Performing Arts Productions

The 2024-2025 theatrical season featuring a partnership between Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Performing Arts and the Department of Performing Arts at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf will include thrillers, whimsical classical adaptations, a take on a popular Broadway show, and a reimagined look at The Nutcracker set in 1940s Harlem, among others. 

“Each year, we look forward to building upon the strong connections that have been forged between RIT’s School of Performing Arts and Performing Arts at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing performers on stage together is part of what makes the performing arts ecosystem at RIT so special,” said Erica Haskell, inaugural director of the School of Performing Arts. “This season’s productions perfectly capture the creativity and innovation of our university and its venues, as well as its students, faculty, and staff. We are beyond excited to bring the community these amazing performances.”

This season’s productions are:

Concord Floral, Oct. 24-27, Sklarsky Glass Box Theater, SHED.
This supernatural suburban gothic thriller is where The Decameron meets I Know What You Did Last Summer. Neighborhood teens spend time in a 1 million-square-foot abandoned greenhouse, a place where they can throw parties, experiment, dream, and come of age. But hidden is a secret no one wants to confront but, when they do, it sets off a chain of events that include phone calls from the grave.

Peter and the Starcatcher, Nov. 15-17, Panara Theatre, Lyndon Baines Johnson Hall.
A whimsical, humorous, and adventurous prequel to the classic story of Peter Pan, Peter and the Starcatcher follows an orphan as he embarks on a journey aboard the ship Neverland. It’s a story about the power of friendship, courage, and the importance of embracing one’s inner child.

Unstageably Fresh Gynt, Dec. 5-8, Sklarsky Glass Box Theater.
Freshwater, a play written by Virginia Woolf, is a romp through the Victorian past that takes aim at the cultural elite of the 19th century, including the renowned photographer Julia Margaret Cameron, Woolf’s great aunt; celebrated actor Ellen Terry; and famed poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Peer Gynt follows the adventures of its titular character, a charming yet reckless person on a quest for identity and meaning. Peer embarks on a fantastical odyssey filled with encounters with trolls, princesses, and other mythical creatures while grappling with questions of love, morality, and the nature of the self. 

A Chorus Line, March 27-30, 2025, Sklarsky Glass Box Theater.
A Chorus Line is centered on 17 Broadway dancers auditioning for spots in the oft overlooked, but essential, chorus. Providing a glimpse into the personalities of the performers and the choreographer, the musical explores the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers. A complex fusion of song, dance, and compellingly authentic drama, A Chorus Line became an instant classic, once holding the title for longest-running musical on Broadway.

The Cracked Nut, April 4-6, 2025, Robert F. Panara Theatre.
A reimagined rendition of The Nutcracker, The Cracked Nut is set in 1940s Harlem. In this innovative adaptation, traditional gender roles are transcended and a culturally diverse mix of dance genres takes center stage, all set to the music of Duke Ellington’s Three Suites. By blending various dance styles, it aims to break down barriers and provide a platform for students of all abilities to partake in the experience of participating in a full-length, original production.

Tickets for the productions go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 9. Tickets are $5 for students, senior citizens, and children under age 12; $10 for RIT faculty/staff/alumni; and $12 for the public and can be purchased online, by phone at 585-475-4121, or on campus at Gene Polisseni Center Box Office, 200 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester N.Y. 14623. Tickets may also be purchased at the venue on performance days two hours before the shows begins.