It’s no secret that the School of Theatre & Dance continues to grow in ambition and reach. We’ve always looked for the most unique ways to train our students to prepare them for the increasingly competitive professional world, one based not only on talent and hard work, but also good fortune.

To facilitate this growth, we’re excited to share with you our Producer’s Circle.

Many of you know that the Producer’s Circle for Theatre & Dance has long existed but remained dormant for many years. With the College’s smart encouragement, we are bringing it back, primarily to foster a community of alumni, patrons, faculty, and friends who are passionate about theatre and dance and want to play an active role in its future. Think of it as a creative support system—part advisory board, part mentorship, and part advocacy team.

Why now?

With more student-led productions, interdisciplinary collaborations, the use of AI, and off-campus community activism events, our program needs a stronger infrastructure of support. The Producer’s Circle helps to provide just that by offering guidance, resources, and connections that empower our students and elevate our work. Not unlike the Friends of Music in the School of Music or the Medici Circle in the School of Art, we hope that this body will be collaboratively and intimately connected to the activities of our program. And do know this: you do not have to live in Lubbock to be an active member of the Producer’s Circle!

After good deliberation, we came up with a new mission statement for this important organization: The Producer’s Circle champions the School of Theatre & Dance to the broader community, engaging in the education of our students and sharing in their artistic journeys. Member benefits include several new initiatives:

• Director’s Choice seating in The CH Foundation The Legacy of Christine DeVitt Black Box Theatre, allowing members to see works in our flexible space from the director’s perspective
• Invitations to two pre-/post show talks, giving members insight into directorial and design choices
• Access to guest artist events, sharing with the community a host of artists who we bring in to train students from the professional world
• Recognition in the CONTEXT digital program
• Early renewal for season pass subscribers
• Discounted tickets to SOTD productions

But to be honest, this isn’t about financial support—it’s about your shared investment in the creative process. Whether it’s helping a student navigate the logistics of producing a show or connecting us with local venues and audiences, we hope the Producer’s Circle will be a vital part of our ecosystem.

Why does this matter?

Theatre and Dance thrive when they are collaborative, diverse, and well-supported. By bringing together voices from different backgrounds and experiences, the Producer’s Circle ensures the actions of our School reflect the richness of our community—and prepares our students for the realities of professional careers in the arts. 

If you are interested, it’s only 50 dollars to join today, although there are several levels of membership based on your generous support. And we are looking for those who are interested in helping us foster and serve the community, to be a bridge between students, alumni, and community members who share a passion for performance, and will help us amplify voices and stories for the stage.              

We’re building something bold. 

And we want you to be a part of it.

Curtain call for the preview performance of LIZZIE on October 8, 2025.