Ensemble Directors
Gospel Choir
Ross Browne rlb33@drexel.edu
Drexel Dance Ensemble
Britt Whitmoyer Fishel bwf34@drexel.edu
FreshDance Ensemble
Britt Whitmoyer Fishel bwf34@drexel.edu
Community Engaged Movement & Touring Ensemble
Valerie Ifill vji24@drexel.edu
All-College Choir
Scott Bacon sdb33@drexel.edu
Chamber Music: Brass and Winds
Dr. Eve Friedman eaf79@drexel.edu
Chamber Music: Strings
Karen Banos kmb53@drexel.edu
Chamber Singers
Dr. Daniel Spratlan dms542@drexel.edu
Concert Band
Dr. Domenic Pisano djp368@drexel.edu
Drexel University
Symphony Orchestra
Rosalind Erwin rme49@drexel.edu
Experimental Music Ensemble
Chris Farrell cbf27@drexel.edu
Fusion Band
Lynn Riley mcr27@drexel.edu
dance/music
Jazz Orchestra
Brent White bw352@drexel.edu
JazzTet
Brent White bw352@drexel.edu
Mediterranean Ensemble
Bruce Kaminsky bk46@drexel.edu
Pep Band
Dr. Domenic Pisano djp368@drexel.edu
Percussion Ensemble
Mark Beecher meb26@drexel.edu
Rock Ensemble
Greg Wright gjw28@drexel.edu
University Chorus
Dr. Daniel Spratlan dms542@drexel.edu
Drexel Theatre Company
Drexel Players
Late Night Series
Open Mic
Performance Ensemble
Nick Anselmo nma28@drexel.edu
NewWorks Festival / Directors Lab Bill Fennelly wjf35@drexel.edu
Advanced Improv Ensemble
David Lee White dlw325@drexel.edu
Technical Theatre Ensemble
Paul Jerue prj36@drexel.edu
Theatre Management Practicum
Dan Toll det34@drexel.edu
Dance Program
Jennifer Morley 215-895-2018 jsm76@drexel.edu
Music Program Luke Abruzzo 215-571-3528 laa24@drexel.edu
Theatre Program Nick Anselmo 215-895-1920 nma28@drexel.edu
General Inquiries 215-895-2451 performingarts@drexel.edu
Welcome to the Department of Performing Arts
The Arts are essential to A.J. Drexel’s vision for higher education—forming one of the three pillars of his education model to train students for the workforce. Drexel Dance, Music, and Theatre Programs intersect with curriculum, community, and student life, providing unique leadership and learning experiences. Drexel’s Performing Arts venues—Mandell Theater and URBN Annex Black Box Theater—are important places to learn, practice, perform, and connect.
Our talented community of students, faculty, and staff are committed to presenting thought-provoking and engaging works of music, theatre, and dance for everyone to experience. With performance ensembles in dance, theatre, and 16 genres of music, plus technical theatre, there is something for everyone in the performing arts. We are particularly proud that…
• All students regardless of major or college can participate in the Performing Arts.
• 1800 students from all majors participate in ensembles each year
• Students may participate in large and small performing ensembles in all three disciplines for credit
• Scholarships are available for advanced performers and stage technicians every year
• Drexel offers one major and eight minors in Performing Arts.
We are proud to serve the Drexel community, believing in the power of performing arts to continue to bring people together.
Miriam Giguere, PhD Department Head Performing Arts
Subir Sahu, PhD Senior Vice President for Student Success
Dance p. 8-11 Mandell
Theatre p. 12-15
Music p. 16-19
Dec 5
Drexel University Symphony Orchestra
p.
