Beyond the curriculum, the production and performance activity of the department serve to expand the classroom education. It is a vital resource for our students and allows for the practical application of all curriculums.

Production/Performance
The Fall Mainstage productions will be Einstein’s Dreams (October 19-29, 2006) – an imaginative look at the nature of time and the mind of Albert Einstein, and The Liar (November 30-December 10, 2006) – a delightful romp through the manners and customs of 18th century Italy. These shows are faculty designed and directed, and are produced and acted by BA/BFA students. Mainstage productions allow for direct interaction among all students in the department under the leadership of faculty.

The spring Mainstage productions will be Mr. Melancholy (March 1-11, 2007) – a comic play that explores solitude and companionship, and West Side Story (April 19-29, 2007) – the classic American musical that explores themes of forbidden love, revenge, and violence.

Lab/Works are designed to allow students the opportunity to work in-depth on a script with a professional director for public performance. The fall Lab/Works production is Waiting for Lefty (November 9-19, 2006), a confrontational work based on a strike by New York’s cab drivers.

There will be two Lab/Works productions in the spring: Verseworks (February 15-25, 2007) – a performance drawn from the works of Shakespeare, Moliere, and Calderon, and Kenilworks (April 26-May 5, 2007) – an original hip hop theatre piece developed with acting students and performed in the newly renovated Kenilworth Square Building.

Players Guild
This student run organization, housed within the department, claims the Attic as their performance space. They offer opportunities to students in all areas of theatre, playwriting, directing, acting, and designing. Students have a chance to test their expertise, to experiment, to produce and perform, and to develop their own ideas as artists.

Study Beyond
The Department offers several courses that take students further out in to the world. Students have traveled to New York, Shanghai, New Zealand, and Italy on study tours. Past study abroad trips have included Paris (2004), London (2005), and Dublin (2006).

Practicum
Practicum credits in the major are a deliberate way to encourage students to engage in the professional community. UWM students have earned practicum credits with many of the professional companies in Milwaukee. UWM is the only urban university that can draw on the rich and thriving resources of a professional community.