Student Blog: Almost Off Book to Fully On Stage: A Look Into Worcester State Theatre

Found within the heart of Massachusetts, you'll find the city of Worcester, and in the small yet very vibrant campus of Worcester State University, the campus' theater community serves as a dynamic hub for hands-on learning, creative output and artistic expression. Designed to foster a close-knit and collaborative environment, the program dives deep into both the creative and technical worlds of the stage. Far more than just an extracurricular outlet, the program cultivates an immersive space where aspiring performers, directors, and designers can dive deep into both the artistic and technical dimensions of the stage, transforming collaborative ideas into unforgettable theatrical experiences.

Through the Visual and Performing Arts Department, students interested in acting can take a wide range of performance related classes. For those drawn to the technical side of the craft, courses in Stage Management, Lighting Design, and Stagecraft provide some essential, hands-on industry experience. The academic theater program goes far beyond the classroom by putting on two full-length productions throughout the academic year-one per semester. Some of the department's past shows and performances include The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Exit, Pursued By A Bear, The Tragedy of Macbeth, and their own devised piece House/less, an immersive play about the experiences and stories of the homeless community in Worcester. Their next show is the dark comedy by David Lindsay-Abaire, Kimberly Akimbo.

Worcester State University Cast of The Tragedy Of Macbeth. Image Credits go to Matt Wright

Operating under the Visual and Performing Arts Department is the student-run Theatre Club, Almost Off Book. Rather than putting on multiple full length shows during the year, this club puts on one main-stage performance each year. In addition to their major mainstage performance they host a series of smaller events throughout the year such as Quick Change (an event dedicated to allowing students to write and direct their own short plays, operating under generally low stakes to test out their ideas), as well as karaoke nights, an open-mic night, and a night of improv comedy. The club has a rich history of incredible student-led productions, with some of their past shows including Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, She Kills Monsters, & Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.

Almost Off Book Cast and Crew of Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors. Image Credits go to Almost Off Book 

Going off of my experience in both the Visual and Performing Arts Department as a part of my major, as well as my time spent with Almost Off Book, I truly have been changed for good. I've been given the chance to act in both the VPA shows and with AOB, I've been able to be apart of the AOB E-Board as both their Secretary and currently their Treasurer, I've also been given the chance to Stage Manage with AOB for the previously mentioned production of Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors and Assistant Stage Manage with the current VPA production, Kimberly Akimbo which will open this November. This department truly has given me a great community to be a part of here on campus. I've met some of my closest friends through both this department as well as AOB and being a Theatre major has really allowed me to grow as both a student, but also has helped me to become a better person as well as destress and give me a good creative outlet. I am so glad I joined this department, I truly cannot recommend it enough. They have a saying on campus, "when you #woolife, you're home" and after everything I've done the last few years, all the friends I've made and people I've met, I can promise you that it's all absolutely true.