Andrew Kinsey graduated from NIU in 2025 with a degree in music education and percussion performance, and he did it...
Theatre and Dance News Archives
A new approach to Emma takes the stage this week at NIU
A fresh look at one of literature's favorite matchmakers, Emma by playwright Kate Hamill opens in the NIU Stevens...
Theatre and Dance faculty published in book on Creative Practioners as Leaders
Roxanna Conner, director of the NIU Theatre and Dance, and Paul Kassel, former dean of the NIU College of Visual and...
Weekend performances of Men on Boats postponed
Due to cast/crew illness the performances of Men on Boats scheduled for October 1-3 have been cancelled. The School of Theatre and Dance is working on new dates for those performances, which will be announced soon. Hold onto your current tickets for those rescheduled...
Non-male cast tackles Men on Boats to open School of Theatre and Dance season
The opening production in the 2026-2027 Production Season in the NIU School of Theatre Dance is Men on Boats, a 2017 comedy adventure by playwright Jaclyn Backhaus that tells the “true-ish” story of John Wesley Powell’s expedition to map the Colorado River in 1896....
Students can win $500 from Adobe by creating a video about why they love NIU
Tell us why you love NIU! Adobe is sponsoring our Homecoming Video Competition and is asking students to submit a 30-60 second self-made video sharing why they love NIU and why they have #HuskiePride. Winners of the video contest will be announced during Homecoming...
New Student Jamboree at School of Theatre and Dance, Sept. 10
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance class of 2030 is excited to introduce themselves to you at "THE MOMENT BEFORE": New Student Jamboree. With our new students caught on a runaway train into the unknown, they must discover within themselves a way out. This...
SoTD’s Kay Martinovich to direct “Marble” at Gift Theatre
Kay Martinovich, associate professor and head of BFA acting in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, has found another work by acclaimed Irish playwright Marina Carr to direct. Martinovich has previously directed two of Carr's plays. She directed The Mai for Irish Rep...
Second cohort of Simpson Schatzle Fellows announced
NIU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts has announced the six 2026 recipients of a fellowship that provides financial support and recognition for some of the university’s most promising graduating students in the arts. The Simpson Schatzle Fellowships were first...
Commencement Profile: Antonio Horn, BFA Acting
Congratulations to all of the talented students who graduated this past weekend. One of them, BFA Actor Antonio Horn, was profiled in a video that ran during the ceremony. Meet Antonio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPXxNrPSF1Q
Spring Dance Concert features appealing mix of styles
The 2025-2026 Production Series of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance concludes with the annual Spring Dance Concert. The dance concert features a variety of works choreographed by faculty members Marc Macaranas, Michel Rodriguez Cintra and Richard Grund, as well as...
Huskie Spotlight: Elizabeth Nowak, ’27, Theatre Studies and Anthropology
Elizabeth Nowak is a double major in theatre studies and anthropology who is excited to have found the perfect way to blend her interests in the arts and sciences. "I always knew I wanted to pursue both the arts and sciences," Nowak said. "I would go back and forth...
Students should submit their 2026-2027 FAFSA by April 25 to avoid delays in processing
A U.S. Department of Education system update on Sunday, April 26, 2026 will prevent colleges and universities from loading new FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Financial Aid) records until a software fix is in place. NIU’s Financial Aid and Scholarship...
NIU Punk Rock Club welcomes Tim Rogner for performance, discussion, April 1
The NIU Punk Rock Club and the College of Visual and Performing Arts welcome musician and artist Tim Rogner for a night of conversation and acoustic performance, Wednesday, April 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center's Huskie Den. Rogner will examine...
Theatre and Dance presents Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors”
One of Shakespeare's earliest and most loved works, The Comedy of Errors, opens Friday, March 27 in the Black Box Theatre in NIU's Stevens Building at 7:30 p.m. The final play, and second to last production, of the School of Theatre and Dance's 2025-2026 production...
Theatre students spend an evening with Ian McKellan
Twenty-six NIU School of Theatre and Dance students were among those who had the opportunity to attend a special event featuring acting legend Ian McKellan. Titled, "One Knight Only," Sir Ian shared insights on his career, this love of theater and discussed his love...
Theatre and Dance BFA Acting presents Nostalgia Prom Night fundraiser
The 2026 B.F.A. in acting class is excited to announce the School of Theatre and Dance Nostalgia Prom Night! An open-to-all celebration for people and NIU students to come together, dress up, and enjoy a night of music, food, and community. The prom will take place on...
NIU connections abound in Trap Door Theatre’s production of “Green Corridors”
The United States premiere of Green Corridors, a work from Ukrainian playwright Natalka Vorozhbyt features a number of connections to the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. Green Corridors, which opened January 15 at Trap Door Theatre in Chicago, is directed by Kay...
Hans Herrera’s theater research paper one of only 12 in the nation selected for ASTR
Hans Herrera, a third-year double major in theatre studies and art history was one of only 12 students selected out of a nationwide call for entries for working group research paper reviews at the annual American Society of Theatre Research (ASTR) national conference...
BFA Acting Freshmxn Actors Showcase – Dec. 6
First-year students in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance will present a showcase titled "The Final Note" in the Corner Theatre in NIU's Stevens Building with shows at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., Saturday December 6. Admission is free of charge. ...
Huskie Spotlight: Reece Deidrick, Theatre Arts
Theatre Arts major Reece Deidrick was the subject of a recent Huskie Spotlight on NIU's website. Deidrick is from Boise, Idaho and is also minoring in electrical engineering. A member of the class of 2028, Reece's theatre arts emphasis is design and technology. "I...
Fall Dance Concert explores styles and experiences
The annual Fall Dance Concert in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance always puts an entertaining capper on the semester's worth of productions. The talented dancers perform in a variety of styles sure to appeal to a broad range of audiences. This year's Fall Dance...
Two casts in one for Accidental Death of An Anarchist
A double cast will bring Dario Fo's 1970 play, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, to the stage in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance's Black Box Theatre beginning Friday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. The play is based on the 1969 bombing of Piazza Fontana in Milan, Italy,...
Poetic monologues highlight the next production in the School of Theatre and Dance
The groundbreaking poetic monologues accompanied by dance and music, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf is the next production in the NIU School of Theatre Dance, opening Friday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. The show is co-directed by...
“Julius Caesar” to open the performance season in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance
Shakespeare's classic Julius Caesar opens the 2025-2026 performance season in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. Directed by Kay Martinovich, associate professor and head of BFA acting in the school, Julius Caesar begins its run Friday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m. in...
Theatre and Dance faculty updates
The spring and summer were a busy time for the faculty of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. Here's a look at just some of the things members of our talented group were up to: Gibson Cima, head of theatre studies received tenure and promotion to associate professor...
Sarah Siddons Society announces NIU as first public university to receive scholarship funding
The Sarah Siddons Society’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce it has approved Northern Illinois University (NIU) as its fifth Chicago-area university to receive scholarship funding for students studying theatre arts. NIU is the first public university to...
Theatre and Dance’s Tracy Nunnally serving as flying director for Paramount Theatre’s Cats
Tracy Nunnally, professor and head of design and technology in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance is serving as flying director for the Paramount Theatre in Aurora's production of Cats. Cats continues its run at the Paramount Theatre through June 15....
