Theatre

2024/2025 Anniversary Theatre Season

��Ƶ’s resident theatre company, Coppin Repertory Theatre, will raise the curtain on its twentieth season of plays, called the Anniversary Theatre Season, celebrating the rich artistic heritage of African American culture through theatre. This year’s schedule features three shows—two new dramas, and an ancient Greek classic.

Marty and the Hands That Could, the season premiere, is a new play by Coppin’s Playwright in Residence, Josh Wilder. The protagonist, Marty, is released from prison on the eve of his 25th birthday. He returns home to his family, equipped with a handwritten manuscript and big dreams to turn his life around. But his cousin Junior has also come home with problems of his own, setting them on a collision course as they struggle to break free of the curse that has haunted their family for generations. Can Marty put his hands to good use, or is his fate already written? Performances are scheduled in the James Weldon Johnson Auditorium October 10-13, 2024.

Antigone, Sophocles’ perennial classic, explores the tension between personal morality and the laws of the state, the nature of justice, the role of fate in human life, and the danger of excessive pride. This exploration produces a thought-provoking play that has been deliberated throughout the centuries. The central figure is Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, who displays an unwavering commitment to her familial duty and to the gods, even in the face of opposition from the state. Her character challenges the audience to consider the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs, even in the face of resistance from authority. King Creon, her uncle, on the other hand, is blinded to the higher rulings of the gods. He exhibits a resolute adherence to the law, maintaining order and stability for the peace of his state. The complicated relationship between personal conscience and law, tackled within the play, has enshrined Antigone as one of the most famous Greek tragedies. Production dates are December 5-8, 2024 in the Theatre Lab.

Leftovers, another new work by Josh Wilder, is the season finale. Jalil and Kwamaine just want their family to be “Cosby Show happy,” but that kind of life does not seem to be in the cards—until an enormous dandelion pops up in front of their South Philly home and wishes start falling from the sky. Seizing the possibility of no longer feeling like the city's leftovers, the brothers begin to dream their way out of the cycle of poverty that has governed their lives and find themselves on an adventure they never could have imagined. Leftovers closes the Anniversary Season again in the Theatre Lab, running May 1-4, 2025.

For more information about the Anniversary Theatre Season, call, or email Dr. Hyatt in the Visual and Performing Arts Area at (410) 951-3369 or ghyatt@coppin.edu.

God Is Going to Trouble the Waters

May 1-4, 2025

A World Premiere Comedy by DCarter, Playwright

Directed by Willie O. Jordan

God Is Going to Trouble the Waters is a delightful awakening into the lives of imperfect people. When Reverend Waters' daughter Regina decides to explore her secular side by taking a job as a dancer in a gentlemen's club, she encounters an unlikely patron...her father. Fireworks ignite. The ensuing fallout has serious repercussions for the whole family and the church. God Is Going to Trouble the Waters is a humorous tale about faith, family, friendship, community, and, ultimately, salvation.

Tickets

DCarter, a native of Baltimore, is a 2022 theatre graduate of ��Ƶ. He has been a member of the Arena Players in Baltimore since 1989 when he made his acting debut in Charles Fuller’s A Soldiers Play. He has also performed with theatre companies throughout the Greater Charm City area, including Coppin, Morgan, and Fells Point Corner Theatre.

As a director, DCarter was first trained by his mentor Samuel H. Wilson Jr., the legendary founder of the Arena Players. He has subsequently been mentored by Donald Owens, Amini Courts, Eileen J. Morris of Ensemble Theatre in Houston, Texas and Professor Willie O. Jordan.

As a playwright, DCarter has written eight plays that have been performed on stage and has won three NADSA S. Randolph Edmonds awards for playwriting, including Brother's Keeper, Orphaned, and Lies. His first full-length play, God is Going to Trouble the Waters was workshopped at the Arena Players and received subsequent staged readings at the Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL) and as part of Ensemble Theatre’s New Voice Fest in Houston, Texas.

