Chair’s Special Message

Greetings Panthers,

I am thrilled to welcome both our new and returning students to the Spring 2025 semester! I hope you all had a restful and restorative break and are ready for an exciting and challenging experience. It is with immense gratitude and humility that I step into the role of Chair and Artistic Director for the Department of Theatre. I am honored to serve this dynamic community of students, faculty, and staff, and I look forward to contributing to the department’s legacy of excellence in education, artistry, and collaboration. I want to extend a special thanks to Dr. Joel Murray, for his dedicated effort over the past decade to this department and relentless faith in the art of storytelling.

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

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 permanence. 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, January 10th, 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