Department of Communications

Theatre Program

The university offers a co-curricular program in theatre, which
allows communications majors and budding thespians to participate in a variety of productions each year. Students serve as playwrights, actors, and directors in the program, which is committed to presenting new works by area playwrights. The program also focuses on new interpretations of classic plays and innovative staging, contributing to its reputation as a progressive theatre group.

What Can RSU Theatre Do for You?

• Theatre educates students to become critical and creative thinkers.
• Theatre offers students opportunities to collaborate creatively.
• Theatre helps students learn through experience.
• Theatre develops students’ verbal and nonverbal expression.
• Theatre cultivates students’ senses, physicality, and intellect to explore ideas, raise questions, and solve problems.
• Theatre encourages students to become advocates of the arts and to participate in the cultural life of RSU, Claremore, and the greater Northeastern Oklahoma region.

Our Approach to the Study and Presentation of Theatre

• Dedicated to students. Theatre seasons will reflect the educational goals of the charter and seek to explore the world.
• Dedicated to new work. Theatre seasons will focus on new plays, new interpretations of classic plays, and innovative staging.
• Dedicated to variety. Theatre seasons will contain a mix of full (and full-length productions, shorter work, and readings (fully and minimally staged) to appeal to students varied commitment levels. Theatre seasons will appeal to a variety of populations as well as a general public.

About David Blakely

David Blakely, assistant professor of communications and coordinator of the theatre program is a native Oklahoman and an accomplished playwright, having written almost two dozen dramas, comedies and musicals staged across the nation. He has experience in most aspects of theatre, including set, light and sound design.

He most recently served as assistant professor of theatre and director of the theatre program at North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, N.C. He received a law degree from Duke University, a master’s in fine arts in playwriting from the University of Iowa and a bachelor’s of fine arts in theatre from the University of Oklahoma. Read more about Mr. Blakely.