Get involved in music and theatre through performances, backstage roles, and creative leadership.

Find opportunities to express your creativity, grow in community, and develop as an artist. Whether you want to perform, direct, or work behind the scenes, you’ll be part of a Christ-guided community that values excellence, collaboration, and calling. Performances are open to all students—no matter your major. Auditions take place during Welcome Week unless otherwise noted.

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Musicals

Musicals are performed in Benson Great Hall every other year and are open to all students by audition. Participants rehearse throughout January and perform in early spring.

Mainstage musical—West Side Story

The 2026 mainstage production is West Side Story, a musical based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and a conception of Jerome Robbins. Music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthur Laurents. This production is part of a January session course—Producing and Performing a Musical.

Rehearsal schedule: Weekdays throughout January, varying by role.

Performances: February 5-8, 2026

Director: Glenn Morehouse Olson, olsgle@bethel.edu
Musical Director: Merrin Guice Gill, meg25835@bethel.edu 

Opera

Operas are fully staged and performed in English with projected subtitles. They alternate years with musicals and are open by audition to all Bethel students. Rehearsals take place during January with performances at the start of the spring semester.

Past productions include: Rossini’s Cinderella, Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, Puccini’s Suor Angelica.

Black Box Theatre productions

Black Box productions take place each fall and offer intimate, flexible theatre experiences. Shows vary from Shakespeare to small-cast musicals and whodunit plays.

Fall 2025 production—Little Women

The fall 2025 production—Little Women, The Broadway Musical—has been cast, but production team members are still needed for set build, costuming, makeup, and stage managing. Performances take place in October. Opportunities are available in:

  • Set building
  • Costuming
  • Makeup
  • Stage management

To get involved, contact Glenn Morehouse Olson at olsgle@bethel.edu.

Rehearsal schedule: weekdays from 6-9 p.m.

Director: Glenn Morehouse Olson, olsgle@bethel.edu

Spring scenes shows

The spring scenes show is a cabaret-style performance of opera and musical theatre scenes. Students can audition to perform or sign up to direct or choreograph scenes. Rehearsals vary by scene and role. Open by audition.

Student production teams

Every Bethel production relies on a talented backstage team. You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside professionals to learn what goes on behind the scenes from the first rehearsal to the final curtain call in roles like:

  • Lighting and audio tech
  • Costume and set build
  • Stage management
  • Choreography
  • Production assistance

No audition required—just interest and availability.

Interested in performing arts and media production? Apply for a Media and Performing Arts scholarship!

Questions?

Contact Merrin Guice Gill, chair of music and performing arts.