Theatre Arts Program
We are dedicated to providing a well-rounded approach to the study and practice of theatre, striking a balance between study and application, between academic and professional opportunities and between performance and technology—with all students collaborating on an equal footing, whether as actors, technicians, designers, or directors. The Theatre Arts Program (THEA) emphasizes one-on-one faculty mentoring and the development of relationships with outside arts organizations.
At Stetson, theatre is a liberal art that prepares students for life beyond college, whether in graduate study, professional activity, or a career path outside the theatre. The study of theatre arts in the classroom and through production emphasizes creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and cross-disciplinary approaches, allowing it to play a unique role in a liberal arts education. We offer a rigorous and rewarding curriculum for those students interested in majoring or minoring in theatre arts. Not only for career training but as a kind of “rehearsal for life” through applied study and hands-on experience. This “training for the real world” prepares students for a variety of careers in our ever-changing world.
“The mission of the theater, after all, is to change, to raise the consciousness of people to their human possibilities” – Arthur Miller
Second Stage Theatre
Our Theatre Arts Program produces at least four mainstage shows each year. Participation in our program is open to all Stetson students, and we offer plentiful opportunities to participate onstage and off. Currently, the Theatre Arts Program is housed in a performance complex inside DeLand’s Museum of Art and includes a 240-seat modified proscenium/studio theatre with a scene shop, design studio/computer lab, and costume shop.
Fall 2024 Audition Announcement
Auditions for Stetson Theatre Arts Fall semester offerings will be held in late August (times associated with production below) in the Second Stage Theatre (Museum of Art bldg), 600 N Woodland Blvd. Please enter through the stage door on the NW corner (single red door on the parking lot side) of the building.
Auditions will be held in person in the theatre. No need to sign up for a specific time; just come when you have availability during the designated audition times and check in with the stage manager who will provide you the necessary paperwork to proceed.
All are welcome! Auditions are open to all Stetson students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members! You do not need to attend all audition sessions unless you find it exciting to do so.
Audition Dates:
Keely & Du
by: Jane Martin | Directed by Ken McCoy
October 24-27, 2024
AUDITIONS: 3-5 pm and 7-9 pm on Monday, August 26 and Tuesday, August 27 | Auditions are open to all Stetson students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members! You do not need to attend all audition sessions unless you find it exciting to do so
The Compleat Works of Willm Shkspr (Abridged)
by: Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield | Guest Director TBA
November 21-24, 2024
AUDITIONS: TBA | Auditions are open to all Stetson students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members! You do not need to attend all audition sessions, unless you find it exciting to do so
Lysistrata
By: Aristophanes | Directed by Julie Schmitt
February 13-16, 2025
AUDITIONS: TBA - December or January | Auditions are open to all Stetson students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members! You do not need to attend all audition sessions unless you find it exciting to do so
The Revolutionists
By: Lauren Gunderson | Directed by Rachel Yadanza
April 24-27, 2025
AUDITIONS: TBA | Auditions are open to all Stetson students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members! You do not need to attend all audition sessions, unless you find it exciting to do so
Keely & Du
by: Jane Martin | Directed by Ken McCoy
October 24-27, 2024
Keely & Du, a provocative, contemporary work by playwright, Jane Martin, centers on Keely, a rape victim who is being held captive by a Christian extremist group. Keely spends most of the play with Du, a right-to-life activist and Keely’s assigned caretaker. Confined to a basement bedroom in a working-class neighborhood in Providence, RI, the women pass the time while learning to understand each other’s perspectives and passions despite their extreme positions on abortion. Winner of the 1993 American Theatre Critics Association Award for Best New Play and a finalist for the 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the thematic relevance of Keely & Du feels all too present when we confront current political issues and a woman’s right to choose.
The Compleat Works of Willm Shkspr (Abridged)
by: Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield | Guest Director TBA
November 21-24, 2024
3 Actors. 37 plays. 154 Sonnets. 90ish Minutes. These ingredients combined with a boatload of props and costume pieces, audiences will witness a fast paced, hilariously acted, Shakespeare stew created before them. The art of storytelling is brought to extremes as William Shakespeare’s most iconic moments come to life through creative staging and versatile role-playing. It’s fun, it’s fast and kind of feels like a Shakespeare high-five to the face!
Lysistrata
By: Aristophanes | Directed by Julie Schmitt
February 13-16, 2025
Frustrated by the lengthy duration of the Peloponnesian War, the women of Athens empower the sacred life force of their sexuality to seize the Athenian Acropolis and the city’s treasury by withholding sexual conduct from their nation's men until a resolution has been met. Staged as a site-specific theatrical experience in the Brown Hall Outdoor Classroom, the modern stone & glass facades coupled with practical garden spaces will provide a contemporary and cultivating backdrop for this Ancient Greek comedy.
The Revolutionists
By: Lauren Gunderson | Directed by Rachel Yadanza
April 24-27, 2025
A striking portrayal of four women, fierce, bold and unapologetic; living loudly and without persuasion in Paris, 1793. Lauren Gunderson writes about comradery and then some in this dark comedy, fueled by the fervor of these feminine archetypes. Through the lens of theatrical expression, The Revolutionists depicts a mix of history and a bit of fun while reminding us that “sometimes a revolution, needs a woman’s touch”.
For tickets, please contact the Box Office by emailing [email protected] or by calling 386-822-8700. Tickets will be held at Will-Call, and the Box Office opens one half hour prior to the start of the show.
Keep in touch!
Stetson Students: please email [email protected] with your Stetson email address if you would like to be on our theatre email distribution list.
All Theatre Arts majors and minors are also included on the Creative Students email distribution list, which is updated at the start of the fall and spring semesters.
Conferences
Florida Theatre Conference (FTC)