The public and delegates were given the opportunity to see of a performance of the groundbreaking play SEVEN on May 31 and June 1, 2014, at the Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre in the Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts at Smith College. See the website for more information. The play was directed by Emma Kelley ’14 and Mehr Kaur ’16, both of Smith College.
Adapted from the true stories of seven women leaders from around the world, and compiled by seven equally distinguished playwrights, SEVEN weaves together the experiences of women working to bring change in their global communities. One of the women featured in the play was Sochua Mu of Cambodia, who was a speaker at the WPSP Institute’s Opening Ceremony on May 26. Playwright Catherine Filloux was also a speaker during the WPSP Institute.
SEVEN has been performed more than 100 times, both in the U.S. and abroad. For this production, Kelley and Kaur explored the ways in which the play’s topics resonate with young women.
Cast members:
- Shealyn Berube (Smith ’15)
- Micah Collins-Sibley (Smith ’15)
- Liz Henle (Smith ’14)
- Marleny Heredia (MHC ’15)
- Anachal Khanna (Smith ’16)
- Sanayah Malik (MHC ’14)
- Fei Wang (MHC ’16)
In addition to Carol K. Mack and Hedda Kraus Sjögren, we thank Jon Western, Carol Hoffman Collins ’63 Professor of International Relations at Mount Holyoke College and the Five Colleges, and Daniel Elihu Kramer, chair of the theatre department at Smith College, for organizing the performances. We are also grateful to the women who inspired this play and the WPSP delegates who will apply its message of hope as they seek to promote peace and justice in their home countries.