The adventure is now…

At EMU, theater invigorates every corner of campus, from medieval Christmas plays staged in the snow to experimental pieces mounted on golf carts, from major Broadway musicals in an 880-seat house to student-written plays flowering in our intimate studio theater.

We are committed to developing, employing and sharing each student’s artistic skills and gifts. Known for rich productions of a challenging body of works, the department stages seasons in which bold contemporary plays join classic musicals, Shakespeare flowers alongside original student works, and incisive political dramas flourish in hand with wild farces.

What’s special about our program?

Professors who believe the art of theater transforms people and stirs them to action.

Diverse courses in exciting classroom and laboratory environments.

Student artists… the core of EMU theater. Regional winners of Kennedy Center/American College Theater festival honors in fields ranging from acting to sound design, students regularly direct and design departmental offerings, exploring their gifts further as playwrights, actors, and technicians.

Our small, connected campus means there’s room for everyone at every level. We’re committed to developing, employing and sharing each student’s artistic skills and gifts.

The mission of EMU theater

We seek to produce works of excellence within the context of a liberal arts environment dedicated to the Anabaptist faith tradition. We understand our roles as Christian theater artists to center ourselves on an obedient, faithful and joyful search within our relationships with God and one another. Therefore our goal is to give students a venue in which they may both produce beautiful art and use theater to speak to the issues most dear to them.

A Christian theater

Building off the Mennonite dedication to a faith that engages our world, EMU theater strives to perform increasingly varied texts. It is our aim to present work that reflects the timeless values and provocative questions of classical texts as well as productions that engage the modern condition. We believe that our theater performances are driven by faith, graced by God and invigorated by both prayer and the convivial exploration of dedicated Christian artists working together.

Talkbacks and round tables

“Talkbacks” and round tables provide student actors and directors with an opportunity for a face-to-face breakdown of their work. They discuss the theology behind their performance or direction, the meaning audience members take from it, and much more.