University of Richmond Theatre and Dance

09/11/2026

We're one week away from our staged reading of THE THANKSGIVING PLAY by Larissa FastHorse!

What could possibly go wrong when a group of well-meaning theatre artists set out to create the perfectly respectful Thanksgiving pageant? Everything. In this razor-sharp, laugh-out-loud satire, four earnest educators attempt to devise a culturally sensitive school production, without actually including any Native voices. What unfolds is a brilliantly awkward collision of good intentions, blind spots, and hilariously escalating chaos. Perfect for audiences who enjoy bold humor with substance, THE THANKSGIVING PLAY invites us to reconsider the stories we inherit and the ones we stage.

Immediately following each staged reading, we invite you to join us for small-group conversations that will offer an opportunity to share perspectives, sit with questions, and explore moments that were surprising, thought-provoking, or unexpected.

Performances are Friday September 18 at 7:30pm and Saturday Sept 19 at 2pm in the Modlin Center's Cousins Studio Theatre.

Reserve your free ticket here: https://calendar.richmond.edu/page.html?eventid=25317&informationid=casData

08/26/2026

The Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of Richmond invites you and your students to A Conversation with Paul Tazewell, the acclaimed Oscar-winning costume designer for Wicked, Emmy Award winner for The Wiz Live!, and Tony Award winner for Hamilton kicking off this year’s Tucker-Boatwright Festival.

Paul Tazewell will be in conversation with Johann Stegmeir, offering an intimate look at his creative process and his extraordinary approach to crafting the iconic visual narratives that define productions such as Wicked and Hamilton.

Together, they will explore Tazewell’s design philosophy, storytelling techniques, and the collaborative process of building worlds through costume. The conversation will also trace his remarkable career—from Arena Stage to Broadway and, ultimately, film, where his work on Wicked earned him the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, making him the first Black man to receive the honor.

Audiences will gain insight into the imagination, craft, and storytelling behind Tazewell’s work—and what it takes to create costumes that become an unforgettable part of a production’s identity.

Reserve your free ticket here: https://calendar.richmond.edu/page.html?eventid=25507&informationid=casData

08/26/2026

It's the one time of year when you can join University Dancers, the Contemporary, Modern, Ballet, and improvisation-based dance company at UR!

WHEN? Saturday, August 29, at 10 AM

WHERE? Dance Studio Theatre MB 111, studio on the basement level of the Modlin Center for the Arts

The audition will consist of ballet, improvisation, contemporary, and modern. Leotard and tights are preferable for the ballet portion, and leggings or dance pants are preferable for the contemporary, improvisation, and modern portions. Hair should be secured.

Reserve your audition spot by contacting Prof. Anne Van Gelder ([email protected]), Director of Dance, before Friday, August 28.

08/26/2026

It's audition week here, and the fun starts tomorrow!

WHEN: Thursday 8/27 and Friday 8/28 from 6-9pm

WHERE? Cousins Studio Theatre, first floor of the Modlin Center for the Arts

WHAT? The staged reading of THE THANKSGIVING PLAY runs 9/17-9/19, and THE TEMPEST runs 11/12-11/15.

The audition will consist of readings from the script. No preparation is required, and auditionees only need to attend on one day. No appointment needed - show up when it's convenient for you!

While you're in the Modlin Center, be sure to check out auditions for AYO's NEW FACES and University Players' EURYDICE!

Contact Professor Erica Hughes ([email protected]) with any questions.

04/08/2026

04/08/2026

UR GIVING DAY 2026 IS HERE! 🎭

The Department of Theatre & Dance provides a unique liberal arts experience where students thrive by engaging across differences and critically investigating the world through creative processes. The Department of Theatre & Dance is committed to diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice. These principles are central to the department’s curriculum, scholarship, teaching, artistic practices, and programming. Each student will engage with these values through curricular, intellectual, artistic, and personal endeavors.

Your support helps make these opportunities possible!

Our department's students, faculty, and staff are giving it their all everyday, and you can give today at this link:
https://www.givecampus.com/schools/UniversityofRichmond/ur-here-giving-day/pages/academics/theatre?campaign_view=true

02/23/2026

It's almost time for CURRENTS, the University Dancers 41st Annual Concert!

Dates:
Feb. 27-28 | 7:30 PM
Mar. 1 | 2:00 PM
Location: Alice Jepson Theatre
Director: Anne Van Gelder

University Dancers celebrates 41 years of engaging dance with this annual concert, CURRENTS, featuring the work of innovative guest artists Ephrat Asherie, Nicolo Fonte, and Trey McIntyre.

The concert will also feature new works choreographed by Department of Theatre & Dance faculty Angelica Burgos, Deandra Clarke, Eric Rivera, and Anne Van Gelder, original designs by Johann Stegmeir and Maja E. White, as well as the work of outstanding student choreographers and designers Zach Carlson, Mary Kimbrough, Lucy Lew, Julia Nugent, and Keira Vogel.

Register now at this link: https://tickets.modlin.richmond.edu/events
If registration is full, please join us anyway! Contact the Modlin Box Office at 804-289-8980 for more info.

Poster Design by Michael Warchol
Post Design by ae

11/18/2025

Don't miss THE MEETING, presented by the Department of Theatre & Dance!

Directed by Professor Chuck Mike, THE MEETING is a gripping play of ideas, laced with compassion, emotional verve and patches of stark humor. It is a brilliant testimony and tribute to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, two giants of American civil rights history ... and so relevant that it is hard to believe it was not written this year.

Arrive one hour before showtime (6:30 p.m. for evening shows, 1 p.m. for matinees) to view the exhibition and experience the preshow activity in the Modlin Center lobby and courtyard.

Showtimes: Thursday, 11/20-Saturday, 11/22, at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, 11/23, at 2 p.m.

Location: Alice Jepson Theatre, Modlin Center for the Arts

All shows are FREE! https://tickets.modlin.richmond.edu/5645/5647

Graphic Design by Ayanna McMullen

10/02/2025

The Department of Theatre & Dance presents SILENT SKY by Lauren Gunderson as its first mainstage production of the 25-26 season, running 10/2-10/5.

Directed by Dr. Jennifer Jones Cavenaugh, SILENT SKY is a poignant and inspiring play that tells the true story of Henrietta Leavitt, a pioneering astronomer in the early 20th century. Leavitt defied societal expectations and gender norms to uncover groundbreaking discoveries about the nature of the universe. SILENT SKY explores themes of ambition, resilience, and the search for meaning in the vast cosmos.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. 10/2-10/5, as well as 2 p.m. matinees 10/4-10/5.

Please note that registration is full for all performances and the invited dress rehearsal, but you can join the rush line up to an hour before each performance! All performances are free.