Oct 7
Fall Dance Lecture: Dominic Moore-Dunson
Oct 9
Mandell Presents: Harry Yeff, New Creative Intelligence
Nov 6 – 15
She Kills Monsters
Nov 20
Experimental Music Ensemble
Dec 2
Chamber Strings
Fusion Band & Rock Ensemble
Dec 4
Jazz Orchestra & Jazztet
Dec 6
All College Choir, Chamber Brass & Winds
Gospel Choir
Dec 6
Theatre Showcase: Musical Theatre Cabaret, Monologue Showcase, Advancd Improv Ensemble
Dec 7
Percussion Ensemble
University Chorus & Chamber
Singers
Concert Band
winter spring
Feb 5 & 7
FreshDance
Feb 6-8
Drexel Dance Ensemble
Feb 13-14
Mantua Theater Project
Mar 2
Concert Band
Mar 3
Chamber Strings
Mar 5
Experimental Music Ensemble
Mar 8
Percussion Ensemble
Mar 10
Fusion Band & Rock Ensemble
Mar 11
Mediterranean Ensemble
Mar 12
Jazz Orchestra & Jazztet
Mar 13
Drexel University Symphony Orchestra
Mar 14
All College Choir, Chamber Brass & Winds
Gospel Choir
Mar 14
Theatre Showcase: Musical Theatre Cabaret, NewWorks Festival, Advancd Improv Ensemble
Mar 15
University Chorus & Chamber Singers
May 8-16
Little Women, The Musical
May 20-21 FreshDance
May 28-30
Drexel Dance Ensemble
May 30 Community Engaged Movement Showcase
Jun 2
Chamber Strings
Jun 3
Mediterranean Ensemble
Jun 4
Jazz Orchestra & Jazztet
Jun 5
Drexel University Symphony Orchestra
Outdoor Music Jam: feat. Experimental Music Ensemble, Fusion Band, and Rock Ensemble
Percussion Ensemble
Jun 6
Theatre Showcase:
Musical Theatre Cabaret, Director’s Lab, Advanced Improv Ensemble
Jun 6
All College Choir, Chamber Brass & Winds
Gospel Choir
Jun 7
Concert Band
University Chorus & Chamber Singers
Mandell Presents expands on the mission of Drexel’s Department of Performing Arts to engage a broader University and community audience through an interdisciplinary series of theater, music, and dance. Featuring high caliber professional artists who engage with provocative ideas and innovative concepts, the series delves deeply into contemporary issues impacting our community.
Mandell Presents is funded, in part, by the Samuel P. Mandell Foundation. Additional presenting partners for the 25/26 season include the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, along with several of its departments and programs.
Free | Ticket Registration Required
The 2025/26 Mandell Presents series is free, open to the public.
Natalia Suvorova
Harry Yeff: New Creative Intelligence
Thu Oct 9 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
“One of the world’s leading vocal experimentalists” according to The Economist, Harry Yeff is a proud neurodivergent artist known for his thought-provoking lectures that fuse human expression with cutting-edge technology. In his performative lecture format, Harry Yeff, aka Reeps100, explores the future of creativity at the intersection of art, voice, and artificial intelligence (AI). The talk dives into the evolving partnership between humans and machines, offering strategic insights into how artists and technologists can co-create and leverage AI to enrich creative processes. Yeff unpacks the complexities of collaborating with AI, from building trust with intelligent agents, directing the world’s first international ballet embracing holistic AI process, to harnessing their potential in ways that enhance rather than replace human intuition. Yeff’s work pushes the boundaries of human expression and expands the creative horizon, while laying a foundation for future-forward, human-centered collaboration in an increasingly digital world.
Artist discussion, facilitated by Dr. Youngmoo Kim, immediately following the lecture.
Engage more with this artist!
Harry Yeff’s visit to Drexel includes a brief residency with class visits and workshops for Drexel students, October 8-10, 2025. Visit drexel.edu/Westphal/news-events/events/ for more information and announcements.
Harry Yeff (Reeps100) is a Grammy Award winning artist and director, known for his explosive performances and thought-provoking lectures that fuse the human voice with cutting-edge technology. Since 2017, Yeff has been a leader in vocal AI innovation, collaborating with world-renowned institutions such as Harvard University, Google, and Ars Electronica. His work delves deep into the creative potential of AI, pushing the boundaries of vocal experimentation and strategic machine learning touching a diverse and rich set of cultures and institutions. Yeff’s revolutionary projects have garnered attention from major global press outlets like Wired, Forbes, and The Guardian, solidifying his role as a visionary in the intersection of voice, technology, and art. His groundbreaking AI-driven installations and performances challenge the limits of artistic expression, offering audiences an immersive glimpse into the future of creativity.
