History, Oregon State University

A Short History of the University Theatre at Oregon State

Since the founding of Oregon State University, theatre and drama societies have been a part of campus life. In 1895, debating/oratory societies were established at OSU: the Philadelphia Society for men, and the Feronian Society for women. From these early beginnings, a full-fledged theatre program has grown, a program that continues to thrive in Corvallis on the OSU campus. Prior to 1907, the senior class had always produced a play; but for the first time, in 1907, these two societies produced the play. And then, in 1908, the two groups merged, to create the Masque and Dagger Dramatic Club, which endured for decades. At one time, the Masque and Dagger Club was the oldest society on campus, one whose origins could be traced back to the nineteenth century.

In 1921, the club produced William Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream on the lower campus where the Trysting Tree used to be and where the son of Trysting Tree now grows. This production was so warmly received and successful that in 1924, they did it again. So, in May of that year, again on lower campus, As You Like It was produced. From those small and modest beginnings, the tradition of theatre at OSU was begun. The OSU theatre has been distinguished by many fine performances, good directors, and wonderful scenery and costumes over the years. A few individual contributions stand out. In 1964, Angus Bowmer, founder of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, directed Hamlet on the OSU stage in the old Mitchell Playhouse. Julyana Soelistyo, a 1998 Tony-Award-nominated actress, trod the boards of both the Mitchell Playhouse (The Tempest, 1988) and the stage in Withycombe Hall (Piaf, 1991, Medea, and Madwoman of Chaillot, 1992).

The theatre program has moved around campus over its one hundred years of producing live theatre. At one time, it was located in the upstairs of Benton Hall; for many years, productions were done at the historic Majestic Theatre in downtown Corvallis; and for almost forty years, the theatre program was produced out of the Mitchell Playhouse which is now home to the Valley Gymnastic Center. In 1991, the theatre moved into its new home in Withycombe Hall. The 90-seat Cortright Studio Theatre, located in the Education Building, was closed in 1996 and the new Lab Theatre, seating one hundred and twenty-five, opened in the same year at Withycombe. For the first time in the history of the University Theatre, both theatre spaces are under the same roof.

As a land grant institution, we are commissioned to teach the classics. One of the most vital ways to teach the classics is through theatre. The University Theatre achieves that goal by producing a mix of new works, comedies, dramas, and classics including the works of Shakespeare, the Greeks, Moliere, and American classics such as Williams, Albee, and Miller. The University Theatre is also proud of its premieres of original works, including the dozens of one-act original plays and the American premieres in 1993 of Gemma O'Connor's SigNora Joyce and in 1997 of Martin Lynch and Charabanc Theatre Company's Lay Up Your Ends. In Spring 2000, we featured the American premiere of Declan Hughes' modern reworking of George Farquhar's Restoration classic Love and a Bottle. May 2002 brought forth the world premiere of Blue Willow by Michael Russell and Michael Coolen. Costume and scene design students have won numerous design awards from the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival; in 1994, actress Samantha Fellows was selected as the winner of the Irene Ryan acting competition and represented the Northwest region at the Kennedy Center.