Theatre at Sewanee

Big enough to create theatre at a professional level

Small enough so you can get involved as soon as you arrive

Theatre at Sewanee gives students the opportunity to engage in a dynamic liberal arts education while offering the personalized attention of an arts conservatory. We seek to create a supportive, inclusive environment where all voices are heard and thrive, where students gain confidence  in their public speaking.  Auditions and classes are open to everyone.

 The Tennessee Williams Center (TWC) was built with the royalties of plays written by that celebrated American playwright.  Students carry on his legacy by creating new works and engaging deeply with classic plays.  Our program builds skills in empathy, creativity, collaboration and leadership—preparing students for careers in and beyond the arts. Theatre at Sewanee trains bold, visionary leaders and artists, ready to take on the challenges of the future. 

FIRST DESTINATIONS: Theatre MAJORS

Sewanee graduates secure positions in a variety of fields. Some you would expect, others, are a bit of a surprise. Sewanee prepares you for your profession and your passion. Below is a sampling of recent graduates' first jobs.

  • Actor, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Nashville, TN

  • Assistant Stage Manager, Hippodrome Theatre, Gainesville, FL
  • Brand planning intern, The Richards Group, Dallas, TX
  • Choreographer, fight choreographer at Camp Merrie-Woode, Sapphire, NC
FELLOWSHIP IN THE ARTS

Students with experience and passion for the Performing or Visual Arts can apply for a Fellowship in the Arts. These fellowships range in value and are renewable for four years.  Ask Admissions for details.  

Recent Productions

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
by Dave Malloy
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Twelfth Night
by Shakespeare
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How To Save Ourselves
by Enid Graham
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Tilda Swinton Betrayed Us
by A. Rey Pamatmat
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A Streetcar Named Desire
by Tennessee Williams
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She Kills Monsters
by Qui Nguyen
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Urinetown
By Greg Kolis
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Big Love
by Charles Mee
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Sense & Sensibility
by Kate Hamill
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The Revolutionists
by Lauren Gunderson
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Much Ado About Nothing
by William Shakespeare
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Eurydice
by Sarah Ruhl
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Hamlet
By William Shakespeare
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Men on Boats
by Jaclyn Backhaus
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
by Mark Haddon
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Ugly Lies the Bone
by Lindsey Ferrentino
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Our Country's Good
by Timberlake Wertenbaker
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The Taming of the Shrew
by William Shakespeare
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Cabaret
by Kander, Ebb, & Masteroff
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The Crucible
by Arthur Miller
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Scapin
by Molière
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Good Kids
by Naomi Iizuka
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The Threepenny Opera
by Bertolt Brecht
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Dancing at Lughnasa
by Brian Friel
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The Good Doctor
by Neil Simon
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Metamorphoses
by Mary Zimmerman
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Antigone
by Sophocles
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Anton in Show Business
by Jane Martin
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A Sampling of Courses

Fundamentals of Theatre Production
Theatre

An examination of the collaborative contributions costumes, scenery, lighting, and property technicians make to the art of theatre. An introduction to the materials, technologies, equipment, structures, and best practices used in contemporary theatre production.

THTR 111
Shakespeare and the Actor
Theatre

Intensive rehearsal of selected monologues and scenes. Exercises in this course help students develop vocal and physical expressiveness and skill in speaking heightened language.

THTR 232
Community Engaged Theatre
Theatre

Students will study different forms of community engaged theater and their impacts, including grassroots theater, devised theater, theater for social change, and others. Students will apply these methodologies as they work with a Community Partner throughout the semester to create a performance.

THTR 261
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Theatre

Requirements & Related Programs

Requirements for the Major & Minor in Theatre

Requirements for the Minor in Dance | Website

Meet Some Professors

Durell Cooper
ddcooper@sewanee.edu

Dr. Durell Cooper is a native of Montgomery, AL, and is currently a Visiting Professor at Sewanee. He has taught at various institutions including New York University, The City College of New York and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Durell graduated from the Impact Program for Arts Leaders (IPAL) at Stanford University in 2018. He is also a member of the Diversity Scholars Network at the National Center for Institutional Diversity, University of Michigan. In addition to his academic pursuits he is also the Founder and CEO of Cultural Innovation Group; a boutique consulting agency specializing in systems change and collaborative thought leadership. He is also the creator, producer, and host of the PBS/WNET 13 network series, Flow and the podcast Fluency w/ Dr. Durell Cooper and a co-host/co-producer on season 3 of WNYE 91.5 FM's ArtMovez. He earned a BFA from Southern Methodist University, and both an MA and a Doctorate of Education from New York University.