Marty and the Hands That Could

October 10-13, 2024

A New Play by Josh Wilder, Playwright-in-Residence

Directed by Willie O. Jordan

Released from prison on the eve of his 25th birthday, Marty returns home to his family, equipped with a handwritten manuscript and big dreams to turn his life around. But his cousin Junior has also come home with problems of his own, setting them on a collision course as they struggle to break free of the curse that has haunted their family for generations. Can Marty put his hands to good use, or is his fate already written?

Josh Wilder is a playwright, actor, and producer from Philadelphia. He received his BFA Degree in theatre at Carnegie Mellon and his MFA Degree in Playwriting at Yale University. His work has been developed, commissioned, and produced at various regional theatre and festivals across the country including The Fire Next Time Festival, Classical Theatre of Harlem, New York Theatre Workshop, True Colors Theatre Company, Kennedy Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, PlayPenn, Company One, InterAct Theatre Company, and Yale Rep. Past awards include the Holland New Voices Award, the Lorraine Hansberry Award, the Rosa Parks Award, and the ASCAP Cole Porter Prize. Josh is also a former Jerome Fellow and the first national recipient of the Jerome Many Voices Fellowship at Playwrights’ Center. He has been in residence at the Royal Court Theatre, Sundance at Ucross, and served as Co-Artistic Director at the Yale Cabaret for its 50th season. He is the Co-Founder/Producer of the New Griots Black Arts Festival in the Twin Cities with Jamil Jude. Currently, he’s stationed in Baltimore, Maryland as Playwright-in-Residence at ��Ƶ.

Our Programs

Theatre

Undergraduate

Major

Dance

Undergraduate

Major

Minor

Urban Arts

Undergraduate

Major

African American Studies

Undergraduate

Minor

College

The Theatre Program is within the Department of Humanities in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Education.

2019-2020 The Season of Change

Previous Theatre Seasons

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Theatre Arts Program

Previous Theatre Seasons

Theatre Arts Program

Email us

(410) 951-3369

(410) 951-3359

On This Page

2023-2024 Theatre Season

2022-2023 Season

2021-2022 Season

2018-2019 The Commemorative Theatre Season

2017-2018 The Social Justice Theatre Season

2016-2017 The Awakening Theatre Season

2015-2016 The Community Theatre Season

2014-2015 The Nobility Theatre Season

2013-2014 The Revelation Season

2023/2024 Theatre Season

Ghosts

April 25-28, 2024

Written by Henrik Ibsen, Adapted by Richard Eyre

Directed by Willie O. Jordan

Though written in 1881, Henrik Ibsen’s domestic tragedy is still urgent, timely and relevant today. The play asks each of us to confront some very poignant questions: How does the past influence the present? How does society invade our personal lives? What do we do with the lies, deceit, and hypocrisy? Can we free ourselves from dead ideas, dead customs, and dead morals as we face our Ghosts?

Chicken & Biscuits

February 29 - March 10, 2024

Written by Douglas Lyons

Directed by Daniel Carter

Chicken & Biscuits is a raucous family comedy so full of laughter and love, it’ll leave you begging for seconds. The Jenkins family is coming together to celebrate the life of the family patriarch—hopefully without killing each other! But any hopes for a peaceful reunion unravel when a shocking family secret shows up at the funeral. A feel-good comedy that will feed your soul.

Pipeline

November 10-12, 2023

Written by Dominique Morisseau

Directed by Willie O. Jordan

A mother’s choices. A son’s rage. A rigged education system. In PIPELINE’s opening scene we meet Nya, a dedicated teacher in an inner-city public high school, who has just discovered that her son’s in trouble. After one impulsive act, Omari is in danger of being expelled from his upstate private school, and Nya’s hopes for his bright future are threatened. With language lyrical and potent, Morisseau’s deeply compassionate and dynamic award-winning play dives into the painful truth of “the school-to-prison pipeline.”