Help send NIU students to Turkey to study theater!
Your support of an NIU Crowdfunding initiative will help send students to Turkey to study classical theater! A learning experience has been developed to use use the study of ancient and modern theatre practices in Turkey as a tool to broaden students' perspectives on...
Theatre and Dance’s Marc Macaranas present’s STEM Cafe on Dance, Movement and Media
Join Marc Macaranas, assistant professor and head of dance in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance for a STEM Cafe, Wednesday, May 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Fatty's Bar and Grille. Dancing Bodies and Digital Interfaces: Dance, Movement and Media, is presented by NIU STEAM in...
CVPA announces first six Simpson Schatzle Fellows
NIU's College of Visual and Performing Arts has announced the first six recipients of a fellowship that will provide financial support and recognition for some of the university's most promising graduating students in the arts. The Simpson Schatzle Fellowship will...
Dance Concert opens April 24 in Black Box Theatre
The annual Spring Dance Concert brings a close to the 2024-2025 NIU School of Theatre and Dance production season. More than 20 student dancers will perform works by guest choreographer Vershawn Sanders-Ward of Red Clay Dance Company and NIU faculty choreographers...
Lighting design student Kev Kollmann featured in video about accessibility improvements for theater technicians
Kev Kollmann, an M.F.A. in lighting design in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance is featured in the Winter 2025 edition of Protocol Magazine, the journal of the entertainment technology industry. The feature and accompanying video focus on inclusion and innovation...
BFA/MFA Actor Showcase on campus, April 1 and 2
The Meisner-based, classically trained actors of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance present contemporary scenes and monologues in this free showcase. Performances will be held in the Corner Theatre in the NIU Stevens Building, Tuesday, April 1 and Wednesday, April 2...
Chicago-based playwright Ike Holter’s “Prowess” opens in School of Theatre and Dance, Feb. 28
Prowess, written by award winning Chicago-based playwright Ike Holter opens Friday, February 28 in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance's Sally Stevens Players Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Prowess is a play inspired by superheroes, where a group of average citizens in Chicago...
Theatre and Dance presents a Ukrainian Reading Project event, Feb. 23
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance is once again participating in the Ukrainian Reading Project, with a reading of Green Channels, Sunday, February 23 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. in the O'Connell Theatre in the NIU Stevens Building (200 University Circle, DeKalb.) There...
Theatre and Dance spring season begins with Caridad Svich’s Holler River
“A story about the stories we tell ourselves to survive, the songs we sing to get by and the maps we make of our warring lives.” Caridad Svich’s 2018 play Holler River is the first production of the spring in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. Directed by Kendra...
Joe Miñoso, MFA ’04, featured in Hello! magazine
Actor Joe Miñoso, star of NBC's Chicago Fire for the last 13 seasons was featured in a recent edition of Hello! magazine. Miñoso earned his MFA in Acting from the NIU School of Theatre and Dance in 2004. Chicago Fire star Joe Miñoso's life away from the cameras Top...
Reserve your spot for an admissions interview, audition or portfolio review Feb. 17
Interview and Audition Days Contact the School of Theatre and Dance to make an appointment to attend an audition, interview and/or portfolio review. NIU School of Theatre and Dance Audition/Interview Day Reserve your time for an in-person interview for a program of...
Fall Dance Concert features Paquita and two world premieres
The fall semester production season in the School of Theatre and Dance concludes with the Fall Dance Concert featuring the ballet Paquita and a pair of world premiere dances choreographed by NIU School of Theatre and Dance faculty members. Paquita was originally...
Machinal next up at the NIU School of Theatre and Dance
Sophie Treadwell's 1928 true crime account of a murder and its prosecution is the next production in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance's season lineup. Machinal opens Friday, November 1 in the Black Box Theatre in NIU's Stevens Building. Treadwell, a playwright and...
Help support the M.F.A. acting program’s residency in Canada
The Master's in Fine Arts in acting program in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance is crowdfunding donations to help support a week-long residency with renowned writer, actor and solo performer Kevin McCoy in Quebec City, Canada. Northern Illinois University's School...
School of Theatre and Dance presents Macbeth, opening Oct. 18
The Northern Illinois University School of Theatre and Dance presents William Shakespare's Macbeth, opening Friday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the O'Connell Theatre, located in NIU's Stevens Building. The production is directed by Peter G. Anderson, a graduate of...
Theatre and Dance production season begins with Mary Stuart opening Oct. 4
Friedrich Schiller's Mary Stuart, which deals with the conflict between Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots in the days leading up to Mary's execution, is the first production in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance's 2024-2025 season. The show opens Friday, October 4...
CVPA students invited to a free tailgate before Saturday’s home football game
When the #23 NIU Huskie football team returns to action for their first game since their upset win over then fifth-ranked Notre Dame, students from the College of Visual and Performing Arts will be their special guests. CVPA students are invited to a free tailgate...
NIU to dedicate new Stevens Building sculpture Sept. 26 with ribbon cutting and cookout
A walk around the Northern Illinois University reveals a campus filled not just with students, faculty, staff and buildings, but of artwork to take in and enjoy. Now, there is even more to look at. The final piece of the extensive renovations to the university’s...
Roxanna Conner featured on PBS’ Arts Engines
Roxanna Conner, director of NIU's School of Theatre and Dance was featured on PBS Detroit's Arts Engines hosted by Aaron Dworkin, professor of entrepreneurship and leadership at the University of Michigan. Dworkin is a 2005 MacArthur Fellow and was President Barack...
NIU alumni can have dinner and a show at NIU, Oct. 4
NIU alumni, whether you come by yourself or bring a date, a friend, or a group of friends, you'll enjoy mingling and meeting others at Huskies Night Out! Join us at Ellington’s Restaurant in the Holmes Student Center on Friday, Oct. 4, from 5:30-6:40 p.m. for dinner...
Mary Holland, ’07 to join cast of CBS’ “Ghosts”
Mary Holland, a 2007 BFA acting graduate of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance will join the cast of CBS' Ghosts for the show's upcoming fourth season. During Ghosts' panel at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego it was announced that Holland will have a recurring role...
Control Engineering features the design and technology programs of the School of Theatre and Dance
The design and technology programs of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance were featured in a recent edition of Control Engineering magazine. The article highlighted the spring STEM Cafe talk given by Tracy Nunnally, professor, technical director and head of design and...
Re-imagining: Two popular courses have undergone redesigns with today’s learners in mind
A major challenge facing educators is how to adapt courses to meet the learning neeeds of today's students. NIU's gen ed (general education) courses present a particular opportunity because of the desire to offer an introduction for students who may or may not be...
Award winners announced in College of Visual and Performing Arts
As the 2023-2024 academic year comes to a close, the College of Visual and Performing Arts has named this year's award winners. Students are honored on the basis of their academic achievement, community engagement, professional and interdisciplinary work and...
Annual Spring Dance Concert wraps up School of Theatre and Dance production season
The 2023-2024 performance season in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance concludes with the annual Spring Dance Concert opening Thursday, April 25 with a 7:30 p.m. performance in the O'Connell Theatre in NIU's Stevens Building. Subsequent performances will be held at...
