About

At Kent State University, we encourage you to discover your potential, make bold choices and recognize your ability to define success on your terms.

When you enter the Roe Green Center for the School of Theatre and Dance, you will be embraced for who you are and surrounded by a community that supports your individual potential. Dedicated to creative excellence, we will provide opportunities that will challenge you to develop your meaningful purpose.

Our comprehensive programs are rooted in a professional culture that inspires you to train for the dynamic disciplines of theatre and dance as you transform your passion into your profession. 

Mission Statement

We foster an environment where passion and opportunity meet, training students to enter the dynamic disciplines of theatre and dance.

Our Commitment to Anti-Racism

Words are powerful, but action transforms lives. 

In difficult times, words are often where we turn first. We make statements of solidarity and condolence. We express our sympathy, frustration, and outrage. We listen to the words of others, gaining insight from voices whose experiences are different from our own. We ask questions. We call for change. 

But words are not enough, because they are meaningless without action. And that action begins now.

During these summer months, the faculty and staff of the School of Theatre and Dance have listened intently to our students, alumni, colleagues, and community about the painful and far-reaching effects of systemic racism in our country. The perpetuation of this system cannot continue, and we are committed to do all in our power to combat its unjust influence on our school, our industry, and our world.

Together, the School of Theatre and Dance is embarking on what we know will be unceasing work: to be actively anti-racist in all that we do. 
 

What We’ve Already Begun

We are actively reassessing our season selection process. The School of Theatre and Dance is already engaged in discussions and plans for how to make the season selection committee and the process of choosing productions more inclusive.

We are creating ways to support community for our students of color. At the suggestion of our students, we will have welcoming events for incoming students of color prior to help establish community for incoming and current students.

We are beginning a critical analysis of curriculum. While the formal process of making curriculum changes takes time, we have begun to identify and implement changes within individual courses to ensure that classroom content is diverse and inclusive. Over the course of the next year, we will embark on the process of revising our curriculum to expand its inclusion of the voices of artists of color. 

We have created an anti-racism committee within the School of Theatre and Dance. This structure will critically examine existing policies and procedures within our classrooms and production processes. The committee will make recommendations for policy change to align with the School of Theatre and Dance’s anti-racist mission and connect to College and university level bodies addressing Equity and Inclusion  on our campuses.

 

 

What We Will Do Next

We will hold ourselves and each other accountable. Members of the School of Theatre and Dance will engage regularly in training and learning experiences to confront biases inside and outside of the classroom and performing arts institutions. New members of the faculty and staff will be required to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion training before joining the School.

We will look critically at and make changes to our production process. The School of Theatre and Dance will evaluate casting procedures, particularly regarding past policies of colorblind casting and instead will focus on providing casting opportunities that emphasize representation. We will create a policy that allows students to decline auditions due to self-care, we will focus on creating more equity in casting opportunities, and we will develop aftercare for students not cast in a specific production. We will also incorporate more opportunities for conversation about content and identity in the rehearsal room. The School will also expand its commitment to producing work from diverse creators and will work to expand our partnerships with artists locally and nationwide. 

We will make the creation of a diverse and inclusive guest artist program a priority. We will work diligently to invite more guest artists and teachers of color to the School of Theatre and Dance each semester in all areas of study. 

We will create a better and more inclusive climate within our School, aligning our actions more closely to our mission to be an “environment where passion and opportunity meet.” We will revise our first-year student orientation process to place an emphasis on community. We will be better advocates and mentors. We will create a faculty-sponsored safe space for students of color to connect and to offer feedback and communicate concerns. We will also form a resource area with information from the university and greater community. 


The above action items are merely the beginning the School of Theatre and Dance’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We look forward to continuing the dialogue and action needed to create an equitable and anti-racist environment for our every member of our School.

Rankings

  • #18 B.F.A. Design and Technology program for 2018-2019 according to OnStageBlog.com
  • #18 B.F.A. Musical Theatre program for 2018-2019 according to OnStageBlog.com

Affiliations

  • National Association of Schools of Dance
  • National Association of Schools of Theatre
  • University Resident Theatre Association
  • National Alliance for Musical Theatre
  • National Student Dance Association

The School of Theatre and Dance At-A-Glance

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