Theatre and Dance

A major is offered in Theatre, with concentrations offered in Acting / Directing, Dance, and Design and Technical Theatre.

The Franklin Pierce Difference

A production of the Broadway musical Pippin enjoyed a five-day run in the Franklin Pierce University Warehouse Theatre. An original play titled "...but the rain is full of ghosts," written by Professor Robert Lawson, was honored regionally and students were invited to perform it at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. as part of the National American College Theater Festival.

The Theater and Dance Department offers instruction and training to enhance the student's capacity for imaginative and creative thought and action. Majors and minors, from freshmen through seniors, participate in the process of performing, crafting and producing works of theatre and dance with the goal of achieving a substantial understanding of the collaborative artistic process.

Faculty with diverse experience and guests artists enrich the curriculum. The liberal arts core at Franklin Pierce University helps Theatre and Dance students gain skills in effective communication, critical thinking, and creative problem solving. This provides an advantage in today's arts environment and helps Franklin Pierce graduates make significant contributions in their careers and the culture of theatre and dance..

Course Details

The three areas of concentration (Acting / Directing, Dance, and Design and Technical Theatre) afford students the opportunity for intensive work in a specialized area of theatre study. Learn more about the Dance Concentration.

The concentration in Acting / Directing provides a thorough grounding in the principles of theatrical performance. The concentration in Dance provides a a strong foundation in the study of contemporary dance with special attention to technique and development of the body instrument. The concentration in Design and Technical Theatre provides students with a thorough knowledge of scenic and stage lighting design techniques and enables them to gain the skills and abilities needed to solve technical problems and mount stage productions..

Want to know more?

Download a Theatre and Dance Program Sheet to view on screen or print, or view the College at Rindge Academic Catalog for specific degree requirements and course information.

Contact

Franklin Pierce University
College at Rindge
1.800.437.0048
admissions@franklinpierce.edu

FACULTY

Lee A. Dunholter
Professor of Theatre Arts
A.S., University of Cincinnati
B.A., Franklin Pierce University
A.L.M., Harvard University
dunholterl@franklinpierce.edu

Nancy Stone
Professor, Theatre Arts
Chair, Division of Visual and Performing Arts
B.S., Kansas State University
M.F.A., Boston University
stonen@franklinpierce.edu

Associate Professors

Wendy Dwyer
Associate Professor of Dance
B.A., University of Rochester
M.F.A., Sarah Lawrence College
dwyerwb@franklinpierce.edu

Robert Lawson
Associate Professor of Theatre Arts
B.A., Vassar College
M.F.A., New York University
lawsonrc@franklinpierce.edu

Richard Silvestro
Associate Professor of Theatre Arts
B.S., State University of New York College at Brockport
M.F.A., Yale School of Drama
silvesrr@franklinpierce.edu

LECTURERS

Sally Bomer
Lecturer, Theatre Arts and Dance
B.A., Vassar College
bomers@franklinpierce.edu

Kimberly Dupuis
Lecturer, Theatre Arts and Dance
B.A., Louisiana State University
M.F.A., University of Florida
dupuisk@franklinpierce.edu

Peggy Rae Johnson
Lecturer, Theatre Arts
B.A., Eastern Illinois University
M.A., University of Illinois
johnsonp@franklinpierce.edu

Kathleen Manfre
Lecturer, Theatre Arts
B.A., University of Dayton
M.A., University of Northern Colorado
manfrek@franklinpierce.edu

Reagan Messer
Lecturer, Theatre Arts
Dance, Boston Ballet
messerr@franklinpierce.edu

Anna Thomford
Costume Coordinator, Theatre Arts
thomforda@franklinpierce.edu