Theatre & Dance Performances
Each year, the department presents a season of theatrical performances featuring students of many majors.
Students participate in productions that embrace a wide range of theatrical traditions, including recent contemporary works, classical dramas, improvisational and interactive theatre pieces, and dance ensemble concerts.
2023-2024 Season
She Kills Monsters
Written by: Qui Nguyen
Director: George Potter
Location: University Theatre
Performances: Nov 2 and 3 at 8 p.m. and Nov 4 and 5 at 2 p.m.
About the Performance:
She Kills Monsters tells the story of high schooler Agnes Evans as she deals with the death of her younger sister, Tilly. When Agnes stumbles upon Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. The plot takes place in reality and in the imaginary game world; In the game world Agnes embarks on an action-packed quest to save her sister’s soul, coming face to face with homicidal fairies, raunchy ogres and blood thirsty cheerleaders, learns about Tilly’s exploration with her sexuality and discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. This high-octane dramatic comedy by acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.
Dance Ensemble
Director: Salena Elish
Location: University Theatre
Performances: Feb 2 at 8 p.m.; Feb 3 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Feb 4 at 2 p.m.
About the Performance:
The Dance Ensemble takes the stage in the month of February, bringing student and faculty choreographed dance to the Valparaiso community.
Tuck Everlasting
Book by: Claudia Shear, Tim Federle
Music by: Chris Miller
Lyrics by: Nathan Tysen
Based on the novel Tuck Everlasting, By Natalie Babbitt
Director: Keri Castro
Location: University Theatre
Performances: April 11 and 12 at 8 p.m. and April 13 and 14 at 2 p.m.
About the Performance:
Tuck Everlasting is based on the novel of the same name by Natalie Babbitt. It tells the story of a family who drink water from a magical spring and become immortal. When they encounter a young girl who lives in their rural New England town, she becomes friends with one of the sons, who soon offers her the secret to everlasting life. She then has to decide if she wants to join her new friends in immortality, or if she will live out her normal life. A timeless story of family, loss, friendship, and love, Tuck Everlasting is sure to become a classic favorite.
Past Performances
Past main stage performances have included such titles as Nice People Dancing to Good Country Music, Doublewide, Texas, The Dream of the Burning Boy, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Our Town, Pippin, The Lady from the Sea, Rose and the Rime, The Spitfire Grill, Mr. Burns, The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), The Bacchae, Sylvia, Godspell, Mosque Alert, The Eyre Affair, God of Carnage, The School for Lies, An Evening of Short Plays by Beckett, Dido and Aeneas, Eurydice, Arcadia, Macbeth, Sweeney Todd, Marriage, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, How I Learned to Drive, The House of Bernarda Alba, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Circle Mirror Transformation, Hansel and Gretel, The Arabian Nights, Floyd Collins, The Universal Wolf, Tartuffe, Almost Maine, Twelfth Night, Cabaret, and Fuddy Meers.
See photographs and video footage from recent productions »
One thing that drew me to Valpo was the variety of shows that the department performs. In just one season we did a translation of a Russian show; Sweeney Todd, which is one of the best musicals ever written; Macbeth, which is Shakespeare and difficult; and Arcadia, considered one of the best-written plays of the 20th century. We’re given challenges, that’s for sure.
– Stefan Roseen ’15