Theatre

Unleash your creativity with theatre.

University of Jamestown Theatre gives all students – major and non-majors alike – the opportunity to get involved in performances at UJ. Each year, we produce a musical, one-acts, a student-directed production, and a large spring production.

In addition to the high number of roles available each season, students contribute as:

• Stage Managers
• Crew Members
• Set Builders
• Costume Builders
• Prop Managers
• Lighting and Sound Technicians
• Advanced students are given multiple opportunities to direct and design various productions.

Theatre at UJ is a supportive environment that fosters and celebrates creativity! That means no matter which role you take, you’ll make new friends over the course of each production.

Make a production come to life

Weeks leading up to a production, students explore the unique worlds and characters that make up a script—whether ancient or brand new. Through careful consideration and preparation, actors, directors, designers, playwrights, and crew make a show come to life. There’s nothing more exciting than sharing the culmination of that hard work with an audience!

“The unique bond that forms between artists and community in successful theatrical production keeps bringing students and audience members back.” – Director Michael McIntyre

Personal growth is customary for each performer during a production run. Those who continue to participate in multiple productions develop greatly with advancement in:

• Physical and vocal talents
• Analytical skills
• Organizational abilities
• Interpersonal confidence
• Ability to handle pressure and deadlines

What’s rehearsal like?

We strive to maintain an encouraging environment that recognizes the value of each student’s contribution. All cast members quickly learn to assist, and celebrate the success of, their peers.

Rehearsals occur in the evenings. Depending upon the role assigned in a production, an actor may be rehearsing 1 to 5 times per week. Directors and choreographers lead those rehearsals over a period of 4 to 7 weeks. Entering the final week-and-a-half of production, run-throughs involve all actors nightly.

The production schedule begins with read-throughs and blocking rehearsals as actors become familiar with the script and their roles. For their portion of an evening’s rehearsal, interpretive choices are explored with the director and fellow cast members. In the days leading up to performance, scenes take shape in the finishing rehearsals, with technical and dress rehearsals polishing off the process.