Editor’s Note: Grace Chaves is the co-editor in chief of The Point. She did not edit this article.
After more than a year of inactivity, Point Loma Nazarene University’s Theatre Club has returned with a new leadership team and an ambitious goal: staging a full student production by November.
The revived club drew around 20 students to its first meeting of the semester on April 22 in Salomon Theater, where attendees voted on a musical to showcase, played theatre-themed games and learned how to get involved in performance and production roles.
The meeting was led by President Grace Chaves, a third-year multimedia journalism major, alongside Vice President Abby Pickett, a third-year philosophy major. Chaves outlined the club’s structure, upcoming plans and emphasis on student participation.
“I was honestly blown away seeing how many people actually showed up,” Chaves said. “It made me realize that people are actually interested in this and invested in Theatre Club.”
Chaves said the club became inactive in early 2024, after efforts to maintain a dwindling participation.
For Chaves, the goal in restarting the organization is to rebuild a space for collaboration across performance disciplines.
“Theatre Club hasn’t been around for a while, and I wanted to restart it to get people involved in the arts again,” she said. “We don’t really have anything that ties together music, choreography and acting.”
She said the club is also focused on accessibility for students of all experience levels.
“I wanted it to be a place to bring people together, to make people feel welcome,” Chaves said. “A very inclusive and inviting environment.”
During the meeting, students voted on the club’s first production using a Google Form, choosing between “High School Musical,” “Anastasia” and “Merrily We Roll Along.” After the votes rolled in, “Merrily We Roll Along” was chosen.
Chaves said the voting process was to ensure members got to play a part in creative decisions.
“I didn’t want to select the musical by myself,” she said. “I wanted it to be a communal thing, because theatre is, at its core, very communal.”
Students also filled out a QR code interest form and participated in a Broadway-themed Kahoot game, with two winners receiving gift cards. Snacks, including cookies, popcorn and juice, were provided during the meeting.
Owen Windham, a first-year music education major, said he attended because of his growing interest in musical theatre.
“I’ve started singing in choir this semester and taking voice lessons, so this seemed like a really interesting opportunity,” Windham said.
Other students expressed interest in technical and behind-the-scenes roles. Payton Duncan, a first-year criminal justice major who has several years of theatre experience, said they are interested in production work.
“I like to build, paint or even direct,” Duncan said. “Any way I could be involved would be super cool.”
Beyond performance opportunities, Duncan said the club offers a space to build community and connect with others across campus.
“It gives you social skills and gets you involved with different people,” they said. “It’s a very open community.”
The club plans to produce one show per semester, with rehearsals expected to run two to three hours per week. Chaves said auditions and production planning are still being finalized, but the goal is to stage a performance before finals week in the fall semester.
Behind the club’s restart is a longer history of stop-and-start efforts to keep theatre opportunities alive on campus, after formal theatre offerings were discontinued and student turnout declined.
Jon Manning, a faculty member in the School of Theology and Christian Ministry, serves as the club’s advisor and said earlier versions of the organization struggled to maintain momentum long enough to stage a production.
“There was an intention to do it, but it required a lot more moving parts than people expected,” Manning said. “And then when things got delayed, attendance dropped off, and the momentum just didn’t come back.”
Manning said he became involved after students reached out looking for a faculty advisor during a transition period for the club.
“I just generally am happy to cheerlead stuff that needs cheerleading,” he said. “If someone comes and asks and I’m available, I’m happy to say yes.”
He said earlier iterations of the club never reached the point of staging a full show. In his view, the club’s current revival signals a more structured approach, including a concrete goal of presenting a full production in November
Manning said a major uncertainty of his is logistical, particularly regarding performance space and technical resources.
“One of the first questions is really practical,” Manning said. “Can we even use the theatre space in the way we need to? I honestly don’t know yet.”
Manning described his role as supportive, serving as a facilitator who helps student leaders carry out their ideas rather than directing the club himself. He said organizations like Theatre Club offer value beyond performance by creating opportunities for students to connect and take initiative, giving them space to collaborate and lead around shared interests.
Kailyn Collette