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Home > College Archives, College History and Library > Special Collections > College Archives > College Photos > Group and Events Photos > Madrigal Dinner

Madrigal Dinner

Madrigal dinners are a Christmas tradition incorporating music and dinner theater set in a fanciful late medieval or Renaissance theme. Bridgewater College's Art, Music, and Theatre programs as well as the BC Program Council and Kline Campus Center staff worked together to host an annual madrigal dinner from 1970 to 2001. Bridgewater College's Pinion Players also produced a Madrigal Dinner in 2006.

Primary sources in the Bridgewater College archives show that BC's thirty years of madrigal dinners included musical performances by the BC Chorale as well as dancing and entertainment by the costumed performers portraying a king and queen and their court. Students and faculty also played instrumental music, including an annual Recorder Consort performance. The Bridgewater College Alpha Psi Omega chapter wrote a script each year for the show. Cast members included the court jester and sometimes a court magician, juggler, international ambassadors, and mummers.

The entrance of the boar's head, borne by liveried servants, was an important part of the annual tradition as were a processional entrance of the court, wassail toast, Christmas pudding, and recessional. Students styled as medieval castle servants waited on the tables of performers and guests. These dinner shows took place in the Kline Campus Center dining room, which was decorated in medieval style.

In 1975, Bridgewater College hosted an American Colonial themed Christmas. The 2001 Madrigal Dinner was Robin Hood themed.

Provisions of Use: Personal and non-profit use only. No cropping or altering of images in any way. Credit each image's source as "The Robert R. Newlen '75 and John C. Bradford Special Collections/Bridgewater College Digital Commons". Consider including a hyperlink to the image hosted on the Bridgewater College Digital Commons.

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  • Bridgewater College, Bob Anderson (photographer), Costumed students performing at Madrigal Dinner, undated by Bob Anderson

    Bridgewater College, Bob Anderson (photographer), Costumed students performing at Madrigal Dinner, undated

  • Bridgewater College, Bob Anderson (photographer), Entrance of the boar's head at Madrigal Dinner, undated by Bob Anderson

    Bridgewater College, Bob Anderson (photographer), Entrance of the boar's head at Madrigal Dinner, undated

  • Bridgewater College, Costumed student servers at Madrigal Dinner, undated by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, Costumed student servers at Madrigal Dinner, undated

  • Bridgewater College, Costumed student servers behind the scenes at Madrigal Dinner, undated by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, Costumed student servers behind the scenes at Madrigal Dinner, undated

  • Bridgewater College, David Wyant, Amy Fisher and others at Madrigal Dinner, 1999 by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, David Wyant, Amy Fisher and others at Madrigal Dinner, 1999

  • Bridgewater College, Brent Hull and other performers interacting with guests at Madrigal Dinner, 1992 by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, Brent Hull and other performers interacting with guests at Madrigal Dinner, 1992

  • Bridgewater College, The jester and court members at Madrigal Dinner, 1992 by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, The jester and court members at Madrigal Dinner, 1992

  • Bridgewater College, Costumed students singing at Madrigal Dinner, Dec 1983 by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, Costumed students singing at Madrigal Dinner, Dec 1983

  • Bridgewater College, Costumed students with candles at Madrigal Dinner, Dec 1983 by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, Costumed students with candles at Madrigal Dinner, Dec 1983

  • Bridgewater College, Costumed women and Dr. John Barr performing at Madrigal Dinner, Dec 1983 by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, Costumed women and Dr. John Barr performing at Madrigal Dinner, Dec 1983

  • Bridgewater College, Jeff Yingling in costume at Madrigal Dinner, Dec 1983 by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, Jeff Yingling in costume at Madrigal Dinner, Dec 1983

  • Bridgewater College, Singing students processing in at Madrigal Dinner, probably Dec 1983 by Bridgewater College

    Bridgewater College, Singing students processing in at Madrigal Dinner, probably Dec 1983

 
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