Author: performingarts@wichita.edu

Join the School of Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. April 22-26 at the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre in the Hughes Metropolitan Complex for the production of “Time Stands Still.” A matinee will be at 2 p.m. April 25-26. Tickets are $18 for faculty/staff, and WSU students can get one ticket at no additional charge with their Shocker ID, thanks to the Student Government Association.

Directed by Sheldon Mba, “Time Stands Still” by Pulitzer Prize-winner Donald Margulies is a riveting, deeply human drama set in a Brooklyn apartment, where photojournalist Sarah and her partner James, a foreign correspondent, attempt to heal and recalibrate after returning from the front lines of war. As they settle back into domestic life, their ideals, ambitions and love for one another are quietly and powerfully tested. Margulies crafts a nuanced story about bearing witness to a global suffering and the personal cost of stepping away. With sharp dialogue and emotional precision, “Time Stands Still” invites viewers to confront the tension between comfort and conscience, intimacy and independence, and what they owe to the world versus what the owe to themselves.

Join the School of Performing Arts for the presentation of the double feature films, “She Moved the Prairie” and “From the Bottom of My Heart,” at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 5 at the Marcus Welcome Center.

Directed by Cheyla Clawson, “She Moved the Prairie” is a dance film based on the work women did both in the home and on the land in the early 20th century on farms and ranches in Kansas. Directed by Kate Compton, “From the Bottom of My Heart” is a film that follows Hannah, a young woman who must face her fears and follow her heart as she prepares to meet the parents.

WSU School of Performing Art’s Jo Zakas Musical Theatre Incubator Program is thrilled to present workshop performances of “PSYCH!”, an original new musical by composer Amanda D’Archangelis and lyricist Sami Horneff. The readings of the new musical will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 through Feb. 14 at the Welsbacher Theatre. Following each performance will be a Q&A with the writing team and actors.

“PSYCH!” Is a hilarious, 90’s inspired musical retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche. When Aphrodite is banished to high school, her schemes to control love spiral into chaos, culminating in a Homecoming night where secrets spill, hearts open and kindness finally wins. Smart, joyful and full of pop-culture flair, “PSYCH!” is a celebration of love in all its messy magical forms. 

“The Jo Zakas Musical Theatre Incubator Program exists to give our students rare, hands-on access to how new musicals are created, from the first draft to the rehearsal room,” said Amy Baker Schwiethale, 
Zakas Musical Theatre program coordinator. “Developing PSYCH!, a smart, joyful reinvention of the Cupid and Psyche myth, with writers Amanda D’Archangelis and Sami Horneff exemplifies everything this program values: collaboration, curiosity, and bold contemporary storytelling. Our students aren’t just performing a musical – they are active collaborators in its evolution, learning directly from two artists who are shaping the future of musical theatre.”

The School of Performing Arts proudly presents a double film premiere, showcasing its latest productions in theatre and dance, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 19 in 132 Hughes Metropolitan Complex. The acting and theatre studies film, “In Fraud We Trust,” was directed by Bret Jones, while the dance film, “The Quasidream Antimachine,” which highlights the artistry of dance on screen, was created in collaboration with the School of Digital Arts.

Just north of the Welsbacher Theatre, the entrance can be found through door C located on the East side of the Hughes Metroplex. No late admittance is allowed.

Tickets cost $15 for general admission. Current WSU students receive one student ticket with their Shocker ID at no additional charge, thanks to the Student Government Association.

Purchase tickets from the Fine Arts box office online or call 316-978-3233.

The 50th anniversary of the Bela Kiralyfalvi National Student Playwriting Competition celebrates with the 2024 winner “The Angel of Death.” The competition began as the Wichita State University National Playwriting Contest in 1974 by Bela Kiralyfalvi. Before his retirement in 2003, Bela was a theatre professor and a director of the School of Performing Arts. In 2022, the School of Performing Arts renamed the competition to the Bela Kiralyfalvi National Student Playwriting Competition in his honor.

In 2024, Bela passed away at the age of 87. He will be missed but his passion for theatre and enthusiasm for teaching will live on through past students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends, and family.

“Teaching has always been exciting and interesting,” Bela Kiralyfalvi said following his retirement. “I’ve enjoyed learning and understanding things better through the process. I joke with students when they are getting ready to graduate after four or five years. They’ll say, ‘Oh I am going to be so glad to get out of here.’ I tell them, ‘You know, I’ve spent 45 years in college, and I still haven’t left.’ And it’s true you never cease to be a student. If you cease to be a student, you will not be a good teacher.”

Join the School of Performing Arts for performances of “The Angel of Death,” written by current student Amanda Schmalzried, and directed by WSU alum, Jane Gabbert. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. March 6-8 in the Welsbacher Theater, Hughes Metropolitan Complex (entrance F). Tickets cost $15 for general admission. Current WSU students receive one free ticket with their Shocker ID, thanks to the Student Government Association.

