Learn More About Theatre and Dance at Gustavus
Theatre and dance are performing arts that present imaginative worlds to the senses. Because they invite us to create, shape, and communicate our understandings of identity and value, they also help us make sense of the world around us. And because they involve us as individuals and as a community in ongoing journeys of making and sharing, forming and performing, viewing and reviewing, theatre and dance also have the power to change lives.
As a faculty, we are committed to sharing the joys of discovery, the rigors of craft, and the insights of criticism. We believe in creating performances that are both challenging and entertaining for our students and for the greater community.
Current 2026-2027 Season Shows
Tickets are available two weeks before each opening show at tickets.gustavus.edu.
Originally Produced by Cleveland Play House
Michael Bloom, Artistic Director
Kevin Moore, Managing Director
Directed by Michael Swanson
Performances: November 5-7 at 7:30 p.m. and November 8 at 2 p.m., Anderson Theatre
Breathtaking mystery and high hilarity in equal parts, this play tells the story of Broadway star William Gillette, who has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. Then it’s up to Gillette himself, who just happens to think he’s Sherlock Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. The danger and laughter are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays.
Directed by Betsy Anderson ‘27 and Zoe Wambeke ‘27
Performances: November 20-21 at 7:30 p.m. and November 21-22 at 2 p.m., Kresge Studio
Shared Space is a student directed, choreographed, and produced dance concert put on in the fall semester of each academic year. This concert is one way we celebrate and showcase student work here at Gustavus! Auditions are open to all dancers, regardless of past experience. Shared Space offers students the opportunity to experience real-life skills, build community, and grow as dancers, choreographers, and artists.
By Seamus Heaney
Directed by Ernest Briggs
Performances: December 11-12 at 7:30 p.m. and December 13 at 2 p.m., Gardner Laboratory Theatre
A powerful, modern verse translation of the 5th-century Greek tragedy Antigone. This play is part of the Acting and Performance 2 class.
Music, Book, and Lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell
Directed by James Van Oort
Performances: February 18-20, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. and February 21 at 2 p.m., Anderson Theatre
In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived!
T/D-280
Residency at Gustavus: January 25 - February 12, 2027
Study Abroad in Dublin: February 26 - March 6, 2027
Public Performance at Gustavus: March 14, 2027 at 2:00 p.m.
A semester-long SigX course focused on devised theatre and theatre as a vocation beyond just entertainment. Within the course will explore theatre in multiple international forms and will include the Gaiety Acting Company from Dublin, Ireland traveling to Gustavus to do a three week intensive rehearsal process with the cast, creating a new original work. The cast and stage manager will then travel to Dublin over spring break to continue workshopping at Gaiety's theatre, probably do some sightseeing, and then open the show for two performances in Ireland. The show will then be performed again at Gustavus later in the semester for our local community.
Directed by Sarah Hauss
Performances: April 2-3, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. and April 3-4 at 2 p.m., Gardner Laboratory Theatre
How the Light Comes explores the persistent emergence of illumination—within ourselves and in relationship to each other, as we journey from fragmentation to clarity, and from isolation to connection. Through dances that embody resilience, vulnerability, memory, and hope, our dance artists ask not only where light comes from—but what it asks of us when it arrives. How the Light Comes invites us all to witness transformation in real time, to sit with the unknown, and to recognize the subtle, powerful ways light finds its way in.
By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Directed by TBD
Performances: April 23-24, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. and April 25 at 2 p.m., Gardner Laboratory Theatre
A modern riff on the 15th-century morality play Everyman, Everybody follows “Everybody” (chosen from amongst the cast by lottery) as they journey through life’s greatest mystery – the meaning of living. This play is part of the Performance 3 course.
The Visitor in the Doorway
By Tara Meddaugh
Directed by Eleanor Osmond ‘27
Performances: October 1-3, 2026 at 7:30 p.m., Black Box Theatre
A one-act psychological dark comedy/drama. After a life-altering event, Clare runs away from everyone she knows and isolates herself in a secluded cabin. But when a familiar, yet unwelcome, visitor, Grief himself, shows up at her door and refuses to leave, she must decide if she should let him inside.
The Dumb Waiter
By Harold Pinter
Directed by Rebekah Moll ‘27
Performances: March 19-21 at 7:30 p.m., Black Box Theatre
The darkly comedic tale of two hit men waiting for the delivery of their next victim. Gus and Ben are on the job, waiting and listening. Into the waiting silence rattles the dumb waiter with extraordinary demands for dishes they cannot supply - and who is operating the dumb waiter in an empty house? In a while their victim will come and they will know what to do.