Something for everyone this April in the College of Visual and Performing Arts
April is the busiest month in the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts, which means you have more opportunities to sample the great music, theater, dance and art of our very talented students. The School of Theatre and Dance features the premiere of Alexander...
Theatre and Dance presents a new take on showbiz in the 21st century
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents Booked and Blessed...OR BUST! a heartfelt examination of the many struggles that self-made actors go through. Written by Alexander Perez, the production directed by Frankie DiCiaccio runs April 5-7 and April 11-13 in the...
STEM Cafe on theatrical special effects to feature School of Theatre and Dance’s Tracy Nunnally
As you watch a live performance, every minute of entertainment represents hours of work behind the scenes by entertainment engineers. Technical directors and designers use mathematics, engineering and artistry to keep performers and audiences safe while producing...
School of Theatre and Dance presents “Witch”
Witch, the story of a devil arriving in a small English village to bargain for souls only to find that the toughest adversary is a woman cast out as a "witch," is the second show of the spring in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. Based on a 400 year old play, "The...
Anxious People! opens spring productions at NIU School of Theatre and Dance
Anxious People! by Carol Lee is a play about anxious people. And it is the first production in the spring season of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance opening Friday, February 16 in the Sally Stevens Players Theatre in the NIU Stevens Building. An hour and a half...
Marlon Wayans to perform at NIU in free show for students, faculty and staff
NIU Campus Activities Board and the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts jointly present An Evening with Marlon Wayans! We are thrilled to invite you to this exciting event taking place on February 15 for a night filled with laughter, entertainment, and...
CVPA students invited to check out NIU Athletics’ Beauty and the Beast meet
College of Visual and Performing Arts students, support our friends in NIU Athletics by attending the unique Beauty and the Beast Meet, Friday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. Check out the action as the NIU Gymnastics team and NIU Wrestling team will be competing simultaneously in...
Indiana University African American Dance Company to hold workshop and performance at NIU
As part of Northern Illinois University's Black Heritage Month events, the NIU Center for Black Studies and the NIU School of Theatre and Dance are hosting a workshop and performance by Indiana University's African American Dance Company. The workshop includes a...
Watch party for “Art and Wellness: Creating Intentional Spaces,” Jan. 17
Calling all art and wellness enthusiasts! Join us for a special watch party of "Art and Wellness: Creating Intentional Spaces," hosted by renowned artist Renee Fleming. Discover practical tips for transforming your surroundings into sanctuaries of creativity and...
Stanton Davis and Kerry Wilks presented at Hispanic Classical Theater Conference
Stanton Davis, associate professor in the School of Theatre and Dance and Kerry Wilks, dean of the NIU Graduate School and associate vice president for International Affairs presented at the international Hispanic Classical Theater Conference in El Paso, Texas last...
Theatre and Dance’s Gibson Cima honored by American Society for Theatre Research
Gibson Cima, assistant professor of theatre history and head of the bachelor of arts in theatre studies program in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance was honored by the American Society for Theatre Research with the David Keller Travel Award. The award is in honor of...
NIU presents annual Fall Dance Concert, Nov 30-Dec. 3
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents the annual Fall Dance Concert, Thursday, November 30 through December 3 on the stage of O'Connell Theatre in the NIU Stevens Building. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. from November 30 through December 2, with 2 p.m. matinees...
Theatre and Dance presents “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
The School of Theatre and Dance at NIU presents William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Black Box Theatre of the NIU Stevens Building with performances Friday, November 10, Saturday, November 11, Thursday, November 16 and Friday, November 17 at 7:30...
NIU featured with cover story in Protocol
Last summer, Northern Illinois University was selected as the site of the second annual Midwest Rigging Intensive, a weekend-long event, held August 17-19, with a focus on practical learning for entertainment riggers. Sessions were held in the Stevens Building and the...
NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents a new adaptation of “The Caucasian Chalk Circle”
NIU's School of Theatre and Dance will present The Caucasian Chalk Circle at The Black Box Theater in the Stevens Building October 13, 14, 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. with matinee performances, October 15 and 21 at 2 p.m. This adaptation by Alexander Gelman, who also is...
World premiere of “Rage Play” opens School of Theatre and Dance’s production season
The world premiere performance of Rage Play by Nandita Shenoy opens the NIU School of Theatre and Dance's 2023-2024 production season Friday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Sally Stevens Players Theatre in NIU's Stevens Building. Performances continue Saturday,...
CVPA Day at Sat., Sept. 23 home football game
NIU Vice President/Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean Frazier has invited all of the students in the College of Visual and Performing Arts to be special guests at the NIU home football game, September 23 versus Tulsa. Tailgating starts at 9 a.m. in The Yard to...
Goodman Theatre offers $10 college night for Lucha Teotl
Goodman Theatre in Chicago offers periodic college nights, where students with a valid college ID can purchase tickets for special events for just $10 that include a production, a pre-show reception with all you can eat pizza and soda and a discussion with a member of...
Tracy Nunnally named one of ESTA’s volunteers of the year
Tracy Nunnally, Technical Director/Head of Design and Technology in NIU's School of Theatre and Dance was recently honored as a Frank Stewart Volunteer of the Year for 2022-2023 by ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association). Nunnally is one of nine ETCP...
SoTD alumni J. Nicole Brooks and Matthew C. Yee to be interviewed by Stephen Colbert as part of Lookingglass Theatre’s Lunch Show, June 16
A pair of NIU School of Theatre and Dance alumni will be interviewed by CBS' The Late Show host Stephen Colbert, as part of Lookingglass Theatre's Lunch Show, Friday, June 16. J. Nicole Brooks, ensemble member and Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence at...
The Rite of Spring highlights this year’s Spring Dance Concert
The spring semester programming in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance ends, fittingly, with Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" as part of the annual Spring Dance Concert, which opens, Thursday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Stevens Building's O'Connell Theatre on...
School of Music and School of Theatre and Dance collaborate on “The Rite of Spring”
The NIU Philharmonic Orchestra will perform selections from Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" at their spring concert and they will be joined for those selections by students from the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. The concert is Wednesday, April 26 at 7 p.m....
“Big Love” opens Friday, April 14 in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents Charles Mee's "Big Love" opening Friday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Sally Stevens Players Theatre in the Stevens Building on the NIU main campus. Other performances are Saturday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 16 at...
Roxanna Conner named new director of NIU’s School of Theatre and Dance
Roxanna Conner, an experienced theater professional with a background in education, administration, production and as a community builder and mentor, has been selected as the director of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. Conner will begin her new role at NIU on...
NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents “The Children’s Hour” (Performance schedule updated)
Update: Performances of "The Children's Hour" originally scheduled for March 31, April 1 and April 2 have been cancelled. A A performance at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 5 has been added. The NIU School of Theatre and Dance will present "The Children’s Hour" at...
NIU School of Theatre and Dance to host live reading of Ukrainian plays, April 2 (Streaming option added)
For the second straight year, the NIU School of Theatre and Dance will host a live reading of works by Ukrainian playwrights to benefit the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. "How to Talk to the Dead" is an event of the Ukrainian Play Reading Project, and will be held...
