The Department of Theatre Arts has a strong tradition at Central and recently has been expanding its potential for educational and professional opportunities for our students. Each year we produce at least four mainstage productions, as well as student-directed projects and collaborative work with the Music faculty. In addition to our regular theatre season, The Little Theatre, the Cultural Affair
s Committee, and the Student Government Association present as many as four cultural events annually, which provides additional participation opportunities. Each of our mainstage productions is entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Our students are critiqued by ACTF respondents and other professionals (such as CMU alum, Bill Chott '90 --Mr. Larritate on Wizards of Waverly Place) in preparation for professional auditions for work in regional Summer Theatre companies. The Margaret Gould Dent Endowment provides all of our majors and minors the opportunity to attend the annual ACTF regional festival, as well as other educational opportunities that arise in the area. Our students have also taken advantage of such opportunities as spending a semester at Second City in Chicago for their Comedy Studies program, a summer at the Brownsville Summer Repertory Theatre, etc. All CMU Theatre productions are held in The Little Theatre, a 209 seat proscenium house equipped with classroom, makeup and dressing room facilities, computerized lighting equipment, and scene shop facilities. Dr. and Mrs. John A. Epple made this addition to campus possible by a generous gift. Since then the Little Theatre has been a vital part of campus life and culture. The Department of Theatre Arts at CMU will provide you an opportunity to work in all areas of theatre, in small classroom/theatre laboratory settings taught by dedicated and experienced faculty who engage with students in one-on-one instruction and mentoring. Our students can engage in numerous student organizations including Alpha Psi Omega. Mark J. Kelty, Ph.D. Associate Professor and Director of Theatre
