Theatre and Dance Department

Support the Artists of Tomorrow

Whenever I attend a live performance in theatre or dance, I am struck by the incredible power of the Performing Arts to unify disparate groups of people towards a common purpose. Sitting in a full house of audience members from across the globe, from diverse backgrounds, beliefs and experiences and finding ourselves all together in the same space at the same time for the same event makes me feel hopeful. The humanity that we share is brought into stark relief as we rub shoulders with our neighbors in the auditorium, joke with them as we exit or stand in line for the restrooms, or share opinions on what to see next. We laugh together. We weep together. And, in a few cases, we leap to our feet in unison at the end of a particularly brilliant piece of theatre or dance. It reminds me why we do this. Why we teach this. What a wonderful gift to be able to, as Aldo Billingslea often says, “make the world a little smaller” by bringing folks together in our communal, sacred space.

There are so many ways in which the Arts at Santa Clara builds our university community and identity. Students from a variety of different majors, across the campus, find themselves in our studios to take classes geared towards “non-majors” and realize that the Theatre and Dance department is a lively, welcoming, generous, inclusive and inspiring place to be! The skills we teach are widely marketable in all areas of life – presentation skills, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, leadership – but even more important than these skills are the opportunities our students have to practice their humanity. How do you hold eye contact? Can you be present with another person’s pain? Their joy? What happens if you need to argue with someone in a way that doesn’t alienate but rather elevates the shared conflict towards a powerfully productive resolution? Do you know how to listen without waiting to talk?

We are so proud of the work our students do in the studios, on the stages and in the shops of the department. Building things from design blueprints and drafts, creating fully realized characters from a black and white page of text, moving their bodies in exquisite patterns that reveal the unspoken condition of the spirit. Our students do it all. And we couldn’t do it without you.

Your gifts over the years have helped expose our students to the latest techniques and tools they need to compete in the field of the performing arts. Because of your kindness, we been able to add programming (First Look Series) that brings new work from a plethora of global voices to the studios. We have brought in Guest Artists to teach our students professional practices in Stage Management, Fight and Intimacy Choreography, Afro-Haitian Dance, and Sound Design. Each summer, students are given supplementary grants from the Department and the College of Arts and Sciences through the REAL Program ensuring that any internships they receive are PAID. Students have been supported in their attendance of the Design and Technology conference at USITT every year. And, because of you, we have been able to send students to NYC every spring to network, see shows, take master classes, and explore the options of a career in the Big Apple.

Thank you for your continued support of the Department of Theatre and Dance. We are so blessed to have you in our community!!!

— Kim Mohne Hill, Professor and Department Chair

"As someone deeply passionate about theater, setting foot in the heart of Broadway was a dream come true. During the trip I got to see my first ever Broadway performance. Experiencing the highest level of theatrical performance up close was amazing. I returned from New York more inspired, more confident, and more committed than ever to telling stories that matter."

– Katie Castillo '26 Political Science, Theatre Arts