Youngmoo Kim, PhD is Drexel’s Vice Provost for University & Community Partnerships, and the Founding Director of the ExCITe Center, the University’s research institute for transdisciplinary collaboration at the intersection of technology and creative expression. He joined Drexel in 2005 as a faculty member in Electrical & Computer Engineering. Dr. Kim is a recognized leader in music technology research and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education and has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications spanning AI for music, human-machine interfaces and robotics for expressive interaction, and integrating arts and STEM learning.
The Dance Program
The Dance program is the proud home of the dance major, dance minor, somatics minor, Drexel community engaged movement partnerships, Pilates studio and world-class training program, and two robust student dance companies. We offer dance classes in multiple genres of dance to students from all majors in the University. Drexel’s Dance Program presents dance concerts of the highest artistic standard, created by some of today’s most sought after local, national, and international choreographers, including Netta Yerushalmy, Omar Román De Jesús (Boca Tuya), Silvana Cardell (Cardell Dance Theater), Yoshito Sakuraba (Abarukas), and Kun-Yang Lin (KYL/Dancers). The Drexel Dance Program extends opportunities to learn about dance around the world through participation in our London Study Abroad and International Dance Festivals.
The Drexel Dance Ensemble and FreshDance Ensemble present multiple highly produced concerts annually. Entrance into these companies is by audition, which is open to dancers from any major. FreshDance offers dynamic, fully produced performance opportunities specifically for first-year students. The Drexel Dance Ensemble, our vibrant, immersive company for dancers beyond their first year, showcases a diverse range of professional and choreographic voices. Both companies present the work of guest choreographers, faculty, and select student and alumni choreographers.
The Drexel Dance Program celebrates and cultivates vibrant connections with our neighbors through Community Engaged Movement Partnerships. Students with a passion for engaging younger audiences are invited to join our Touring Ensemble, which performs assembly programs weekly at local elementary and middle schools.
We hope you enjoy experiencing Dance at Drexel!
Jennifer Morley Dance Program Director
“The
Drexel Dance Program has taught me the ways in which community drives creativity. We learn to strengthen and evolve our ideas by leaning on and learning from those around us.”
-Molly Reilly, Dance 2026
Dance Lecture: Dominic Moore-Dunson
The Story You Carry
Tue Oct 7 | 6:00 PM | Mandell Theater
What if the most important story you’ll ever tell is the one you already lived? In this hour-long conversation (and maybe even a little solo movement), award-winning choreographer Dominic Moore-Dunson invites the Drexel community into a dialogue about the power of storytelling through movement. Rooted in his upbringing in the urban Midwest, Dominic explores how dance, theater, and visual storytelling can hold space for memory—especially the collective kind—and how our most personal stories often carry the most universal truth. This isn’t a lecture. It’s an invitation: to think, to feel, to remember—and to get real about the kind of art you’re called to make. Whether you’re a dancer, actor, painter, or writer, Dominic breaks down how pulling from your own life isn’t just a method—it’s a responsibility. Expect a mix of movement, reflection, and straight talk about what it means to be an artist trying to make meaning right now. Because the story you carry might just be the one someone else is waiting to hear.
Dominic Moore-Dunson is an award-winning choreographer based in Akron, Ohio. He is the Co-Founder of MooreDunson Moves, a family-led creative studio and consulting company helping people move better — as teams, couples, and artists. Alongside his wife and co-founder Ashley Moore-Dunson, Dominic leads the company’s growing slate of work. Its first expression is his career as a choreographer, while its second brand, THRIVE Leadership & Team Development, is currently active. Two additional brands — The Artist Playbook and Married in the Middle — are set to launch in 2026. Through Urban Midwest Storytelling — work that reflects the emotional, cultural, and spiritual weight of growing up Black in postindustrial America — Dominic centers stories that bridge the personal, political, and familial, creating immersive experiences that challenge, uplift, and inspire. Dominic is a 2024 Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award recipient, was named one of Dance Magazine’s 2023 “25 to Watch,” and is a former Jacob’s Pillow Choreography Fellow and Associate Artist at the Atlantic Center for the Arts. His work has been presented nationally and featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Akron Beacon Journal, among others.
FreshDance Winter Performance
Our first-year dance ensemble students delve into dynamic and heartfelt movement, presenting work that captivates and inspires. This concert will showcase choreography from Valerie Ifill and Sydney Donovan, alongside student artists, spanning a diverse range of dance styles.