Support the College of Visual and Performing Arts through Huskies United
The Huskies United day of giving is going on until midnight, March 23. Now is your opportunity to join other Huskies in making a gift to keep NIU moving forward. When you make a gift today or tomorrow on the Huskies United website, the College of Visual and Performing...
NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents Lauren Yee’s “in a word”
NIU’s School of Theatre and Dance will present "in a word" by Lauren Yee, directed by Kay Martinovich and Emily Vitrano in the NIU Stevens Building's Sally Stevens Players Theatre, February 24-26 and March 2-4. With evening performances beginning at 7:30 p.m. February...
Theatre and Dance alumnus Chris Anthony to appear on Chicago PD
Chris Anthony, who completed his Master of Fine Arts in Acting at the NIU School of Theatre and Dance last spring recently filmed a role on the NBC series "Chicago PD." Anthony appeared in the NIU productions of "Kernel of Sanity," "The Restistable Rise of Arturo Ui,"...
NIU School of Theatre and Dance to present “Life is a Dream” with pre-show discussions and post show talkbacks with renowned Spanish Theatre scholars
The Northern Illinois University School of Theatre and Dance presents Pedro Calderòn de la Barca’s 17th century masterpiece of the golden age of Spanish theater, “Life is a Dream” in the Sally Stevens Players Theatre in NIU’s Stevens Building, February 10-12 and...
SNL cast members coming to NIU with free live show for students
Live, from DeKalb, it's... First-year Saturday Night Live cast members Devon Walker and Michael Longfellow are coming to NIU, Wednesday, February 8 for a free, live show exclusively for NIU students. Students can claim two free tickets by using the NIU ticket portal....
Theatre and Dance to present world premiere of “The 30,000 Bequest” at the Egyptian Theatre
A movie more than a decade in the making will have its world premiere, Saturday, January 21 at 7 p.m. at DeKalb's Egyptian Theatre. The NIU School of Theatre and Dance will present the original film production of Mark Twain's "The $30,000 Bequest." Filmed in 2011, the...
NIU Fall Dance Concert “Carmina Burana” runs Nov. 17-20
Northern Illinois University’s School of Theatre and Dance will present "Carmina Burana" at the School of Theater and Dance’s Stevens Building beginning Thursday November 17, at 7:30 p.m. Performances continue Friday, November 18, and Saturday, November 19 at 7:30...
Scholarship established, and reception scheduled to honor Melanie Parks before Sunday’s Dance Concert performance
The College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Theatre and Dance are hosting a reception, Sunday, Nov. 20, in the lobby of the Stevens Building to honor Melanie Parks who worked for nearly 30 years in the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts as an...
NIU professors put their unique expertise into a new play about labor icon Mother Jones
A brand new play that brings together a pair of twentieth century labor icons, also brought together a pair of NIU professors. "A Table For Two At The Dill Pickle," written by Irish writer and musician Larry Kirwan will have its world premiere, Sunday, November 13, at...
Theatre and Dance Alumni and Faculty notes
Alumni and faculty of the School of Theatre and Dance are doing some amazing things. Slee Mumford, MFA '22 is performing in the Off-Broadway "Stranger Sings" Stranger Things parody musical. Slee plays Barb, the best friend of Nancy who (spoiler alert) met her demise...
God of Carnage opens at NIU November 9
What happens when two sets of parents meet up to deal with the unruly behavior of their children? A calm and rational debate between grown-ups? Or a hysterical night of name-calling, tantrums, and tears before bedtime? ‘Boys will be boys’, but the adults are usually...
Theatre and Dance presents “She Kills Monsters” by Qui Nguyen
An exciting performance of sisterhood, queer-identity, and nerd culture! Northern Illinois University’s School of Theatre and Dance will present She Kills Monsters at The O’Connell Theatre in the Stevens Building on Oct. 21-22 and 27-28 beginning at 7:30 each evening...
NIU presents Much Ado About Nothing
Shakespeare's iconic romantic comedy comes to the stage of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance Northern Illinois University’s School of Theatre and Dance will present Much Ado About Nothing in the Sally Stevens Players Theatre on October 7– 9 and October 13 – 15...
Dance alumnus James Stevko returns to conduct masterclass
James Monroe Števko, Chicago who earned his degree in dance from NIU’s School of Theatre and Dance, is currently performing in the Lyric Opera of Chicago's production of Fiddler on the Roof. Last week, he took time out to return to his alma mater and conduct a...
School of Theatre and Dance 2022-2023 performance season
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance 2022-2023 season features daring new works, familiar favorites and the always crowd-pleasing fall and spring dance concerts. The season opens Friday, September 23 with Melancholy Play. Three performance spaces will be utilized in...
NIU School of Theatre and Dance opens new season with Melancholy Play
The Northern Illinois University School of Theatre and Dance will open their 2022-2023 performance season with Melancholy Play in the Stevens Building's Black Box Theatre. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 23, 24, 29 and 30, and 2 p.m. matinees on Sept....
Longtime costume designer, advisor, and associate dean Melanie Parks remembered for her talent, style, advocacy and wit
Beloved artist, designer, educator, student advocate and administrator Melanie Parks passed away July 28 after a long battle with cancer. Parks came to the NIU School of Theatre and Dance in 1990 as costume director and taught all of the technical costume classes. In...
Kane Repertory Theatre presents outdoor production of Twelfth Night
Kane Repertory Theatre, founded in 2019 by a group of alumni from the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, in partnership with the St. Charles Park District, presents a live outdoor production of the Shakespeare classic "Twelfth Night" at the Historic Pavilion on the Fox...
Support NIU during Huskies United June 22-23
Show your support for Northern Illinois University by making a donation during this year's Huskies United, June 22-23. Want to learn more? Check out this video hosted by Kate Drury, a BFA Acting candidate in our very own School of Theatre and Dance....
CVPA alums feature prominently in Netflix’s “Senior Year”
The new Netflix movie Senior Year features Rebel Wilson playing Stephanie, who was injured in a cheerleading stunt when she was 17 only to wake from a coma 20 years later and insisting on returning to finish out her senior year of high school and attend her prom. Mary...
Congratulate Professor of Dance Judith Chitwood on her retirement after the Dance Concert, May 1
Join the NIU School of Theatre and Dance at the final performance of this year’s Spring Dance Concert “The Past to the Present” as we congratulate Judith Chitwood, professor and coordinator of dance, on her retirement. In her distinguished career as a dance educator...
Spring Dance Concert features dances from “The Past to the Present”
The Spring Dance Concert in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance features a little something for everyone as the six dances feature styles that range from classic to cutting edge. The dance concert is held in the O'Connell Theatre in the Stevens Building on the NIU...
School of Theatre and Dance presents “The Language Archive”
Researchers studying a dying language become involved in a love triangle in this absurdist farce that teases out the quirky differences between what’s expressed and what’s meant in "The Language Archive" written by Julia Cho, directed by Bethany Mangum-Oles and Emily...
