Just like our Callboards outside our main Theatre Office, you can find all of the information you need about advising, auditions, TPP, upcoming events, finals, faculty contacts, and much more right here!  Please check back often, because this site will be updated frequently with new events and information.

If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Preston O'Toole in the Theatre Department at aotoole@salemstate.edu. 

Monday, October 5, 2026
11:00am-12:30pm
Veterans Hall, Ellison Campus Center

The Majors/Minors Fair serves as a chance for students to interact with all academic departments on campus to learn about selecting a major or minor. This is a great way for students to ask their questions about major requirements, learn about opportunities and meet faculty from a variety of fields! There will also be the chance to connect with other students and win prizes. 

Auditions for our 8th annual Veterans 10-Minute Play Festival, featuring the work of writers from across the United States, will take place Tuesday, October 6!

The goal of this festival is to cultivate a supportive environment for creative exploration in and around the varied experiences that surround the military. This festival uses theatre to begin a community conversation that builds bridges between the civilian and military worlds.

All of the plays will be presented as staged readings- actors will have their scripts in hand during each performance. All plays will be performed each performance date.

Play Titles:

• The Accident by Sharon Goldner

• It Wasn't in the Cards by Stephen Smith

• Today I Got Lucky by Marjorie O'Neill-Butler

• The Moment by David Barak

• Duke of York by James Binz

• The Unknown Soldier by Michael Farwig

Directed by Esme Allen and Sara Conlon
Artistic Director: Julie Kiernan

AUDITIONS:
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
4:30pm-7:00pm
Performance Classroom (SB005)

Auditions are open to the Salem State Community.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Please prepare one contemporary monologue (the monologue should memorized, and one-minute in length) OR you can do a cold reading (you just read the text without practicing it in advance) with sides (selections from the script) the directors will provide at auditions.

2. If you would like to provide a copy of your theatre resume for each director, you are welcome to, but it is not required.

REQUIRED DATES AND TIMES IF YOU ARE CAST:
(Actors must be available for all of the dates and times below in order to be cast.)

Rehearsal/Tech Schedule:

• Saturday, November 7, 8:00am–6:00pm

• Sunday, November 8, 8:00am–6:00pm

• Monday, November 9, 4:30pm–10:00pm

• Tuesday, November 10, 4:30pm–10:00pm

• Wednesday, November 11, 4:30pm–10:00pm

• Thursday, November 12, 4:30pm–10:00pm

Performance Schedule:

• Friday, November 13, 4:30pm–10:00pm (performance at 7:30 pm)

• Saturday, November 14, 4:30pm–10:00pm (performance at 7:30 pm)

• Sunday, November 15, 12:00pm–4:00pm (performance at 2:00pm, followed by strike)

THEATRE PARTICIPATION INFO FOR THEATRE MAJORS:
By participating in a staged reading, Theatre majors can earn up to 25 TPP for the THE91-THE98 Theatre Participation classes.

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR AUDITIONS:
Please review the available slots on the Vets Play Fest Audition Sign-Up page, click the “Sign Up” button, and then click the “Save & Continue” button at the bottom of the page.

Break a leg!

Wednesday, October 7, 2026
4:00pm-8:00pm
Ellison Campus Center, Veterans Hall

Nothing over $30! Join Conference and Events as they host a Y2k vintage clothing market. 

Interested in art, creative writing, dance, music, or theatre? Join us for a night of informal performances, snacks, and an opportunity to mingle with creatives on campus!

Wednesday, October 7
6:30-8 pm
Starbucks Cafe, Forten Hall

Visit the 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗨𝗽 page for additional information and to sign up:

Deadline Extended: Registration closes October 4.

This event is co-sponsored by the Center for Creative and Performing Arts, Student Involvement and Activities, and Salem State Audio Engineering Society. 

Thursday, October 8, 2026
7:30pm-9:00pm
Recital Hall

Members of the University Band and the Chamber Orchestra present an evening of chamber music and small ensemble music. The ensembles on this concert range from a flute trio to a brass quintet, to small string and woodwind ensembles. The literature is as diverse as the instrumental configurations including works by Mozart, Dvorak, Beethoven and Alan Menken. Admission is free.

Front of House Training Meeting
Thursday, October 15
5:30pm-7:00pm
Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts
McGurren Conference Room

This meeting is required for all ushers and Box Office Managers. 

Monday, October  19
11:00am-12:00pm
Mainstage Theatre

A dedicated hour during Community Time for current students to perform a monologue, song, scene, duet, poem, dance, or any other creative or original work! We'll provide the mic, you provide the talent! (Or join us in the audience to support your friends!)

Join us for the 8th annual Salem State University Theatre Department Costume Contest!

All Salem State community members are invited to submit a photo of your spooky, cute, and creative Halloween costumes by Saturday, October 31 at midnight. Ashley will post the photos online so everyone can vote for their favorite costumes by Tuesday, November 3 at 11:59pm, and we'll announce the winners the next morning!

