The auditorium lights begin to dim. There’s a nervous yet exciting feeling back stage. The actors prepare to take the stage, and the audience waits in anticipation. The curtain comes up, and the show begins.
Students who join the IWU Theatre Guild experience this kind of excitement on the stage or behind the scenes throughout their college career. And they can pick from a variety of class and performance opportunities to expand their theatrical skills.
The IWU Theatre Guild equips students with artistry through the wide variety of classes. The Theatre Guild offers two concentrations for students to choose the area of theatre they want to focus on: performance and production.
Students with a performance concentration learn the first steps to acting through classes such as Beginning Acting, Voice and Movement, and Directing. The production concentration classes teach students how to design and build sets in classes such as Stage Design for Theatre, Lighting, Scenic, and Costume Design.
Theatre student Hasasha Hasulube said, “The classroom is where we are allowed to make mistakes and learn everything about theatre that we can.”
“What students learn in the classroom, they can then apply to the stage,” said Dr. Katie Wampler, artistic director of theatre. The IWU Theatre Guild performs three different types of shows. Plays, musicals and operas are options for students who wish to pursue the stage.
For students who want to work behind the scenes, there are opportunities to design sets, costumes, lighting cues, and hair and makeup.
In addition, the 24-Hour Theatre Festival is a program allowing Indiana Wesleyan University students to interact with high school students across the state. High school and IWU students have the chance to create, block and perform a show all in 24 hours. This program stretches students to become better performers.
To learn more visit, the IWU Theatre Guild on Instagram or on Facebook @iwutheatreguild.
