Get Involved
Theatrical productions are indispensable ingredients in the Department's educational and artistic mission. Performance is a vitally significant laboratory that tests and demonstrates concepts and theories examined in classes. In keeping with the Department's liberal arts philosophy, participation in department productions, both on and off stage, is open to all members of the campus community including non-majors and underclass students. Qualified students, with faculty supervision, also research and create scenic, costume, sound, and lighting designs for main stage productions.
There are many opportunities for new and returning students to participate in W&M Theatre as performers, designers, and technical crew. The department holds an annual open house on the Monday of Fall Orientation to introduce all interested students to our programs, upcoming season, and available opportunities to be involved. An audition calendar will be available at the Open House.
Students may sign up to be added to the Department's Blackboard Production Site during the Open House. The site provides ongoing access to production, course, and awards information. Students may contact Laurie Wolf (Department Chair) at ljwolf@wm.edu to request access.
Students interested in production and design responsibilities, please contact the following:
- Brian Saxton, btsaxton@wm.edu (Technical Director) - carpentry, properties, stage management, running crew
- Matt Allar, mjallar@wm.edu (Scenic Designer) - scene painting, properties, design assistant -
- Patricia Wesp, pmwesp@wm.edu (Costume Designer) - costume construction, make-up, wardrobe crew, design assistant
- Steve Holliday, seholl@wm.edu (Lighting Designer) - electrics, design assistant
Department Information Postings
Students will find information pertinent to departmental productions and classes posted in the scene shop, Morton Hall and Kimball Theatre bulletin boards.
What is required of me at an audition? Do I need to prepare anything?
Although auditions may vary from director to director, the general format is as follows. Theatre majors typically audition with a prepared monologue. Often specific material is requested based on the needs of the production (Elizabethan verse or contemporary comic, for example). Cold readings are provided for non-Theatre majors, although you are welcome to bring in a prepared piece if you so choose.
Musical theatre auditions will require a song in addition to a reading. If you have prepared a song, an accompanist will be provided, so please bring your sheet music to the audition. If you do not have a song prepared, do not let that stop you from auditioning; you will either be taught part of a song, or you may be asked to sing a familiar song. The best way to hone your auditions skills is to audition, audition, audition! So please come join us!
Participation and Casting Policy
All William & Mary students are eligible for participation in William & Mary Theatre and Dance productions. In assigning roles and production positions, our intention is to find the person best able to handle the responsibility given the artistic and educational objectives of our program. We are committed to inclusive, diverse casting that challenges practices of type-casting while still honoring the action of the play or the artistic vision of its creator or director.
All productions are cast from auditions which are open to freshmen through seniors, majors and non-majors. Keeping in mind that our priority is to provide learning opportunities to undergraduates and particularly majors and minors, we may also consider graduate students, unclassified students, faculty and staff for participation in Theatre and Dance productions. Guest artists may occasionally be invited to take part when their presence furthers the goals of the production and provides an educational opportunity for the students involved.