School of Theatre and Dance presents “The Conference of the Birds” April 1-3, 7-9
The Conference of the Birds, a play based on a twelfth century Suffi poem that follows a group of birds on a spiritual quest for enlightenment, is presented by the NIU School of Theatre and Dance April 1-3 and 7-9 in the Black Box Theatre of the Stevens Building. This...
NIU’s Opera Theatre presents “The Happy Prince” and a tribute to Stephen Sondheim, April 1 and 3
Northern Illinois University will present both the one-act opera The Happy Prince and a tribute to American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim with performances Friday, April 1 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 3 at 3 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the NIU Music Building....
NIU School of Theatre and Dance to present an evening of short plays by Ukrainian playwrights
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance will present an evening of short plays by Ukrainian playwrights, Sunday, April 3, to raise funds to benefit Ukrainian artists. The event is part of The Ukrainian Component of the World-Wide Reading Project, readings of brand-new...
Huskie Spotlight: Rachael Yoder, MFA Acting, ’22
Hometown: Niskayuna, NY Year: Anticipated graduation year: 2022 Major: MFA in acting What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you pursuing that as a major, or have you taken another path? I have always wanted to be an actor. I remember going to the...
NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents “You Are You”
The NIU School of Theatre and dance presents a new work by alumnus Matthew C. Yee titled "You are You" based on characters from Karel Čapek's play "RUR." Before "RUR" there were automatons and androids, but this is the play that gave us the word “robot.” Čapek’s 1921...
“Hit the Wall” runs Feb. 4-6 and 10-12 in the School of Theatre and Dance
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents "Hit the Wall" running February 4-6 and 10-12 in the Sally Stevens Players Theatre in the Stevens Building on NIU's main campus. It’s 1969, summer in New York, and Judy Garland is dead. Police raid the Stonewall Inn on June...
Theatre and Dance faculty and staff members help SpaceX post-landing party take flight
On September 20, a SpaceX four-person crew who had spent three days in orbit splashed down off the Florida coast. One of those four crew members was Hayley Arceneaux, a 29-year old physician assistant at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. When...
Free NIU student tickets for Jazz at the Egyptian, Feb. 5
DeKalb's iconic Egyptian Theatre hosts the Fifth Annual Jazz at the Egyptian, Saturday night, February 5 at 7 p.m. The concert features the NIU Jazz Orchestra, Jazz in Progress, the DeKalb High School Jazz Ensemble and the Sycamore High School Jazz Ensemble. Tickets...
Father-daughter CVPA alumni score big on Shark Tank
What happens when you let Huskies into the shark tank? We found out in March, when Lindsey Valiulis Fleischhauer, ’04, and her father Stan Valiulis, ’84, presented their Totes Babies product to ABC’s critically acclaimed and multi-Emmy® Award-winning...
Fall Dance Concert runs from November 18-21
A celebration of Broadway musicals is the theme of this year's NIU School of Theatre and Dance annual Fall Dance Concert. The Best of Broadway opens with a performance Thursday, October 18 at 7 p.m. with subsequent performances Friday, October 19 at 7 p.m., Saturday...
Thousands Strong kickoff featured several CVPA students
NIU's annual Thousands Strong day of giving got off to a great start on Wednesday night thanks to the hard work and talents of several students in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The kickoff show was hosted by Kate Drury, a BFA acting candidate and dance...
Second annual Thousands Strong event begins Nov. 10 at 5:30 pm
Thousands Strong is an opportunity for alumni and friends to engage with NIU in an exciting, virtual initiative that will increase and expand alumni pride and engagement, and celebrate the impact of philanthropy at Northern Illinois University. This year, this day of...
New adaptation of “Three Sisters” opens in School of Theatre and Dance
A new adaptation of Anton Chekhov's classic "Three Sisters" opens Friday, November 5 in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. This world-premiere of a new adaptation translated and directed by Alexander Gelman, the school's Distinguished Engagement Professor and Head...
Theatre and Dance presents Twelfth Night Oct. 29-31 and Nov. 4-6
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in the Stevens Building's Black Box Theatre, October 29-31 and November 4-6. Did you ever have the urge to run away to the circus? The upside-down world of Illyria is a little like a...
“On the Spot!!!” improv comedy show coming to NIU’s Third Onion Oct. 28-30
Part improvisational theatre, part late-night comedy club, On the Spot invites audience members to shout out ideas for Xavier Smith’s improv troupe to develop on stage and “on the spot.” In between skits and games, three stand-up comedians will perform seven-minute...
“Edward II” opens Friday in School of Theatre and Dance
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents Edward II a new adaptation of the play originally written in 1592 by Christopher Marlowe, opening Friday, October 15. Frankie DiCiaccio authored this adaptation and serves as both director and choreographer. In recent...
Theatre and Dance presents: “Kernel of Sanity” opening this weekend
The 2021-2022 performance season the NIU School of Theatre and Dance opens Friday, October 1 with Kermit Frazier's, Kernel of Sanity in the Sally Stevens Players Theatre, in the Stevens Building on the NIU main campus. The production is directed by School of Theatre...
Live theater returns with a full season of productions at the NIU School of Theatre and Dance
A full season of live theater and dance productions returns to NIU this year, as the School of Theatre and Dance welcomes back audiences to the theaters in the Stevens Building on the main campus. From classics like Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, new adaptions of Three...
CVPA Dean Paul Kassel to direct outdoor performances of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ for Kane County Repertory Theatre
Kane Repertory Theatre, in partnership with the St. Charles Park District, presents a live outdoor production of the Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet at the Historic Pavilion on the Fox River. The play, is directed by Northern Illinois University’s Dean of the...
Graduation Stories: Jill Belluomini, Lincoln Laureate winner, Dance Minor
Jill Belluomini, NIU's 2021 Lincoln Laureate winner, chemistry major and dance minor, was featured in the commencement video for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Here's Jill's story: Also featured were Art and Design's Angie Redmond and Music's Izabella...
Still time to sign up for summer online arts camps
The NIU Community School of the Arts is offering online summer camps for kids ages 11-19 (grades 6-12). Have fun and make lifelong friends while exploring your love of performing and visual arts. Faculty, staff and alumni from the College of Visual and Performing Arts...
First-Generation Huskie Daniil Krimer, grows Kane Repertory Theatre
When Daniil Krimer graduated with his M.F.A. in acting in 2019, he had no way of knowing the kinds of changes that were on the horizon. When he founded the Kane Repertory Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois, in 2019 and became its artistic director, he had no idea that...
Still time to give to Curtain Call! and the Dean will match your donation
Just two days remain to give to our Crowdfund campaign to support our senior artists. As a last minute incentive, Paul Kassel, Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts will match the next $750 in new donations! Visit our crowdfund page to make your...
Dance’s Paula Frasz named 2021 Presidential Engagement and Partnerships Professor
For the past 28 years, Paula Frasz has been designing dances that mirror her students, their experiences and the world we all live in. “All artists reflect wherever they are,” she said. “I don’t just see our students in the classroom. This is my community. This is...
CVPA’s Jessica Labatte and Paula Frasz among this year’s winners of Deacon Davis Awards
The Presidential Commission on Race and Ethnicity (PCORE), formerly the Presidential Commission on the Status of Minorities (PSCM), has reimagined the annual Diversity and Inclusion luncheon as a virtual summit. The event will take place on Wednesday, April 14...
