Events

The Bittersweet Ballad of Blessed & Messiah. Girl meets boy. Or boy meets girl. Boy falls in and out of. And girl falls through. Blessed fell for somebody who spoke in her own language—metaphors and rhymes. However, she realizes words are just words sometimes. Nothing more. Nothing less. They can’t speak of the bigger things—like love. And that truth hurts more than the scar on her lip from falling on her teeth as a kid. So we begin at the two’s ending. But what is past is not prologue for Blessed, because it’s hard to let go of the past. Memories are messy. They can get real sticky. A lot like maple syrup and chocolate chip pancakes or bubble gum on stove sidewalks or-or Elmer’s glue and construction paper or earworm or glitter on-on on- well on anywhere, honestly, or your fingers after packing paper or-or-or tape. Or memories can get real slippery, so sometimes life can only be understood backwards. A new interdisciplinary work written and designed by Princeton creative writing, theater and visual arts senior Silma Berrada ’22.

An accompanying art installation by Berrada is open to view from 12-6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19 in the CoLab.

Part of the Program in Theater’s New Works Festival, produced by Shariffa Ali.

Tickets and Details

The performances are free and open to Princeton students, faculty and staff. Reserve free tickets through University Ticketing; first log-in with Princeton netID to the ticketing website, then browse the event listings for these performances.

Get directions to the CoLab in the Forum and find other venue information for the arts complex.

Video: How Silma Berrada Crafts a Love Story

Learn how Princeton’s Silma Berrada ’22 combines her studies in theater, creative writing, visual arts, African American studies, and English to craft a story about two Black artists who fall in and out of love.

Photo Gallery

COVID-19 Guidance + Updates

Please note that actors will be unmasked while performing onstage. Per Princeton University policy, all guests are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to the maximum extent, which now includes a COVID booster shot for all eligible to receive it, and to wear a mask when indoors.

Accessibility

The event space is wheelchair accessible. Visit our Venues and Studios section for accessibility information at our various locations. Guests in need of access accommodations are invited to contact the Lewis Center at 609-258-5262 or email LewisCenter@princeton.edu at least one week in advance of the event date.