Shakin' The Mess Outta Misery

September 28 - October 1, 2023

Written by Shay Youngblood

Directed by Rashida Forman-Bey

Adapted from the Shay Youngblood's book, THE BIG MAMA STORIES, SHAKIN' THE MESS OUTTA MISERY is the inspirational, semi-autobiographical story of a young black girl's coming of age in the 1960s South. "Daughter," the main character and 25-year-old narrator, lost her mother when she was very young and a community of women raised her, some blood related, some not. As she remembers how her 'Big Mamas' prepared her for womanhood, the women enter to tell their stories and "Daughter" becomes a child again, reliving her vivid memories of growing up--recalling the rituals, the faith healings, and the stories she was told and the lessons she learned about survival, healing, sisterhood, family, and faith. Youngblood's play confirms the African proverb—"It takes a village to raise a child."

2022-2023 Theatre Season

Pipeline

March 2-5, 2023

Written by Dominique Morisseau

Directed by Willie O. Jordan

Shakin' The Mess Outta Misery

April 27 - May 7, 2023

Written by Shay Youngblood

Directed by Rashida Forman-Bey

Broke-ology

November 10-13, 2022

Written by Nathan Louis Jackson

In Broke-ology, despite economic and emotional hardships, the King family has survived thanks to their love for and dedication to one another. William, the father afflicted with MS, still lives in the house in which his sons grew up, continuously grasping at the memories of his late wife, Sonia, and the dreams they shared of a better future for their children. Ennis, his elder son, takes care of William despite the pressure that comes with having a baby of his own on the way. Malcolm, the younger son, is a college graduate recently returned home after a taste of life outside the asphyxiating cycle of poverty and struggle in which he was raised. When the offer of a job in Connecticut tempts Malcolm into leaving for good, he is forced to decide between his duty to his family and his refusal to further defer the dreams of his father.

The Overcomers Theatre Season 2021-2022

Colorblind: The Katrina Monologues

May 1-31, 2021

By Tom Flannery

Directed by Azya Maxton

On the morning of August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit southeast Louisiana. Today, it is still remembered as the most apocalyptic storm to hit the US, causing severe damage along the Gulf Coast. In the aftermath of the storm, the federal flood protection system in New Orleans failed in more than fifty places, causing nearly every levee to break. Thousands of families were uprooted. More than 1800 persons lost their lives. Flannery's Katrina Monologues tells the stories of nine people affected by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

Blues For an Alabama Sky

October 29-31, 2021

By Pearl Cleage

It's the summer of 1930 and the promises of the Harlem Renaissance are giving way to the dashed dreams of the Great Depression. Playwright Pearl Cleage tells a strikingly modern story about four friends whose lives and passions collide when an innocent newcomer from Alabama arrives in New York.

Private Wars

November 4-5, 2021
The Theatre Lab, Grace Jacobs Building, Lower Level

Thursday November 4th at 10:30 a.m.
Friday, November 5th at 10:30 a.m.
Friday, November 5th at 7:30 p.m.

By James McClure

Popular anti-war comedy about the humorous and intense recovery of three Viet Nam Vets from physical wounds and PTSD.

Admission: $10 General, $5 Coppin Student with ID

Fully masked audience, proof of vaccination or negative test result within 72 hours

The Colored Museum

April 21-24, 2022

April 21 & 22 at 7:30 p.m.
April 23 & 24 at 3:00 p.m.

By George C. Wolfe

A poignant, socially-conscious, satirical comedy, The Colored Museum is a depiction of black culture in America, especially relevant in today’s world of “Black Lives Matter”. Tony Award-winning playwright, George C. Wolfe, takes us on a journey of Black culture with an “in-your-face,” non-apologetic, “take no prisoners” satire that electrifies, unsettles, and delights audiences of all colors.

