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Student Handbook

Check the student handbook to learn more about the majors, minors, and programs within the Department of Theatre and Dance.Learn more

UR Free Theatre & Dance

The University of Richmond Department of Theatre & Dance believes in the power of theatre and dance to build community through art, and that access to the arts should not be limited in any way. In partnership with the School of Arts & Sciences, we have created the UR Free Theatre and Dance initiative in order to remove economic barriers and make theatre and dance accessible to everyone.

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Performance Opportunities

The Department of Theatre and Dance puts on four mainstage productions and one dance concert each year, under the UR Free Theatre and Dance initiative. Additional opportunities include work with artists in residence, participation in student-run performance groups, and engaging with the Modlin Center for the Arts. 

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The Department of Theatre and Dance provides a unique liberal arts experience where students thrive by engaging across difference and critically investigating the world through creative processes. We are committed to diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice. These values are central to the Department's curriculum, scholarship, teaching, artmaking practices and programming. Read the entire mission statement here.

Discover the 2023-2024 Performance Series! 

UR Free Theatre & Dance Performances

Feature Stories

UR Partners with VMFA to Offer Hip Hop Class to Community
Grammy-nominated artist Mad Skillz, artist-in-residence at the University of Richmond, and liberal arts professor Erik Nielson will offer a session of their “Voice of Hip Hop” class to the wider Richmond community.
New Exhibition Celebrates History of Transportation in Richmond
University of Richmond students and faculty collected oral histories from GRTC operators, mechanics, and relatives as part of an ongoing project highlighting the importance of public transportation.
University of Richmond Awarded Grant Funding for Project Focusing on Importance of Public Transportation
The importance of public transportation is the central focus of a new grant-funded project led by American Studies professor Laura Browder and theatre professor Patricia Herrera.
University of Richmond Student Receives Beckman Scholarship to Research Catalysts Important in Pharmaceutical Industry
Sophomore Julia Vidlak, of Williamsburg, Virginia, has been awarded a prestigious Beckman Foundation Scholarship to pursue her research in organometallics.
University Dancers: 35 years in the making
Supported by UR’s Department of Theatre & Dance, University Dancers is now an academic program that allows participating students to think critically about the ways in which movement tells and constructs historical narratives.
Junior combines love for literature and dance
Through different courses and programs, A&S students are encouraged to pursue their diverse interests and foster those interests alongside other student scholars. For junior Karen Fleming, the Humanities Fellows Program helped her achieve this.
Student-led Production Premieres This Week
Taking place on artificial turf in the Cousins Studio Theatre in Modlin, four University of Richmond seniors worked to bring Sarah DeLappe’s play, a 2017 Pulitzer Prize Finalist, to campus through a Productions Studies III capstone project. 
University Dancers Prepare for Anniversary
The 35th Annual Concert will bring works of renowned choreographers from around the world to the Alice Jepson Theatre on February 28th through March 1st.
Julia Straka: Expanding the Boundaries of the UR Dance Experience
Nearly 70% of Richmond students study abroad, so junior Julia Straka isn’t alone in spending her fall semester in Paris. However, her experience is decidedly different from every other dance major before her– Julia is the very first to continue her dance education at a dance school abroad.
Dancing on the River: Don't Miss this Extraordinary Richmond Performance
CROSS CURRENTS is commissioned by the Department of Theater & Dance, University of Richmond, and sponsored by the Tucker-Boatwright Festival of Literature & the Arts.
Award-winning playwright comes to UR
On Friday, October 25, at 8 p.m., Obie award-winning and two-time Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins will give a talk on campus in Camp Concert Hall.
A Dress of One's OwnWhen Sarah Wang, ’18, walked at commencement, she wore a one-of-a-kind dress she designed for herself through and independent study with Heather Hogg, director of costume and makeup in the theater and dance department.
Senior Choreography Presentation

Senior choreographers Julia Marcellino, Briana Williams, Julia Oates, Cristina Peters, along with Natalie Alessio (not pictured) presented their original choreography in a showcase on April 25. 

2018 A&S Faculty Mentor Award Winners
This year, two faculty were honored for outstanding mentorship.
2018 Student Symposium Awards
Awards were presented for the best paper and art project presented at the 2018 Student Symposium
University Dancers: IN/MOTION
University of Richmond Department of Theatre and Dance
University of Richmond Department of Theatre and Dance
University of Richmond Department of Theatre and Dance

Faculty Highlights

  • Herrera Awarded Grant
    Herrera Awarded Grant

    Dr. Patricia Herrera, associate professor in theatre and dance, along with UR colleagues was awarded grant support for the inter-campus collaborative project, "Participatory History and Archiving: An Initiative to Promote and Support Undergraduate Instruction and Project Outcomes in Community-Based Research and Archiving." Read More
  • Herrera Published
    Herrera Published

    Patricia Herrera, associate professor of theatre, published Nuyorican Feminist Performance From the Café to Hip Hop Theater University of Michigan Press.
  • Díaz Debuted at ICA
    Díaz Debuted at ICA

    Alicia Díaz, associate professor of dance, debuted Entre Puerto Rico y Richmond: Bridging Stories of Resistance, a mixed media installation that includes a dance film, altars, and an image board contextualizing the colonial relationship between Puerto Rico and the US, at the Institute for Contemporary Art.
  • Herrera Published
    Herrera Published

    Patricia Herrera, associate professor of theatre, published Nuyorican Feminist Performance: From The Café to Hip Hop Theater (Michigan University Press). Nuyorican Feminist Performance examines the contributions of 1970s and ‘80s performeras and how they challenged the Café’s gender politics.
  • Herrera and Méndez Published
    Herrera and Méndez Published

