Theatre Department | Nebraska Wesleyan University

Dreaming in the Big Apple: NWU grad lands off-Broadway gig

Antonio Loya in NWU's Elf: The Musical in 2024.

Published

February 26, 2025

Antonio Loya (’24) has always dreamed of taking his musical theater career to New York City.

Now, it’s coming fruition. "I wasn’t expecting to hear back, but I got the callback, and that meant they were interested. Then, when I got the offer, I was ecstatic."

Theatre Department

Guest professionals help inspire next generation of theatre makers at NWU

A character from the play, The Revolutionists, is acting.

Published

September 17, 2024

The Revolutionists, Nebraska Wesleyan University’s current theatre production, doesn’t come to life overnight. The transformation takes several weeks – much of it behind the scenes.

Theatre Department

Disaster!

This campy and fun musical drops a flaming jukebox full of disco classics straight into a 1970s disaster flick.

Event location

Annie L. McDonald Theatre

Event date(s)

04/24/2024 - 7:30pm

04/25/2025 - 7:30pm

04/26/2025 - 7:30pm

04/27/2024 - 2:00pm

05/01/2024 - 7:30pm

05/02/2025 - 7:30pm

05/03/2025 - 7:30pm

05/04/2024 - 2:00pm

Theatre Department

The Tempest

An isolated island. An exiled sorcerer seeking revenge for a family betrayal.

Event location

Enid Miller Theatre

Event date(s)

03/27/2024 - 7:30pm

03/28/2025 - 7:30pm

03/29/2025 - 7:30pm

03/30/2024 - 2:00pm

04/03/2024 - 7:30pm

04/04/2025 - 7:30pm

04/05/2025 - 7:30pm

04/06/2024 - 2:00pm

Theatre Department

The Lightning Thief the Percy Jackson Musical

Percy Jackson is in a tight spot. He's about to get kicked out of boarding school (again). And he's upset a bunch of Greek gods, who believe he has stolen the lightning bolt of Zeus.

Event location

Annie L. McDonald Theatre

Event date(s)

02/20/2024 - 7:30pm

02/21/2025 - 7:30pm

02/22/2025 - 7:30pm

02/23/2024 - 2:00pm

02/27/2024 - 7:30pm

02/28/2025 - 7:30pm

03/01/2025 - 7:30pm

03/02/2024 - 2:00pm

Theatre Department

Dial M for Murder

Money is why Tony married Margot. And money is why he'll have her killed. His intent is evil. But his plan for getting away with it is brilliant. Brilliant enough?

Event location

Enid Miller Theatre

Event date(s)

01/23/2024 - 7:30pm

01/24/2025 - 7:30pm

01/25/2025 - 7:30pm

01/26/2024 - 2:00pm

01/30/2024 - 7:30pm

01/31/2025 - 7:30pm

02/01/2025 - 7:30pm

02/02/2024 - 2:00pm

Theatre Department

Cinderella

Join us for the beloved story of a young woman who dreams of a better life.

Event location

Annie L. McDonald Theatre

Event date(s)

11/21/2024 - 7:30pm

11/22/2024 - 7:30pm

11/23/2024 - 2:00pm

11/23/2024 - 7:30pm

11/24/2024 - 2:00pm

12/05/2024 - 7:30pm

12/06/2024 - 7:30pm

12/07/2024 - 7:30pm

12/08/2024 - 2:00pm

Theatre Department

Blood Relations

On August 4, 1892, someone used an axe to kill Lizzie Borden's parents. News of the murder and the sensational trial that followed commanded national headlines for over a year.

Event location

Enid Miller Theatre

Event date(s)

10/31/2024 - 7:30pm

11/01/2024 - 7:30pm

11/02/2024 - 7:30pm

11/03/2024 - 2:00pm

11/07/2024 - 7:30pm

11/08/2024 - 7:30pm

11/09/2024 - 7:30pm

11/10/2024 - 2:00pm

Theatre Department

Matilda The Musical

Matilda is one of storyteller Roald Dahl's most beloved characters: an extraordinary girl with impressive wit, intelligence and telekinetic abilities.

Event location

Annie L. McDonald Theatre

Event date(s)

10/03/2024 - 7:30pm

10/04/2024 - 7:30pm

10/05/2024 - 7:30pm

10/06/2024 - 2:00pm

10/10/2024 - 7:30pm

10/11/2024 - 7:30pm

10/12/2024 - 2:00pm

10/12/2024 - 7:30pm

10/13/2024 - 2:00pm

Theatre Department

The Revolutionists

Four women--a writer, an assassin, a queen and a rebel--are caught in the political upheaval of Paris, 1793.

