Wichita State University School of Performing Arts

Wichita State University School of Performing Arts Professional Training, Creative Growth, Artistic Community Outreach

Wichita State University School of Performing Arts is a pre-professional training school for Theatre (Design & Technical Theatre, Musical Theatre, Theatre Performance) and Dance. We are internationally and regionally recognized for programs in Dance, Theatre, and Musical Theatre. Our students are trained for some of the hardest careers by working professionals and highly experienced professors. Ou

r student and alumni performers, designers, technicians and stage managers have worked with companies like Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Black Hills Playhouse, Infamous Commonweath Theatre, Timberlake Playhouse, Prather Entertainment, Seven Devils National Playwrights Conference, Roundabout Theatre, Monomoy Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Lyric Opera, Light Opera Oklahoma, Music Theatre of Wichita, Mosley Street Melodrama and Cabaret Oldtown. They have performed in and worked as technicians on National & International Tours (42nd Street, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Sesame Street Live, Cinderella and more) and on Broadway (The Scottsboro Boys, Porgy & Bess, Evita). Our alumni design work has also been featured with theatre companies like The Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre in KC and The Santa Fe Opera. We have graduates in AEA (Actor's Equity Association), SAG (Screen Actor's Guild), ITASE (The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees), and many other well-known unions and organizations that benefit artists and artistic communities. With the training received at Wichita State University, our students rest assured with the skills that will advance them into a career in the theatre and allied professions for years to come!

🎭 Kick off the production season with our latest Weekly Newsletter!This week, we're featuring:📖Our upcoming staged readi...
09/10/2026

🎭 Kick off the production season with our latest Weekly Newsletter!

This week, we're featuring:
📖Our upcoming staged reading of DINNERTIME: A Play in Seven Courses
🎭An inspiring Faculty Spotlight
✨Meet one of our newest first-year students
🎓Alumni Spotlight
💃Guest Artist Spotlight
🌾 Founders Day giving to support student opportunities

Don't miss out on the exciting stories, events, and opportunities happening at the School of Performing Arts.

🔗 Click the link in our bio to subscribe and stay connected!

Congratulations to Professor Kate Compton and all involved in the short film!
09/10/2026

Congratulations to Professor Kate Compton and all involved in the short film!

Meet Makayla Koerner, a 1st year Dance major from Hays, KS. ⭐️ What inspired you to pursue a degree in the performing ar...
09/08/2026

Meet Makayla Koerner, a 1st year Dance major from Hays, KS. ⭐️

What inspired you to pursue a degree in the performing arts?

- Dancing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It has helped me express myself through good and bad times. Dance has been like a second home for me. 🎭

What are some of your hobbies/things you love to do?

- I love going to the gym, reading romance books, baking and trying new recipes. 💛🖤🌾

The School of Performing Arts congratulates alumnus Julius Thomas III on his National Tour of Oh Mary! as the understudy...
09/04/2026

The School of Performing Arts congratulates alumnus Julius Thomas III on his National Tour of Oh Mary! as the understudy for Mary's Husband and Mary's Teacher.


Would you tell us a little more about your tour?

- I’m so excited to be joining the First National Tour of the smash hit Oh, Mary! We are headed on a 17 city engagement crisscrossing the country and bringing a lot of laughs and insanity with us. The show has played Broadway, Off-Broadway, and the West End to huge success. It’s garnered Tony, and Olivier Awards (to name a few), and now we get to share it with all of the United States. And I just know they are gonna eat it up!

What inspired you to participate in the tour?

- What else could follow up playing the lead in the biggest musical in the world (Hamilton) but being in the biggest PLAY in the world. It’s such an honor. And I wanted the challenge of putting my own spin on this cultural phenomenon.

How do you feel this experience will contribute to your professional or personal growth?

- Everything I’ve done up to this point has prepared me for Oh, Mary! And I’m confident that this show will prepare me for whatever’s next. But for right now, I’m just gonna work hard, and enjoy the ride.

Meet Cyrus Morris, a 1st year Musical Theatre major from Wichita, KS. ⭐️ What inspired you to pursue a degree in the per...
09/04/2026

Meet Cyrus Morris, a 1st year Musical Theatre major from Wichita, KS. ⭐️


What inspired you to pursue a degree in the performing arts?
• My love for storytelling. The challenge of stepping into someone else’s life and making it feel real. 🎭


What are some of your hobbies/things you love to do?
• Baking, Shopping, & Movies! 💛🖤🌾

⭐️Natalie Carrera is a Kansas City and NYC-based performer. She has performed across the country in shows like Jersey Bo...
09/04/2026

⭐️Natalie Carrera is a Kansas City and NYC-based performer. She has performed across the country in shows like Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde, and A Chorus Line. On Friday, September 11th, she will be teaching a Musical Theatre Dance Auditioning masterclass in Heskett Center Dance Studio 144B from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. Right after the masterclass, Natalie will have an artist talk from 2:30pm to 3:00pm. The class is open to all performing arts majors. 💛🖤 To learn more about Natalie, visit the link in our bio.

09/03/2026
🌟 Faculty Spotlight: Sheldon MbaWhether performing on stage or teaching in the classroom, Sheldon Mba is committed to pr...
09/03/2026

🌟 Faculty Spotlight: Sheldon Mba

Whether performing on stage or teaching in the classroom, Sheldon Mba is committed to practicing what he teaches. This summer, he appeared in "Man of La Mancha," "Chicago," and "La Cage aux Folles," and he's looking forward to an upcoming performance with Smackdab Dance at the Wichita Art Museum.

Swipe to learn how Sheldon's professional creative work helps prepare students for success in the performing arts industry.

Click the link in our bio for more Alumni/Faculty & Staff/Guest Artist Spotlights!

Less than two weeks away! Join us for DANCE DAY. 📅 Sept. 13 | 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.📍 Heskett Center Dance Studios💵 $30 per...
09/02/2026

Less than two weeks away! Join us for DANCE DAY.
📅 Sept. 13 | 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
📍 Heskett Center Dance Studios
💵 $30 per dancer
🔗 wichita.edu/dance
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1845 Fairmount Street
Wichita, KS
67260

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