In attending a performance at the Department of Performing & Fine Arts (PFA) you will see the work of our dedicated musicians, singers, performers, designers, and technicians. Each student artist is practicing their craft in our learning laboratory, where hands-on learning takes place in a personal, supportive, collegial environment.

UP Theater 2022-23 Season

New Works/New Voices

TBA by Carla Ching

Workshop Reading

Directed by Barbie Wu

October 4-7 at 7:30pm, October 8 at 2:00pm (Mago Hunt Theater)

When Silas Park’s girlfriend leaves him, he becomes a shut-in, writing intense autobiographical stories in his Brooklyn apartment. When literary agent Darren offers Silas a book deal, he finds himself on the verge of being the next big thing in Asian American literature. But the appearance of Silas’ adoptive brother Finn changes the story. This stunning new play from Carla Ching asks us to consider the line between identity and storytelling. When is a story truly autobiographical? When is a story yours to tell?

Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice. Based on the Novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Music By Wayne Barker.

Directed by Andy Christensen

November 10-11 and 15-18 at 7:30, November 11, 12 and 19 at 2:00pm (Mago Hunt Theater)

The ultimate prequel, Peter and the Starcatcher brings together playful orphans, marauding pirates, British peers, and jungle tyrants for an all-new adventure. Based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, this theatrically inventive play reveals how a young orphan became Peter Pan and met his arch-nemesis, Captain Hook. When unlikely heroes join forces aboard the Neverland ship, the characters learn about love, friendship and forge an unbreakable bond. Winner of five Tony Awards, this imaginative romp is a delight for audiences of all ages.

These Shining Lives by Melanie Marnich

Directed by Dr. Lezlie C. Cross

February 21-24 at 7:30pm, February 25 at 2:00pm (Mago Hunt Theater)

Based on a true story, These Shining Lives chronicles the strength and determination of four women who were poisoned by the working conditions at the Radium Dial Company. Through years of work, Catherine, Frances, Charlotte, and Pearl create an enduring bond of female friendship, which is vital to their lives. A story of survival in its most transcendent sense, Catherine and her friends refuse to allow the company that stole their health to kill their spirits. Marnich’s play shows the human drama behind a keystone case of labor rights in the United States.

The Prom Book & Lyrics by Chad Beguelin, Book by Bob Martin, Music by Matthew Sklar

Based on an Original Concept By Jack Viertel

Directed by Andy Christensen

April 11-13 and 17-20 at 7:30pm, April 14 and 21 at 2:00pm (Mago Hunt Theater)

When Emma’s small Indiana town cancels prom rather than allowing her to bring her girlfriend, four eccentric Broadway stars realize that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue… and themselves. With her new Broadway friends, Emma is reluctantly made a courageous rallying force for LGBTQ youth, bringing together her classmates and the whole town to discover that love is what unites them all. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, The Prom is “so full of happiness that you think your heart is about to burst!” (Variety). Be sure you don’t miss this funny and heartwarming production, which The Oprah Magazine proclaims is “the kind of show that would make the world a better place if everyone saw it.”

The Prom is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide: 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036. www.theatricalrights.com

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