Westhoff Theatre
Westoff Theater was formerly a proscenium stage, but was renovated in 2002 to create an intimate 175 seat performance space. Seating can be configured to allow for thrust or arena staging. Stage size and shape is approximate to Chicago storefront theatres, serving as a model for our students, many of whom pursue postgraduate careers in Chicago.
The Westhoff Experimental Theatre hosts four SecondStage and two MainStage shows every year.
Past Events
April 2017
The Heresy of Love
The Heresy of Love by Helen Edmundson Inspired by the life of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Helen Edmundson creates a depiction of the church and state in turmoil while also focusing on women's right in a censored society. Sister Juana, the main character, finds her freedom of expression threatened when her life is disrupted by the arrival of a new archbishop at her convent. Though this play takes place in 17th-century Mexico, the themes and topics are relevant…
The Heresy of Love
The Heresy of Love by Helen Edmundson Inspired by the life of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Helen Edmundson creates a depiction of the church and state in turmoil while also focusing on women's right in a censored society. Sister Juana, the main character, finds her freedom of expression threatened when her life is disrupted by the arrival of a new archbishop at her convent. Though this play takes place in 17th-century Mexico, the themes and topics are relevant…
Spring Dance Theatre
This year's spring dance concert will be held in the intimate space of our black box theater, giving audiences a chance to see close up the leaps, spins, kicks, tumbles and twirls of our talented dancers and choreographers. Tickets for the performances are $12.00 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and Illinois State faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased at the College of Fine Arts Box Office, located in the Center for the Performing Arts, from 11:00 a.m.…
Spring Dance Theatre
This year's spring dance concert will be held in the intimate space of our black box theater, giving audiences a chance to see close up the leaps, spins, kicks, tumbles and twirls of our talented dancers and choreographers. Tickets for the performances are $12.00 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and Illinois State faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased at the College of Fine Arts Box Office, located in the Center for the Performing Arts, from 11:00 a.m.…
Spring Dance Theatre
This year's spring dance concert will be held in the intimate space of our black box theater, giving audiences a chance to see close up the leaps, spins, kicks, tumbles and twirls of our talented dancers and choreographers. Tickets for the performances are $12.00 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and Illinois State faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased at the College of Fine Arts Box Office, located in the Center for the Performing Arts, from 11:00 a.m.…
Spring Dance Theatre
This year's spring dance concert will be held in the intimate space of our black box theater, giving audiences a chance to see close up the leaps, spins, kicks, tumbles and twirls of our talented dancers and choreographers. Tickets for the performances are $12.00 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and Illinois State faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased at the College of Fine Arts Box Office, located in the Center for the Performing Arts, from 11:00 a.m.…
Spring Dance Theatre
This year's spring dance concert will be held in the intimate space of our black box theater, giving audiences a chance to see close up the leaps, spins, kicks, tumbles and twirls of our talented dancers and choreographers. Tickets for the performances are $12.00 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and Illinois State faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased at the College of Fine Arts Box Office, located in the Center for the Performing Arts, from 11:00 a.m.…
July 2017
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo and Juliet bringing their incredible energy and humor.
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
August 2017
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
I Heart Juliet
The Q Brothers adapted Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Romeo & Julie, bringing their incredible energy and humor.
October 2017
Oedipus
Ellen McLaughlin’s Oedipus adapted from the Sophocles original
Oedipus
Ellen McLaughlin’s Oedipus adapted from the Sophocles original
All’s Well That Ends Well
Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy of love, faith and coming of age
All’s Well That Ends Well
Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy of love, faith and coming of age
Oedipus
Ellen McLaughlin’s Oedipus adapted from the Sophocles original
All’s Well That Ends Well
Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy of love, faith and coming of age
Oedipus
Ellen McLaughlin’s Oedipus adapted from the Sophocles original
All’s Well That Ends Well
Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy of love, faith and coming of age
All’s Well That Ends Well
Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy of love, faith and coming of age
Oedipus
Ellen McLaughlin’s Oedipus adapted from the Sophocles original
Oedipus
Ellen McLaughlin’s Oedipus adapted from the Sophocles original
All’s Well That Ends Well
Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy of love, faith and coming of age
Oedipus
Ellen McLaughlin’s Oedipus adapted from the Sophocles original
All’s Well That Ends Well
Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy of love, faith and coming of age
Oedipus
Ellen McLaughlin’s Oedipus adapted from the Sophocles original
All’s Well That Ends Well
Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy of love, faith and coming of age
February 2018
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
An ambitious comedy work penned by Anne Washburn is a refreshingly original take on the fast-growing genre of the post-apocalyptic play.
