It’s a new year, and with that comes another semester full of arts performances at the University! In this article, we will preview the theater events planned for this spring. Remember to reserve tickets as soon as possible; we predict that these exciting productions will sell out fast! 

To start the Spring semester off, the student theater group Spike Tape will produce two highly anticipated theater events this February. From Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, the group will host its annual One-Day Plays, where student playwrights produce one-act plays in a limited 24-hour frame. The performances this year will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1 in the Patricelli ’92 Theater. Next up, Spike Tape’s Spring Cabaret Musical Showcase will take place on Saturday, Feb. 15 in the Patricelli ’92 Theater. We recommend this show to all the passionate musical theater fans out there!

February will also bring three exciting senior thesis theater productions to campus! Scheduled nightly on Feb. 6, 7, and 8 at 8 p.m., Noah King ’25 will put up his theater capstone, “When There is No Love to Give,” in the Theater Department Studio. This multi-medium play focuses on the power of grief and its manifestations in individuals and societies. King’s thesis production is already sold out, but don’t panic—there is a waitlist!

Next lined up is playwright Adrian Mitchell’s version of Nikolai Gogol’s classic 1835 satire, “The Government Inspector.” Directed by Tabitha Davidson ’25, this capstone will be performed in the Patricelli ’92 Theater at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27, Feb. 28, and March 1. In this political satire, corrupt officials of a small town in Tsarist Russia mistake an insignificant civil servant for an official government inspector.

Finally, CJ Joseph ’25 will present “Dance Monkey, Dance” in the Patricelli ’92 Theater on Feb. 27, Feb. 28, and March 1 at 9:00 p.m. This senior thesis is an original performative lecture designed and performed by Joseph, with the goal of addressing Black female performativity in modern media in connection to voyeuristic dynamics.

SHADES—the University’s theater collective for Black, Indigenous, Latine, and Asian students—has lots in store for this March! To start, Oluchi Chukwuemeka ’25 will present “All About Adaeze,” on Feb. 28 and March 1. In this one-act staged reading, Chukweumeka will tell the story of Adaeze’s immigration to the United States and the struggles that unfold as a result. As students return to campus after Spring Break, Lincoln Turner ’25 will star in “Lincoln ‘Link Dog’ Turner & Friends Concert” on March 28.

April looks to be another great month for theater enthusiasts, with numerous student performances from Spike Tape and SHADES on the calendar! Starting out strong, Liang Liang ’26 has written an original one-act play titled “Goodnight” that will be performed on April 4 and 5 in West College (WestCo) Café. Liang and assistant director Elsinore Boutwell ’27 seeks to tell the story of a family battling with the grief of losing its eldest child through the perspective of childhood innocence. In this imaginative journey, the two younger siblings will battle to save their brother’s soul from the “Storm Dragon” and come to terms with death and grieving in the process.

“Goodnight” is not the only play scheduled for the weekend; the production of “Pencils, Wastebaskets, Etc.” will also be performed on April 4 and 5, at the Memorial Chapel. Written by Olivia Bowers ’25 and directed by Holly Thorndike ’27, this witty play portrays three women in the WWII-era as they perform jobs as military codebreakers.

Other exciting shows are set to take the stage in April, including a SHADES production of “American Alien” in WestCo Café on April 11 and 12. An original play written by Sida Chu ’26 and directed by Luna Kwon ’27, “American Alien” is a romantic comedy that follows the story of a college graduate at risk of deportation who seeks to marry a stranger in exchange for a green card.

Additionally, Spike Tape’s “A Rabbi, a Monk, and a Priest” will premiere in Russell House on April 11 and 12. Written by Gabe Barnett ’26 and directed by Jasper Bass-Klausner ’26, this dark comedy focuses on a story of a family having to cope with the death of their father, and ultimately face the past actions of their father that caused the family to tear apart.

Wrapping up the weekend of April 11 and 12, “The House of Yes” directed by Isa Paley ’26 is scheduled to perform at Russell House. Written by Wendy MacLeod, this dark comedy follows the eccentric Pascal family, where one family member, a recently released psych-ward patient named Jackie, believes she is the Jackie Kennedy and that her twin brother is her husband—former President John F. Kennedy.

“Macbeth” is another Spike Tape show taking place in April. Directed by Noah King and assistant director Sophia Flynn ’25, this rendition of Shakespeare’s tragedy will combine modern aesthetics and culture with the iconic story. The play is set to open on April 18 and 19 in the Alpha Delta Phi Greene Room.

Sonali Bhattacharyya’s “King Troll (The Fawn)” is also set to take the stage on April 18 and 19. Directed by Jerry Persaud Jr. ’26, this SHADES production tells the story of two immigrant sisters struggling to secure their status while having to navigate systemic oppression and their own internal struggles.

Next, on April 25 and 26, “Avenue Q,” directed by Celeste McKenzie ’26, is scheduled to be performed at the WestCo Café. This theatrical performance—told entirely through puppets— follows the struggle of a recent college graduate in New York City, N.Y. to find purpose in life alongside new-found friendships.

Spike Tape’s Spring season will close with the production of “A Chorus Line” on May 2 and 3 in the Patricelli ’92 Theater. Directed by Emily Hammond ’27 and Kendall McDermott ’25, “A Chorus Line” tells the story of a group of dancers as they audition for roles in the chorus of a Broadway show while exploring their personal decisions to become dancers.

Finally, the University’s Theater Department will put up its main-stage production, “The Moors,” in the Center for the Arts (CFA) Theater, on May 1 and 2 at 8 p.m., and on May 3 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Directed by Visiting Assistant Professor of Theater Alex Keegan, this dark comedy showcases the tale of two step-sisters living in the English countryside whose lives get interrupted by the arrival of a new governess, setting both protagonists down a dangerous path. Inspired by the gothic aesthetic of the Brontë novels, this play is perfect for anyone interested in Victorian literature and setting!

All in all, this semester promises to be a memorable one for theater lovers at the university! Additional information and updates can be found on the Spike Tape and SHADES Instagram accounts, the Spike Tape website, and the CFA website. Make sure to also check out part two of our Arts round-up in this issue—featuring all the amazing events planned in the music, film, dance, and visual arts departments.

Maggie Smith can be reached at mssmith@wesleyan.edu.