(Participants are welcome to submit their photo anytime prior to Halloween.)

All current Salem State University students, faculty, staff, and alumni are welcome to participate.

Happy Halloween! 

First Year Lab
Friday, September 25, 2026 at 7:30pm
Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts
Mainstage Theatre

Created by our Fall 2026 First Year & New Transfer Theatre Arts Students

Directed by Esme Allen

Thank you for signing up for Theatre Department production positions for Fall 2026! Production positions have been assigned based on student preference, program requirements, the needs of the individual productions, and how much TPP individual Theatre Majors need to earn this semester.

Please refer to the “Fall 2026 Theatre Production Assignment Confirmation” PDF to find your assignment(s):

1. The ID numbers in the left column are in sequential order.

2. Please find your ID number in the left column to find your production assignment(s).

3. You may have more than one assignment- each assignment will be in its own row, with your ID number. Please double-check to see how many you have.

4. Scenic Build Crew assignments include the day and time availability students provided on their Job Fair Sign-Up Form. (M=Monday, T=Tuesday, W=Wednesday, and R=Thursday.)

Production Positions Requirements:

Please refer to the attached “Theatre Participation Job Fair List” and “Theatre Participation Info Packet” documents for detailed information about each position.
 

Production Position Schedules:

Your supervisor for each position will contact you directly with the open call hours or specific schedule for each of your positions. Please refer to the Job fair List document for your supervisor’s name. (Student Stage Managers may also email you your schedule, if you are on a run crew or are a board/computer operator.)

Next Steps:

1. Please stop by the Theatre Office (Administration Building Room #2) to sign your Theatre Participation Contract before Friday, September 18. The Theatre Office will be open the following days and times:

   1. Monday 9/14      
      9:00am-10:45am & 1:30pm-4:30pm

   2. Tuesday 9/15     
      9:00am-12:00pm & 12:30pm-4:30pm

   3. Wednesday 9/16            
      1:30pm-4:30pm

   4. Thursday 9/17
      9:00am-1:00pm & 2:00pm-4:30pm

   5. Friday 9/18          
      9:00am-12:00pm & 2:00pm-4:30pm

Students who are already cast/have a major position in a fall production and already signed their Fall 2026 contracts last semester do not need to come in, unless they have signed up for additional production positions.

If You Need to Decline a Position:

If you are no longer able to fulfil the requirements of a position to which you have been assigned, please reply directly to this email or see Ashley in the Theatre Office by this Friday, September 18 to decline the position. (It’s ok if you need to decline- we can help you find an alternative; please don’t wait until tech week to tell us. The earlier we know, the earlier we can find someone else who would like to fill that position. Thank you!)

If You Still Need to Sign Up for a Position:

All full-time Theatre majors are required to work at least 50 hours on one or more Theatre Department productions every semester in order to pass their Theatre Participation requirement for THE91, THE93, THE95 or THE97. (1 hour of work on a Theatre Department show = 1 “Theatre Participation Point” or TPP.) Students are able to sign up for more than one production position to earn their 50 hours/TPP.

The following positions are still available for Fall 2026:

• Becky Nurse Wardrobe Run Crew*

• Becky Nurse Costume Stitcher*

• Becky Nurse Ushers

• Corners Grove Wardrobe Run Crew*

• Corners Grove Scenic Run Crew*

• Corners Grove Ushers
  
  *Satisfies the Build/Run Crew Requirement

To sign up for any of these positions, please stop by the Theatre Office and speak with Ashley.

Thank you for being a part of Salem State Theatre!

We are thrilled to announce that Professor Julie Kiernan is the new Chairperson of the Theatre and Speech Communication Department!

Julie Kiernan is an Associate Professor and Chair of Theatre & Speech Communication at Salem State University. A Fulbright Scholar, she taught and directed theatre at New Bulgarian University in Sofia, Bulgaria, during the Spring 2024 semester. Building on this experience, she established a memorandum of understanding between Salem State and New Bulgarian University. In Spring 2026, she led a student cohort to Bulgaria for a collaborative devised theatre project based on Shakespeare’s sonnets.

Kiernan is the recipient of Salem State University’s Distinguished Teaching Award (2016). She was a founding faculty member of the Veteran Scholars Learning Community (2013–2019), where she taught for six years, and received the Unwavering Support of Student Veterans Award from the Student Veteran Organization in 2015. She is also the founder and artistic director of Salem State’s annual National 10-Minute Veterans’ Playwriting Contest & Festival, now in its eighth year (2026).

A dedicated director, Kiernan’s recent productions include Everybody (2025), Collective Rage (2025), Antigone (2023), First Year Lab (2022), Orlando (2021), and Top Girls (2019). She will direct Becky Nurse of Salem in fall 2026 as part of Salem’s 400th anniversary celebration.