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
An ambitious comedy work penned by Anne Washburn is a refreshingly original take on the fast-growing genre of the post-apocalyptic play.
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
An ambitious comedy work penned by Anne Washburn is a refreshingly original take on the fast-growing genre of the post-apocalyptic play.
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
An ambitious comedy work penned by Anne Washburn is a refreshingly original take on the fast-growing genre of the post-apocalyptic play.
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
An ambitious comedy work penned by Anne Washburn is a refreshingly original take on the fast-growing genre of the post-apocalyptic play.
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
An ambitious comedy work penned by Anne Washburn is a refreshingly original take on the fast-growing genre of the post-apocalyptic play.
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
An ambitious comedy work penned by Anne Washburn is a refreshingly original take on the fast-growing genre of the post-apocalyptic play.
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
An ambitious comedy work penned by Anne Washburn is a refreshingly original take on the fast-growing genre of the post-apocalyptic play.
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play
An ambitious comedy work penned by Anne Washburn is a refreshingly original take on the fast-growing genre of the post-apocalyptic play.
March 2018
The Illusion
The tale of a father and his son and their rocky relationship
April 2018
October 2018
The Liar by David Ives
The Liar by David Ives Directed by Nic McMinn SYNOPSIS Enter Dorante, a charmer who cannot tell the truth, into 17th century Paris, looking for action. With his servant (who cannot tell a lie) in tow, Dorante falls madly in love with Clarice... thinking her name is Lucrece. Our lying hero is unaware that Clarice is already engaged, the real Lucrece is in love with him, and twin maids are causing trouble everywhere…all while his father is trying to marry him off to…
November 2018
An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen
An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen Adapted & Directed by Myeongsik Jang SYNOPSIS Dr. Thomas Stockmann has an inconvenient truth to tell. The town has invested heavily in a bath resort to attract tourists, but test results show that the bathwater is utterly contaminated. The townspeople initially side with Thomas as he challenges his brother Peter, the mayor, to address this problem. However, the public turns against him when they learn that his idealism will put their wealth…
February 2019
Machinal by Sophie Treadwell
A young woman works as a low-level stenographer and lives with her mother. She follows the rituals that society expects of a woman, however resistant she may feel about them.
March 2019
Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl
Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl Directed by Myeongsik Jason Jang SYNOPSIS In Eurydice, Sarah Ruhl re-imagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists, and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story. PERFORMANCES March 29, 30, April 2, 3, 4,…
Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl
Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl Directed by Myeongsik Jason Jang SYNOPSIS In Eurydice, Sarah Ruhl re-imagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists, and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story. PERFORMANCES March 29, 30, April 2, 3, 4,…
April 2019
Spring Dance Concert
Tickets are available at the Center for the Performing Arts (CPA) Box Office at 309-438-2535 and online at Ticketmaster.com.
