PLNU students and alumni reflect on diminished theatre program

When bright-eyed Clara Wilks began her college journey in 2021, initially to study applied health but quickly realizing she had a passion for media communication, she was excited by the thought of taking on a theatre minor. After taking her first course for the minor, an acting course, Wilks was disappointed to find that an improv class, scheduled for the next fall, didn’t have enough students registered to be taught. 

“We tried to convince Wally [Williams] to teach the improv class,” Wilks said. Williams, retired professor of communication and theatre, was an active part of PLNU’s theatre program. Williams’ retirement in the spring of 2023 resulted in the loss of an advisor for the theatre club at the time.  

“It was kind of the beginning of the end,” Wilks said.

But go back in time just 15 years ago, and PLNU’s theatre department was a thriving program on campus. Many graduates of the program went on to work as full-time actors or directors, some even going all the way to Broadway. One of these alums is Megan DeBoard, who graduated with a degree in theatre in 2010. DeBoard said enough students were auditioning for their productions at the time that there was a sense of competition and real cuts had to be made. That wasn’t the case by the time DeBoard taught in the department herself as director of theatre from 2015 to 2022. 

DeBoard noted that one of the last successful shows was “Pride and Prejudice” back in 2021, a show she directed. Wilks, a first-year student at the time, worked the box office for the production. Wilks said that the job made her feel like a part of something bigger. 

“That was super fun to be able to support the arts in that way and make it more accessible,” Wilks said.

According to DeBoard, the program shifted from being made up of theatre majors to “hobbyists” and STEM majors looking for a creative outlet. 

“Science and the arts go really well together,” DeBoard said. 

But, by that point, there was no longer a theatre program to draw incoming students to, DeBoard added. Neighboring schools like the University of California San Diego were finding more success, with their program being ranked No. 1 on the West Coast. 

In just the last few years, DeBoard moved into an educator role at Cathedral High School, an all-boys Catholic prep school in Los Angeles, CA. DeBoard took the role for stability, she said, both financially and for more stable hours as a new mom. 

DeBoard has found that when theatre is worked into a curriculum (first-years at Cathedral are required to take a semester of theatre), students gain vital practice speaking in front of others and grow in their confidence.

“My freshman boys will come to me and say they are now the first person to speak up in class, when that would have never been the case before,” DeBoard said.

In her short time as a theatre minor, Wilks knew only of two other students who also carried the minor, one of whom did several independent studies to get the credits, according to Wilks. 

“You can’t independent study theatre,” Wilks said. “That’s not really how that works. And I was pretty disappointed because theatre has been a big part of my life.”

Since the 2021-22 school year, there has been little sign of life for theatre on campus. Theatre clubs have started, only to fizzle out because of a lack of members or leadership members graduating. The current iteration of the club is on hiatus, according to Lily Ponce, fourth-year psychology major and the club’s president, who is graduating this spring. 

PLNU’s Salomon Theatre, which seats 177, underwent renovation during the summer of 2024. According to Melissa Newman, professor of communication and associate dean of SHAPE (School of Humanities, Arts and Public Engagement), this meant new flooring, paint, seats, screen and a smart technology hub. 

Newman said the space is currently used for campus events and summer programs that use the theatre, which is managed by Conference Services. But plans for any sort of performance in the space are unclear. 

Rumors have swirled that the theatre program was permanently shut down, although this isn’t entirely true. The theatre minor can still be found in the academic catalog, however, there are no students currently in the minor, according to Lindsey Lupo, dean of SHAPE. PLNU is also lacking any part- or full-time theatre faculty, making it difficult for those few students carrying the minor, like Wilks. 

PLNU isn’t the only school to shut down or largely diminish its theatre program.  According to an essay published by Howlround Theatre Commons, drama departments are being shut down at a rapid and steady pace. In an article originally published in 2009 by Robin Wilson, he noted, “Theatre is often targeted during times of financial distress because of the expenses involved in operating a theatre program.” PLNU has undergone reorganization in recent years to cut smaller majors and place the arts and humanities under one school – SHAPE.

When it comes to some of the nationwide threats to theatre, such as the current administration takeover of the Kennedy Center, DeBoard does not shy away from sharing her frustrations. 

“Art gives us the opportunity to imagine a better world,” DeBoard said. “Taking that [opportunity] away is really disheartening.”