84th Annual Conference of the National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts (NADSA)

April 6-9, 2022

��Ƶ
2500 W. North Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21216

The Glass Menagerie

May 6-8, 2022

By Tennessee Williams

An American classic of great tenderness, charm, and beauty, The Glass Menagerie is an icon of the American theater. Known as Tennessee Williams's autobiographical “memory play,” we meet the Wingfield family—frustrated writer Tom, his nagging mother, Amanda, who is often lost in memories of her Southern-belle past, and his painfully shy sister, Laura—and the effect a visit from a “gentleman caller” for Laura has on all their lives.

2019-2020 The Season of Change

Best of Enemies by Mark St. Germain (September 2019)

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson (December 2019)

The Meeting by Jeff Stetson (February 2020)

2018-2019 The Commemorative Theatre Season

Theatre Trip to New York City to see The Lion King on Broadway

For Colored Girls… by Ntozake Shange (October 2018)

Harlem Renaissance Program (original world premiere of student-written production, Harlem Song) (November 2018)

A Soldier’s Play by Charles Fuller (December 2018)

KCACTF Region II Festival 2019 at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey (January 2019)

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (March 2019)

NADSA Conference 2019—��Ƶ is host (April 2019)

2017-2018 The Social Justice Theatre Season

Suspects in America by Willie Holmes

Tell Pharaoh by Loften Mitchell

KCACTF Region II Festival 2018 at Indiana University, Pennsylvania

For Colored Girls… by Ntozake Shange

2016-2017 The Awakening Theatre Season

You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown

Homeplace by Claudette Alexander-Thomason

Suspects in America (A Staged Reading) by Willie Holmes

2015-2016 The Community Theatre Season

Zooman and the Sign by Charles Fuller

Under the Skin by Michael Hollinger

Homeplace (A Staged Reading) by Claudette Alexander-Thomason

2014-2015 The Nobility Theatre Season

A Lesson Before Dying by Romulus Linney

Jar the Floor by Cheryl L. West

2013-2014 The Revelation Season

Truth Stands, a world premiere by Cynthia Hardeman (October 2013)

To Be Young, Gifted and Black by Lorraine Hansberry (November 2013) Adapted by Robert Nemiroff

The Waiting Room By Samm-Art Williams (March 2014)

2012-2013 Season

From the Mississippi Delta by Endesha Ida Mae Holland (October 2012)

Harriet Jacobs by Lydia Diamond (November 2012 & February 2013)

One Night Only- A Christmas Show by James Macon Grant (December 2012)

2011-2012 Season

Every Tongue Confess by Marcus Gardley (October 2011)

From the Mississippi Delta by Endesha Ida Mae Holland (December 2011)

God’s Trombones: From Test to Testimony by James Weldon Johnson; Adapted by D. Wambui Richardson (April 2012)

2010-2011 Season

In the Blood by Suzan-Lori Parks (October 2010)

Antigone by Sophocles (November 2010)

God’s Trombones by James Weldon Johnson (April 2011)

2009-2010 Season

The Colored Museum by George C. Wolfe (November 2009)

Constant Star by Tazewell Thompson (March 2010)

Pill Hill by Samuel Kelley (April 2010)

Our Programs

Theatre

Undergraduate

Major

Dance

Undergraduate

Major

Minor

Urban Arts

Undergraduate

Major

African American Studies

Undergraduate

Minor

Contact Us

The faculty provides nurturance through instruction, leadership, mentorship, advice, and interactive learning methods to engage students in theory, scholarship, practice, and community service. In addition to the staff and faculty listed below, we'd like to thank the following Adjunct Faculty team members too:

James A. Brown

Auditorium Technical Liaison

staff

Garey A. Hyatt PhD

Assistant Professor

faculty

Willie O. Jordan

Assistant Professor/Director of Speech and Theatre

faculty

Michael D. Klima MFA

Assistant Professor

faculty

Can Help With

Theatrical Design, especially Lighting Design

Theatre History

Theatre Safety

College

The Theatre Program is within the Department of Humanities in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Education.

