A Raisin in the Sun

Written by Lorraine Hansberry
Directed by Thomas-Whit Ellis

Set on Chicago’s South Side, Lorraine Hansberry's celebrated play concerns the divergent dreams and conflicts in three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband’s insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. Hansberry's portrait of one family’s struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.

October 3 - 11, 2025
Dennis and Cheryl Woods Theatre, Speech Arts Building, Fresno State

PARKING: Parking is free for shows on Friday through Sunday night. For shows on Tuesday through Thursday night, parking permits are required and can be obtained from permit dispensers.

Godspell

Based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew
Book by John Michael Tebelak
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Conceived and Originally Directed by John Michael Tebelak
Directed by J. Daniel Herring

A small group of performers help Jesus Christ share his parables through an energetic mix of games, storytelling, and sharp comic
timing—reimagined for today’s world. This updated take on the classic musical, “Godspell” blends pop culture nods, fresh perspectives, and a wide range of musical styles—from pop to vaudeville—to bring new life to timeless messages. As the story moves from joyful celebration to the emotional weight of the Last Supper and Crucifixion, Jesus’ teachings of kindness, tolerance, and love resonate with a bold, contemporary edge.

November 14 - 22, 2025
John Wright Theatre Speech Arts Building Fresno State

PARKING: Parking is free for shows on Friday through Sunday night. For shows on Tuesday through Thursday night, parking permits are required and can be obtained from permit dispensers.

The Contemporary Dance Ensemble 2026

Artistic Director, Kenneth Balint

This annual contemporary dance concert highlights contemporary classics, creative innovation, and collaborations between students and faculty.

February 13 - 21, 2026
John Wright Theatre Speech Arts Building Fresno State

PARKING: Parking is free for shows on Friday through Sunday night. For shows on Tuesday through Thursday night, parking permits are required and can be obtained from permit dispensers.

Fade

Written by Tanya Saracho
Directed by Gina Sandí-Díaz

When Lucia, a Mexican-born novelist, gets her first TV writing job, she feels a bit out of place on the white male-dominated set. Lucia quickly becomes friends with the only other Latino around, a janitor named Abel. As Abel shares his stories with Lucia, similar plots begin to find their way into the TV scripts that Lucia writes. Fade is a play about class and race within the Latinx community, as well as at large, and how status does not change who you are at your core.

A Fresno Premiere!

March 13 - 21, 2026
Dennis and Cheryl Woods Theatre, Speech Arts Building, Fresno State

PARKING: Parking is free for shows on Friday through Sunday night. For shows on Tuesday through Thursday night, parking permits are required and can be obtained from permit dispensers.

Twelfth Night

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Michelle Bellaver

Shipwrecked and separated from her twin brother, Viola washes ashore in the land of Illyria and disguises herself as a man to work for the Duke Orsino. But things quickly spiral into romantic chaos when Viola falls for Orsino—who’s in love with the Countess Olivia—who then falls for Viola in disguise! Full of mistaken identities, unrequited love, and hilarious twists, "Twelfth Night" is Shakespeare’s witty, heartwarming celebration of love in all its beautiful confusion.

May 1 - 9, 2026
John Wright Theatre Speech Arts Building Fresno State

PARKING: Parking is free for shows on Friday through Sunday night. For shows on Tuesday through Thursday night, parking permits are required and can be obtained from permit dispensers.