“The Angel of Death” is a provocative and disturbing play about Alicia, a tormented social worker. She is grappling with her powerlessness to help the children in her files when she encounters Damien, a demonic tempter. Seduced by his charm, she decides to continue her mother’s legacy as a serial killer.

Don’t forget to join an exclusive talk with Jane, the playwright, and actors after each show. This is also the 50th anniversary of the Bela Kiralyfalvi National Student Playwriting Competition. Each year, a new play is selected from undergraduate and graduate student submissions from across the nation.

Purchase tickets from the Fine Arts box office online or call 316-978-3233.

Content warning: “The Angel of Death” is rated R and contains adult language and references to references drug use, child abuse, serial killing, violence and homicide.

Join the School of Performing Arts for performances of “Spring Awakening,” directed by Jacob McGlaun, with musical direction by Dacia Brown. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21-22 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 23 in Wilner Auditorium. WSU students receive one free ticket with their Shocker ID, thanks to the support of the Student Government Association, to all College of Fine Arts performances. In order to receive this ticket, fill out the online form or stop by the Fine Arts Box Office located in Duerksen Fine Arts Center prior to the performance.

Contact the Box Office at 316-978-3233 to reschedule tickets for Thursday, Feb. 20’s canceled show

Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s rock score and searingly emotional book take the story of sexual awakening, youth revolt and self-discovery into a new century. Headstrong Melchior and naive Wendla stumble into each other’s arms, passionate and curious, while anxious Moritz struggles to live up to the stringent expectations of society. With only each other for guidance, this group of young men and women travel the fraught and rocky path of adolescence, discovering their bodies, their minds and themselves along the way. An electric, vibrant celebration of youth and rebellion that packs an emotional punch. 

Spring Awakening is rated R and contains sexual situations, explicit language and scenes depicting violence and suicide. Audience members under the age of 16 are strongly recommended to attend with a trusted adult.

Purchase tickets from the Fine Arts box office online or call 316-978-3233.

Join the School of Performing Arts for performances of “Spring Awakening,” directed by Jacob McGlaun, with musical direction by Dacia Brown. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22-22 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 23 in Wilner Auditorium. Tickets cost $20 for adults; $18 for seniors, military and faculty/staff; and $12 for children and students.

Contact the Box Office at 316-978-3233 to reschedule tickets for Thursday, Feb. 20’s canceled show

Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s rock score and searingly emotional book take the story of sexual awakening, youth revolt and self-discovery into a new century. Headstrong Melchior and naive Wendla stumble into each other’s arms, passionate and curious, while anxious Moritz struggles to live up to the stringent expectations of society. With only each other for guidance, this group of young men and women travel the fraught and rocky path of adolescence, discovering their bodies, their minds and themselves along the way. An electric, vibrant celebration of youth and rebellion that packs an emotional punch. 

Spring Awakening is rated R and contains sexual situations, explicit language and scenes depicting violence and suicide. Audience members under the age of 16 are strongly recommended to attend with a trusted adult.

Purchase tickets from the Fine Arts box office online or call 316-978-3233.

The School of Performing Arts is hosting a screenwriting workshop for students with Los Angeles-based screenwriters, Derick and Rebecca Otto, from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 in 233 Rhatigan Student Center, Santa Fe Trail Room.

The workshop will cover:

• The structural basics and elements of a feature screenplay 
• How to construct an idea into a one to two sentence logline and develop that into a first draft 
• The collaborative nature of writing with producers, executives and directors 
• How to navigate the business side of the industry 

Derick and Rebbeca Otto are currently developing an original horror project with director Nima Nourizadeh (“American Ultra,” “Project X,” “The Gentleman”), which is being produced by “The Purge” franchise creators and Ray Pictures.

Join the School of Performing Arts for performances of “Twelfth Night” Nov. 7-10 in Wilner Auditorium. The performances start at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7-9 and at 2 p.m. Nov. 10. An ASL interpreter will be available for the performance on Saturday, Nov. 9.

Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, military and faculty/staff, and $12 for children and students. WSU students receive one ticket at no additional charge with their Shocker ID, thanks to the support of the Student Government for College of Fine Arts performances

Historically dubbed “the perfect comedy,” “Twelfth Night” tells the story of Viola, a young maiden shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria. She believes she has lost her twin brother, Sebastian, to the sea. She disguises herself as a man named Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino, who is smitten with the Countess Olivia, who herself is mourning the death of her brother. Duke Orsino sends “Cesario” as an intermediary to profess his love to Olivia, but Olivia, however, falls hopelessly in love with “Cesario,” setting her at odds with her “mourning.” If that wasn’t enough, Viola falls in love with Orsino, creating a seemingly impossible love triangle. Add a hilarious subplot about servants and drunken lords, add in some original music and this is a romantic night of laughs to remember.

Purchase tickets from the Fine Arts box office online or call 316-978-3233.