Fresno State’s University Theatre 2025-26 mainstage play features a compelling premix of classical works, modern voices and bold storytelling. With stories that span generations, cultures and genres, the play offers audiences a affluent theatrical travel filled with heart, wit and humanity.
Oct. 3-11: “A Raisin successful the Sun,” by Lorraine Hansberry and directed by Thomas-Whit Ellis
Set connected Chicago’s South Side, Lorraine Hansberry’s celebrated play concerns the divergent dreams and conflicts successful 3 generations of the Younger family: lad Walter Lee, his woman Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his lad Travis, and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband’s security wealth comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a caller location and a amended vicinity successful Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has different plans: buying a liquor store and being his ain man. Beneatha dreams of aesculapian school. Hansberry’s representation of 1 family’s conflict to clasp dignity successful a harsh and changing satellite is simply a searing and timeless papers of anticipation and inspiration.
Nov. 14-22: “Godspell,” based connected the “Gospel According to St. Matthew” publication by John Michael Tebelak, euphony and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and directed by J. Daniel Herring
A tiny radical of performers assistance Jesus Christ stock his parables done an energetic premix of games, storytelling and crisp comic timing — reimagined for today’s world. This updated instrumentality connected the classical philharmonic “Godspell” blends popular civilization nods, caller perspectives and a wide scope of philharmonic styles — from popular to vaudeville — to bring caller beingness to timeless messages. As the communicative moves from joyful solemnisation to the affectional value of the Last Supper and Crucifixion, Jesus’ teachings of kindness, tolerance and emotion resonate with a bold, modern edge.
Feb. 13-21: “Contemporary Dance Ensemble,” creator director, Kenneth Balint
This yearly modern creation performance highlights modern classics, originative innovation and collaborations betwixt students and faculty.
March 13-April 21: “Fade,” by Tanya Saracho and directed by Gina Sandí-Díaz
When Lucia, a Mexican-born novelist, gets her archetypal TV penning job, she feels a spot retired of spot connected the white, male-dominated set. Lucia rapidly becomes friends with the lone different Latino around, a janitor named Abel. As Abel shares his stories with Lucia, akin plots statesman to find their mode into the TV scripts that Lucia writes. A Fresno premiere, “Fade” is simply a play astir people and contention wrong the Latinx community, arsenic good arsenic astatine large, and however presumption does not alteration who you are astatine your core.
May 1-9: “Twelfth Night,” by William Shakespeare and directed by Michelle Bellaver
Shipwrecked and separated from her duplicate brother, Viola washes ashore successful the onshore of Illyria and disguises herself arsenic a antheral to enactment for the Duke Orsino. But things rapidly spiral into romanticist chaos erstwhile Viola falls for Orsino, who’s successful emotion with the Countess Olivia, who past falls for Viola successful disguise. Full of mistaken identities, unrequited emotion and hilarious twists, “Twelfth Night” is Shakespeare’s witty, heartwarming solemnisation of emotion successful each its beauteous confusion.
University Theatre Mainstage play subscriptions spell connected merchantability Monday, July 14. Individual show tickets spell connected merchantability Sept. 1. Visit fresnostate.edu/theatrearts to enactment updated connected erstwhile summons income spell live.
(Story by Miguel A Gastelum)
