Theatre

Two student performers stand on stage beneath a large projection reading, “AI learns through mathematical pattern recognition and optimization of large datasets, while human learning is a biological process shaped by experience, emotions and consciousness.” Blue and purple lighting and stage haze frame the scene, with one performer elevated on a platform and another kneeling nearby, holding a notebook.

From Seed to Stage: MSU Department of Theatre Production Draws Inspiration from Historic Beal Experiment

February 9, 2026

Buried beneath Michigan State University’s campus are the seeds of one of the world’s longest continuously monitored scientific experiments — and now, a new production presented by MSU’s Department of Theatre is bringing that history to life. Currently in its 147th year, the William J. Beal Seed Experiment serves as the inspiration for Echoes from the Banks of the Red Cedar, an immersive dance theatre production written, choreographed, and directed by Alexandria Davis, Assistant Professor of Dance.

Rachel Zhai stands at a podium holding notes while delivering an oral presentation to an audience seated in a lecture-style room at the Diversity Research Showcase.

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Arts & Letters and RCAH Students Earn Awards at Diversity Research Showcase

January 30, 2026

Students from the College of Arts & Letters and the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) earned top honors at the 9th Annual Diversity Research Showcase hosted by MSU’s Honors College. Thirteen students from the two colleges presented their research, with two RCAH students receiving first place in the poster presentation category and a College of Arts &…

Tasiyah Hampton, Kamara Drane, and Charisma Holly stand on a raised stage, each at a microphone. They wear professional-casual attire in neutral tones. A dark curtain forms the stage backdrop, while audience members seated at round banquet tables fill the foreground in a large conference hall.

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Transforming Theatre Ensemble Showcases Student Work at Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration

January 29, 2026

When first-year Michigan State University student and Detroit-based poet Charisma Holly’s words echoed through the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center banquet room during MSU’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Unity Dinner, she knew she was giving back to a celebration transcending injustice. Holly, a Communications Leadership and Strategy major, is part of a new tradition for the Transforming Theatre…

A photo of two individuals, a man and a woman, in front of a whiteboard.

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No Cookie-Cutter Performers: How MSU Shaped the Creative Careers of Two Theatre Alums

January 21, 2026

When MSU Department of Theatre alums Sarah Goeke and Travis Staton-Marrero revisited campus, they brought more than memories, returning with hard-earned experience shaped by their time at Michigan State University and a desire to share it with the next generation of theatre professionals. Now both living in New York City, that experience is reflected in the careers they have built.…

Larry Joe Campbell smiling warmly, sitting in a chair with his arms crossed. He is wearing a purple and white button up shirt with a dark blue vest.

Theatre

Hollywood Veteran Brings Real-World Experience to MSU Department of Theatre Class

January 14, 2026

Students enrolled in the Fall 2025 Acting for the Camera class offered by Michigan State University’s Department of Theatre had the rare opportunity of learning from a veteran Hollywood actor and comedian who has found success on both television and the big screen. Their instructor, Larry Joe Campbell, has a long list of credits but is best known for his eight-season run as Andy on the ABC sitcom "According to Jim."

A teacher talks with four adult students who are sitting at two rows of tables.

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Theatre Professor Leads English Program in Thailand Through the U.S. Department of State

December 3, 2025

Deric McNish, Associate Professor of Theatre at Michigan State University, led a four-week U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist Program at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University (SSRU) in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Sasiporn Phongploenpis, SSRU Assistant Professor and Deputy Dean of the Graduate School, hosted and facilitated the drama-based English education program with McNish during October 2025. McNish brought his expertise…

Three people stand in a hallway beside a door with a green ribbon tied across it. Two individuals hold large green ceremonial scissors together while a third person stands beside them, watching the cut.

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MSU Theatre Launches Food Pantry to Support Student Wellness

November 21, 2025

The Michigan State University Department of Theatre celebrated the opening of its new food pantry on Nov. 20 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Friends of Theatre Food Pantry will support Theatre students whose demanding schedules often limit their access to consistent meals, providing them with a private and reliable source of food during busy academic and production periods.

Two students stand side by side in an improv rehearsal, each holding their hands up mid-gesture as if responding to an imagined situation. One wears an MSU Spartan hoodie and the other a black graphic T-shirt.

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No Script, No Limits: Department of Theatre Presents ‘MSU UnScripted’

November 19, 2025

Get ready to laugh and shout because nothing is scripted! The Michigan State University Department of Theatre proudly presents “MSU UnScripted,” directed by Sarah Hendrickson, MSU Department of Theatre instructor, improviser, actress, and producer. The show runs Dec. 4-7, 2025, at Studio 60 Theatre in the MSU Auditorium building.

A person stands and speaks to a group of students seated around tables arranged in a square inside a black box theater. The students hold scripts and listen attentively, surrounded by nameplates and small pumpkins.

Theatre

Moral Mayhem Meets Minimalist Theatre in ‘Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play’

November 10, 2025

The Michigan State University Department of Theatre presents “Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play,” a twisted comedy by Lauren Wilson and directed by Associate Professor Brad Willcuts. Performances run Nov. 19-23, 2025, in Studio 60 Theatre inside the MSU Auditorium building. “Chemical Imbalance” is a satirical spin on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr…

Beaumont Tower lit with vivid red and white projections depicting skeletal figures climbing up the brick façade against the evening sky.

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Beaumont Tower Comes Alive with Animated Projections Created by MSU Students

November 3, 2025

Michigan State University’s Beaumont Tower came alive with light, sound, and animation during this year’s Halloween carillon concert, “The Ringing 2: Shadows Rise.” The event showcased artwork and animations created by students in the Department of Theatre’s Compositing and Special Effects for Stage and Screen (THR 337) class, taught by Alison Dobbins, Professor of Integrated Performance Media Design.