National Presence

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Theatre Arts Program

National Presence

Theatre Arts Program

Email us

(410) 951-3369

(410) 951-3359

On This Page

Guest Artists Series

Students engage and interact with several prominent and emerging artists in our Theatre Arts Program. These artists visit the campus to act, direct, design, speak, and teach master workshops. Some of our past guests included:

Ruben Arana-Downs
Nicoye Banks
David Barr III
Christopher Benson
Trezana Beverley
Maria Broom
Phillip Burgess
Kevin Carroll
Rosiland Cauthen
Anthony Chisholm
Sharlene Clinton
Kurt Columbus
Aunjanue Ellis
Cynthia Hardeman
Charlene Harris
Gregory J. Horton
Sallah Jenkins
Timothy Jones
Lillie Kahkonen
Woodie King, Jr.
Kwame Kwei-Armah
Antoinette McDonald
David Mitchell
Prince No Ra
Howard Overshown
Donald Owens
Marc Payne
Rain Pryor
D. Wambui Richardson
Jefferson Russell
Sadiqa
Mark St. Germain
Daniel Sunjata
Alvin Sykes
L. Steven Taylor
Claudette Alexander Thomason
R. Paul Thomason
Douglas Turner Ward
Allan Weeks
Linda West
Robert White
Samm-Art Williams
Ian Wooldridge

National Organizations and Festivals

Coppin students attend, participate, and compete in several national organizations and festivals.

The National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts (NADSA)

NADSA is an association of students, faculty, staff, alumni and other arts/entertainment professionals from historically black colleges and universities across the country. Founded in 1936, NADSA is today the nation’s oldest surviving educational theatre association. The four-day annual conference, held in March or April, features a series of workshops, competitions, performances, panels and plenaries. Theatre and speech communication enthusiasts use NADSA as an opportunity to network, build skillsets, and share best practices of the field.

Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) is a national theater program involving 18,000 students annually from colleges and universities across the country. KCACTF aims to:

Encourage, recognize, and celebrate the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theatre programs;
Provide opportunities for participants to develop their theater skills, insight, and achieve professionalism;
Improve the quality of college and university theatre in the United States; and
Encourage colleges and universities to give distinguished productions of new plays, especially those written by students; the classics, revitalized or newly conceived, and experimental works.

Since its inception, KCACTF has given more than 400,000 college theater students the opportunity to have their work critiqued, improve their dramatic skills, and receive national recognition for excellence. More than 16 million theatergoers have attended approximately 10,000 festival productions nationwide. Since its inception, KCACTF has given more than 400,000 college theater students the opportunity to have their work critiqued, improve their dramatic skills, and receive national recognition for excellence. More than 16 million theatergoers have attended approximately 10,000 festival productions nationwide.

University Resident Theatre Association

Founded in 1969, the University Resident Theatre Association works to ensure the continued renewal of the American theatre by supporting excellence in the professional training of new artists. URTA continues to develop programs and services that answer the needs of university theatres, training programs, and individual artists. Whether it’s articulating the highest standards for professional training, helping to match potential students with the MFA program best suited to their needs, facilitating engagement of professional artists at universities, or expanding the scope of our education and career outreach programs, URTA is setting the stage for emerging theatre artists, and professional advancement.

Our Programs

Theatre

Undergraduate

Major

Dance

Undergraduate

Major

Minor

Urban Arts

Undergraduate

Major

African American Studies

Undergraduate

Minor

Contact Us

James A. Brown

Auditorium Technical Liaison

staff

Garey A. Hyatt PhD

Assistant Professor

faculty

Willie O. Jordan

Assistant Professor/Director of Speech and Theatre

faculty

Michael D. Klima MFA

Assistant Professor

faculty

Can Help With

Theatrical Design, especially Lighting Design

Theatre History

Theatre Safety

College

The Theatre Program is within the Department of Humanities in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Education.

