24/25 SEASON
WELCOME
Last year, we marked our Department’s centennial with outstanding performances by KU students, faculty, and staff, both onstage and off.
Onstage, we welcomed over 5,000 ticket-holders to the Crafton-Preyer and Inge Theatres – our most since pre-pandemic days – with many other audience members tuning in to our livestreamed performances of the University Dance Company and our winter show Milking Christmas
Off-stage, we graduated the first full class of Theatre and Dance majors to enter the program since the Theatre and Dance merger, including BFA grad Edmund Ludlum, who earned first place in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival’s national costume design competition for our 2023 production of Cabaret. Individual faculty members garnered teaching awards, published books and articles, and designed or directed in professional theatres. And together with our alums and donors we established and endowed the Centennial Production Fund, which aims to secure the next hundred years of fully realized KU Theatre & Dance productions.
So, what do we do for an encore?
This year, we continue to build on our 100-year foundation, honing and refining our curricular and production offerings to best prepare our students for the future. That includes once again providing space and resources for students to direct, choreograph, and produce works they choose in such venues as the Jayhawk Performance Lab and the Senior Showcase. Combined with our in-house and guest artist-directed and choreographed offerings, these student-led performances reveal the limitless talents and work ethic of our students.
As for yours truly, I completed my first term as Chair of the Department this spring, and I am pleased to have been reappointed for an additional four years. Does this make me an ex officio member of the Class of 2028? In any case, I look forward to welcoming the no-fooling Class of ’28 to the Hill this fall and to working with our outstanding faculty and staff as, along with our students, we strive to reach beyond our limits as artists, scholars, and citizens.
Onward!
Henry Bial Chair of the Department of Theatre & Dance
A NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
This season, we have curated an eclectic and thought-provoking collection of shows that promise to captivate, challenge, entertain, and enrich our understanding of the human condition. Our theme for the season, “We must break our fears to become limitless,” resonates with each production, encouraging both performers and audiences to confront and transcend their limitations.
Playing KU Family Weekend, our season opener is Indecent by Paula Vogel, which delves into the depths of history, morality, and art. This play, directed by Henry Bial, invites audiences to contemplate the intricacies of artistic expression and censorship, offering a rich tapestry of cultural and ethical quandaries. It exemplifies our theme by challenging us to face the fears associated with expressing controversial ideas and histories.
Another standout is Hookman by Lauren Yee, directed by Tiffani Brooks Hagan. This thrilling blend of dark comedy and horror explores modern myths and real-world fears, providing a thought-provoking journey into the unexpected and uncanny. Hookman directly engages with our season’s theme by confronting the fear of the unknown and the anxieties that shape our daily lives.
John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower, directed by Jane Barnette, reexamines the notion of “witch hunt” in a contemporary high school setting, offering a compelling critique of betrayal and the misuse of power. Overcoming the fear of speaking out plays large here.
Our musical production, Pippin by Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson, directed by Jim Dick with choreography by Maya Tillman-Rayton, promises humor and dazzling theatricality. It tells the enthralling tale of a young prince on a quest to overcome his fear of being ordinary.
This year’s University Dance Concert will feature the exceptional choreography of Guest Artist Amirah Sackett, incoming Visiting Assistant Professor Marisa Plasencia, and the remarkable work of KU faculty members Ashley Brittingham, Claire Buss, and Michelle Heffner Hayes. Witness the artistry and athleticism of our dancers as they bring to life an array of dance pieces, each a testament to the beauty of the human spirit.
As the Artistic Director, I oversee the overall quality of our season and am ever-present in our theatre community. I encourage you to stop by and strike up a conversation next time you are in Murphy Hall. Your engagement and feedback are invaluable to us.
Here’s to joy on the journey!
Markus Potter Artistic Director
Performances at 7:00 p.m. *2:00 p.m. matinees
FALL 2024
INDECENT
September 27, 28*, 29*, 29
HOOKMAN
November 1, 2, 3*, 5, 6, 7
JAYHAWK PERFORMANCE LAB
November 16, 17*, 17
UNIVERSITY DANCE COMPANY FALL CONCERT
November 22, 23, 24*
FALL DANCE SHOWCASE
December 7, 8*
both dates livestreamed via dance.ku.edu (free)
SPRING 2025
JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN
March 7, 8, 9*, 11, 12, 13
JAYHAWK PERFORMANCE LAB
March 28, 29, 30*
PIPPIN
April 11, 12*, 13*, 18, 19*
22, 24 Livestreamed via CUR8 12, 18 Livestreamed via CUR8
SPRING DANCE SHOWCASE
May 3, 4*
both dates livestreamed via dance.ku.edu (free)
Dates subject to change.
TICKETS
Buy University Theatre tickets online at kutheatre.com, at the University Theatre box office at Murphy Hall (15th and Naismith) or at the Lied Center. Buy University Dance Company tickets online at dance.ku.edu or at the University Theatre box office, open MondayFriday noon-5 p.m. University Theatre 785-864-3982
ACCESSIBILITY
We are committed to making our performances accessible to all patrons.
• The facilities are accessible to persons using wheelchairs. Request for special seating accommodations can be made by contacting the box office.
• The Crafton-Preyer Theatre is equipped with infrared hearing devices for persons needing hearing assistance.
• Audio description for visually impaired may be requested for performances in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre. Contact the box office or KU Audio-Reader for more information.
A theatre and dance season subscription includes a ticket to five plays, musicals, and dance concerts during the season.
Season subscriptions are available from the University Theatre box office and by phone, 785-864-3982. Season subscribers are not charged will call or exchange fees.