UND Theatre stages pop-up performances for season of community

UND Theatre partners with different community groups to make deeper connections with Greater Grand Forks audiences

Community is not only President Andy Armacost’s word of the year — it’s the heartbeat of UND Theatre’s new season, “Our Community. Our Voices.”

“We wanted to create a place where the whole Greater Grand Forks community feels welcome,” said Emily Cherry Oliver, chair of UND’s Department of Theatre Arts. “As we were choosing our productions last spring, the theme just emerged very organically. It was a happy accident that it aligned with President Armacost’s focus — but it makes perfect sense. This year is about opening our doors even wider.”

And the welcome started before the curtain even rose in late September.

That’s when UND Theatre opened its 2025-26 season with a laugh-out-loud sprint through “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” and introduced two brand-new traditions: the idea of community partners and pop-up previews.

“Visibility is important when we’re trying to build community,” Oliver said. “People can’t join you if they don’t know you’re there.”

But the theatrical action certainly will be hard to miss when it’s happening in the middle of the lunch rush on the Social Stairs in the Memorial Union.

Students will perform 15-minute “snippets to give people just a taste of the shows,” Oliver explained. “We’re hoping people will grab their lunch — and their friends — and enjoy a sneak peek. This is a first for us, and we’re so excited to create these new opportunities. We want everyone to know that we are an active, vibrant part of the cultural scene in this area.”

The pop-up events will run on repeat from noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 5 for “My Fair Lady,” Feb. 18 for “Little Women” and April 15 for “Our Town.”

A special preview for December’s “A Cozy Christmas Cabaret” will be Dec. 3 in the Chester Fritz Library.

Finding connections, community

Inside the theater, every production will connect with a different community partner so audiences can step from the story into real life — whether that’s a book table, a campus clinic, a local crafts display or a citywide book read.

“Theater is about portraying life on stage. Sometimes that life is over the top; sometimes that life is tragic. But that’s our job to show a community on stage,” Oliver said. “The idea behind these community partners is to connect to people’s everyday lives. We hope that will make the themes of each show resonate even more deeply with our audiences.

“This season isn’t just about watching theater. It’s about belonging.”

The season also marks a turning point for the department, Oliver said. Enrollment is up, new technical director Adriene Grigsby has joined the team, and construction is moving briskly on the Starcher Black Box Theatre, which is slated to open next fall.

The new theater features more seating, as well as state-of-the-art lighting, sound and flooring.

“Right now, if you put a pencil on the floor, it’ll start rolling,” Oliver said with a laugh. “When you’re trying to adhere scenery pieces, that doesn’t really help. So, we’re just thrilled to have a new, well-equipped place to do our work.”

The shows coming up …

• “My Fair Lady,” a golden-age musical about voice, class and self-discovery. Showtimes: 7:30 to 10 p.m. Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 14-15, and 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 9 and Nov. 16. Community partner: The UND Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders will spotlight its Speech-Language Clinic — a natural tie to character Eliza Doolittle’s transformation from cockney flower girl to elegant lady.
• “A Cozy Christmas Cabaret.” Students, faculty and community performers will share an evening of holiday cheer, laughter and song to kick off the holiday season. Showtime: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Dec. 6. Community partner: The Grand Forks artistic community. Oliver says it’s the perfect opportunity for local businesses and groups to do a holiday night out — dinner, plus cabaret!
• “Little Women.” Louisa May Alcott’s classic is staged for wintertime comfort. Showtimes: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Feb. 25-28 and 2 to 4 p.m. March 1. Community partners: Local crafts will be highlighted. Look for cozy lobby displays that echo the show’s hearth-and-home spirit.
• “Our Town.” Thornton Wilder’s American masterpiece about life, love and the everyday sacred. Showtimes: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 22-25 and 2 to 4 p.m. April 26. Community partners: UND, Grand Forks and East Grand Forks public libraries will help host a Greater Grand Forks Community Read of Ann Patchett’s “Tom Lake,” a novel about an actress who once played Emily in “Our Town.”

“I think the perfect example of bringing community to life is ‘Our Town,’ so that production seemed to be a great season-ender,” Oliver said. “We’re going to be talking about life and death in ‘Our Town,’ and then we’re going to be partnering with our own town — the Greater Grand Forks community — to read this book together. We’ll come together over art and literature and the common bond we all have in our humanity. That’s a great sense of connection.”

All performances will be staged in the Burtness Theatre at 281 Centennial Road in Grand Forks. Tickets are $15 for students, seniors and military members and $25 for other adults.

>> For more information on the shows or to purchase tickets, go to the Department of Theatre Arts web page.