Alpha Psi Omega Theatre Honor Society

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Theatre Arts Program

Alpha Psi Omega Theatre Honor Society

Theatre Arts Program

Email us

(410) 951-3369

(410) 951-3359

On This Page

��Ƶ is a member of Alpha Psi Omega (ΑΨΩ), a National Theatre Honor Society for participants in collegiate theatre. It began in the early 20th century as result of the growing interest in dramatic arts among colleges and universities throughout America, with the aim of encouraging dramatic production at every step in a person’s academic career. Alpha Psi Omega is the largest national honor society in America. Membership is open to students who are active in collegiate/university theatre at four-year institutions. Students strive to earn membership into this prestigious organization.

Our Programs

Theatre

Undergraduate

Major

Dance

Undergraduate

Major

Minor

Urban Arts

Undergraduate

Major

African American Studies

Undergraduate

Minor

Contact Us

James A. Brown

Auditorium Technical Liaison

staff

Garey A. Hyatt PhD

Assistant Professor

faculty

Willie O. Jordan

Assistant Professor/Director of Speech and Theatre

faculty

Michael D. Klima MFA

Assistant Professor

faculty

Can Help With

Theatrical Design, especially Lighting Design

Theatre History

Theatre Safety

College

The Theatre Program is within the Department of Humanities in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Education.

Theatre Arts Scholarship

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Theatre Arts Program

Theatre Arts Scholarship

Theatre Arts Program

Email us

(410) 951-3369

(410) 951-3359

On This Page

Apply for the Scholarship

Theatre is a part of the Urban Arts major at Coppin. We are searching for talented individuals who are interested in majoring in theatre (Urban Arts) and whose gifts and passions are found in areas that feature on stage performances, and backstage work. Theatre is a gateway major that accommodates skills and competencies that will prepare students to work in environments that require integration and cross-pollination of thought, philosophy, and skills as 21st century learners.

Apply Now

Preparing for the Scholarship Audition

What you need to do

Perform a monologue that suits you and your age (no more than 5 years older or younger than your actual age)
No overdone selections
Choose and show drama that is active
Character must tell an urgent story right now
Know selection well
No profanity (know sensibilities of the adjudicators)
Selection should honor time limit
No dialects

Pre-preparation

Give yourself time to get ready (can’t start the night before)
Make a good impression
Spend lots of time reading scripts, screenplays, poetry, fiction, musical scores, and other sources for audition material. Give yourself many options to make your final choice(s).
Find or adapt the perfect selections
Spend time rehearsing under the guidance of a trusted director or coach
Research the full production
Understand every word you speak (look up unfamiliar terms and expressions)
Make it fresh
Practice your slate
- short and upbeat
- A sincere greeting, your name, the play from which your selection is taken, and the author is sufficient information
- Place a chair, if needed, and set before your introduction
- Begin and end strongly
- Practice your entire presentation
- At the end, restate your name, the selection, your number and say a dignified “Thank you” and exit

Your Appearance

Dressing is a part of the “package”
Polished, professional appearance
Clothing with neutral, plain, and solid colors work best
Avoid noisy footwear and jewelry (keep jewelry small and unobtrusive—again, loop earrings may steal the attention from your work; you are not there to make a fashion statement)
Dancers should not hide their bodies beneath loose clothing

The Printed Materials

Résumé, application, sheet music:

Neat and error-free
Music should be in the proper key (with returns, tempo changes, and other irregularities marked clearly for the accompanist—remember, this is somebody who will be reading the music on the spot)

Taking Care of Yourself

Take care of your voice
Get a good night’s sleep
On Audition day
- Eat lightly before the audition
- Arrive early enough to scope out the audition space, if possible
- Find a quiet place to warm up your voice and body
- Know where you will focus your eyes during your presentation
- Experts suggest visualizing your partner at some point just above the heads of the auditors
- Address your listeners directly
- Be sensitive to the acoustics of the space. Use sufficient breath to fill the room with your voice

What Not to Do

Do not apologize or make excuses
If you blank out, take a breath, remember your character’s objective, find a line, and continue
Never ask to start over, particularly in a singing or dance audition
Be prepared to answer auditors’ questions when your presentation is over. Know the full play, your character’s objectives, and intentions
Dancers, especially, should remain in their places until excused
Enjoy yourself. Share your love of performing with your audience