Past Shows
Muse: A devised work rooted in nature
TigerLion Arts in residence at Gustavus
Performances: October 11-12, 2025 at 6 p.m., Gustavus Arboretum
TigerLion Arts’ performance work focuses on celebrating “the wisdom of humans and the spirit of nature through artistic works that awaken, inform and delight communities.” After their successful presentation of “Nature: A Walking Play” at the Arboretum in 2016, we are thrilled to welcome back TigerLion. The company will be in residence at our campus creating an outdoor site-specific work with our students.
Shared Space: Silent Axis
Directed by Kieran Connolly ‘25 and Marisa Schmidt ‘26
Performances: November 21-22, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. and November 22-23 at 2 p.m., Kresge Studio
Shared Space is a student directed, choreographed, designed and performed dance concert. The show gives new choreographers an opportunity to present their work to the community. Each year the performance features a diverse collection of dance styles and forms.
Transforming: A Devised Work by the Performance II Class
Directed by Ernest Briggs
Performances: December 12-13, 2025 at 8 p.m. and December 14 at 2 p.m., Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Created with the ensemble and inspired by the written works of Charles Mee, this devised theatre piece will weave a series of stories about transformation and the power of becoming.
The Secret in the Wings
By Mary Zimmerman
Directed by Ernest Briggs
Performances: February 19-21, 2026 at 8 p.m. and February 22 at 2 p.m., Anderson Theatre
Mary Zimmerman’s The Secret in the Wings adapts a group of lesser-known fairy tales to create a theatrical work that sets their dark mystery against her signature wit and humor. The framing story features a child and the frightening babysitter with whom her parents leave her. As the babysitter reads from a book, the characters in each of the tales materialize, with each tale averting disaster just as it looms, giving way to the next one.
Shift/Unravel/Root: The Gustavus Dance Company in Concert
Directed by Sarah Hauss
Performances: March 27-28, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. and March 28-29 at 2 p.m., Gardner Laboratory Theatre
As dance artists, we are inclined to investigate and embrace shifting perspectives, to question and unravel old patterns, and to find new ways to root ourselves in the present. The Gustavus Dance Company explores these themes of change, growth, and reconnection through choreographed works by guest artists Yukina Sato and Darrius Strong, Professor Emerita Melissa C. Rolnick, and current faculty Sarah Hauss and Jill Patterson, along with selected student work.
Mr. Burns, a post-electric play
By Anne Washburn
Score by Michael Friedman
Lyrics by Anne Washburn
Directed by Michael Swanson
Performances: April 23-25, 2026 at 8 p.m. and April 26 at 2 p.m., Anderson Theatre
After the end of contemporary America, in a future without power, what survives? Mr. Burns investigates how theatre and storytelling tell us who we are and who we’ve been, explores pop culture’s survival and evolution under stress, and imagines a future for TV’s most enduring family. A darkly comic play with music that the New York Times says “leave[s] you dizzy with the scope and dazzle of its ideas.”
Our Town
By Thornton Wilder
Directed by Matt Trucano
Performances: November 7-9, 2024 at 8 p.m. and November 9-10 at 2 p.m., Gardner Laboratory Theatre
2024: What do we want to make of our town? In a year of noise, Our Town offers a quiet meditation: on growing up and marrying and living and dying. Through its minimalist staging and direct storytelling, Wilder invites us to rediscover wonder in the ordinary and calls for a re-enchantment of our perception of the world.
The New House
By Carlo Goldoni
Based on a Translation by Frederick Davies
Performed for the first time in Venice at the Teatro San Luca on December 11, 1760
Directed by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: December 13-14, 2024 at 8 p.m. and December 15 at 2 p.m., Anderson Theatre
A young Venetian man squanders his fortune to woo and wed a capricious woman with no money and a very expensive taste, including an insistence on moving to a new, larger home with canal views. On the day of the imminent move into the new house, other problems arise with relatives, workmen, bailiffs and a pair of young lovers. There is confusion, intrigue and exorbitant costs. How will his marriage survive? Find out in this hilarious play by the Italian master of comedy, Carlo Goldoni.
Wintering: The Gustavus Dance Company in Concert
Directed by Melissa Rolnick
Performances: January 23-25, 2025 at 8 p.m. and January 26 at 2 p.m., Gardner Laboratory Theatre
This year’s dance concert, Wintering, considers the crossroads of renewal and active regeneration. Join us and experience the excitement surrounding our first winter dance concert featuring the choreography of guest artist Natosha Washington, faculty Sarah Hauss, Jill Patterson, Melissa C. Rolnick and selected student work.