Visiting Professor of Theatre
Jim Crawford
jscrawfo@sewanee.edu

Jim Crawford teaches classes in contemporary and classical acting, as well as Queer America on Stage and Screen.  He is the co-director of the Sewanee-in-England program.  Jim has directed many productions at Sewanee, including A Streetcar Named Desire, Hamlet, Cabaret, Our Country’s Good, Urinetown, The Crucible, and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.  A graduate of Brown University, he received his MFA at UC San Diego.  An award-winning actor who’s worked at theatres across the country, Jim appeared in 15 productions at the Tony-winning Dallas Theater Center.  He has made recent appearances at Nashville Rep in Sunday in the Park with George, Shakespeare in Love, Elf, and A Streetcar Named Desire, and on the television show English Teacher.

Professor & Chair of Theatre & Dance Department
Sarah Lacy Hamilton
slhamilt@sewanee.edu

Sarah Lacy Hamilton (she/her) is a director specializing in actor-driven productions of new and contemporary plays that foreground the human condition and highlight the experiences of underrepresented communities. Past directing credits include In the Next Room or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl, Dry Land by Ruby Rae Spiegel, Sweat by Lynn Nottage, and HIR by Taylor Mac. Hamilton has also directed a variety of new plays by members of the prestigious Iowa Playwrights Workshop, including C. Meaker’s Nothing But Days, Eric Marlin’s Blackberry: A Burial, and S.P. O’Brien’s PALANQUIN. Hamilton has trained in intimacy choreography and consent-based practices with Intimacy Directors International and Theatrical Intimacy Education. Prior to joining the faculty at Sewanee, Hamilton served as a Visiting Guest Faculty member at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and an Adjunct Faculty member at Pellissippi State Community College. MFA, University of Iowa. BFA, Southern Methodist University. Associate Member, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Assistant Professor of Theatre
Jennifer Matthews
jmatthew@sewanee.edu

Jennifer Matthews' specialty is costume design and technology, and she teaches a full range of courses in those areas as well as make-up design and application. Matthews has studied wig making in New York with Bob Kelly and scenography with Tony Award-winning designer Desmond Heeley.

Professor of Theatre
Elyzabeth Wilder
egwilder@sewanee.edu

Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder’s plays include Gee's Bend, Fresh Kills, Provenance, The Flagmaker of Market Street, The Furniture of Home, White Lightning and Everything That’s Beautiful. Her plays have been produced at the Royal Court (London) and throughout the United States. She was the recipient of the Osborn Award given by the American Theatre Critics Association. Elyzabeth is a graduate of the dramatic writing program at New York University, where she was a Tisch Dramatic Writing Fellow.

Assistant Professor & Tennessee Williams Playwright in Residence
Jordan Vera
jovera@sewanee.edu

Jordan Vera(he/him) is a freelance Lighting and Projection designer that works in Contemporary Theatre and Dance productions across the South East. He teaches Lighting Design, Projection Design, Sound Design, Set Design, and Stage Management classes. Past credits include Fun Home (River & Rail Theatre), I and You (Flying Anvil Theatre), Detroit 67 (Clarence Brown Theatre), Lifespan of a Fact (North Carolina Stage Company), and Marvelous Wonderette (Oak ridge playhouse). MFA, University of Tennessee Knoxville, BFA, Florida International University. He'll be doing the scenic and lighting design for Sewanee's upcoming production of She Kills Monsters.

