You're Invited To Join First Nighters!  


Traditionally, opening nights of theatre and dance performances include celebrating with friends and family. Following this tradition, we invite you to join First Nighters. You’re welcome to subscribe to one of the series packages, or purchase event tickets individually. This is a great way to see terrific theatre and dance, hear pre-show remarks from our faculty directors and student artistic team, meet new friends, and enjoy a delicious meal before the show! 

We look forward to you joining us for our exciting 2019-2020 season and Journeying With Us to Unexpected Destinations.

Joan Karlen, Chair
Department of Theatre and Dance

Our First Nighters Season offers theatergoers dinner and a performance on the opening Friday evenings for five of the productions. Meals are served in the Noel Fine Arts Center courtyard by Dining and Summer Conferences. You can choose from several different series packages and individual event tickets to suit your schedules and tastes. Your best value is the combined Studio/Jenkins package of five productions. It is a great price for dinner and a show!
 

5:15 p.m. Cash Bar Refreshments
NFAC Courtyard

6 p.m. Director's Remarks and Dinner
NFAC Courtyard

7:30 p.m. Performance
 Jenkins Theatre or Studio Theatre

Excellent entertainment, casual dining and awesome energy! We have enjoyed First Nighters for years. We especially enjoy the director’s notes before the performance and meeting the talented students after the performance.
John and Petti Reichert

For the past 48 years, the wide variety and quality of performances has enriched my life!
Mary Ann Nigbor          

Season packages for retuning patrons are on sale. Be an early bird and purchase your package now, or when single tickets go on sale Monday, August 12.

Purchase Tickets

Individual tickets on sale.


​Contribute to Backstage

Ticket sales are strong, yet cover only a portion of our production costs. Each year we rely on Backstage patrons’ support to create exceptional productions and endowments for student scholarships. During the 2017-2018 season, BACKSTAGE patrons supported:

  • BFA Acting and Musical Theatre Senior Showcase travel to New York City
  • Students attending the American College Dance Association Conference
  • Student scholarships

Thank you to participating businesses for their willingness to match employee contributions. If your employer has a matching gift program, please include the matching gift form with your reply.
Suggested Contribution Levels

  • Angel - $1000+
  • Producer - $750+      
  • Artistic Director - $500+    
  • Managing Director - $250+    
  • Director - $100+
  • Stage Manager - $50+    

To make a contribution, please click here: https://give.uwsp.edu/give-backstage

Or contact Maggie Marquardt, COFAC Director of Development at Maggie.Marquardt@uwsp.edu or 
715-346-3056. Your contribution will be acknowledged
in each production program, unless you wish to remain anonymous.

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