Thu Feb 5 | 7:30 PM
Sat Feb 7 | 2:00 PM
Mandell Theater
Drexel Dance Ensemble Winter Performance
See an exciting evening of dance featuring new works from Dr. Miriam Giguere, Jennifer Morley, Kareem Goodwin, and Alexis Curiel, alongside student choreographers. This concert honors the creativity and bold exploration of both emerging and established artists, using expressive movement to forge powerful connections between performance and audience.
Fri Feb 6 | 7:30 PM
Sat Feb 7 | 7:30 PM
Sun Feb 8 | 2:00 PM
Mandell Theater
spring
FreshDance Spring Performance
In this spring performance, our first-year dance ensemble students bring vibrant and expressive movement to the stage, offering pieces that engage and uplift. The concert features a wide array of dance styles through choreography by both professional and student artists.
Wed May 20 | 7:30 PM
Thu May 21 | 7:30 PM
Mandell Theater
Drexel Dance Ensemble Spring Performance
Experience a vibrant performance this spring, featuring Ellen Forman Award recipient Floyd McLean Jr., professional guest artists, faculty, and student choreographers. This concert highlights the bold artistry and creative exploration of both new and established voices, using expressive movement to create meaningful connections with the audience.
Thu May 28 | 7:30 PM
Fri May 29 | 7:30 PM
Sat May 30 | 7:30 PM
Mandell Theater
Community Engaged Movement Year-end Showcase
Sat May 30 | 11:00 AM | Mandell Theater
This event is free and open to the public.
“Drexel Theater is the thing I look forward to most after a day of co-op/ classes. It’s the place I go to work with Engineers, Nurses, Businessfolk, and Architects alike to make good theater. This company is my people, and we’re a people who are developing ourselves as much as we develop our art.”
-Fintan Falcone McNamara, 2028
The Theatre Program
The Theatre Program is open to all Drexel students interested in performance as well as the technical and administrative aspects of theatre production. We empower students to discover and develop their own artistic voice and style by offering practical courses in performance, administration, and technical theatre where students develop their skills, and gain a deeper understanding of theatre.
Our talented students take on leadership positions in all areas of performance, production, and administration. We offer a mainstage theatrical production each quarter that may include a co-production with professional artists or entire theatre companies from Philadelphia. These co-productions offer students an opportunity to work alongside professional actors, directors, designers, and technicians in musicals, plays, and devised theatre productions.
Each quarter we produce a Musical Theatre Cabaret—where students work with a professional vocal coach and accompanist—and our Advanced Improv Ensemble works on long and short form improvisation. We produce The Director’s Lab, which are student directed short plays, and hold an annual NewWorks Festival of plays written by students from Drexel’s Page-To-Stage class.
You can share your talents by joining us every Thursday night for The Late Night Series, our weekly open mic—the longest running in Philadelphia— that features live music, poetry, and comedy in a safe and supportive environment. You can also sign up to help run this event by booking artists, running sound, or marketing the show.
Nick Anselmo Theatre Program Director
She Kills Monsters
By Qui Nguyen
Directed by Abby Weissman
She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she is catapulted into a journey of discovery and adventure in the imaginary world that was created by her sister. Join us for this high-energy dramatic comedy complete with homicidal fairies, nasty bugbears, and 90s pop culture, as a sister ventures into the unknown world of D&D to learn more about her sister, her community, and herself. Please be advised that this show centers on queer characters and contains mature/strong language/homophobic slurs and depictions of anti-gay bullying, as well as discussions of grief.
Preview Thu Nov 6 | 8:00 PM
Opening Fri Nov 7 | 8:00 PM
Sat Nov 8 | 8:00 PM
Sun Nov 9 | 2:00 PM
Thur-Sat Nov 13-15th | 8:00 PM
Mandell Theater
Theatre Showcase
Sat Dec 6 | URBN Annex Black Box Theater
Musical Theatre Cabaret | 5:00 PM
Evening of Monologues | 7:00 PM
Advanced Improv Ensemble | 8:30 PM
Free admission for this event. Ticket registration recommended.
winter
Mantua Theater Project
Featuring plays written by the young playwrights of the Mantua Theater Project
Directed by Nick Anselmo
Join us for these insightful, whimsical, and touching stories featuring characters based on animals, inanimate objects, and forces of nature. You will love the creativity of these talented youth brought to life by our Theatre Program artists. The Mantua Theatre Theater Project addresses the needs of Mantua/Powelton youth with self-affirming activities where they can realize their self-worth and the diversity of their imagination, using theater arts to foster positive experiences of success.
