Capstone and thesis projects represent culminating experiences for graduating majors and minors in the Tufts University Drama and Dance program. These productions invite students to link their scholarship to their creative endeavors, and the results are always exciting! This year’s lineup of shows, all at the Balch Arena Theatre, are:

“The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare, directed by Heather Nathans, department chair, at 8 p.m. on Monday, April 23.

“Lungs” by Duncan Macmillam, directed by Jonah Greene, Class of 2020, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25.

“Dutchman” by Amiri Baraka, directed by Kristen Reeves, Class of 2018, at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 27. Set on a New York subway train, Dutchman opens with a well-dressed, intellectual, young African American man named Clay absorbed in reading a magazine. He is interrupted by Lula—a flirtatious, beautiful white woman a bit older than he. As the two continue to flirt and talk, tensions rise until they hit a snapping point and violence erupts. Content warning: Includes depictions of extreme racial violence and use of racial slurs including the n-word.