Pointers for Completing the Audition

Be animated
Show range in pitch and physicality (do not be monotone)
Use your whole body and not just from the waist up
Use the stage
Do not turn your back to the audience or turn your performance to the side. Let the director see the open (full front) view. It is the strongest body position for your presentation.
Feel free to use several levels, i.e., sitting in a chair, standing, walking with a purpose
Speak with a clear, distinct, and articulate voice
Listen to the text that you are speaking or singing or dancing to for the show. Let it make sense to you.
Please look and learn to pronounce words that are not familiar to you before coming to the audition
Do not perform an act that has offensive words, trigger words or vulgar language (plenty of time to explore that avenue later)
Stay away from sexually suggestive works.
Either sing a cappella or with an instrumental track. DO NOT SING WITH THE CD. We want to hear you and not the original artist singing.
Act like you want to win a spot in the show! Make it hard for the sponsors to say no to you.
Choose a work that shows your range of talent.
Choose one that is age and gender appropriate.

“Luck is what happens with preparation meets opportunity.”

Be very prepared. You are trying to make a good impression. Break-a-leg!

Our Programs

Theatre

Undergraduate

Major

Dance

Undergraduate

Major

Minor

Urban Arts

Undergraduate

Major

African American Studies

Undergraduate

Minor

Contact Us

James A. Brown

Auditorium Technical Liaison

staff

Garey A. Hyatt PhD

Assistant Professor

faculty

Willie O. Jordan

Assistant Professor/Director of Speech and Theatre

faculty

Michael D. Klima MFA

Assistant Professor

faculty

Can Help With

Theatrical Design, especially Lighting Design

Theatre History

Theatre Safety

College

The Theatre Program is within the Department of Humanities in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Education.

Beyond the Classroom

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Theatre Arts Program

Beyond the Classroom

Theatre Arts Program

Email us

(410) 951-3369

(410) 951-3359

On This Page

Students participate in a myriad of co-curricular activities, including plays, concerts, art exhibits, workshops, presentations, competitions, tournaments, field trips, and conferences.

Student Collaborations

Our theatre students participate in a range of collaborative and community service projects with other student organizations and with other colleges and universities.

Recent collaborations include participation in Bowie State University’s annual Ten Minute Play Festival and a co-production on the show, Best of Enemies with McDaniel College.

Students also work with professional theatre practitioners as guest directors, actors, designers and playwrights (One Night Only, Harlem Song, Brother’s Keeper).

Internships

Our students have participated in various internship opportunities, such as:

Daniel Carter, Ensemble Theatre of Houston, TX
Louis Williams, III, Baltimore Shakespeare Factory
Dorrian Wilson, Chesapeake Shakespeare Theatre
Anthony Murcia-Santos, The Juilliard School
Juan Ogando, Upright Citizens Brigade in NYC
Kai Crosby-Singleton, Baltimore Center Stage
Anthony Murcia-Santos, Baltimore Center Stage

Advanced Study Opportunities

Coppin State theatre students go on to advanced study, such as:

Dorrian Wilson, MFA Acting Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Mama Rashida Foreman-Bey, MFA Community Arts Program, Mrayland Institute College of Art (MICA)
Dorrian Wilson and Ryan Pratcher-Bey, the Kennedy Center

Broadway Field Trips

Students are encouraged to participate in our trips to professional productions. Past activities have included:

The Color Purple. Students interviewed Natasha Williams, who played Sofia.
Cat on A Hot Tin Roof. Students participated in a talk-back with cast member Anika Noni Rose, who played Maggie the Cat.
Porgy and Bess. Students participated in a talk-back with cast members Natasha Williams (Mariah) and Norm Lewis (Porgy).
Chicago. Students participated in a talk-back with cast members Brandy Norwood (Roxie), Natasha Williams and full cast.
The Lion King. Students interviewed L. Steven Taylor who plays Mufasa.
A Soldier’s Play

