History of Theatre ISU
Enter the Experience
Previously
included in the Department of Communication, Theatre and Dance programs are now
combined in a separate department in classrooms and offices located in the Stephens Performing Arts Center.
Both programs will work out of the center and will use other facilities
on campus, such as Frazier Hall and the Red Hill building.
Theatre has a long and rich history at ISU, with productions dating back to the beginning of the university. Since the completion of Frazier Hall on September 1st, 1924, Theatre ISU and the theatre program had called that facility home. Frazier Hall houses a large proscenium theatre, which seat approximately 800. Frazier Hall's proscenium theatre will continue to be the venue for some of Theatre ISU productions and will be used by the Department of Theatre and Dance for classes.
ISU offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Arts degrees in Theatre, with various emphases including performance, design, technical work, and teaching. A variety of minors are offered, including a minor in dance.
The history of Dance at ISU began with the tenure of Dr. Marcia Lloyd, who retired
in December 2001. She devoted 25 years of service and dedication to education
and dance. Arriving at ISU throught the doors of Reed Gymnasium, Dance was
included in the Physical Education program in the College of Education and was developed
into an education minor program in 1988. The present Dance program includes
technique and activity courses and is under the direction of full-time faculty member,
Melanie Kloetzel.
DANSON, the ISU student dance company, began in 1978 as an organization under the Associated Students of Idaho State University. DANSON continues to perform annual dance concerts and many other dance-related activities.
I-MOVE, a professional dance company, is also a part of the department and debuted Fall 2005 to a sold-out crowd in the Rogers Experimental Theatre.