Theater at Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges

CLASSES

The Theater Program offers classes in acting, directing, playwriting, design, and technical theater. We frequently have guest professors who teach their specialty for a limited time (this year McKenna Kerrigan will be teaching film acting, and Lily Fossner will be teaching lighting design). There are also classes in drama offered by language departments, movement and dance classes, and film studies classes. In addition, there are opportunities for self-directed students to do for-credit supervised work in specific areas—as a sound engineer, lead electrician, assistant director, stage manager, and more. While the theater program is housed at Bryn Mawr College, and the majority of classes are taught at Bryn Mawr, we are a Bi-College program, and all of our offerings are open to all Bi-College students.

AUDITIONS

We produce a variety of shows, including contemporary plays, Greek classics, Shakespeare, made-from-scratch devised work, traditional and non-traditional musicals, and more. Being involved in a show is an intensive experience, but it can be counted as an academic class, and it’s one of the best ways to learn about theater. Our auditions are open to all Bi-College students, you don’t need any prior experience, and first year students are often cast. Our auditions are designed to be low-stress (and even fun!) and we want you to leave feeling like you did the best work you could and learned something new. You don’t need to prepare anything in advance—just come as you are. While there’s not room for everyone in every show, even if you don’t get cast, we encourage you to get involved in other ways and to come audition for us again in the future!

PRODUCTION TEAM

Email Amy Radbill (aradbill@brynmawr.edu) for information about doing technical theater work. You can learn to do sound, video, lights, carpentry, welding, props, costumes, and backstage work. Our technicians help to produce all events that happen in Goodhart Hall, including Theater Program and Dance Program performances, performances from the Performing Arts Series, events and lectures sponsored by groups within the college, and performances produced by outside organizations that rent our theaters.

MAJOR OR MINOR

Many of our students pursue a minor in theater—if this sounds interesting to you, see us to get more details! And if you’re particularly passionate about theater as an academic subject, you may even want to design an independent theater major, tailored to your specific intellectual interests. We’ve had students whose self-designed majors emphasized acting, design, or technical work; as well as Russian theater; a combination of education and theater; and a combination of playwriting and acting, just to name a few! Again, come talk with us for more information.

CONTACT WITH PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS

Our faculty members are all working artists themselves, and they’re passionate about teaching young artists and building creative relationships with them. In addition, visiting artists from our Performing Arts Series regularly teach workshops, lead talk-backs, and spend time with us over extended residencies. That means that you’ll have opportunities to talk with them, learn from them, and see how they create their work. And of course, the program attracts loads of other student artists who are eager to meet you!

STUDENT THEATER

There are groups on both campuses that specialize in a variety of performance types, including improv, contemporary plays, stand-up comedy, musicals, and Shakespeare. Ask around, attend the activities fair, and watch your email, as all the student theater groups have open auditions. And if nobody’s doing what you’re interested in, it’s easy to start your own group!

PERFORMANCES ON CAMPUS AND OFF

First of all, we always want you to see the work we produce right here in our Theater and Dance Programs—keep your eyes open for posters around campus and announcements in the Arts Newsletter and the Daily Digest! And don’t miss the extraordinary performers the Performing Arts Series brings to campus from all over the world—you’ll often have the chance to take workshops with them, in addition to attending their performances. All of these events are always free to Tri-College community members. In addition, Philadelphia has a vibrant, thriving theater and dance community, and it’s fast and easy to take public transit to Center City. If you’re feeling adventurous, it’s also pretty easy to travel to New York to see performances there! Feel free to ask us for recommendations, and remember that most performance venues offer student ticket prices.

INTERNSHIPS

Students have done internships in Philadelphia, New York, their hometowns, and elsewhere—we’ll be happy to help you figure out how to find or create internship opportunities.

CREATE

If you want to create your own production, start your own performance group, or step out on your own in any other capacity, we’ll be happy to help you to brainstorm and connect to the resources you’ll need.

ALUMNI

Our alumni work in theater, education, politics, the sciences and medicine, finance, and more. Studying theater teaches critical thinking, deep reading and research skills, compassion and empathy, discipline and organization—it’s a path that can lead you anywhere your future self might want to go.

LEARN MORE

If you want information about auditions, plays, artists, workshops, etc., follow @bicotheater on Instagram and @BrynMawrArts on Twitter, and like Bi-College Theater Program at Bryn Mawr College on Facebook.

2024-2025 Faculty and Staff Contact Information:

Catharine Slusar, Director and Associate Professor of Theater  cslusar@brynmawr.edu

McKenna Kerrigan, Visiting Assistant Professor                     mkerrigan@brynmawr.edu

Maiko Matsushima, Visiting Assistant Professor                      mmatsuhim@brynmawr.edu

Lily Fossner, Visiting Assistant Professor                               lfossner@brynmawr.edu

Mark Lord, Professor of Theater                                           mlord@brynmawr.edu

Justin McDaniel, Technical Director                                       jmcdaniel@brynmawr.edu

Kat Larson, Assistant Technical Director                               klarson@brynmawr.edu

Amy Radbill, Production Manager                                         aradbill@brynmawr.edu