State University Theatre Archives
The history of theater at South Dakota State University began with the formation of eight literary societies in the 1880s that eventually merged into a short-lived dramatic club in 1923. These early societies organized various farces and plays, and instituted theater traditions such as the Senior Class Play. In 1930, a new club called the Footlight club became the prominent dramatic society on campus. By 1939, plays on campus were officially under the supervision of the Forensics and Dramatics Council in the Speech Department. The council oversaw all plays in conjunction with the State Players Dramatic Club (founded in 1949).
A chapter of Alpha Psi Omega was officially organized in 1949 on the SDSU campus and was extremely active in the 1950s. The first designated technical director of plays at SDSU was Lawrence Stine in 1952. Starting in 1953, SDSU students were eligible to receive college credit for participating in plays. In 1956, Broadway musicals entered the theater repertoire of SDSU, with their production of South Pacific (as one of the first non-professional group to ever run it). Summer theater productions were established at SDSU in 1956 and Rabbit Rarities and Vaudeville shows were also introduced in the 1950s.
State University Theatre eventually became a branch of the Department of Communication Studies and Theater but is now the Theatre and Dance program in the School of Performing Arts at SDSU. Plays and productions have been held in over 14 different facilities on campus, with the most recent being the Doner Auditorium and the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.
The Collection
An inventory of what is in the University Archives can be found in the finding aid for the State University Theatre Records.
State University Theatre Digital Collection
State University Theatre
State University Theatre
State University Theatre
State University Theatre
State University Theatre
State University Theatre
State University Theatre