    Patricia Herrera, associate professor of theatre, and Mariela Méndez, associate professor of LALIS and WGSS, published an “Performando un activismo feminista: El trabajo de Debora Kuetzpal Vasquez en La Marca” in Conjunto.
  • Hayes Awarded
    Hayes Awarded Phil Hayes has been awarded a 2019 Medallion by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
  • Feldman Translation Performed
    Feldman Translation Performed

    LALIS professor Sharon Feldman’s English translation of Liberto, an award-winning Catalan play by Gemma Brió, was given a professional staged reading in the performance space of the Instituto Cervantes in New York City. 
  • Herrera Named Distinguished Educator
    Herrera Named Distinguished Educator

    Theatre professor Patricia Herrera was named a 2018 University of Richmond Distinguished Educator.
  • Diaz Choreography Featured
    Diaz Choreography Featured

    Dance professor Alicia Diaz's piece wise as serpents was performed by the University Dancers as part of the American College Dance Association Gala at VCU.

     
  • Diaz Article
    Diaz Article

    Professor Alicia Diaz was interviewed by Puerto Rican dance writer Susan Homar, who published an article/interview discussing her work in the Puerto Rican online publication "80 Grados." 

Upcoming Events

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Videos

fast/FORWARD: University Dancers 38th Anniversary Concert

fast/FORWARD: University Dancers 38th Anniversary Concert

Directed by Anne Van Gelder Costume Design by Karl Green Lighting Design by Maja E. White or Alex Broening (as noted) Sound Design by Maja E. White Scenic Design by Jason Ammons Premiere February 24, 2023

MOVE! University Dancers 37th Anniversary Concert

MOVE! University Dancers 37th Anniversary Concert

Directed by Anne Van Gelder Costume Design by Johann Stegmeir Light Design by Maja E. White Premiere February 25, 2022

TIME | IN | SPACE: University Dancers 36th Anniversary Concert

TIME | IN | SPACE: University Dancers 36th Anniversary Concert

Directed by Anne Van Gelder Costume Design by Johann Stegmeir Light Design by Maja E. White Premiere Friday, March 19, 2021

A discussion with Kayla Schlitz

A discussion with Kayla Schlitz '22

A discussion with Karen Fleming

A discussion with Karen Fleming '21

A discussion with Julia Straka

A discussion with Julia Straka '21

A discussion with Johann Stegmeir

A discussion with Johann Stegmeir

A discussion with Eric Rivera

A discussion with Eric Rivera

A discussion with Emma Davis

A discussion with Emma Davis '21

University Dancers 35th Anniversary Concert

University Dancers 35th Anniversary Concert

University Dancers: IN/MOTION

University Dancers: IN/MOTION

Spring 2019 Dance show

University Dancers: Converge

University Dancers: Converge

Spring 2018 dance show

University Dancers: Nexus

University Dancers: Nexus

Spring 2017 dance highlights

Caroline Weber,

Caroline Weber, '17: "Urban Dreams"

Caroline's dance piece "Urban Dreams" will be featured at the University Dancers Annual Spring Concert "Nexus" (Feb 2017)

Kylie McCormick,

Kylie McCormick, '17: "Arrow of Time"

Kylie's dance piece "Arrow of Time" will be featured at the University Dancers Annual Spring Concert "Nexus" (Feb 2017)

30-second clips of Momentum

30-second clips of Momentum

Behind the Scenes of "Momentum", Modlin Center for the Arts

Behind the Scenes of "Momentum", Modlin Center for the Arts

Behind the scenes with the University Dancers in preparation for their spring dance show "Momentum". Show was directed by Anne Van Gelder. (Spring 2016)

Behind the Scenes, Jordan Matter, R

Behind the Scenes, Jordan Matter, R'91

Behind the scenes with 1991 alumnus Jordan Matter as he shoots the cover and other photos for the Spring/Summer 2016 issue of University of Richmond Magazine (magazine.richmond.edu).

Behind the Scenes of "Intimate Apparel", Modlin Center for the Arts

Behind the Scenes of "Intimate Apparel", Modlin Center for the Arts

Behind the Scenes of "Intimate Apparel", a Modlin Center for the Arts theatre production. Show will be November 19-22, 2015.

University Dancers- Highlights from @30

University Dancers- Highlights from @30

University Dancers 2014 Spring Concert

University Dancers 2014 Spring Concert

Remnants

Remnants

Students prepare for an evening performance of “Remnants” - an original hip-hop musical co-written by Patricia Herrera, assistant professor of theatre, and José Joaquín Garcia - with yoga, vocal warm-ups, dance practice, costume checks, and more. (Spring 2015)

The Art of Movement

The Art of Movement

Assistant professor of dance Matthew Thornton shares how his professional affiliation with Agua Dulce Dance Theater informs his teaching at the University of Richmond. (2013)

University Dancers- Highlights from Shifting Ground

University Dancers- Highlights from Shifting Ground

Jazzed - University Dancers Spring Concert 2012

Jazzed - University Dancers Spring Concert 2012

Past Productions
University of Richmond Department of Theatre and Dance
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui : Fall 2013
Student Groups
Props
Choreographers

Resources

Theatre Library Research Guide

Dance Library Research Guide

Modlin Center for the Arts

Office of Sustainability

Contact Us

Mailing address:
Department of Theatre and Dance
Modlin Center for the Arts
453 Westhampton Way
University of Richmond, VA 23173

Phone: (804) 289-8592
Fax: (804) 287-1841
Box office: (804) 289-8980

Interim Department Chair: Dr. Olivier Delers
Administrative Coordinator: Rhonda Jackson