Repertory Theatre Term

Knox's Repertory Theatre Term (Rep Term), produced every three years by the Department of Theatre, is the only undergraduate theatre program in the United States that embeds academic study of theatre within the experience of forming a repertory company that produces two fully staged productions. Its success depends on intensive collaboration between faculty and students, and it provides the students who participate with an unforgettable 10-week immersion in theatre.

Working with faculty directors and designers, the students—about half of whom, typically, are theatre majors—spend an entire term researching, designing, constructing, rehearsing, and performing two full-length plays.

Rep Term is a three-credit course in which all the students serve on multiple crews (such as set construction, props, and publicity) as well as playing roles—on stage or off—in one or both productions. They also learn about dramaturgy, and study and carry out independent research into the plays. Workshops and colloquia provide additional training in areas such as voice, and stage combat, and opportunities to meet with alumni and other professionals.

The plays are performed in nightly rotation over two weekends, including two Saturdays with both matinee and evening performances. Repertory Theatre Term is cooperative, collaborative, and one of the most intense and rewarding theatre experiences a student can have at the undergraduate level.

Susan Gibbs is a theatre major and music minor from St.Louis, MO.

I have been in theatre since elementary school so in my first year at Knox, I dabbled: beginning acting, dance class, Women’s choir Enharmonic Fire, voice lessons…I was interested in performing and got cast in two shows my first year.

Most people who come to Knox in theatre come here to do Rep Term, but I didn’t know much about it because I intended to be a creative writing major. I got involved in theatre because I liked it and Knox welcomes non-majors.

On the Rep Term application, they ask if you want to design or perform. I put design. They wanted to know what facet…publicity, stage design, lighting, etc; what are the top three categories you’re interested in and why, and what qualifications you have.

I said I like theatre and making things with my hands. I’m enthusiastic and creative and I think the props team would be great for me.

Regardless of your interest in performing or designing, everyone on Rep Term is put on two production teams. Even if you are a lead onstage, you are involved in the production. 

On the first day of the term, you hear what roles you have: I was assigned the Prop Team crew lead for both shows even though I had no prior prop experience. My job was to:

• come up with properties lists for both shows. 
• decide how we were going to acquire props (purchase, make, find in storage, borrow, etc).
• work with directors to see their vision and make the props fit the aesthetic they were hoping for.
• take all the information and create an efficient way to divide work and make sure things happen as needed. 

I learned trial by fire how to lead and work on a production team. I learned to identify and use to our advantage the skills of the team members. I wouldn't be the designer I am today if I hadn’t been given that much responsibility all at once. The theatre department heads and the professors are so welcoming. Faculty have so many years of experience and they are there to teach you and help you get better. I leaned on them a lot and they supported me.

It was my responsibility to design, divide labor, make sure everyone had what they needed to make stuff, and keep organized through it all. I focused not on the stage but instead focused on props…making things to support the arts. There are so many niches that come with making props. 

I wasn’t sure how I would make a living, but I wanted to be involved in theatre because it was something I liked. Now, I have found where I want to focus my future. Even though I’m still in college, I’m being paid as the art director on a production of Mean Girls at a local high school because of a Knox connection and my hands-on experiences.

The skills you get from participating in rep term extend far beyond theatre such as leadership, teamwork, cooperation, understanding the flow of production and communication, and how to be part of a bigger project. I can manage people and objects, I improved my communication skills and learned that often small roles are as critical to the function as bigger roles in the production. 

For some, a whole term of just theatre might be intimidating. When I did Rep Term I knew people who were chemistry majors, ed majors, creative writing majors…and most of them did the term because theatre is something they like to do and they found they had time to focus on something creative. The Knox calendar and welcoming faculty make it possible.