Taking the Stage at Furman

By: Emily Enlow

Whether you have a passion for performing or would rather cheer your friends on from the audience, Furman has a thriving arts community on campus.

I’m a Theatre Arts major, so I spend the majority of my time on campus in Furman’s Theatre Arts Playhouse Theatre. The Theatre Arts Department produces four shows per year and there are always majors and non-majors who participate. In my three years at Furman, I’ve had opportunities to be in plays, musicals, and work backstage in a variety of different jobs. My favorite role I’ve played at Furman was in a play written by Furman Alumnus Randall David Cook called Ding Dong Merrily on High. It was a Christmas comedy and I played a British heiress.

There are many opportunities for musicians on campus as well. Furman Music Ensembles are open to majors and non-majors and include Furman Singers, Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Furman Symphony Orchestra, and more.

If you’re more interested in producing work with your peers, there are student-led theatre organizations on campus. Pauper Players is a student organization that produces two musicals each year along with multiple cabarets. Their shows are extremely fun to watch and I’m always impressed by the work of my peers. If plays are more in the area of your interest, the Order of Furman Theatre produces one to two small student-produced plays each year. Recently, they’ve even produced student written work.

With so many groups on campus, there’s almost always some kind of performance to attend. One of my favorite things about the arts community on campus is how supportive everyone is, and I love going to cheer friends on at their performances. (And, as a bonus, most performances count as a Cultural Life Program credit!)