 

Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre
Courtney World
coworld@sewanee.edu

Courtney directs the dance program at the University of the South. In her professional performing career, she danced for eight years simultaneously with Bill Evans Dance Company/Bill Evans Rhythm Tap Ensemble, and BIODANCE.  She currently performs tap and modern dance with companies and independent artists on a project basis. As a choreographer, her work has been performed nationally at theaters, festivals, and universities.  She has taught dance in higher education at The College at Brockport, The University of Rochester, Nazareth College, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Since arriving at Sewanee, Courtney has developed the dance minor curriculum and was named the 2015-2017 recipient of the James D. Kennedy III Endowed Faculty Fellowship.

Associate Professor of Dance
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Contact

Jennifer matthews
Professor and chair of Theatre & Dance

jmatthew@sewanee.edu
Tennessee Williams Center 21 / ext. 1126

News & Events

Free Solo: An Evening of Solo Performances

7:30 PM
Tennessee Williams Theatre

Join us in the Tennessee Williams Center studio theatre for the final presentations for Professor Elyzabeth Wilder's Solo Performance class! Featuring original works by Jules Bardi, Abbie Holloway, Rebecca Liles, Carson Mengheim, Jacob Novem, Sofia Tripoli, and Natalie Turnage. 

Community Engaged Theatre Walk, Performance, & Reception

1:30 PM
Stirling's Coffee House, Tennessee Williams Center, & St. Mark's Community Center

Want to learn more about Sewanee’s Black history and the vibrant St. Mark’s Community? Join us on April 26th for a performance created by the students of Professor Sarah Hamilton's Community Engaged Theatre class! The day will feature a guided walk along the Heritage Trail, a performance at the Tennessee Williams Center, and a reception at the St. Mark’s Community Center. Don’t miss the unique opportunity to connect with history and community! We’ll see you there!

1:30pm - Heritage Trail Tour with Dr. Woody Register. Begin at Stirling’s Coffeehouse. Transportation available from the end of the trail to the TWC.

3:00pm - Performance at the Studio Theatre in the Tennessee Williams Center

Reception immediately following the performance at the St. Mark’s Community Center, 481 Alabama Avenue

Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

7:00 PM
Angel Park

April 15-18, 2025 at 7:00 pm
April 19, 2025 at 2:00 pm
Angel Park
Reserve your free tickets HERE.

This 90-minute outdoor production is directed by Ivy Francis Moore, C’26.  The show explores the themes of identity and liberation in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night by placing it in an explosive, colorful, close-knit community that's somewhere between The University of the South, a Warhol painting, and a waterpark. Angel Park's unique location naturally includes the audience in the fun and this music-infused production will feature an ensemble of multi-talented Sewanee students.  We encourage you to bring a blanket or a chair!

Perpetual Motion 2025

7:00 PM
Guerry Auditorium

April 10 & 11, 2025 at 7:00 pm
April 12, 2025 at 2:00 pm
Guerry Auditorium

Sewanee's annual student dance festival, featuring a show-stopping variety of student-choreographed dance pieces.  No reservations required.

Black in the Box

2:00 PM
Tennessee Williams Center

Sunday, March 30, 2025
2:00 pm (matinee)
7:00 pm (evening show)
Tennessee Williams Center, Proctor Hill Theater

Guest artist Marlon Burnley is bringing his one-person show Black in the Box to Sewanee on Sunday, March 30th. There will be two performances: 2:00 and 7:00. Each performance is 40 minutes long, and will be followed by a conversation with the audience about Black history and how it’s been reflected in American performance traditions.

Reserve your FREE tickets here.


How to Save Ourselves

7:30 PM
Tennessee Williams Center

How to Save Ourselves by Enid Graham and directed by Sarah Lacy Hamilton will be performed at the Proctor Hall Theatre in the Tennessee Williams Center.

February 26th- March 1st, 7:30 pm
March 2nd, 2:00 pm
Runtime: Approximately 90 minutes

Reserve your FREE tickets here.

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Moment by Moment at the Altamont Inn

Sewanee theater students and Grundy County inmates explore the realities of incarceration in a civic-engaged class project that helps transcend barriers and foster connections between classroom and cell block.

"I begin." Sewanee Theatre Professor Jennifer Matthews rises augustly from her seat in the Frank Herbert Study in Gailor Hall and walks to the bookshelf. She selects a book, flips through the pages, shrugs her shoulders, and places it back on the shelf. “I end."

