Chair’s Message

Greetings Panthers,

Paws up! We’re back! I am thrilled to welcome both our new and returning students to the Fall 2025 semester! I hope you all had a restful and restorative summer and are ready for an exciting and challenging experience. I am excited for our department to learn and grow, and for us to challenge ourselves by asking why not! Don’t forget to be a part of our new season. If you want to be part of the season, it’s not too late to volunteer in the shops, stop by and observe a rehearsal, or get involved with CARPE DM, our second-stage Student Series.

Welcome back to our students; you are the center of everything we do. Your passion, ingenuity, and hard work fuel the spark of creativity in our rehearsal, class, and community spaces. In addition to our fantastic professional faculty, I recommend that you reach out to one another for support, look out for each other as a team, and learn from one another at every step of your artistic journey.

Welcome back to our faculty and staff: Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students and to the craft of theatre. Your expertise and dedication ensure a robust and expansive education grounded in theory and practice.

Theatre is a unique art form that blends artistry and craft with the fleeting nature of live performance. No two moments, audiences, or productions are ever the same. Our work is a collaborative prototype that unites different artists’ ideas and skills to tell stories that resonate deeply with audiences.

As we embark on this new chapter, I am excited about the opportunities ahead to fortify our strengths and expand the boundaries of what we can create together, with the importance of storytelling and the transformative power of theatre. Our stages are not just spaces for performance, they are laboratories for exploration, growth, and innovation. So don’t be afraid to play, to reach, and to explore without fear. I am excited to see the stories we will tell, the stages we will share, and the impact we will make.

I look forward to seeing you all at the mandatory majors meeting this Friday, August 29th, at 3:30 p.m. in the Mainstage. You’ll learn more about our department, hear important announcements about upcoming events, and get to know your fellow students and faculty.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Rose Ivey
Associate Professor of Scenic Design
Chair, Artistic Director
Department of Theatre
Phone 305-348-1684