Flock Theatre is taking on a new role: it is becoming Mitchell College’s first resident theater company.

The New London-based theater group will present three or four productions each year at the school, and those will be open to the public. Flock will continue to stage its site-specific shows at, say, the Connecticut College Arboretum and the Shaw Mansion as well.

Its Mitchell College productions will take place in the school’s new Red Barn, which is scheduled to open in April. The barn will feature a flexible, multi-use space that can transform into a black box theater.

Also as part of being the resident theater company, Flock will collaborate with Mitchell students, with details being developed.

“The model is something that we’re going to be exploring as we move forward in this relationship,” says Flock Artistic Director Derron Wood, who has been an adjunct professor at Mitchell.

But he says there is potential for “student involvement in all areas of production, from box office to acting to building sets to marketing, everything.” Students might be able to, for instance, watch rehearsals, and there might be the chance for Flock members to teach acting classes. Flock might be able to use its shows to augment the Mitchell curriculum, Wood says.

Mitchell College President Janet Steinmayer says, “This is really meant to both build our performing arts program here at Mitchell and at the same time support the Flock — they are just such an iconic member of the New London community. I really conceive of them doing these productions but drawing students into other things they’re doing around the community — front of the house, back of the house, which is terrific. It’s going to give our students exposure to things like puppetry, which isn’t here right now, and really to the workings of a theater company.”

Mitchell has internal arts opportunities for students, such as the Mitchell College Players and a new select choral group. But, Steinmayer says, “To see someone like Derron, who is just an amazing member of the theater community and to see what he has been able to build and continues to build — that’s a very exciting thing for students to see.”

Flock will move its operations to the campus in February.

“It’s really a win-win-win-win, all the way around,” Wood says.

Flock, which has been based in New London for more than two decades, has presented its plays at a variety of venues during that time but has never owned a performance space, and it has often held rehearsals at Wood’s house in the city.

“With everything that we’ve been working toward for the past 25 years, this is such a tremendous leap forward, and (it’s great) to be able to do this with such a strong partner, here in the middle of New London,” Wood says.

Barn is perfect setting

Flock wants its first production in the Red Barn to be — appropriately enough — “Animal Farm.” Flock had been planning to stage that work this year, but, Wood says, as soon as performing in the barn became a real possibility, he knew what he wanted to do.

“I have to do ‘Animal Farm’ in a barn … I couldn’t think of a better place,” he says.

Mitchell has torn down and is rebuilding its iconic red barn on Montauk Avenue. The new 4,800-square-feet building will be a large flexible space that can morph into the aforementioned theater, as well as a classroom, banquet facility, student activity space and event space for community use. It will be able to hold about 250 people.

Flock could use the space not just for performances but also for, say, rehearsing shows that would end up being staged at the Arboretum or the Shaw Mansion.

Wood says this might open possibilities, too, in terms of what Flock presents. If they want to do a smaller Samuel Beckett play or a workshop, for example, those would work well in the black box theater.

Asked about any financial arrangements between Mitchell and Flock, Steinmayer says, “The main piece of this is that we are going to provide a home for the Flock, so they will effectively be here and have office space and opportunity to perform here. That’s something that the college is providing to them.”

The idea of having Flock become Mitchell’s resident theater company grew partly out of the fact that Flock has been performing two of its annual productions — “Macbeth” in October and “Make We Joy” in December — at Mitchell for the past two years. Steinmayer says that Mitchell loves to partner with people in New London County, including organizations like the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford and the Garde Arts Center in New London.

“It exposes our students to those operations — our students get internships there, and in turn we are providing those organizations with people who can help them. Then you see these connections, and it becomes even stronger,” she says.

Steinmayer says of Flock, “We’re thrilled they’re here. I admire their work, and I admire the way they bring all different kinds of ideas and productions into what they do. I think that diversity and some of the things they’re doing purposely to bring a perspective on people who may have diverse interests and needs — that’s something we’re trying to teach and instill in students here — empathy. … We’re delighted we have this opportunity to partner closely with them.”