This brief performance is a bare-bones demonstration of “moment work,” a technique described in a book by that name by Moisés Kaufmann and Barbara Pitts McAdams. This semester, Matthews has been teaching the concept to a class with two distinct populations: Sewanee students enrolled in Theatre 261: Community Engaged Theatre and a group of incarcerated individuals, eager to tell their stories, who are residents of the Grundy County Detention Center, a facility directly across the street from the Grundy County Courthouse in Altamont. 

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Tennessee Comes Back To Sewanee

A landmark staging of A Streetcar Named Desire—in Sewanee’s Tennessee Williams Center—honors the literary legacy of one of America’s greatest playwrights.

This winter--- the last week of February and first days of March—Tennessee Williams, one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century, returned to a place he had never been: Sewanee.

The occasion for Williams’ arrival on the Mountain was the staging of one his most acclaimed plays, A Streetcar Named Desire. But the performances were more than just the presentation of a play. They were an impressive collaboration of literary scholars, their professors, and an outstanding production team who brought to life the French Quarter and the family crucible in which Blanche, her sister Stella, brother-in-law Stanley, and love interest Mitch enacted what Williams himself once called the “war between romanticism and hostility.”

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Meet Cameron Noel, C'21

Theatre major, dance minor, second-year MFA student in playwriting at Southern Illinois University and winner of the Christian H. Moe Playwriting Award for Best Short Play

When it comes to playwriting, my mind is like a locomotive going off the tracks. I'm constantly coming up with new ideas or writing down lines in the Notes app on my phone. I'll be at the grocery store picking up a package of ground beef and suddenly be like, "I know how to end this scene!"; One lesson from Professor Elyzabeth Wilder's advanced playwriting class at Sewanee has always stayed with me-when you're writing a play or you're coming up with a concept for a play, you have to ask, "Why tell this story now?" It makes sure your play has a point of view.

Hearing actors read one of my plays is both nerve-wracking and my favorite part. If there's a typo anywhere in there, they'll find it. But the really scary part is that you never know if what is in your mind is translating to the page. I've never thought of myself as a comedic writer, so it's surprising and rewarding whenever I write a joke on the page, an actor reads it, and the people in the room actually laugh. I also love it when I have a talkback after a performance or workshop and someone says, "I noticed you did this deeply symbolic thing or made this historical reference."  And I'll just sit back and say, "I had no idea. That was not on purpose, but yes, absolutely. You saw something in it, so I'm going to claim it. Thank you so much."

As artists, we always bring a part of ourselves to the work. I am interested in telling authentic Black and queer stories-I'm a gay Black man, so those stories are very important to me. I would often look at so many plays and movies and find myself complaining, "Where are the characters who look like me?"  And I thought, "Well, if you don't like what you're seeing, then go write what you do want to see." People of color and members of marginalized communities are so multifaceted, and there's so much room for creativity and so many untapped narrative possibilities. I want to take what I've learned and write those stories for my community.

Cameron Noel
Theatre Major, Dance Minor C'21

Connecting the Dots

Tennessee Williams Center
Legacy of the south's favorite playwright

The Tennessee Williams Center provides unique, state-of-the-art facilities for students and faculty. Created with funds from the estate of Tennessee Williams himself, the Center houses a fully-equipped 175-seat theatre, a 60-seat studio theatre, a drafting and design studio, a dance studio, costume and scenery studios, and dressing rooms.

On with the show!
American Shakespeare Center
an academic leadership consortium

The University of the South has become a charter member of American Shakespeare Center’s academic leadership consortium. The partnership will bring the company’s national tour to the university each year, and ASC will host Sewanee students and scholars at its home theater, Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, Virginia. On-campus workshops, covering topics from stage combat to unraveling Shakespeare’s text, will also be offered by ASC actors in residency.

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Study Abroad
Engaged citizens solving global problems

At Sewanee, we pledge to offer each student an opportunity to study abroad. And at Sewanee, we keep our promises. Travel, learn, and cultivate your knowledge by communicating across cultures and acquiring a sensitivity to other ways of life. Apply social scientific methodologies to various frameworks. Learn to formulate solutions to global problems and apply those theories at home in a local context.

More about Study Abroad