{"id":138,"date":"2026-03-10T18:14:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T18:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test-uwsp-multi.pantheonsite.io\/department-of-theatre-and-dance\/?page_id=138"},"modified":"2026-05-26T22:40:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T22:40:19","slug":"2025-2026-season","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/department-of-theatre-and-dance\/2025-2026-season\/","title":{"rendered":"2025-2026 Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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join us for our exciting 2025-2026 season!<\/div>
The Department of Theatre and Dance delivers an exciting season of plays, musicals, and dance concerts this year. The season is a thrill ride of emotions as we explore Life, Longing, and Legacy through humor, song, movement, mysteries, and drama.\n\nimage: “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” 2025-2026 Season<\/div>
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LIFE is celebrated in each of the shows this season. From the dynamic energy of dancers moving through space in \u201cAfterimages\u201d and \u201cDanstage\u201d to an absurdist reality that places Einstein and Picasso in a caf\u00e9 together in \u201cPicasso at the Lapin Agile.\u201d LONGING lingers through the stories in \u201cRide The Cyclone\u201d as six teenagers stuck in limbo play a game for a second chance at life while \u2018Whodunnit?\u2019 wafts in the air as we search for the truth in our murder mystery staged readings. Finally, the LEGACY of family grounds the experiences in \u201cThe Secret Garden\u201d and \u201cShe Kills Monsters.\u201d Both feature a strong young woman searching for ways to remember the past and prepare for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Noel Fine Arts Center Room 221<\/h5>

Shall We Join the Ladies? and Trifles<\/h3>

Whodunnit and Why? Two short murder mystery classics. A Staged Reading Double Feature<\/h4>
Shall We Join the Ladies? By JM Barrie Directed by Jim O\u2019Connell For the guests at the country estate, the past week has been delightful. Tomorrow morning, they will bid their host adieu. But at the farewell dinner, they learn why they were invited and that one of them harbors a gruesome secret. Hang on for the confrontation scene \u2013 with a twist! Trifles By Susan Glaspell Directed by Laurie Schmeling \u201cIt was such a \u2013 funny way to kill a man.\u201d Minnie Foster Wright sits in jail, accused of murdering her husband. Officers and neighbors search the old farmhouse for evidence pointing to a motive. Will they know it when they see it? An American classic by pioneer feminist author and playwright, Susan Glaspell.<\/div>
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Studio Theatre<\/h5>

Picasso at the Lapin Agile<\/h3>

The Genius Cocktail: Equal parts Picasso and Einstein with a splash of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll.<\/h4>
By Steve Martin Directed by Dana Dancho This long-running off-Broadway absurdist comedy places Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in a Parisian caf\u00e9 in 1904, just before the renowned scientist transformed physics with his theory of relativity and the celebrated painter set the art world afire with cubism.<\/div>
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Jenkins Theatre<\/h5>

Ride the Cyclone<\/h3>

Cyclone: The roller coaster ride for your life!<\/h4>
By Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond Directed by Mark Hanson Music Directed by Kyle Norris 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 play \u201cthe game\u201d for a second chance at life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived! \u201cRide the Cyclone contains adult language and themes that may be inappropriate for younger audiences. The show is rated PG-14.\u201d<\/div>
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Jenkins Theatre<\/h5>

Afterimages 2025<\/h3>

Original student choreography by UWSP dance students.<\/h4>
An evening of original and inventive choreography by promising young dance artists. Dance majors and minors use the powerful expression of the human body to share personal memories, tell stories, and express universal emotions.<\/div>
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Studio Theatre<\/h5>

She Kills Monsters<\/h3>

Prepare for epic battles, epic laughs, and a journey of self-discovery\u2026one roll at a time.<\/h4>
By Qui Ngyuen Directed by Greg Pragel She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly\u2019s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister\u2019s refuge. This dramatic comedy filled with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, pays homage to the geek and warrior within us all.<\/div>
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Studio Theatre<\/h5>

Danstage 2026<\/h3>

Dynamic Faculty and Guest Artist Choreography<\/h4>
Enjoy an evening of exciting works by UWSP faculty and special guest artists. Highlighting the human body\u2019s capacity for complexity and dynamism, these new dances celebrate the range of dance as an art form. From the deeply expressive, personal gesture to the virtuosic athleticism of pure technique, these four new works invite you to consider how we connect to and understand the world both within and around us.<\/div>
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Jenkins Theatre<\/h5>

The Secret Garden<\/h3>

Ghostly mansions filled with locked doors hiding secrets from the past. All you need is to find the key\u2026<\/h4>
By Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon Directed by Mark Hanson Music Directed by Kyle Norris This enchanting children\u2019s literature classic is re-imagined in brilliant musical style. Mary Lennox, an 11-year old girl orphaned in India, who returns to Yorkshire, England, to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle and the ghosts of the past who dwell in the house. The estate\u2019s many wonders include a mysterious locked secret garden which beckons to Mary to find the key to its door and bring the garden back to life.<\/div>
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you’re invited to join<\/h5>

First Nighters<\/h3>

5:30 – 6 p.m. Cash Bar followed by Director\u2019s Remarks and Dinner (NFAC Courtyard); 7:30 p.m. Performance (Jenkins Theatre or Studio Theatre)<\/h4>
The Department of Theatre & Dance delivers a thrilling season of plays, musicals, and dance concerts this year. Ultimately this season is about connection and how the past, present, and future align to create rich, full experiences. My hope is that the bold new stories and original dances this season remind you of the importance and impact that the arts have in our community.\nOur First Nighter\u2019s Package includes a pre-show cocktail hour, dinner, and ticket to the opening night performances of the five featured mainstage and studio theatre productions. I hope you\u2019ll consider joining us this season.\nMichael Estanich, Chair\nDepartment of Theatre and Dance<\/div>
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Video: A look back at rehearsals for “Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance” (2024-25 season performance)<\/h5>

Consider Supporting Our Students<\/h3>

Ticket sales are strong yet cover only a portion of our production costs. Each year we rely on patrons\u2019 support to create exceptional productions, support Senior Showcase, student research, conference attendance, and endowments for student scholarships. Thank you to participating businesses for their willingness to match employee contributions. If your employer has a matching gift program, please indicate this when making your online gift.<\/p><\/div>

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