In addition to her departmental work, Kiernan has made significant contributions to global engagement initiatives. She served as Salem State’s Faculty Fellow for Global Engagement (2018–2022; 2024–2026) and as Faculty COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) Coordinator (2020–2023). In these roles, she led three year-long Faculty Learning Communities and trained 30 faculty members in COIL pedagogy. This work was recognized with the 2021 AASCU Excellence and Innovation Award for International Education and supported by a 2021 IDEAS grant from the U.S. Department of State. She also played a key role in establishing the university’s Global Engagement Seal for students.

Committed to ongoing professional development, Kiernan has participated in multiple Faculty Learning Communities focused on deepening pedagogical practice, including Service Learning (2013–2014), Contemplative Pedagogy (2014–2015), Open Educational Resources (Spring 2019), Veteran Students (2020–2021), and Teaching English Language Learners (Spring 2025).

Kiernan has presented her work nationally and internationally. Highlights include her 2024 presentation, “Practices Used in the United States to Study Shakespeare,” at the Tracing Shakespeare International Festival in Sofia, and her Fulbright project Telling Your Story: Using Theatre to Address Issues of Identity and Connection, developed in collaboration with the MIR Center and New Bulgarian University. In 2018, she delivered a TEDx talk, Setting the Stage for Human Connection, exploring theatre as a tool for intercultural competence. She has also presented at the Forum of Cities in Transition International Conference (2016) and regularly contributes to Salem State’s academic conferences and research events.

Kiernan earned her Master of Fine Arts in Performance from the University of California, Irvine, where she received a full scholarship and served as a research and teaching fellow. Her thesis, Pedagogy of Contact Improvisation in Acting Training, reflects her commitment to innovative performance education. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Salem State University, graduating summa cum laude and receiving multiple honors, including an Irene Ryan Award nomination, the Presidential Arts Scholarship, and the Dembowski Award. She gained additional training at the American Conservatory Theatre’s Summer Training Congress as well as at the College of Charleston.

Before entering academia, Kiernan worked as a professional actress in Los Angeles and has traveled internationally as an artist, presenter, and consultant. Her research interests include feminist theatre, contemplative pedagogy, value-creation education, and the development of intercultural competence.

Congratulations, Julie!

To our Seniors: We have had the pleasure of knowing and working with you in class, in our shops, and in our theaters. You have achieved so much during your time here, and we know you will continue to impress us with your creativity, your compassion, and your resilience. We are SO proud of you!  

This video only begins to highlight the friendships, the productions, and the love from the past few years at Salem State Theatre. Thank you for the memories 💜

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

CONGRATULATIONS to all of our Theatre Arts majors and minors who made the Fall 2025 Dean's List! We are so proud of you!

• Lauren Abramson

• Avah Acevedo

• Hannah Rose Allender

• Abby Belliveau

• Pandora Benedito

• David Bentley

• Bridget Breda

• James Bridges

• Logan Broadway

• Anne Brower

• Lola Cassino

• Hannah Castillo

• Madison Cefalo

• Annabelle Chapman

• Jessica Cote

• Starr Cousins

• Adriana DeCicco

• Sofia Dixon

• Lauren Donahue

• Cayley Drigotas

• Richard Dunn

• Max Dupuis

• Ethan Dwyer

• Louis Fowler

• Griffin Frank

• Nia Franklin

• Stefani Galeano

• Victoria García-De Peña

• Sara Gluck

• Hannalise Gruda

• Devin Haley

• Sydney Hamre

• Liam Hannon

• Andrea Hart

• Cameron Holmes

• Katie Hoskyns

• Christina Izaguirre

• Elijah Jenkins

• Jiayi Jiang

• Percy Jones

• Sophie Jope

• Emrys Jordan

• Millicent Koromah

• Lorelai Krisko

• Rayniel Lara

• Lillie-Marie LeClair

• Zooey Lill

• Ivy Lovejoy

• Lily Marino

• Abi  Martin

• Gia Meola

• Artemis  Metherall

• Mez Mezzapelle

• Sabrina Nedder

• Helena Nelson

• Jack Newton

• Cameron Nye

• Max Ocampo

• Jennifer O'Connell

• Neave O'Connell

• Vivian O'Connor

• Sierra Poppitt

• Christopher Raney

• Seth Rivera

• Nadia Robinson

• Xan Salamon

• Amanda Seidler

• Alex  Shilo

• Lucia Smarra

• Nicholas Soares

• Elsa Vig

• Jaidyn Walter

• Christa Washburn

• Teagan Wholley

• Samson Willcox

• Casey Williams

• Faithe Woodard

• Raya Young

2025-2026 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Theatre Major at Salem State! 

Please stayed tuned for information about our anniversary celebration in Spring 2026 🎉