October 2019
The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca
The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca Directed by Robert Quinlan SYNOPSIS The play takes place in a small village in southern Spain following the funeral of Bernarda Alba's second husband. After the mourners depart, the tyrannical matriarch announces to her five daughters that their period of mourning will last eight years. Obsessed with family honor, Bernarda rules the household with an iron fist, but all of her daughters secretly harbor a passion for Pepe el Romano, the…
November 2019
Sweat by Lynn Nottage
Sweat by Lynn Nottage Directed by Lori Adams SYNOPSIS Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, Sweat tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. But when layoff and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight to stay afloat. LOCATION Westhoff Theatre on the Illinois State University Campus…
February 2020
Hit The Wall by Ike Holter
Hit The Wall by Ike Holter Directed by David Prete SYNOPSIS It's the summer of '69 and the death of music icon Judy Garland has emboldened her gay followers. A routine police raid on an underground Greenwich Village hotspot erupts in to a full-scale riot, the impetus of the modern gay rights movement. That's the well-known, oft-rehearsed myth of Stonewall, anyhow. Smash that myth against the vivid theatrical imagination of playwright Ike Holter, add a howling live rock 'n' roll…
March 2020
CANCELLED – The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe Directed by Kelsey Fisher-Waits SYNOPSIS Left quad. Right quad. Lunge. A girls indoor soccer team warms up. From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, the team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with all the vim and vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors. A portrait of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for nine American girls who just want to score some goals. PERFORMANCES March 27,…
April 2020
CANCELLED – Spring Dance Concert
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. PERFORMANCES April 23, 24, 25 at 7:30 p.m. April 25, 26 at 2 p.m. LOCATION Westhoff Theatre on the campus of Illinois State University TICKETS Tickets are available at the Center for the Performing Arts Box Office at (309) 438-2535. Students and seniors: $10 Adults - $12
October 2021
BULRUSHER by Eisa Davis
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, directed by Britannia Howe. Bulrusher will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
BULRUSHER by Eisa Davis
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, directed by Britannia Howe. Bulrusher will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
BULRUSHER by Eisa Davis
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, directed by Britannia Howe. Bulrusher will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
BULRUSHER by Eisa Davis
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, directed by Britannia Howe. Bulrusher will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
BULRUSHER by Eisa Davis
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, directed by Britannia Howe. Bulrusher will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
BULRUSHER by Eisa Davis
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, directed by Britannia Howe. Bulrusher will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
BULRUSHER by Eisa Davis
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, directed by Britannia Howe. Bulrusher will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
BULRUSHER by Eisa Davis
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Bulrusher by Eisa Davis, directed by Britannia Howe. Bulrusher will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
November 2021
Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, translated & adapted by José Rivera. Sueño will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, translated & adapted by José Rivera. Sueño will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, translated & adapted by José Rivera. Sueño will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, translated & adapted by José Rivera. Sueño will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, translated & adapted by José Rivera. Sueño will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, translated & adapted by José Rivera. Sueño will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, translated & adapted by José Rivera. Sueño will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, translated & adapted by José Rivera. Sueño will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
February 2022
RHINOCEROS by Eugène Ionesco
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco, directed by Sanhawich Meateanuwat. Rhinoceros is presented in Westhoff Theatre.
RHINOCEROS by Eugène Ionesco
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco, directed by Sanhawich Meateanuwat. Rhinoceros is presented in Westhoff Theatre.
RHINOCEROS by Eugène Ionesco
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco, directed by Sanhawich Meateanuwat. Rhinoceros is presented in Westhoff Theatre.
RHINOCEROS by Eugène Ionesco
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco, directed by Sanhawich Meateanuwat. Rhinoceros is presented in Westhoff Theatre.
RHINOCEROS by Eugène Ionesco
The School of Theatre and Dance presents Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco, directed by Sanhawich Meateanuwat. Rhinoceros is presented in Westhoff Theatre.
March 2022
FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury, directed by Maria Amenabar Farias. Fairview will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury, directed by Maria Amenabar Farias. Fairview will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury, directed by Maria Amenabar Farias. Fairview will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury, directed by Maria Amenabar Farias. Fairview will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury, directed by Maria Amenabar Farias. Fairview will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
April 2022
FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury, directed by Maria Amenabar Farias. Fairview will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury, directed by Maria Amenabar Farias. Fairview will be presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Spring Dance Concert: Emergence
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the Spring Dance Concert presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Spring Dance Concert: Emergence
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the Spring Dance Concert presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Spring Dance Concert: Emergence
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the Spring Dance Concert presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Spring Dance Concert: Emergence
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the Spring Dance Concert presented in Westhoff Theatre.
Spring Dance Concert: Emergence
The School of Theatre and Dance presents the Spring Dance Concert presented in Westhoff Theatre.