Anything Goes
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Original Book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton, and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse
New Book by Timothy Crouse & John Weidman
Directed by Matt Trucano
Performances: April 10-12, 2025 at 8 p.m. and April 13 at 2 p.m., Anderson Theatre
Ahoy there, theatergoer! Feeling down in the dumps? Toss those tissues overboard! This Cole Porter gem is a fizzy cocktail of mistaken identities, tap-dancing sailors, and evangelists preaching the Gospel of Good Times. First performed four months after the repeal of prohibition, Anything Goes captures the Jazz Era's witty wordplay, playful naughtiness, and music that was the life of the party.
B
By Guillermo Calderón
Translated by William Gregory
Directed by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: April 24 at 8 p.m., April 25 at 8:30 p.m., and April 26-27 at 2 p.m.; Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Two young women are planning to change the world, at any cost necessary. They don’t want violence; they just want to be heard. Acclaimed Chilean playwright Guillermo Calderón dissects violence as a form of resistance by exploring the lives of young activists and the self-aggrandizing absurdity that often lies behind terrorist acts.
Shared Space: 3-Dimensional
Directed by Lukas Lennartson '25 and Ella Schwakopf '25
Performances: April 25 at 6:30 p.m., April 26 at 8 p.m., and April 27 at 4:30 p.m.; Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Shared Space is a student directed, choreographed, designed and performed dance concert. The show gives new choreographers an opportunity to present their work to the community. Each year the performance features a diverse collection of dance styles and forms.
Metamorphoses
By Sami Ibrahim, Laura Lomas, and Sabrina Mahfouz
Directed by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: November 2-4 at 8 p.m. and November 5 at 2 p.m., Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
A new play inspired by Ovid and created by the writers-in-residence at the Globe Theatre. In this contemporary revisioning of Ovid’s epic, the stories of bodies transformed take center stage in a celebration of resilience and imagination. A roller coaster of whimsical and terrifying events retold with stripped-back simplicity and joy, highlighting the power of the body as a site for transformation and change.
Emerge: The Choreographers’ Gallery
Directed by Melissa Rolnick
Performances: November 17-18 at 8 p.m. and November 19 at 2 p.m., Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Individual student choreographers will offer an evening of singular beauty in this year’s Choreographers’ Gallery. Please join us as we gather to experience the eclectic range of emerging talent. This year’s gallery features work by student choreographers Emma Forsyth ‘25, Elise Gahart ‘25, Mary Juelich ‘24, Dana Marquis ‘25, Karmen Peter ‘23, Kelsi Rygg ‘25, and Ella Schwakopf ‘25.
Adaptation: Theatre Workshop Performance
Directed by Matt Trucano
Performances: December 8-9 at 8 p.m. and December 10 at 2 p.m., Black Box Theatre
Students Dom Larson, Will Sorg, and Gavia Yount have spent the semester writing original adaptations of classic texts under the supervision of visiting faculty, Matt Trucano. They will perform excerpts of their work:
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, adapted by Gavia Yount '26; Utgarda-Loki, from Norse Mythology, adapted by Dom Larson '26; The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, adapted by Will Sorg '24.
Cymbeline
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Matt Trucano
Performances: February 15-17 at 8 p.m. and February 18 at 2 p.m., Anderson Theatre
Cymbeline is a wild Shakespearean ride packed with royal madness, mistaken identities, romance, tragedy, comedy, and fantasy. Amidst the chaos, this beautiful play explores the power of redemption and forgiveness, leaving a profound emotional resonance in its wake.
Emanate: The Gustavus Dance Company in Concert
Directed by Melissa Rolnick
Performances: April 12-13 at 8 p.m. and April 14 at 2 p.m., Anderson Theatre
The Gustavus Dance Company returns to the Anderson Theatre thrust stage, offering a unique vantage point for experiencing dance. We invite you to immerse yourselves by connecting to dancers who emanate and embody expressive and vital energy. Join us and share the exhilaration of this year’s spring dance concert featuring the choreography of guest artist Marciano Silva dos Santos, faculty members Sue Gunness, Sarah Hauss, Jill Patterson, Melissa C. Rolnick and selected student work.
Peter and the Starcatcher
Play by Rick Elice, Music by Wayne Barker
Based on the Novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Directed by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: May 9-11 at 8 p.m. and May 11-12 at 2 p.m., Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Peter and the Starcatcher is the Tony Award-winning play based on the bestselling novels that have charmed audiences all over the globe. This action-adventure play tells the origin story of Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Tinkerbell, and the characters that populate Neverland. Join us this spring on a wild voyage aboard the Wasp and the Neverland, along with Molly, a courageous Starcatcher apprentice, and the Boy who never wanted to grow up. We’ll make our way from England to the magical Island of Mollusk for an enchanting escapade with memorable songs exploring the transformative power of friendship.
Tragedy: a tragedy
By Will Eno
Directed by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: November 3 at 8:00 p.m., November 4 at 8:00 p.m., November 5 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and November 6 at 2:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
It is night-time in the world. Everyone's afraid, like in real life. Real life on Earth, on television. Before it all, whatever it is, stands a dashing reporter, talking. Perfectly groomed, dressed in appropriate clothing, properly grave as the moment demands. He stands for us, somehow, standing there. His teeth are amazing.
From Obie award winner Will Eno, a tragically hilarious play for the fake news era.
Theatre Gallery: Fuzzy Gray Lines
Advised by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: December 9 at 7:00 p.m., December 10 at 4:30 p.m., and December 11 at 2:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Stressed? Tired? Mentally ill? Take a load off and come to our presentation of Fuzzy Gray Lines, a collection of short plays that grapple with mental health. The catch? They’re comedies. Reflecting a diverse range of stories and experiences, Fuzzy Gray Lines tackles our generation’s struggles with mental wellbeing through a lighthearted lens. Join us for an experience that’s sometimes inspiring, sometimes absurd, and always entertaining. And please, feel free to laugh.
Shared Space: Tangled Relations
Directed by Elyse Doeden ’23 and Lillian Kline ‘22
Advised by Melissa C. Rolnick
Performances: December 9 at 9:30 p.m., December 10 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and December 11 at 4:30 p.m.; Anderson Theatre
Tangled Relations is an exploration of choreographic ideas. It includes how the performers imply the choreographer’s thoughts on stage and how the audience perceives these thoughts. As a student-led production, each choreographer is allowed to explore and develop their own vision.
Spring Awakening
Music by Duncan Sheik and Book and Lyrics by Steven Sater
Based on the play by Frank Wedekind
Directed by Kimberly Braun ‘11
Choreographed by Jeffrey Peterson
Music Direction by Samuel Grace ‘11
Performances: February 23 at 8:00 p.m., February 24 at 8:00 p.m., February 25 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and February 26 at 2:00 p.m.; Anderson Theatre
Tony Award winning (Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score) rock musical Spring Awakening explores coming of age and autonomy through love and friendship. A heart-wrenching tale of censorship and access to healthcare, Spring Awakening delights the senses with gorgeous music and dancing. (Note that the production length will be 80-90 minutes with no intermission.)
that single fleeting moment: The Gustavus Dance Company in Concert
Directed by Melissa C. Rolnick
Performances: April 13 at 8:00 p.m., April 14 at 8:00 p.m., April 15 at 8:00 p.m., and April 16 at 2:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Join us in reveling in the ephemeral nature of dance, existing solely in the body, revealing the essence of each moment in all its scintillating beauty and raw, courageous vulnerability.
This year’s concert features the work of faculty Sarah Hauss, Giselle Mejia, Jill Patterson, Jeffrey Peterson, Melissa C. Rolnick, former faculty Michele Rusinko, and selected student work. Please join us as we celebrate Michele Rusinko’s leadership and legacy as director of dance at Gustavus for 34 years.
Fewer Emergencies
By Martin Crimp
Directed by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: May 11 at 8:00 p.m., May 12 at 8:00 p.m., May 13 at 8:00 p.m., and May 14 at 2:00 p.m.; Anderson Theatre
A tryptic of powerful theatre minimalism where the distinctions between theatre performance and narration are contested. Martin Crimp has been labeled a “radical innovator,” his work is caught up somewhere between the mundane and the magical.
The three short plays: Fewer Emergencies, Face to the Wall and Whole Blue Sky are elegant explorations of violence and the culture of contentment. From the acute anxiety of suburban life to mass murder to a drawer that, if pulled open, spills out chainsaws and harpsichords, and the city of Paris with a cloth over it to keep the dust out.
The Misanthrope
By Molière, translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur
Directed by Kimberly Braun
Performances: November 11 at 8:00 p.m., November 12 at 8:00 p.m., November 13 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and November 14 at 2:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Is it better to tell a kind fib or be absolutely honest? With whom can you share your true feelings and opinions? Our misanthrope, Alceste, demands total honesty from all. Ironically, he can’t help but love the socially intelligent Célimène. In this intimate rom-com we watch the witty banter of friends, the unraveling of love, and observe how the manners of French society in 1666 are not all that different from our reality TV stars of today. Is there middle ground between extreme honesty and cliquey gossip?
solstånd: a devised slow tempo play in the style of Japanese theatre artist Shogo Ohta
Advised by Visiting Assistant Professor Kimberly Braun
Performances: December 10 at 8:30 p.m., December 11 at 2:00 p.m., and December 12 at 1:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
The winter solstice is a much-needed celebration of light in the darkness. Slow tempo, originated by Japanese director Shogo Ohta, offers a microscopic look at human behavior. solstånd, devised entirely by the performers, will explore a love of winter and outdoors, snowfall, the comfort of wool layers, warm food and fire, and celebrate brief moments of sunlight.
