Theater

Our Program has won awards and been recognized for the breadth and depth of the performance opportunities that we offer our students. Here at Pius, the plays and musicals chosen for performance are filled with message, substance and style. Each academic school year we present three distinct and challenging plays and one main stage musical. In addition, we offer one play and one musical open only to freshmen and sophomores. This practice is unique to our program and is designed to offer a supportive atmosphere where young actors can explore and expand the range of their artistic abilities. In addition, we collaborate with professional theater companies, actors and directors in the Milwaukee area. We're also proud to have partnered with the Milwaukee Chamber Theater to present the “Metro Milwaukee Young Playwrights Festival” – a showcase for new plays written, directed and performed by students in the metro Milwaukee area.

Our Students experience a sequenced, four-year curriculum that begins with the introduction of the concept of ensemble. The relationship between the individual student and the group is at the heart of the Pius vision of theater. Classes are designed to recognize the exceptional abilities in each student, while learning how to be inspired by this diversity. We encourage our students to investigate the questions of life through the great questions of dramatic literature. Our students experience every aspect of theater production in our curriculum; ranging from acting on the stage to designing and building sets, to writing and directing their own material. Students may even choose to pursue their individual interests through a special project course of study with a theater instructor. These projects culminate with a performance each semester in our Black Box Theater. Some of our students go on to pursue performing arts at some of the most prestigious colleges in the country. All of our students develop performance skills and abilities that transfer to life skills in the areas of presentation and communication.

Our Theater Season is as rich and varied as our curriculum. This year, we offer productions that range from the nation-wide sensation of Disney’s High School Musical at the historic Pabst Theatre, to the sharp and poignant issues in Blood Wedding presented in our intimate Black Box Theater. In Theater Arts, we enjoy opportunities to collaborate often with our music and dance departments not only on musical productions, but in special projects like our “Opera Gala” presented in March at the Humphrey Scottish Rite Masonic Center, and academic classes offered in musical theatre. For tickets and more information about all of our performances, contact the Pius Bookstore at (414) 290-8151.