Engaging the Community

Our theatre students participate in a range of community activities, including:

Summer theatre program
Performances at Churches
Audience talk-backs after all theatre performances

Regional and National Competitions

Coppin State theatre students participate in regional and national competitions, such as:

NADSA
KCACTF, one of the few HBCUs participating
Forensics Tournaments

School Matinee Performances

Middle and high school students

Participating in Public Showcases

Acting I
Acting II
Acting III
Unscripted: Improvisation for the Actor
Oral Interpretation
Directing
We Heart Art Festival

Our Programs

Theatre

Undergraduate

Major

Dance

Undergraduate

Major

Minor

Urban Arts

Undergraduate

Major

African American Studies

Undergraduate

Minor

Contact Us

James A. Brown

Auditorium Technical Liaison

staff

Garey A. Hyatt PhD

Assistant Professor

faculty

Willie O. Jordan

Assistant Professor/Director of Speech and Theatre

faculty

Michael D. Klima MFA

Assistant Professor

faculty

Can Help With

Theatrical Design, especially Lighting Design

Theatre History

Theatre Safety

College

The Theatre Program is within the Department of Humanities in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Education.

Theatre Arts Program

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Theatre Arts Program mg_admin Wed, 07/28/2021 - 11:35

School of Arts & Sciences

Theatre Arts Program

Current Theatre Season

Theatre Arts Program

Email us

(410) 951-3369

(410) 951-3359

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Learn about the Theatre Scholarship

Current Theatre Season

NADSA Conference

Theatre buildings

We Nurture. We Engage. We Transform.

The arts are essential to our lives! Theatre art is an avenue to intellectual, social, personal, professional development, and enrichment. The theatre concentration in the Urban Arts major prepares students for careers in theatre and related disciplines through character, leadership, and service for building relationships and community. The program supports the following fundamental beliefs and values:

Excellence, the highest artistic quality

Integrity, the highest standards of honesty and fairness in the pursuit of equitable, ethical, and professional practice.

Lifelong Learning the best continuous training for artistry, knowledge, and skills

Service is our noble and worthy responsibility to our community

Diversity of opinion, freedom of expression and each person’s individuality.

Creativity in all endeavors.

Commitment to the arts and to the mission of the University its role in supporting the highest quality of life

Intellectual Freedom for the ethical and scholarly inquiry in an environment that fully respects the rights of all in their pursuit of knowledge

Stewardship of Resources dedicated to the efficient and effective use as we accept the responsibility of public trust and accountability for our actions

The Theatre concentration focuses on the student as the center of the educational enterprise. We place a high premium on nurturing, engaging, and transforming the individual so that creativity is expressed with honor and value. Learn about theater-related jobs.

Our academic program is ably supported by Coppin Repertory Theatre, the producing arm and Coppin Players, a student run organization where our students collaborate, invest, and own the work they do.

Apply Now

Our Programs

Dance

Undergraduate

Major

Minor

Urban Arts

Undergraduate

Major

Current Theatre Season

Current Productions

��Ƶ Hosts the 84th Annual Conference National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts (NADSA) - April 6-9, 2022

Coppin Repertory Theatre will host the 84th Annual Conference of NADSA, an association of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other arts/entertainment professionals from historically black colleges and universities across the country. Founded in 1936, NADSA is the nation’s oldest surviving educational theatre association. The annual conference features workshops, competitions, performances, and plenaries. Attendees use NADSA as an opportunity to network, build skillsets, and share best practices in the field.

Contact Us

James A. Brown

Auditorium Technical Liaison

staff

Garey A. Hyatt PhD

Assistant Professor

faculty

Willie O. Jordan

Assistant Professor/Director of Speech and Theatre

faculty

Michael D. Klima MFA

Assistant Professor

faculty

Can Help With

Theatrical Design, especially Lighting Design

Theatre History

Theatre Safety

Linda Day-Clark

Professor

faculty

College

The Theatre Program is within the Department of Humanities in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Education.