En Masse: The Choreographers' Gallery
Directed by Jill Patterson
Performances: December 10 at 6:00 p.m., December 11 at 7:00 p.m., and December 12 at 4:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Individual student choreographers will offer an evening of singular beauty in this year’s Choreographers’ Gallery. Please join us as we gather together once again, En Masse, to experience the eclectic range of emerging talent.
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
By Stephen Adly Guirgis
Directed by Ernest Briggs
Performances: February 17 at 8:00 p.m., February 18 at 8:00 p.m., February 19 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and February 20 at 2:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. Should he be forgiven or punished for all of eternity? The Last Days of Judas Iscariot tells the story of a court case over the fate of Judas Iscariot. We watch through flashbacks of his childhood and through testimonies of historical and biblical figures as each side debates the ultimate fate of Judas, whether he goes to Heaven and is forgiven or condemned to live his life in purgatory.
To Love the World Harder: The Gustavus Dance Company in Concert
Directed by Melissa C. Rolnick and Michele Rusinko
Performances: April 7 at 8:00 p.m., April 8 at 8:00 p.m., April 9 at 8:00 p.m., and April 10 at 2:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
“When so much about the world seems so unlovely, seems in fact unlovable, we need to love more, not less – we need to love the world harder and better. Our thinking, our writing, and our actions must be born in loving kindness and devoted to truth telling. Kindness matters. Telling the truth matters, . . . “
⎯ Deborah Jacobs, editor of Stone Gathering.
As dance artists we are called to investigate the unprecedented challenges of the past year through the felt experience of the body. These somatic investigations are also “born in loving kindness and devoted to truth telling.” Grief and gratitude, anxiety and relief, despair and hope, all imprinted into our somatic memories, provide the raw materials for our inquiries. This year’s concert features work by faculty choreographers Sarah Hauss, Jill Patterson, Melissa C. Rolnick and Michele Rusinko, guest choreographers Karla Grotting and Jeffrey Peterson, and selected students.
Gloria
By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Directed by Visiting Assistant Professor Kimberly Braun
Performances: May 5 at 8:00 p.m., May 6 at 8:00 p.m., May 7 at 3:30 p.m., and May 8 at 2:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Pulitzer Prize finalist, Gloria, is a modern workplace comedy with biting humor and devastating consequences. Tensions are high as a group of aspiring writers face the boredom of their desk jobs. Dealing with social exclusion, competition, and toxic work environments Gloria raises the question: after trauma, who owns the story?
48-Hour Theatre Project
Henry MacCarthy, Faculty Advisor
Performances: September 20, 2020 at 6 p.m.; Streaming Online
On your mark, get set, go! The 48-Hour Theatre Project is a series of student-generated performances created in the span of 48 hours. On Friday evening the participants will be given a theme and they will have to audition, rehearse, and produce a performance to be presented on Sunday evening. Don’t miss this exciting theatre experience!
The Murder Mystery Hour: A double bill of radio thrillers
Directed by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: November 13, 2020 at 8 p.m. and November 15, 2020 at 2 p.m.; Streaming Online
From shadows and stillness, mystery weaves a spell of strangest fascination charging the mind with doubts and fears…
Join us for a gripping lineup of thrillers drawn from early radio dramas of passion, sabotage and murder ¾ tales well-calculated to keep you in suspense. Including acoustic and recorded performance, we look at the past to reimagine the tales from the golden age of radio with a digital twist.
Shared Space: In Flux
Co-Directed by Amanda Hoffman ‘22 and Hannah Saunders ‘22
Performances: December 3, 2020 at 7 p.m. and December 6, 2020 at 4 p.m.; Streaming Online
As artists, we embrace new challenges and are always altering the way in which we bring dance to audiences. This year, Shared Space will present both live student work and work specifically created for the camera, showcasing students’ creativity as they choreograph, produce, direct, and perform in a collaboration of mediums.
