Moraine Valley’s Academic Theater department is known for showcasing cutting-edge theater, produced by award-winning faculty and featuring Moraine students and community members.
Tickets
Adult $15, Seniors 55+ $12, Students $10, Moraine Valley Employee $10
The Theater Department at С²ÝÓ°Ôº offers a valuable base from which to launch a theater career in stage, film, television, management, marketing, education, social work, and much more.ÌýLearn more about the program.
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2025-26 Season
Richard III
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Dr. Craig Rosen
July 16-18 at 7 p.m.
July 19 at 5 p.m.
Outdoors at the Gateway
Dive into the dark world of "King Richard III," where Shakespeare masterfully depicts the rise and fall of one of England's most notorious kings. Follow Richard, Duke of Gloucester, as he ruthlessly climbs the ladder of power, leaving a trail of manipulation and murder in his wake.
2026-27 Season
Next to Normal
Music by Tom Kitt
Books & Lyrics by Brian Yorkey
Directed by Dr. Craig Rosen
Nov. 6-7 and Nov. 13-14 at 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 8 and 15 at 3 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
Next to Normal,Ìýwith book and lyricsÌýby Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt, explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness. Winner of three 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Score and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize,ÌýNext to NormalÌýwas also chosen as "one of the year's ten best shows" by critics around the country, includingÌýThe Los AngelesÌýTimes,ÌýThe Washington Post,ÌýRolling StoneÌýandÌýThe New York Times.
Dad's an architect; Mom rushes to pack lunches and pour cereal; their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens, appearing to be a typical American family. And yet their lives are anything but normalÌýbecause the mother has been battling bipolar disorder for 16 years.ÌýNext to NormalÌýtakes audiences into the minds and hearts of each character, presenting their family's story with love, sympathy and heart.
This deeply moving piece of theatre provides a wonderful opportunity for performers to explore dramatic material and showcase vocal talents with an energetic pop/rock score.ÌýNext to NormalÌýis an emotional powerhouse that addresses such issues as grieving a loss, ethics in modern psychiatry,Ìýand suburban life and is ideal for community theatres, as well as colleges and regional theatre companies.
These Shining Lives
Written by Melanie Marnich
Based on the bookÌýRadiumÌýGirls
Directed by Dr. Craig Rosen
Feb. 26-27 and March 5-6 at 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 28 and March 7 at 3 p.m.
John and Angeline Oremus Theater
Inspired by the true story and based on the book Radium Girls, These Shining Lives illuminates the courage and resilience of the young women who worked at the Radium Dial Company in the 1920s, painting watch faces with luminous paint while unknowingly poisoning themselves.
At the heart of the play is Catherine, a devoted wife and mother whose optimism reflects the promise of the American Dream. Alongside her friends and co-workers, she finds independence and camaraderie in the factory until mysterious illnesses begin to surface. As their health declines, the women uncover the devastating truth about the radium they were told was safe.
What follows is a gripping fight for justice against a powerful corporation determined to silence them. Even as their bodies weaken, their resolve strengthens. Refusing to be dismissed or forgotten, Catherine and her friends challenge a system that views them as expendable, transforming personal tragedy into a landmark battle for workers’ rights and corporate accountability.
Both intimate and sweeping, These Shining Lives is a deeply moving testament to friendship, love, and the enduring power of ordinary people to create extraordinary change. Their story continues to resonate, reminding us that even in the face of injustice, the human spirit can shine brilliantly.
Of Good Stock
Written by Melissa Ross
Directed by Leah Cassella
April 23-24 and April 30-May 1 at 7:30 p.m.
April 25 and May 2 at 3 p.m.
John and Angeline Oremus Theater
When legendary novelist Mick Stockton dies, he leaves behind more than a celebrated literary legacy. His three daughters inherited the family’s Cape Cod home, control of his estate, and a complicated bond forged in brilliance, rivalry, and long-buried wounds. Years later, the Stockton sisters remain fiercely intelligent, quick-witted, and unflinchingly honest, bound together by love as much as by unresolved grief.
Over the course of one emotionally charged weekend, the men in their lives attempt to navigate the formidable force of this tight-knit clan and find their place within a family that guards its legacy closely. As old resentments resurface and surprising confessions come to light, loyalties are tested and identities are called into question.
Sharp, raw, and laugh-out-loud funny, Of Good Stock is a poignant exploration of inheritance, ambition, and the stories we tell about ourselves. With biting humor and heartfelt insight, Larissa FastHorse crafts a compelling portrait of family dysfunction and devotion, proving that even the most chaotic storms can reveal unexpected tenderness.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Dr. Craig Rosen
July 22-24, 2027 at 7 p.m.
July 25, 2027 at 5 p.m.
Outdoors at the Gateway Ìý|Ìý Rain site Dorothy Menker Theater
Shakespeare’s sparkling early comedy bursts to life under the open sky in this lively outdoor production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. At its heart is the devoted friendship between Valentine and Proteus, two young men whose bond is put to the ultimate test when they fall for the same woman. When Proteus betrays both his best friend and his first love in pursuit of the clever and captivating Silvia, loyalty gives way to jealousy, and romance becomes delightfully complicated.
What follows is a whirlwind of disguises, banishment, comic servants, musical mischief, and even a band of outlaws in the forest. Julia, determined and resourceful, disguises herself as a boy to follow the fickle Proteus, leading to mistaken identities and tender revelations.
Filled with youthful passion, poetic language, and playful humor, The Two Gentlemen of Verona explores themes of friendship, forgiveness, and the transformative power of love. Performed outdoors, this charming comedy invites audiences to revel in Shakespeare’s wit and romance in a setting that echoes the play’s adventurous spirit.