NIU Foundation launches crowdfunding campaigns, including one to support graduating artists
Those looking to make a difference at NIU have a new tool to help raise much-needed financial support. NIU Impact, the NIU Foundation’s new crowdfunding program at http://crowdfund.niu.edu and features ten campaigns. One of those campaigns is "Curtain Call! - Support...
Gibson Cima featured on April 9 episode of PBS’ The Roundtable Perspective
Gibson Cima, assistant professor of theatre history and head of the bachelor of arts in theatre studies program in the Northern Illinois University School of Theatre and Dance will appear on PBS' The Roundtable Perspective. Cima discusses his extensive research into...
Theatre and Dance Black Artists Speaker Series presents J. Nicole Brooks, April 9
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance Black Artists Speaker Series welcomes alumna, J. Nicole Brooks for a guest artist lecture, Friday, April 9 at 3 p.m. via Zoom. Brooks is an award-winning actor, writer and director. Her selected acting credits include Lottery...
NIU alumni founded theater to premiere work starring Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts
Kane Repertory Theatre was founded by a group of recent graduates from the NIU School of Theatre and Dance and premiered their first show in 2019. Kane Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Daniil Krimer and Managing Director Avery Bowne announce the world premiere...
Theatre and Dance presents live stream of Angels in America
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents a live streamed performance of Tony Kushner's Angels in America. Tickets are free of charge and can be reserved online. Performances will be streamed at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27. The School of...
Theatre and Dance to present “Everybody” via webcast March 5 and 6
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents "Everybody" by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Friday, March 5 and Saturday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. There is no charge for tickets but you must reserve your space. This modern riff on the fifteenth-century morality...
Theatre alumna Nicole Upton promoted to managing director of Ingenuity
Nicole Upton, an NIU graduate who earned her bachelor of arts in comprehensive theatre studies from the School of Theatre and Dance has been promoted to managing director of Ingenuity. Ingenuity is an organization founded in 2011 to increase arts education access,...
Playwright Ike Holter to address Theatre and Dance students as part of the Black Artists Speaker Series
Ike Holter, an award-winning playwright based in Chicago will give a guest lecture to students in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, Friday, January 29 from 3:00 to 4:15 p.m. as part of the school's Black Artist Speaker Series. Holter is a winner of the...
South African actor Anton Krueger to serve virtual residency at School of Theatre and Dance
South African actor, playwright, director and scholar Anton Krueger will be serving a virtual residency in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance with free events on Thursday, January 21 through Saturday, January 23. Krueger is a writer and scholar specializing in South...
Dance minor Jill Belluomini chosen as NIU’s Lincoln Laureate
Jill Belluomini can gracefully conquer both a molecular dynamics simulation and a pirouette. Her major and minor at NIU—chemistry and dance—represent her two passions. As different as they may seem, to her, they’re intertwined. For Belluomini, life is all about...
College of Visual and Performing Arts Virtual Commencement video
In case you missed it, or want to see it again, help us congratulate the Class of 2020 once again with this year's virtual commencement. All of last weekend's virtual commencement ceremonies are available to watch online.
Co-writer Mary Holland ’07, stars in Hulu’s acclaimed holiday movie “Happiest Season”
Mary Holland, a 2007 BFA graduate of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance is the co-writer and co-star of Hulu's acclaimed new holiday movie, Happiest Season. Holland co-wrote the romantic comedy with Clea DuVall, whom she starred with on HBO's Veep, and the film also...
Dancing Together Forward: Fall 2020 Dance Concert premieres Nov. 20
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents Dancing Together Forward: Fall 2020 Dance Concert with six airings over the next two weeks, premiering Friday, November 20 at 7 p.m. on YouTube. This screen dance was made in collaboration with the dancers and...
Girls and Dolls cast and crew take ‘explore the space’ to new limits
There is a certain satisfaction that can be achieved in finding a solution to a problem that you not only have never faced, but had never anticipated. The cast and crew of the recent production of Girls and Dolls in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance certainly know...
Thousands Strong kickoff video features CVPA talent
The NIU Foundation kicked off its annual Day of Giving with a Thousands Strong video event, Wednesday, November 18, and the video featured a number of students and alumni of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The video is hosted by Kate Drury, a B.F.A....
NIU’s “Thousands Strong” Virtual Events Celebrate Huskie Pride
In celebration of our positive impact throughout the world, Northern Illinois Huskies and friends of the university are invited to participate in the NIU Foundation “Thousands Strong” virtual events, which will take place Nov. 18-20. From 7-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday,...
Emily Vitrano, M.F.A. ’19, Enriches World Through the ‘Art of Theater’
Growing up in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, Emily Vitrano, M.F.A. ’19, was a very imaginative child. She had lots of time on her own, creating different worlds and playing in them for hours and hours. “I was a very outgoing child and loved to make my older brothers laugh,”...
Black Playwrights Reading Series presents: “Sender” by Ike Holter
The final show in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance Black Playwrights Reading Series is "Sender" by Ike Holter, Sunday, November 16. The reading will be live streamed on Zoom (passcode: 697381), at 7:30 p.m. "Doors" will open at 7 p.m. Following the reading, we...
School of Theatre and Dance presents: Black Playwrights Reading Series, beginning Nov. 1
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance is presenting a Black Playwrights Reading Series, beginning Sunday, November 1 at 7 p.m., with Tanya Barfield's "Bright Half Life."The first reading will be streamed free and open to the public on Zoom at 7:30 p.m. November 1....
Scenes from Black Lives Matter street mural painting
Students, faculty, staff and community members joined together on Thursday, Oct. 1 on Castle Drive to enjoy music from the NIU Black Choir, percussion and jazz ensembles of the NIU School of Music and a performance by students in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance,...
NIU to host art for social justice event to paint Black Lives Matter at the university’s entrance
The Northern Illinois University Center for Black Studies and the College of Visual and Performing Arts are hosting an art for social justice event, "Art and Soul." The event will be held Thursday, October 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the main entrance of the university on...
Theatre and Dance students host Black Art Matters open mic event
The School of Theatre and Dance Student Advisory Committee sought to give students and alumni an outlet for expression by hosting Black Art Matters, an online open mic night, July 10. Brandon Sapp, a BFA Acting major and member of the Student Advisory Committee, said...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Penguin Project choreography
The cancellation of the season's final performances in the College of Visual and Performing Arts had an impact on all students, but for senior dance performance majors Chloe McCoy and Katie Meyer it not only wiped out their final dance performance, but left them in...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Choreography students get back to nature
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Registration is open for NIU Online Theatre Summer Camps
NIU offers a new and exciting online summer camp experience for middle school and high school students who enjoy theatre arts! For more than 30 years Northern Illinois University has offered fine arts residential summer camps. This summer, Online Theatre Arts campers...
A brief reflection on art during the Holocaust Days of Remembrance
Written by: Martina Berger, senior dance performance major, NIU School of Theatre and Dance There has been a huge wave of articles that have been published in recent weeks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is simply one more that will crash onto your screen,...