Theatre Gallery: Digital Edition
Henry MacCarthy, Faculty Advisor
Performances: December 4 at 8 p.m. and December 6 at 2 p.m.; Streaming Online
Students will devise and produce three new works specifically for the camera. Always innovative, unique and eclectic, the theatre gallery showcases the work of our student directors and performers.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
By Tom Stoppard
Directed by Amy Seham
Performances: February 18-20, 2021 at 8 p.m. and February 20-21 at 2 p.m.; Anderson Theatre
Stoppard’s Tony award-winning comedy, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, flips the script of Hamlet, following two minor figures from Shakespeare’s play. These hapless young lords fill the time between their scenes in the tragedy by flipping coins or in hilarious encounters with a ragtag troupe of actors. Often compared to Becket’s Waiting for Godot, Stoppard’s fascinating script plays in the space between theatre and reality to tease out the meaning of “to be.” Our Gustavus production will also be exploring this “space between.” The existential questions and playful meta-theatre of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern provide exciting possibilities for our creative team, as we experiment with new modes of presenting theatre during a pandemic.
The Spring Dance Complex
Directed by Melissa Rolnick and Michele Rusinko
Performances: April 15-17, 2021 at 8 p.m. and April 17-18 at 2 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Our world feels like it is reeling. The convergence of a global pandemic, economic crisis and the long overdue impassioned reckoning with racial injustice can render artists feeling paralyzed and insignificant. However, history is filled with exemplars of artists who have continued to work during dire circumstances. As the late great Toni Morrison said, “There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.” And so, we dance! Call to Action features dances created in response to these challenges by faculty choreographers Sarah Hauss, Giselle Mejia, Jill Patterson, Melissa Rolnick and Michele Rusinko, and selected work from student and alumni choreographers.
Three Sisters
By Anton Chekhov
Directed by Amy Seham
Performances: May 6-8, 2021 at 8 p.m. and May 8-9 at 2 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Premiering in 1901, Chekhov’s play captured a time when old structures of society were crumbling, and radical change was in the wind. As they face an uncertain future, the three Prozerov sisters feel trapped in the flux with no way out. Over a century later, young people can certainly relate to the frustration of lives “on hold.” By working with the techniques pioneered by Russian director Konstantin Stanislavsky to better serve Chekhov’s plays, our students will explore the complexity of an inconsistent world that includes passion and pettiness, hope and despair, comedy and tragedy. We call it realism.
Into the Woods
Book by James Lapine, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Directed by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: October 31 and November 1-2, 2019 at 8:00 p.m., November 3 at 2:00 p.m.; Anderson Theatre
Delving into the dark and whimsical lore of the Brothers Grimm, Stephen Sondheim taps into the shared world of fantasy that aims to connect us all. Sondheim weaves the fairy tales of our youth together into a single narrative on the quest for family, the perils of the past, and the importance of forging a path for ourselves, even in the thick of the woods. An exhilarating musical theatre experience. Limited seating.
Lyric Confluence: The Choreographers’ Gallery
Directed by Melissa C. Rolnick
Performances: November 22 at 8:30 p.m., November 23 at 5:30 p.m., November 24 at 4:00 p.m.; Kresge Dance Studio
Experience the eclectic range of emerging talent where individual student choreographers offer an evening of singular beauty in this year’s Choreographers’ Gallery.
Time to Get Real: Selections from the Classics of Modern Drama
Directed by Amy Seham
Performances: November 22 at 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., November 23 at 8:00 p.m., November 24 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Black Box Theatre
Realism was a revolution. Artists such as Stanislavsky, Ibsen, and Duse broke all the rules of 19th century theatre when they strove to represent believable human beings dealing society’s social problems. Today, realism is the dominant style for theatre and film acting. Students in this workshop production rediscover the revolutionary in scenes, monologues, and short plays from classic European and American realism.
You’re Invited!: A New Creation by The Moving Company
Performances: February 20-23, 2020; New Laboratory Theatre
A simple proposition — a room, a table, and all the events of life that are invited to live for a moment in this space. What takes place around the candid landscape of a table? Both a private and public space; what is hidden, what might be uncovered? Who has a seat at the table, and who is left out? It’s a party, a funeral, a wedding, a refugee. And the table, always there, witness to it all — birth and death, surprise and reflection. The little moments we share. The life that is celebrated. And You’re Invited.
