If Alan Turing had his way, we might all be obsessing over Turing Machines rather than computers. Even though Turing didn't win naming rights, he contributed to the development of the digital life we know today, and his brilliance with mathematics led to the breaking of the German Enigma code, which helped bring an end to World War II.

Through Aug. 2, Barrington Stage Co. in Pittsfield, Mass., presents "Breaking the Code," a play by Hugh Whitemore about the life of Turing. The acclaimed stagework dates from 1985 and is part of an ongoing effort to recognize the important work and fascinating life of Turing. Among the many books about Turing to show up in recent years is David Leavitt's biography "The Man Who Knew Too Much: Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer" (2006). And coming in the fall from Hollywood is "The Imitation Game," with Benedict Cumberbatch starring as Turing.

"This man is one of the great heroes and thinkers of the 20th century, and nobody knows who he is," says Mark H. Dold, who plays Turing in the new production. "It's like people not knowing Henry Ford or Edison or Einstein."

Dold, for his part, has been spending a lot of time getting to know Turing, who was British. Earlier this year, the actor visited Bletchley Park, the bucolic estate in southeastern England where the team of code breakers was holed up while war raged across Europe.

More Information

If you go

Barrington Stage Co. presents "Breaking the Code"

What: A play by Hugh Whitemore on the life of computer science pioneer Alan Turing.

When: Performances continue through Aug. 2.

Where: Boyd-Quinson Mainstage, 30 Union St., Pittsfield, Mass.

Tickets: $15-$52. (413) 236-8888. Or visit: http://barringtonstageco.org.

"About 11 million people were dying every year," says Dold. "Historians believe that solving the German's secret code ended the war two years early and saved 22 million lives."

When considering the larger story of Turing's life, the title "Breaking the Code" takes on additional meanings, especially since the script doesn't focus exclusively on the war years. According to Dold, the play jumps through time and shows Turing at ages 18, 28, 39 and 41.

"Turing himself is an enigma machine, with many circuitries and loops," says Dold. "Not all puzzles are made to thwart us. They want to be solved. And in a way Turing wants to be understood, appreciated, and accepted."

Key to understanding Turing is knowing that he was a homosexual. Whether or not that fact clouded his reputation in history, it's a part of his story that can be approached with greater understanding today.

"He had his secrets, but he was not for the time what would be considered closeted," says Dold. "He wasn't overt or flamboyant but he wasn't in denial in any way."

As with portraying a gay men, there are stereotypes about intellectuals that Dold has tried to acknowledge but not fall into.

"You can think of a classic nerd not being in a body, but he was a marvelous long-distance runner, and people say he might have qualified for the Olympics," says Dold.

"His clothes are a mess, he says inappropriate things and can be blunt and crass, temperamental and glib," continues Dold. "But he also had a sense of humor, was quiet, devoted to his friends, and was a very generous man. You can't approach a role like this saying this man is a genius. He's very human."