Huskie Spotlight – Mark Macaranas, School of Theatre and Dance
Marc Macaranas Assistant Professor of Dance Where is your hometown, and where do you reside now? I'm from a little farm town in California called the Delano, in central California just outside of Bakersfield. I did my undergrad in Southern California at UC Irvine. I...
NIU arts events status updates
As part of the university’s response to the rapid spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) world-wide, cancelations, postponements and modifications to scheduled arts events at NIU are being made. We appreciate your interest and support and decisions are being made with the...
Theatre and Dance presents “The Wolves” Feb 22-23, 27-29
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents The Wolves, by Sarah DeLappe in The Sally Stevens Players Theatre, in the NIU Stevens Building, February 22-23 and 27-29. In The Wolves, a stunning first play by DeLappe, an all-girls indoor soccer team warms up for their...
Theatre and Dance presents “A Bright New Boise” through February 15
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents, "A Bright New Boise" by American playwright Samuel D. Hunter. Get ready…in the parking lot of a mega arts and crafts store in Idaho, the Rapture is coming. Or is it? In this intimate comedic drama, five small-town...
Theatre and Dance alumna Mary Holland to voice a droid on Disney’s new Star Wars series
Mary Holland, a 2007 graduate of the BFA Acting program in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance will star in a new Star Wars television show on Disney+ beginning in 2020. Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge is a game show set in a galaxy far, far away, will test young...
Music and life of Jim Morrison and The Doors the focus of the fall Dance Concert
This Fall, the NIU dancers are reprising “Weird Scenes Inside the Goldmine,” the original dance created by professor Judy Chitwood based on the music and life of rock legend Jim Morrison and the Doors. The School of Theatre and Dance welcomes dance teacher Joel Hall,...
Huskie Pledge: For eligible freshmen, new aid program would help fully cover 2020-21 tuition, fees
Illinois high school students who graduate this coming spring with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or above might now be able to reap the benefits of a generous financial aid program at Northern Illinois University. The new Huskie Pledge aims to make NIU more affordable for...
Theatre and Dance presents Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida
The School of Theatre and Dance presents William Shakespeare's Toilus and Cressida, October 25-27 and 31, and November 1-2 in the O'Connell Theatre in the Stevens Building on NIU's main campus. The Trojans and Greeks are at war following the abduction of Helen, the...
With roles on “The Middle” and “General Hospital,” Jen Ray, ’92, is a star
What started as a three-line part turned into a nine-year recurring role for NIU School of Theatre and Dance alumna Jen Ray ('92). When Jen was growing up in Darien, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, she would often go with her mother who was helping backstage at local high...
Theatre and Dance professor Gibson Cima on protest theater and his research in South Africa
Gibson Cima is assistant professor of theater history and head of theatre studies in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. For several years he has traveled to South Africa to study and research South African Theatre. Cima is presenting the lecture, Future Nostalgias"...
NIU alumni create theater company in Kane County
If you're ever wondering what happened to the 2019 MFA Acting class at Northern Illinois University, you can find many of them, and a host of other School of Theatre and Dance alumni in St. Charles, Ill. these days. A talented group of recent alums have established...
NIU to present a panel discussion on the impact of stereotypes and caricature in the black community on media and pop culture
Northern Illinois University presents: "Modern Day Minstel: The History of Stereotype and Caricature in the Black Community and the Effect on Current Media and Pop Culture," a moderated panel discussion, Wednesday, September 25 from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. in the Stevens...
Theatre and Dance’s Studio Series begins with Something, Like Happiness
The 2019-2020 NIU School of Theatre and Dance's Studio Series kicks off, Thursday, September 13, with a new, developmental production. It is a new and moving work by playwright Caridad Svich titled, Something, Like Happiness. The description of the work on The New...
‘Our Lives in Letters’ brings letters from World War II, and their writers, to life
Northern Illinois University will be the home for a one-night performance of an original work created using actual letters between soldiers and loved ones during World War II. Our Lives in Letters: A World War II Perspective will be performed in the Carl Sandburg...
NIU alumnus dances his way to principal acting role and cast album
James Monroe Števko, Chicago native and graduate of NIU's School of Theatre and Dance, is a featured principal on the upcoming original cast album of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. He originated the role of Mendl, under the direction of Tony, Oscar and Golden Globe...
CVPA welcomes students, faculty and staff back with Sundaes on Saturday
Summer is winding down, and there's no surer sign of it than the announcement of Sundaes on Saturday, the fourth annual welcome back event in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Join fellow CVPA students, faculty and staff for free ice cream, music, prizes and...
Thank you for supporting the Day of Giving
Thank you for your support of NIU's first-ever Day of Giving. NIU raised more than $750,000 in 1895 minutes (to honor the founding of the university nearly 125 years ago), and the College of Visual and Performing Arts totaled the second most gifts of any college in...
Join in the fun of NIU’s Day of Giving and support students of the arts!
NIU's first-ever Day of Giving is underway. A university-wide online fundraising event, the Day of Giving provides a great opportunity to support students, scholarships and programs at NIU.In the College of Visual and Performing Arts, you have multiple...
CVPA students among NIU’s Outstanding Graduate Student Award honorees
Eight graduate students from the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts have been honored as part of the university's 2019 Outstanding Graduate Student awards. Sarah Sabo of the School of Art and Design was named both an Outstanding Graduate Student and one of...
Theatre and Dance’s Tracy Nunnally honored with Founders Award from USITT
Tracy Nunnally, Technical Director/Head of Design and Technology for the NIU School of Theatre and Dance has been honored by the United States Institute of Theatre Technology, Inc. (USITT) with their Founders Award for the Midwest Section of the organization which...
Spring Dance Concert: Le Corsaire, April 25-28
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the Spring Dance Concert: Le Corsaire, in the Stevens Building's O'Connell Theatre, nightly Thursday April 25 to Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. with matinees, April 27 and 28 at 2 p.m. Inspired by Lord Byron’s epic poem, The...
NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts to present Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín and related art exhibition and theater performance
The NIU School of Music presents, Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín in concert Sunday, April 28 at 3 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in NIU’s Music Building. The signature concert of The Defiant Requiem Foundation, Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín,...
Theatre and Dance to present BFA/MFA Actor Showcase April 10-14
The School of Theatre and Dance's BFA/MFA Showcase is the culmination of the training and hard work for our actors here at NIU. The showcase will present both video reels and live action scenes that have been hand-picked to highlight the best of each actor’s...
“Bent” to be performed at NIU’s Black Box Theatre, May 2-4
Bent by Martin Sherman is a collaboration project between Northern Illinois University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, The Graduate School, Gender/Sexuality Resource Center, School of Theatre and Dance, School of Music, and School of Art and Design. The play...
Theatre and Dance presents Wonderfully Alice through April 7
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Wonderfully Alice in the Stevens Building's Black Box Theatre, April 3 - 7. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7 p.m, with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Buy your tickets online or at the Stevens Building...
Organic Theater Company’s production “Melancholy Play” is Jeff Recommended
The Organic Theatre Company's current production Melancholy Play: A Contemporary Farce has earned Jeff Recommended status. The production features many NIU alumni and faculty, and continues its run at The Greenhouse Theatre, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, through...