Partnering with Gravity: The Gustavus Dance Company in Concert
Directed by Melissa C. Rolnick and Michele Rusinko
Performances: March 19-21, 2020 at 8:00 p.m., March 22, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
This year's spring dance concert embraces, "Partnering with Gravity" a choreographic offering by Gustavus dance faculty Sarah Hauss, Jill Patterson, and Michele Rusinko. Guest choreographers include Jeffrey Peterson, Dan Stark and selected student pieces. Faculty performers include Sarah Hauss and Melissa C. Rolnick. [This dance concert was canceled due to Covid-19]
Mother Courage and Her Children
By Bertolt Brecht
Directed by Amy Seham
Performances: May 7-9, 2020 at 8:00 p.m., May 10, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.; Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre
Critics have called Mother Courage, “the greatest anti-war play of all time.” Entertaining and provocative, Brecht’s epic drama alternates comic dialogue, poignant moments, unexpected songs, and stark images to challenge audiences to look through the fog of war. Brecht wrote Mother Courage in 1939 as a response to the Nazi invasion of Poland. It is as relevant and compelling today as it was then. [This play was converted to multiple videos that were edited together due to Covid-19]
48-Hour Theatre Project
Advised by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: September 16 at 6:00 p.m., Black Box Theatre
Five student directors will be challenged to make five short theatre pieces in 48-hours. On Friday evening the participants will be given a theme, and they will have to create, audition, rehearse, and produce a play, to be presented on Sunday evening. Don’t miss this exhilarating theatre experience.
Measure for Measure
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Amy Seham
Performances: November 8-10 at 8:00 p.m. and November 11 at 2:00 p.m.; Anderson Theatre
Shakespeare’s intriguing dark comedy takes on new meaning in light of today’s #MeToo movement. Isabella, a novice nun, pleads with government official Angelo to spare her brother from execution. The powerful man agrees to help—but only if Isabella will sleep with him. When Isabella protests, saying she will proclaim his corruption to the world, Angelo smoothly replies, “Who will believe thee, Isabel?” It takes an evening full of comedy, tricks, and disguises before Isabel can bring Angelo to justice. Guest artist Anne Sawyer lends her genius with puppetry to the creation of a host of vivid, entertaining characters who manipulate and are manipulated in this remarkably modern classic.
Theatre Gallery: Myths and Origins
Student-Devised Performances
Advised by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: December 7 at 11:00 p.m., December 8 at 6:00 p.m., and December 9 at 2:00 p.m.; Black Box Theatre
Always innovative, unique, and eclectic, the Theatre Gallery features selected works and honors projects by some of our most gifted majors.
Shared Space: Molding Integrity
Co-Directed by Kayla Cardenas '19 and Madelyn Schwartz '19
Performances: December 7 at 8:30 p.m., December 8 at Noon and 4:00 p.m., December 9 at 6:30 p.m.; Kresge Dance Studio
As artists, dancers create images and shapes, telling stories through their movement. This year, Shared Space will bring together the richness and breadth of the Gustavus dance program, showcasing dancers as they take the lead in producing, directing, choreographing, and performing.
Buried Child
By Sam Shepard
Directed by Theatre Honors student Gabriel Berg ‘19
Performances: December 7 at 6:30 p.m., December 8 at 8:00 p.m., and December 9 at 4:00 p.m.; Black Box Theatre
Buried Child explores the dissolving of the classic American dream. This dark comedy follows an American farming family as they struggle to find their identity amidst the changing values around them. The separation of generational ideals and the fall of the traditional patriarch are center stage in this award-winning work by Sam Shepard.
Iphigenia and Other Daughters
By Ellen McLaughlin
Directed by Matt Trucano
Performances: February 21-23 at 8:00 p.m. and February 24 at 2:00 p.m., Anderson Theatre
In order to go to war, Agamemnon sacrifices his daughter Iphigenia to the gods. Ten years later, his wife Clytemnestra kills him within hours of his triumphant homecoming. Another twenty years go by, and Orestes, their son, avenges his father's death by killing his mother. What does it take to disrupt the cycles of hurt and revenge that tear families and societies apart? The ancient Greeks lay awake at night attempting to answer this question, as we do today. Iphigenia and Other Daughters is a trilogy based on Euripides’ Iphigenia at Aulis and Iphigenia in Tauris and Sophocles’ Electra to give center stage to the women and children whose lives are hijacked by ideologies predicated on their own voicelessness and objectification. When is enough enough?
Suspended Between the Worlds: The Gustavus Dance Company in Concert
Directed by Melissa C. Rolnick
Performances: April 26-27 at 8:00 p.m. and April 28 at 2:00 p.m., Anderson Theatre
This year’s concert features work by Gustavus faculty, Sarah Hauss, Giselle Mejia, Jill Patterson and Melissa C. Rolnick, guest choreographers Melissa Herrada, Natosha Washington and Arneshia Williams and selected student choreographers. Please join us as we dance over the threshold into a suspension between the worlds.