Fri Feb 13 | 7:00 PM
Sat Feb 14 | 2:00 PM | 7:00 PM
URBN Annex Black Box Theater
Free admission for this event. Ticket registration recommended.
Theatre Showcase
Sat Mar 14 | URBN Annex Black Box Theater
Musical Theatre Cabaret | 5:00 PM
Page-To-Stage NewWorks Festival | 7:00 PM
Advanced Improv Ensemble | 8:30 PM
Free admission for this event. Ticket registration recommended.
spring
Little Women: The Broadway Musical
Book by Allan Knee
Music By Jason Howland
Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein
Directed by Esther M. Cohen
Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott
Based on Louisa May Alcott’s life, Little Women follows the adventures of sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March. Jo is trying to sell her stories as a young woman in a field dominated by male writers. She weaves the story of herself and her sisters and their experience growing up in Civil War America. With a soaring Broadway score, this powerful show will please your entire family.
Opening Fri May 8 | 8:00 PM
Sat May 9 | 8:00 PM
Sun May 10 | 2:00 PM
Thur-Sat May 14-16th | 8:00 PM
URBN Annex Black Box Theater
Theatre Showcase
Sat Jun 6 | URBN Annex Black Box Theater
Musical Theatre Cabaret | 5:00 PM
Director’s Lab | 7:00 PM
Advanced Improv Ensemble | 8:30 PM
Free admission for this event. Ticket registration recommended.
Tickets for Theatre
$20 General Admission
$15 Non-Drexel Students
$10 Drexel Student/Faculty/Staff
+ $3 Processing Fee
The Music Program
The Music Program at Drexel University is a robust non-degree program consisting of nearly eight hundred students each term engaged in our sixteen musical ensembles, lecture courses, and private lessons. The program unites students from every college across the campus, brought together by an intrinsic love of music. These future scientists, engineers, designers, and business leaders learn music, but the takeaway from their experiences transcends the art form and manifests itself in their future careers.
The mission of the Music Program is to cultivate cultural literacy and understanding of its students as well as the greater university. The program also seeks to contribute to the cultural well-being of the greater Philadelphia area by offering high-quality free student concerts that draw a discerning audience from both outside and inside the university community. We aim to inspire students and round out their community and leadership skills through music, so they may emerge from Drexel as strong individuals, great citizens, and leaders in their respective fields.
We are proud to offer individual lessons, small and large ensemble experiences, and outstanding performances in choral and instrumental music. Audience members are invited to come out to enjoy the musical variety of our performances, embracing music from throughout history and from all over the world.
Luke Abruzzo Music Program Director
“To me, the Drexel Music Program means creativity, friendship, teamwork, and growth.”
-Charlie Rohland, Music Industry, 2028
fall concert series
Experimental Music Ensemble
Thu Nov 20 | 5:00 PM | Leonard Pearlstein Gallery
Chamber Strings
Tue Dec 2 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
Fusion Band & Rock Ensemble
Tue Dec 2 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
Jazz Orchestra & Jazztet
Thu Dec 4 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
Drexel University Symphony Orchestra Dec 5 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
Gospel Choir
Sat Dec 6 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
All College Choir, Chamber Brass & Winds Sat Dec 6 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
Percussion Ensemble
Sun Dec 7 | 1:00 PM | Creese Student Center
University Chorus & Chamber Singers
Sun Dec 7 | 3:00 PM | Great Court
Concert Band
Sun Dec 7 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
Tickets for Music
All Drexel Music Concerts are free and open to the public.
