Directed by Brian Mertes in February in the Stephanie P. McClelland Drama Theater, fourth-year drama students performed The Americans, Part I, the first production in a trilogy that will be completed by the following two classes of drama students. Taking the works of Sam Shepard as a point of departure, with special attention to his Motel Chronicles, Mertes worked with the show’s dramaturg and lyricist, Stephanie Fleishmann, to create a script that incorporated family tales contributed by the students. The resulting work, which included songs by Jim White and choreography by Drama alumnus Jesse Perez, included actors (left to right) Drew Foster, Brendan Spieth, Nate Miller, and Nick Choksi. Other events included a young people's demonstration-concert by students participating in Educational Outreach, a day of panel discussions, a series of performances focusing on works by African-American artists for Black History Month, and performances on rare stringed instruments.