As our mission states: “Theatre is best when it incites or excites. Plays and musicals provoke action. Challenge complacency. Demand your attention. Productions from various eras and genres examine what makes someone rebel or challenge the established way things have always been done.”
This is precisely what we’ve embraced for our 2025 – 2026 season, Secrets & Spotlights, a lineup that explores what motivates someone to question, upend, or reimagine the status quo. One of the great opportunities in theatre is discovering how a familiar story becomes newly urgent. When selecting productions, we ask: What is it about this story that connects directly to the world we live in today? If new work is the art of invention, then producing the classics is an act of reinvention.
This year’s season presents a vibrant mix of beloved texts and original creations, rich in cultural, political, and aesthetic significance. From reinventing Chekhov and Shakespeare to a live-recorded sitcom, a dance-theatre performance on seeds and survival, and a brand-new musical comedy created in collaboration with Wharton Center, we’re inviting our students and audiences to discover the power of story from all angles.
The Department of Theatre remains a space for meaningful experimentation, where students develop their artistry and find their voice. Whether in class, onstage, backstage, or behind the camera, our students are exploring theatre as a tool to elevate stories that demand to be told.
As a professor and artist, it is my privilege to collaborate with students, faculty, and staff who are committed to creating work that matters. I hope you’ll join us as a subscriber, supporter, and fellow storyteller.
Sincerely,
Kirk A. Domer (he/him)
Interim Chairperson and Professor of Scene Design | Department of Theatre
Director of Arts, Cultural Management, and Museum Studies | College of Arts & Letters
Michigan State University
542 Auditorium Rd. #117
East Lansing, MI 48824
Office: (517) 884-7796
Website: https://people.cal.msu.edu/domer/