Reserve tickets in advance at DrexelPerformingArts.com
winter concert series
Concert Band
Mon Mar 2 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
Chamber Strings
Tue Mar 3 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
Experimental Music Ensemble
Thu Mar 5 | 5:00 PM | Leonard Pearlstein Gallery
Percussion Ensemble
Sun Mar 8 | 3:00 PM | Mandell Theater
Fusion Band & Rock Ensemble
Tue Mar 10 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
Mediterranean Ensemble
Wed Mar 11 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
Jazz Orchestra & Jazztet
Thu Mar 12 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
Drexel University Symphony Orchestra
Fri Mar 13 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
Gospel Choir Sat Mar 14 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
All College Choir, Chamber Brass & Winds
Sat Mar 14 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
University Chorus & Chamber Singers
Sun Mar 15 | 3:00 PM | Great Court
spring concert series
Chamber Strings
Tue Jun 2 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
Mediterranean Ensemble Wed Jun 3 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
Jazz Orchestra & Jazztet Thu Jun 4 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
Outdoor Music Jam
featuring Experimental Music Ensemble, Fusion Band, and Rock Ensemble Fri Jun 5 | 1:00 – 4:00 PM | Lancaster Walk
Percussion Ensemble Fri Jun 5 | 4:00 PM | Chestnut Square
Drexel University Symphony Orchestra Fri Jun 5 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
Gospel Choir Sat Jun 6 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
All College Choir, Chamber Brass & Winds Sat Jun 6 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
University Chorus & Chamber Singers Sun Jun 7 | 3:00 PM | Main Auditorium
Concert Band Sun Jun 7 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
Dance Major Academics
The Dance major combines rigorous academic coursework with extensive stage and studio dance experiences. We feature an outstanding faculty of noted dancers and choreographers. The Drexel Dance program is unique in our emphasis on preparing our graduates for a variety of careers in dance and related subjects. We achieve this through Drexel’s outstanding co-op program which has all students work for six months in a job related to dance, extensive community-based learning opportunities and the chance to participate in two professional-caliber student companies. Our program uniquely offers the option of four distinct tracks to career paths that combine an active engagement in dance with a range of occupations. The four tracks are dance/movement therapy, dance in education, physical therapy, and a custom design track, typically a unique approach to choreography and performance.
Dance
The 24-credit minor in Dance offers students an opportunity to explore dance in the studio through technique classes, and in the classroom through academic classes in dance. Participation in the dance ensemble class is required, although performance with the ensemble is not. There is no audition for the Dance minor program.
Music
The minor in Music offers students a broad and flexible curriculum that includes a general background and allows for electives to enable students to explore specific areas. Possible electives include lecture courses, music ensembles, and private lessons.
Music Performance
The minor in Music Performance requires two years of private lesson study with our artist faculty, culminating in a recital. This minor is suited for students with a considerable background consisting of years of private instruction and music major caliber repertoire. Students in this minor must produce and perform a solo recital near the completion of this minor. Students must contact the Music Program Director and be approved to pursue this minor.
Jazz and African American Music
The minor in Jazz and African American Music takes advantage of Drexel faculty expertise in these areas. This minor includes course work in the understanding of African diasporic music. It includes electives to take in related ensembles and private lessons, should students choose.
Music Theory and Composition
This minor is suitable for students who create their own music. Some of the courses deliver necessary background while most are specifically oriented to music composition.
Performing Arts
Designed for the student who wishes to explore the fields of dance, music and theatre rather than specialize in one area, the minor in Performing Arts provides motivated students the opportunity to learn about all three areas while performing for two years in one or more of the department’s performing groups.
Somatics
An understanding of movement and body language has become increasingly important across many fields including communication, corporate training, movement therapy, education, performance, rehabilitation, sport and fitness. Physical health, clear communication, and effective leadership all rely on an awareness of how we carry our bodies through our lives. The Somatics minor provides an in-depth study of the body, building from an understanding of its functional/structural basis, to its patterns and habits. We focus on how to interpret, analyze, and articulate somatic concepts and develop strategies for application.
Theatre
The Theatre minor is for any student interested in applying their talents to all areas of theatre and learning more about how we collaborate to tell great stories. Comprised of 24 credits, the minor offers coursework in fundamental theatre operations, as well as opportunities to participate in productions as performers, technicians, or administrators. There are several levels of engagement from Director’s Lab to Mainstage production. Through the work and study of theatre, students learn more about culture and society and gain a greater understanding of the human condition, skills that will be useful in every area of life and career where communication is important.
Community-Based Learning
Dance
Drexel Community Engaged Movement Partnerships
Drexel Community Engaged Movement Partnerships , comprised of dance students at Drexel University, offers free assembly programs to elementary school students across Philadelphia. Ensemble members perform for the students, lead a series of interactive movement games, and facilitate a shared conversation for the young movers. The Touring Ensemble models its curriculum after the South Street Dance Company’s Young Audiences Ensemble created by Ellen Forman.
