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Sterling College Theatre Workshop Day marks 40 years of inspiration
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Bottom, played by Sterling student Philip Starnes (center), enjoys time with Titania (left), played by Sterling student Mariana Inchaugria and the rest of the Fairies in the recent production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream which attracted over 500 students for the annual Theatre Workshop/Matinee Day.
Published: Mar 19, 2025, 6:56 PM

Sterling College Theatre marked a milestone this year, celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Theatre Workshop and Matinee Day on Monday, March 10. This annual event, first established in 1985, continues to ignite a passion for theatre in high school students across Kansas by offering hands-on workshops and a professional-level stage production which this year was Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Over 500 students from 27 schools attended the landmark event, with participants traveling from as far east as Ottawa and Yates Center and as far west as Oakley and Ransom. Schools ranged in size from large 5A and 6A institutions to smaller 1A schools. Other participating high schools included Kingman, Abilene, Goddard, Salina South, Goddard-Eisenhower, Campus (Wichita), Emporia, Mulvane, Garden Plain, Hutchinson, Sterling, Clearwater, Hesston, Maize South, Lyons, McPherson, Circle, Hill City, Decatur Community, Canton-Galva, Chase, Central Christian and Prairie Hills Middle School.

Dennis Dutton, Sterling College’s Arts Director, along with Arts Admissions Counselor Piper Harding, organized the day. “This is always our biggest arts event of the year,” Dutton shared. “We have students from all backgrounds who share a love of theatre. They participate in workshops in the morning and then enjoy the shared experience of seeing a show together in the afternoon. The high school matinee audience is always our best – they laugh and cheer louder and longer than anyone else.”

The morning was packed with engaging workshops designed to expose students to different elements of theatre production. Led by experienced faculty, alumni, and Sterling College theatre students, the workshops covered a range of disciplines, including:

• Musical Theatre: Singing and Dancing – Led by SC Music Theatre Director Marisa Callan

• Acting/Characterization – Led by SC Theatre adjunct faculty Betsy Dutton

• Makeup/Hair: Creating a Character – Led by SC Theatre Artistic Director Lesa Brown

• Stage Combat: Sabre – Led by SC Technical Director Greg McGlynn

• Creative Props – Led by Guest Artist Erin Stansbury

• Set Design – Led by SC Theatre students Mari Inchaugria and Josh Allen

• Lighting Design – Led by SC Theatre student Noah Svaty

• Improvisation – Led by SC Theatre alum and Clearwater High School Director Lex Rhoadarmer

• Costuming – Led by SC Theatre student Aubrey Anderson

• Theatre Games – Led by SC Theatre students Kimberlie Skirvin and Kurt Keegan.

Additionally, students attended a “Show Briefing” by director Lesa Brown, who provided background on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, setting the stage for the afternoon’s performance. Brown shared, “Shakespeare can feel intimidating at first, but once you embrace the rhythm and the humor, his plays come to life in a way that resonates across centuries. Our goal was to make this production accessible and exciting for our audience, and judging by their reactions, I think we succeeded.”

Brown also emphasized why Midsummer was an excellent choice for this year’s production, stating, “This play offers many positives for high school students: good fun, an excellent script, recognizable quotes and characters, exposure to Shakespeare, and the chance to see many SC students display their talents and hard work.”

The highlight of the day was Sterling College Theatre’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which captivated the young audience with its timeless humor and enchanting visuals. The students responded enthusiastically, praising the performance:

Teachers also expressed appreciation for the production’s authenticity and creativity. One educator remarked, “I loved the show. I know many of my students did as well. It was really incredible to see so many young students avidly engaged and enjoying Shakespeare! I personally loved that it was kept true to the source material and language while adding modern references to make it relatable.”

Brown found immense joy in seeing the high school students and teachers engage with the production. “I was thrilled to get to introduce high school students to what SC Theatre is capable of and to how relevant and rewarding it is to produce a Shakespeare play! It was a great way to wrap up all of our efforts!”