Dr. Wayne Wilkins to Lead Discussion in Medicine and Movies Series

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Williamstown - Williamstown resident Dr. Wayne Wilkins '41 will lead a discussion on the film “Something the Lord Made,” as part of the Medicine and the Movies Series at Williams College on Tuesday, Nov. 8, in Griffin Hall, room 6 at 7:30 p.m. The film documents the development of the first operative procedure on a congenital heart abnormality and tells the legendary story of two men - a determined white surgeon, Alfred Blalock, and a talented black carpenter turned lab technician, Vivien Thomas – who defied racial restrictions and pioneered the medical field of heart surgery at John Hopkins Hospital in 1944. The duo’s patients are known as “blue babies” –infants who suffer from a congenital heart defect that turns them blue as they slowly suffocate. J. Alex Haller, professor emeritus of pediatric surgery at the School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins, who trained under Blalock and Thomas in the 1950s, was a primary consultant on the film. “A touching moment for me came when they operated on the first blue baby," he said. "As they operated and new blood began to flow into the infant’s heart, they took off the sheets and you saw the child’s color change from blue to pink - a miracle." Directed by Emmy winner Joseph Argent, the HBO film stars Alan Rickman (Blalock), Mos Def (Thomas) and Mary Stuart Masterson (Helen Taussing) along with Kyra Sedwick, Gabrielle Union and Charles S. Dutton. After the film, Dr. Wilkins will conduct a discussion about the key doctors and the history and the science of heart surgery.
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Barrington Stage Devised Theatre: 'The Wild Tale of Skylar Squirrel'

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Virginia and Harvey Kimmel Arts Education Fund's 2024 Devised Theatre Ensemble presents "The Wild Tale of Skylar Squirrel: Acorny New Musical" with performances July 26-28 at Berkshire Community College. 
 
Performances: July 26 at 7pm, July 27 at 2pm and 7pm, and July 28 at 2pm. Pay what you can and reserve your seat today at 413-236-8888 or barringtonstageco.org.
 
According to a press release:
 
When Skylar P Squirrel and her cousin Joey are entrusted with a map that reveals the location of their colony's buried acorns, a horrible hawk steals it and sets them out on a wild adventure that will change their lives forever. Don't miss this hilarious original musical for young audiences at Berkshire Community College, featuring the talents of local teens from across Berkshire County. 
 
Starring and devised by: Sam Barry, Isabella "Izzy" Brown, Madelyn Rork Craig, Frankie Evans, Connie Gordon, Fiona Gordon,
Kendall Heck, Mason LaDouceur, Nell Laney, Carter Marks, Sara-Louise Oakes, Sebastian Mark Shoemaker, and Sage Winkler.
 
This program is a natural outgrowth of BSC's Educational programming with KidsAct! and TeensAct! which focuses on devising new work. 
 
Directed by Sam LaFrage and Jane O'Leary, Music Director Gaylan Palmer. Production Stage Manager Olivia Spreen. Production Assistants Ari Caine and Iris Semon Pike.
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