Event location

Enid Miller Theatre

Event date(s)

09/12/2024 - 7:30pm

09/13/2024 - 7:30pm

09/14/2024 - 7:30pm

09/15/2024 - 2:00pm

09/19/2024 - 7:30pm

09/20/2024 - 7:30pm

09/21/2024 - 7:30pm

09/22/2024 - 2:00pm

Theatre Department

NWU Theatre opens its 2024 performance season

NWU students rehearsing Romeo and Juliet

Published

January 25, 2024

Nebraska Wesleyan University theatre students are ushering in the 2024 season with a pair of show-stopping performances.

Alumni and Friends

Theatre Department

NWU alumna’s unified theatre program grabs national attention

Students from Millard West High School in Nebraska

Published

December 4, 2023

A Nebraska Wesleyan University alumna is helping high school students break barriers and unleash their creative capabilities through unified theater performances.

Theatre Department

Music Department

Elf the Musical

NWU Theatre bucks national trend of declining audience attendance with sold-out shows

Published

November 16, 2023

The Nebraska Wesleyan University Theatre has sold out all performances of Elf the Musical marking the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that it’s reached the milestone.

Theatre Department

Act II theater renovations take center stage

Published

October 31, 2022

Last week, Nebraska Wesleyan launched “Act II” of the theater building renovation project.

Modern Languages Department

Theatre Department

NWU senior receives Gilman Scholarship for Argentina study abroad

Published

November 9, 2021

The study abroad experience looks a little different for NWU senior Sierra Smith. Smith, a recent recipient of the Gilman Scholarship, is spending her semester taking classes virtually through the University of Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Theatre Department

Students Team with NYC Composers for New NWU Theatre Production, "Fresh Voices"

Published

October 20, 2020

The bright lights of New York City — darkened by the pandemic — will be felt on Nebraska Wesleyan University’s O’Donnell Auditorium stage when the Theatre Department opens its first musical cabaret, “Fresh Voices.”

Theatre Department

NWU Grad Didn't Let Obstacles Stand in Way of Degree

Published

August 6, 2020

Connor Standridge vividly remembers that winter day when he first toured Nebraska Wesleyan University.

The temperature was mild to most Midwesterners but rather chilly for the Houston, Texas native.

Weather aside, Standridge recognized immediately that NWU was where he wanted to pursue his theatre degree.

Theatre Department

Playwriting Class Helps Children Make Sense of Pandemic

Published

May 15, 2020

Like other NWU professors, Rebecca Boesen found herself in unfamiliar territory when she was asked to pivot mid-semester into a distance-learning model.

Boesen approached the new challenge first with caution and concern for students enrolled in her Playwriting II course.

Theatre Department

Theatre Professor Named Faculty Mentor of the Year

Published

November 19, 2019

A Nebraska Wesleyan University theatre professor has been recognized for his work in mentoring his peers.

Theatre Department

OnStage Blog Ranks NWU Theatre Among Nation’s Best

Published

November 13, 2019

OnStage Blog, a popular theatre website known for ranking college-level theatre programs nationwide, has recognized two of Nebraska Wesleyan University’s theatre programs among the best in the country.

Theatre Department

NWU Receives $1 Million for Theatre Renovation Project

Sunderland Foundation Grant-McDonald Theatre

Published

October 29, 2019

A $1 million grant has raised the curtain on Nebraska Wesleyan University’s next facility renovation project.

Theatre Department

Musical Theatre Major Balances “Newsies” With National Performance Opportunity

Published

September 27, 2019

It’s a balancing act.

Theatre Department

With Deafness a Central Issue of the Play “Tribes,” Theatre Students Embrace Challenge of Learning Sign Language

Published

May 3, 2019

Last year when Anna Sell studied abroad in London she made a visit to a local bookstore where she skimmed through plays hoping to find inspiration for the play she would direct the following year.

Theatre Department

Bright Lights, Big City Leads to Big Experiences for NWU Theatre Students

Theatre students, spring break in New York City

Published

April 3, 2019

It comes as no surprise that the bright lights of Broadway intrigued a group of Nebraska Wesleyan University theatre students to spend their spring break in the Big Apple.

Theatre Department

Meet Hamlet: NWU’s Prince of Denmark is a Woman of Infinite Zest

Senior Natalia Spengler plays the lead role of Hamlet.

Senior Natalia Spengler and Professor Jack Parkhurst work through the vision of Hamlet.

Published

January 11, 2019

Natalia Spengler isn’t interested in likely stories. Give her a tale that twists. Make it vast. Have it kink and kick and contradict. That’s when you know you have something.