Theatre Research and Creative Works
Theatre at Adelphi is more than performance. Explore acting, theatre design and technology as creative, educational and cultural practices while gaining the skills and experience to bring stories to life.
From your first year, you can engage in creative research in areas such as acting, directing, devised theatre, performance studies, theatrical storytelling and theatre education. Through studio courses, productions, and independent projects, students develop the artistic, collaborative, and critical thinking skills needed to create meaningful theatrical experiences.
To receive credit for research:
- Speak with faculty about their creative and scholarly interests early in your first year.
- Identify a performance, directing, or research project that aligns with your interests.
- Develop your work with faculty mentorship.
- Register for independent study or honors research with approval.
Adelphi drama students wrote and performed six 10-minute plays in just 24 hours at the annual Scholarship & Creative Works Conference.
Students present their work at the Adelphi Scholarship and Creative Works Conference and may also participate in mainstage productions, festivals, workshops, and professional theatre opportunities.
Through the SPARK Center (Scholars Pursuing Arts, Research and Knowledge), students can receive funding, mentorship, and support for creative projects, scholarly research, and conference participation.
Faculty Expertise and Areas of Focus
Tommy Schrider is an actor, director, and educator whose creative work explores embodied storytelling and actor training. Drawing on experience in theater, film, and television, his research focuses on helping performers develop expressive, authentic performances while fostering supportive environments that encourage artistic risk-taking and creative growth.
Nora Marlow Smith creates and directs original theatrical work centered on powerful storytelling and diverse perspectives. Her creative work explores collaborative performance-making and encourages students to develop their own artistic voice through empathetic, ensemble-driven processes.
Maggie Lally explores devised theatre, social justice and collaborative performance practices. Her work focuses on developing new theatrical works, including cabaret theatre through short-form writing and performance, while creating community-based storytelling that elevates diverse voices. She explores theatre as a tool for community outreach and social justice, incorporating disability awareness and theatrical intimacy into inclusive creative practices.