Wheelchair Dance
Wheelchair Dance: HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy is a weekly project conducted in collaboration with dance/ movement therapist Rachel Federman-Morales. The program partners dancers from Drexel with teenagers in wheelchairs with cerebral palsy for a yearlong process to create dances that will be presented at HMS and will be presented at HMS and on Drexel’s campus..
Dance at the Dornsife Center
The Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships places Drexel’s resources and expertise within easy reach of local residents, helping to sustain a stronger neighborhood. Youth, Adults and Seniors in Mantua and Powelton Village participate in three 8-week sessions of dance (fall, winter, spring). Classes include hip-hop, ballet, choreography, jazz, creative movement and senior dance fitness. Drexel students and alumni teach and assist the classes to contribute to the rich community in their shared neighborhood.
Drexel Community Engaged Movement
Partnership Sharing
Drexel Community Engaged Movement
Partnerships Matinee Performance showcases all of the diverse and transformative dance collaborations created through the community partnerships with Drexel Dance. Presented in the Mandell Theater, the Drexel Dance CBL programming partners share the stage with the Drexel Dance Ensemble for a celebration of dance. Drexel University’s Department of Performing Arts has a range of partnerships across Philadelphia. Music, theatre and dance programs taught by Drexel students, faculty, and alumni extend the physical, intellectual, creative and therapeutic aspects of the performing arts to the community.
Theatre
Mantua Theater Project
The Mantua Theater Project addresses the needs of the communities of Mantua, Powelton Village and the surrounding neighborhoods with activities that engage youth through positive, self-affirming experiences of success in theater arts. In a month of classes the children are instructed in the basic tenets of playwriting and then paired with a professional artist who collaborates and mentors them through the process of writing a 10-minute play. The plays then receive a full production using professional actors and directors from the Philadelphia community and are offered free of charge to the public for all to celebrate the achievements of these amazing young people.
Music
Music at the Dornsife Center
The Drexel University Music Program partners with the Dornsife Center for Community Partnerships to offer free afterschool music classes to youth and seniors in the Powelton and Mantua communities. Classes are held each week and are taught by Drexel music students, under the direction of Drexel faculty member Lynn Riley. Classes are currently being offered in guitar, voice, percussion, piano, and bass.
Connect with Drexel Performing Arts
Reserve Tickets
DrexelPerformingArts.com for 24/7 online ticket reservations
Drexel Performing Arts Box Office hours
Thursdays 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Audience Services
215.895.ARTS (215.895.2787)
dpaboxoffice@drexel.edu
Advance ticket registration recommended for all free and paid admission performances. Drexel Performing Arts Box Office located in Mandell Theater provides ticket services for Drexel Dance, Music, and Theatre Ensembles, and Mandell Presents, as well as audience services for all events at the Mandell and Black Box Theaters. Outside of live box office hours, please expect responses to email and voicemail within 72 hours.
Support Great Performance
Dance, Music, and Theatre are a vital, central part of the Drexel academia and student life. Donations support performing arts ensembles and programs, as well as the operation of our performing arts venues, including the Mandell Theater and URBN Annex Black Box Theater.
Celebrate the arts with a gift to Drexel Performing Arts today! giving.drexel.edu/PerformingArts
Follow Us
@PerformingArtsAtDrexel
@DrexelPerformingArts
@DrexelWestphal
Learn More
For general inquiries and information about the Department of Performing Arts: 215.895.2451
performingarts@drexel.edu
3101 Market Street Visit drexel.edu/parking for more information.
Drexel Garage, 3330 Market Street (Entrance on Ludlow Street at 34th)
Metered parking is available on many surrounding streets. There are several fee-based parking lots nearby, including:
and Main Auditorium are wheelchair accessible. Mandell Theater has a limited number of Assisted Listening Devices (ALDs) available. Please inquire with Audience Services, 215.895.2787 or dpaboxoffice@ drexel.edu, about accessibility needs in advance of attending a performance. Additional accommodations and services may be available through the Drexel Office of Disability Resources (ODR). ODR can be reached at 215.895.1401 (V); 215.895.2299 (TTY); or disability@drexel.edu.