Title and Deed
By Will Eno
Directed by Henry MacCarthy
Performances: May 17-18 at 8:00 p.m. and May 19 at 2:00 p.m., Anderson Theatre
From Pulitzer Prize finalist and Horton Foote Prize winner Will Eno, Title and Deed is a haunting exploration of what it means to exist between home and away. A brutally honest and devastatingly funny story of someone from somewhere else.
“The marvel of Mr. Eno’s voice is how naturally it combines a carefully sculptured lyricism with sly, poker-faced humor. Everyday phrases and familiar platitudes — ‘Don’t ever change,’ ‘Who knows’ — are turned inside out or twisted into blunt, unexpected punch lines punctuating long rhapsodic passages that leave you happily word-drunk.” New York Times
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Mission
The Department of Theatre and Dance involves students in creative inquiry, embodied knowledge, inventive collaboration, and skillful expression of ideas to prepare them for lives of leadership, service, and excellence in the arts, culture, and business of the future. Each student in Theatre and Dance explores performance, design, technology, and research in a multifaceted liberal arts context. Theatre and Dance students acquire foundational skills in multiple aspects of performance and production. Majors are also expected to immerse themselves in the history, theory, and literature of their art form to develop their individual identities as artist-thinkers.
The Department's mission emphasizes the value of performance as a vital means of working for social justice and personal transformation.
The Department mentors majors and non-majors alike in explorations of the many ways theatre and dance artists interpret and affect society. Students and faculty collaborate on creative research projects designed to raise awareness, create community, foster self-expression, challenge stereotypes, evoke compassion, and represent diverse perspectives. Advanced seminars and capstone experiences enable students to develop and articulate their own unique senses of vocation, purpose, and creative vision for life and art beyond college.
Theatre and Dance Department performance events entertain and challenge Gustavus audiences with dynamic, innovative productions. The Department also seeks to serve the greater Saint Peter community with the artistic excellence and educational outreach so important to our work. The Department is committed to being a resource for the expression of community concerns, histories, and storytelling.
The Department's program prepares students for graduate study and/or for professional work in the fields of theatre and dance. It also provides students with experience and confidence with collaboration, creative imagination, self-expression, problem-solving, critical analysis, and empathy—abilities crucial to every walk of life.
Key Highlights
The Department of Theatre and Dance had its genesis in the study of speech, rhetoric, and debate, all popular subjects at Gustavus at the turn of the 20th century. For many years, the primary instructors in the then-Speech Department were the legendary couple, Evan and Evelyn Anderson. Upon the arrival of Robert Gardner in the fall of 1971 to join "Mrs. A.", the Speech and Theatre Department consisted of two faculty members teaching speech and two faculty members teaching theatre. A third faculty member, Kelly W. Forde, joined Anderson and Gardner in 1972 as faculty designer/technical director. The ensuing years saw the continued expansion of the Department and its subsequent separation from the Speech Department in the late 1970s. Formal dance classes were added to the curriculum in the mid-1970s, with the first full-time dance instructor joining the department in 1979. Dance was added to the formal title of the Department in the early 1990s to recognize the Department's commitment to dance.
The Department of Theatre and Dance has been housed in several temporary locations on campus. Anderson Theatre, our current venue, opened in the fall of 1971, and the "Little Theatre," located behind the current Jackson Campus Center, was razed in the late 1970s. The building has undergone a few changes, with the exception of the removal of the large panels that closed off the proscenium arch in Anderson, and the addition of the Kresge Studio in the early 1980s with funds from the Kresge Foundation.
Theatre and Dance facilities escaped major damage from the 1998 tornado, although almost all the electrical and sound equipment needed to be replaced. In 2007, thanks in part to our wonderful alumni and a grant from the Tozer Foundation, Anderson Theatre received a state-of-the-art lighting system complete with a new computer lighting console and double the number of dimmers.
In the fall of 2019, the Nobel Hall renovation connected Nobel Hall and Schaefer Fine Arts Center with a brand-new laboratory theatre where students can conduct their own experiments in performance, design, and technology alongside our science colleagues. The Department is thrilled and thankful to have this performance and classroom space where students can imagine, discover, create, and collaborate. The space includes an accessible lab space specifically created for Theatre and Dance classes focusing on performance, directing, dance, design, and technical production. The theatre is adaptable for nearly every style of performance, exposing students and audiences to a wider variety of performance practices. This space provides state-of-the-art tools and equipment to stay on the leading edge of education and training for the next generations of Gustie artists. Besides the theatre itself, the addition included a scene shop, dressing rooms, costume, hair, and makeup rooms, and a new dye vat for bulk dyeing of costumes. In February 2020, the Theatre was officially named the Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre, after long-time Theatre professor Rob Gardner and his wife.