Theater

Minnesota West sets itself apart with our impressive 242-seat proscenium theater. The space features a DMX lighting system, a full fly/rigging system, and a well-equipped scene shop, providing a professional-quality experience for performances and productions.

Auditions for the Spring Theatre Production: Silent Sky

Date & Time: Thursday, December 4 at 4:00 PM
Location: Fine Arts Theatre, Worthington Campus

Auditions will include readings from the script. Sides and audition forms will be provided at the audition and are also available in advance on the bulletin board outside Room 406.

Students of all experience levels and ethnicities are encouraged to audition!

About the Play:
Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson tells the true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. Set between 1900 and 1920, the play explores a woman’s place in society during a time of groundbreaking scientific and personal discoveries. With music and math bursting forth onstage, Henrietta and her peers revolutionize our understanding of the universe.

Can’t make the audition?
Email the director at eric.parrish@mnwest.edu.
Interested in working backstage or in the tech booth? We’d love to hear from you, too!

Characters (4 F; 1 M):

  • Henrietta Leavitt (F): brilliant, meticulous, excited—almost always wearing a period hearing aid
  • Margaret Leavitt (F): homebody, creative, sweet, sister (piano playing a plus!)
  • Peter Shaw (M): the head astronomer’s apprentice
  • Annie Jump Cannon (F): the leader, terse and sure, grows into a firebrand
  • Williamina Fleming (F): smart as a whip and fun (Scottish accent a plus!)

Important Dates:

Audition Date: Thursday, December 4 at 4:00 PM (Fine Arts Theatre)

First Rehearsal: Tuesday, January 20, at 3:00-5:50 PM

Rehearsal Period: Rehearsals typically run Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 3:00 PM to 5:50 PM. You may not be called to every rehearsal or be required to stay the entire time. A detailed schedule will be distributed at the first rehearsal. There will be no rehearsal during Spring Break (March 9-13).

Tech Rehearsals: Technical rehearsals will begin the week of March 16 (after spring break). No misses are permitted beginning at this time. The time may shift to evening rehearsals.

Performances: March 27 & 28 at 7:30 pm; March 29 at 2:00 pm (please note that this is Palm Sunday).

Students who participate in the theatre production may register for 0-3 credits (THTR-1105/2105), which fulfills Goal Area 6 of the MN Transfer Curriculum.

Upcoming Performance

Silent Sky title

Theatre Director Eric Parrish will present Silent Sky, a thought-provoking play that illuminates the life and work of astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, one of the pioneering women who helped us understand the vastness of the universe.

Performance Details:
📅 Performances: March 27 & 28 at 7:30 PM; March 29 at 2:00 PM
📍 Minnesota West Fine Arts Theater, Worthington Campus
🎟 Tickets: Adults $7 | Students $5

Highlights

Throughout the academic year, the theater hosts numerous college events, including:

  • Student productions
  • Touring shows
  • Culture Corner events
  • And many other campus activities
Course Offerings

See Class Schedule for current offerings. Or our Course Catalog for course information.

  • Acting Basics (THTR 1102, 3 credits)
  • Introduction to Film  (THTR 2122, 3 credits)
  • Introduction to Theater (THTR 1101, 3 credits)
  • Survey of Musical Theater (THTR 1103, 3 credits)
  • Theater Productions, Spring and Fall (THTR 1105, THTR 1106, THTR 2105, THTR 2106, 1-3 credits)
  • Special Topics (THTR 2235, 2 credits)