College of Fine Arts Events
Micah Alhadeff Artist Lecture
Continuum Wind Quintet - Bullock Series Performance
Tom Muir Artist Lecture
Pete Williams Artist Lecture
Scott Tegge, Tuba Recital
Tamir Hendelman and Tierney Sutton Duo
POTUS, Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
By Selina Fillinger. An uproarious debut by playwright Selina Fillinger, POTUS Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive is a riotous comedy about the women in charge of the man in charge of the free world.
Legally Blonde the Musical
Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture
A fabulously fun award-winning musical based on the adored movie, Legally Blonde The Musical, follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances - this musical is so much fun, it should be illegal!
Elle Woods appears to have it all. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school. While there, she struggles with peers, professors, and her ex. With the support of some new friends, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world.
"The ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power!" - Broadway World
Next Stop, Broadway!
Starring Broadway’s Caitlin Kinnunen
Tony Award nominee, THE PROM
Western Michigan University's annual cabaret showcases our senior musical theatre majors while they perform alongside this year's guest star, Caitlin Kinnunen!
Caitlin Kinnunen Is a Tony nominated actress for her work in The Prom on Broadway, having originated the role of Emma Nolan. After spending the last 15 years in NYC, you can now find her bouncing around wherever this wild ride takes her.
Most recently you can hear her as Juniper on the podcast The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station starring Gwendolyn Christie. Caitlin was nominated for an Audie Award for narrating the audiobook Mary Jane, and was handpicked by Judy Blume to narrate her book Forever. Caitlin’s film/TV credits include Our Ladies (pilot for The CW), The Intern, Sweet Little Lies, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, We Need to Talk About Kevin, "Younger", “American Vandal”, "The Knick", and "Law & Order: SVU".
"Caitlin Kinnunen (Emma) has a voice of unusual clarity and sweetness. You are game to lean into her sound, and you must lean in, because it is delicate and surrounded by powerhouse voices."- New York Theatre Guide
All the Natalie Portmans
By C.A. Johnson
Sixteen-year-old Keyonna and her older brother Samuel live on the brink of eviction while dreaming of a better tomorrow. Too smart, “too gay” and too lonely to fit in, Keyonna escapes into a world of rom coms, red carpets and all the iconic characters played by her muse, Natalie Portman. But when “all the Natalie Portmans” start talking back to her, Keyonna finally has to face her off-screen drama in this imaginative new play that reminds us to embrace life on the ground while still reaching for the stars.
"Tense and witty with profound reverberations." – The Daily Beast.
The Great Gatsby
By F. Scott Fitzgerald
Adapted by Jonathan Davis and Joan Herrington
The Williams Theatre will be transformed into the glittering world of Jay Gatsby in an immersive experience that takes you through the classic novel. So, don your finest attire, embrace the spirit of the era, and prepare to be transported to a time of excess, intrigue, and ultimately, profound tragedy.
Dreamgirls
Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen | Music by Henry Krieger
Original Broadway Production Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett
Orchestrations by Harold Wheeler
A sweeping and inspirational journey through 20th century American pop music, Dreamgirls chronicles one Motown group’s rise from obscurity to superstardom. Through gospel, R&B, smooth pop, disco and more, Dreamgirls explores themes of ambition, hope and betrayal, all set in the glamorous and competitive world of the entertainment industry.
“Dreamgirls is a show about a time in American musical history when rhythm and blues blended with other styles of popular music creating a new American sound. Act One is set in the fabulous sixties – a time when we were still screaming at Elvis and listening to the Beatles, but were dancing to the new beat of countless girl and boy groups like The Supremes, The Marvelettes, The Temptations and The Shirelles. Dreamgirls is not just about the singing and the dancing and the performing. The play is also about the behind-the-scenes reality of the entertainment industry – the business part of show business that made possible this cultural phenomenon. Act Two shows the creation and the arrival of disco – though the word is never used in the script. The subject matter of this play deals with a musical contribution to America of such importance that only now – decades later – are we beginning to understand.” – Michael Bennett
"Dreamgirls is a musical full of sparkle... a tale of transformation: from naive hopefuls into jaded superstars, from raw R&B into the disco era, from success to failure, and then back again." – Lyndsey Winship, The Guardian
The Book of Silence
By Heldris de Cornuälle
Adapted by Lofty Durham
Presented in collaboration with the WMU Medieval Institute
The Mostly Medieval Theatre Festival (MMTF) is a performance festival showcasing and invigorating the global heritage of drama, music, dance, and performance styles from late antiquity through the Renaissance.
In 2025, the MMTF is proud to partner with WMU’s Department of Theatre to produce a new dramatic adaptation of the Roman de Silence, the thirteenth-century romance about the knight who was a girl. MMTF founder and associate professor of theatre Lofty Durham is crafting the adaptation and leading the ensemble of student and faculty collaborators for the production which will open the week of Congress and continue its run for local audiences in the following weeks.
