Festival Playhouse creates a unique theme for every season that we do. We have a proud 50+ year legacy of thought-provoking theatre at K. A sample of previous seasons are listed below.
To see gallery photos of these productions, go to our Past Productions page on the Department of Theatre Arts website.
For even more information and photos of our long history, visit the Archives Page that the College’s Archives Department has graciously developed for us!
2022-2023–Mental Health Matters
Fall:
Othello by William Shakespeare
Winter:
The Mountaintop by Katori Hall
Spring:
Next to Normal by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt
2021-2022–Black is Beautiful: An Ode to Black Life, Love, and Strength
Fall:
Unzipped by Rebecca Chan’22
Well-Intentioned White People by Rachel Lynett
Winter:
Acting Shakespeare by Ian McKlellan, with Matthew Swarthout’22
Blacks + Phats by Kevin Renn
Spring:
Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet by Tarell Alvin McCraney (Sadly, this show had to be cancelled.)
2020-2021–Our Time is Now: #ourstories
Fall:
Kokoro: True Heart by Velina Hasu Houston
“K” devised by Kalamazoo College students
Winter:
The Compass by Michael Rohd
Spring:
Water by the Spoonful by Quiara Alegría Hudes
2019-2020–HERstories: Forgotten Female Figures
Fall:
The Spitfire Grill by James Valcq and Fred Alley
Winter:
Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson
Spring:
Water By the Spoonful by Quiara Alegría Hughes **Postponed until Spring ’21**
2018-2019–Theatre of Assumption and Confusion
Fall:
It Can’t Happen Here by Tony Taccone and Bennet Cohen
Senior Performance Series: Beauty’s Daughter by Dael Orlandersmith and spells, signed by the heart by Robert Davis ’19
Winter:
Student Body by Frank Winters
Senior Performance Series: The Exception and The Rule by Bertolt Brecht and The Realm of the Dead by Hunter Himelhoch ’19
Spring:
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
2017-2018–Theatre and Making New Families
Fall:
Fun Home, music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Lisa Kron ’83
Winter: Fun Home Benefit Performance for American College Theatre Festival fundraiser. At ACTF, our production of Fun Home won the Golden Handtruck Award for stage management, and was given top billing at the festival!
Senior Performance Series: Too Close to The Tracks by Sam Meyers ’18, The Search For Signs For Intelligent Life In the Universe by Jane Wagner, performed by Tricia LaCaze ’18, and Mal Ojo by Johanna Keller Flores ’18.
Spring:
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage
2016-2017–“Broadway Firsts”: Stories of “Outsider” Cultural Landmarks in American Theatre
Fall:
The Rocky Horror Show by Richard O’Brien
Emergency, written and performed by Daniel Lee Beaty
Winter:
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Senior Performance Series: Stuck in Neutral by Kyle Lampar ’17; Piss & Vinegar by Camille Wood ’17; Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph; and 101 Humiliating Stories, written by Lisa Kron ’83, co-produced by Madison Donoho ’17 and Emma Franzel ’17.
Spring:
In the Heights by Lin Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes