Theatre teaches people what it means to be human. We help to provide the stage needed to learn.
Theatre is not created in a vacuum. It is in its essence a reflection of the civic and natural worlds. Because it is created in the real world, it is also a social, political and ethical response to that world. Both in its design and its creation, the theatre artist has a civic, moral and ethical response to the world in which they live.
Theatre moves beyond self-expression into a place where civic and environmental connections are the responsibility of the artist and their connection to those elements. Whether it is Shakespeare, Brecht, or Tony Kushner, all of them explore the same fundamental question – What does it mean to be an engaged human in the world in which we live.
The New England College Theatre Department is fearlessly committed to the examination of the human condition. We take a moral and ethical stand to change our world one audience at a time through works that are emotionally compelling, intellectually provocative and aesthetically engaging. We tell the stories absolutely need to be heard and take the risks that lead us and our audience to the common good. Consequently this applies not only to the plays that we do, but to all of our course work, as well. We teach our students that theatre is truly meaningful and can indeed change the world.