Theatre and Dance presents: Seven Ways To Say I Love you, March 20-24
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents the Bachelor of Arts Showcase Seven Ways To Say I Love You, March 20-24 in the Stevens Building's Corner Theatre on the main campus. Seven Ways To Say I Love You is a collection of funny, sweet, silly, poignant and...
Theatre and Dance presents Hamlet, Feb. 27 – March 3
The School of Theatre and Dance at Northern Illinois University presents William Shakespeare's Hamlet, in the Stevens Building's Black Box Theatre with nightly performances at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 27 through Saturday, March 2 and 2 p.m. matinees Saturday,...
Theatre and Dance presents “Boy” February 13-17
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance presents, Boy by Anna Ziegler, February 13-17 in the Corner Theatre in the Stevens Building on the NIU Main Campus. Inspired by a true story, Boy explores the hot button issue of gender identity. It is the 1960s, and, after a...
Interpretive Dance in the NIU Art Museum, Feb. 7, 8 and 10
Advanced dance students from the NIU School of Theatre and Dance will perform kinetic interpretations of select works of visual art in the galleries of the NIU Art Museum (first floor, Altgeld Hall). Students chose and choreographed their individual short responses to...
Third annual CVPA Convocation set for February 18
Once again this winter, the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Northern Illinois University is hosting an NIU Arts Convocation to celebrate the great work of students in the schools, Monday, February 18. The evening showcases performances by students in the...
School of Theatre and Dance presents The Revolutionists, Feb. 6-10
The School of Theatre and Dance at NIU presents, The Revolutionists, with performances nightly from Wednesday, February 6 through Saturday, February 9 at 7:30 p.m. and with matinees at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 9 and Sunday, February 10 in the O'Connell...
Theatre and Dance presents “The Marriage of Bette and Boo”
The School of Theatre and Dance at NIU presents The Marriage of Bette and Boo with performances nightly at 7:30 p.m. from Wednesday, November 28 through Saturday, December 1, and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday, December 1 and Sunday, December 2. The Marriage of Bette and...
NIU students to perform Kennedy Center number at this fall’s dance concert, Nov. 15-18
Dance students at NIU will be performing the number that took them all the way to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. This year's Fall Dance Concert features “ENUF,” the award-winning original dance created by professor Paula Frasz that the School of Theatre and...
Richard Jenkins tells Theatre and Dance students to believe you are enough
"Be yourself. There's nobody else like you. If you try to act like somebody else you can't be yourself." If there was an over-arching theme in a 90 minute question and answer session between Oscar nominated actor Richard Jenkins and a crowd of more than 120 students...
School of Theatre and Dance to host Q and A with award-winning actor Richard Jenkins
Richard Jenkins, a DeKalb native and Emmy Award winning, and Oscar nominated actor, will be at NIU on Tuesday, October 30 at 2 p.m. for a Q and A with students in the Stevens Building's O'Connell Theatre. Jenkins won the 2015 Emmy Award for Lead Actor in a Limited...
Brand-new black box theatre opens with “The Flick” Oct 3-7
The brand-new black box theatre in the newly renovated NIU Stevens Building opens October 3 with The Flick, the winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Written by Annie Baker, The Flick is an honest look at human life and the outside world as seen through three...
In the news: Alex Gelman on the reopening of the Stevens Building
Alex Gelman, Director of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance penned a guest column in the September 12 edition of The Midweek about the reopening of the Stevens Building. Stevens is home to the School of Theatre and dance as well as the Department of Anthropology. A...
Alumni: Joan Allen stars in new Broadway play
Tony Award winning, Oscar nominated actress, and NIU School of Theatre and Dance graduate Joan Allen is starring in a brand new Broadway play written by Oscar winner Kenneth Lonergan. The Waverly Gallery opens October 25, with previews beginning September 25. From...
Stevens Building ready for its close-up after $23.7 million renovation
The Stevens Building at Northern Illinois University, home to the School of Theatre and Dance and the Department of Anthropology have raised the curtain for Monday’s start of the fall semester after an extensive renovation project. The $23.7 million state...
Theatre and Dance’s Tracy Nunnally honored by the Illinois Theatre Association
Tracy Nunnally, Technical Director/Head of Design and Technology for the NIU School of Theatre and Dance has been honored by the Illinois Theatre Association with the 2018 Award of Excellence for College and University Theatre. Nunnally is one of nine winners of ITA...
NIU dancers have arrived in Washington DC
Eleven students from NIU's dance program have arrived in Washington DC to perform in the National College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center for the Arts this weekend. The dancers qualified for NCDF with their performance of "ENUF," an...
Theatre and Dance’s Tracy Nunnally featured in ESTA’s Protocol Magazine
A first-person account of the importance of combining experience in the field with the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) highlights an article written by Tracy Nunally, Head of Design and Technology at NIU's School of Theatre and Dance. Nunnally...
Theatre and Dance’s Brandon Wardell nominated for 2018 Jeff Award
NIU School of Theatre and Dance Associate Professor Brandon Wardell has been nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award in the category of lighting design for his work in the Steep Theatre production of "Lela and Co." The Non-Equity Jeff Awards recognize outstanding...
New course in Applied Theater for majors and non-majors alike
Love theater? Do you think theater is healing, helpful, fun, engaging and has a lot to offer all types of people? Afraid of the struggle to make a living with theater? Want to learn how you can use theater in tons of other industries? Then come sign up for Applied...
School of Theatre and Dance presents Abbey Fenbert’s “Intentions”
The Northern Illinois University School of Theatre and Dance’s upcoming production of Intentions, written by Abbey Fenbert, is a contemporary and uproarious fast-paced comedy capturing the ethos of living deliberately and fighting typical twentieth century corrupt...
The story behind the dance that sent NIU to the Kennedy Center
Students from the NIU Dance program performed at the Central Conference of the American College Dance Association (ACDA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on March 17-18. Their performance was of such high quality that they earned the top honor...
NIU dancers invited to perform at the Kennedy Center
The weekend of March 17-18 students from the NIU Dance Program attended the Central Conference of the American College Dance Association (ACDA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The students performed "ENUF," a work choreographed by NIU School of...
NIU is where Joe Minoso learned to learn, and how to follow his calling
Brooklyn born actor Joe Minoso has played firefighter Joe Cruz on NBC's hit series Chicago Fire for the past six seasons. He credits his career success to a fateful decision to come to DeKalb to earn his Master of Fine Arts in Acting. "NIU is almost single-handedly...
Huskie Spotlight: Alex Gelman, Director, School of Theatre and Dance
Alex Gelman, Director of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance is featured in a recently published Huskie Spotlight. In nearly 16 years as director of NIU’s School of Theatre and Dance in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Alex Gelman has created near-perfect...
School of Theatre and Dance collaborates with DeKalb Area Women’s Center for “Sisterhood Stories”
As part of Women's History Month, the NIU School of Theatre and Dance will be performing scenes titled "Sisterhood Stories: Strong Female Voices in Theatre" at the DeKalb Area's Women's Center, March 10 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. This is the second year that the School of...