4/26, 7pm

This performance is part of Thesis Festival 2025:

Senior Theatre majors present their theses in directing and dramaturgy; three productions run in repertory in the first of two installments of Senior Thesis Festival 2025. Design, performance, and stage management are by Barnard and Columbia theatre students, advised by Theatre Department faculty and staff.

Please note that each performance on a given evening is ticketed separately; if you would like to attend other shows on the same evening please register for those as well.

Tickets are free of charge; seating will be by general admission.

With Barnard and Columbia students; more information at https://theatre.barnard.edu/current-season

Minor Latham Playhouse is equipped with an Assistive Listening System; headsets are available free of charge at the box office table.

Access to Campus

At this time all visitors to campus must be registered on a guest list at least 24 hours in advance, and each visitor must be registered for a ticket in their own name to be on the list; unfortunately this means there are no walk-up tickets for patrons without a current Barnard or Columbia ID card. Visitors must bring a government-issued ID for access. Community Safety staff will have the guest list at a table to the right of the main gate.

Please note that there is no late seating in the orchestra section on the first floor. Late arrivals may be seated in the balcony subject to availability and at the discretion of the house manager.

FAQs

What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?

You may enter campus through the main gate at 117th Street and Broadway, on the west side of the street. The closest train stop is 116th on the 1; M4, M104, and M60 buses also stop near campus. Minor Latham Playhouse is in Milbank Hall, between 119th and 120th Streets on the west side of Broadway. On-street parking is not a reliable option, but there is a paid garage at 645 W 120th Street, a 5-minute walk from the main gate.

How do I find the theatre?

Milbank Hall is the northernmost building on campus; once you have entered through the main gate, turn right to follow the brick walkway past the main lawn, and then proceed through the scaffolded area to a courtyard with trees. The theatre entrance will be up the stairs to your right.

What if I need an entrance without stairs?

Once you have checked in at the main gate at 117th Street and Broadway, you will be directed to proceed up Broadway (to the right as you face the gates) to the ADA entrance into Milbank, just past the iron gates at 119th Street. A staff member will meet you there to let you in. Once inside, you may follow the hallway to the right to reach the elevator in the center wing of Milbank. The main theatre entrance is on the first floor of the east wing, all the way to the right as you exit the elevator.

What can/can't I bring to the event?

Food and drink are not permitted inside the theatre.

Where can I contact the organizer with any questions?

For additional information contact Director of Production Mike Banta at [email protected].

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

No, we will have a list of registered attendees at the door.

The name on the registration/ticket doesn't match the attendee. Is that okay?

If you have a Barnard or Columbia ID but your name does not appear on the attendees list you'll be asked to register at the box office table. If you do not have an ID, your name must appear on the guest list in advance.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Minor Latham Playhouse, 118 Milbank Hall, New York, United States