This morning at 9 a.m., Bradley students gathered on campus to protest the recent university proposal to cut the theater program, among others, and reallocate resources.
Protesters gathered on the lawn in front of the Hartmann Center and came prepared with chants and signs that read “#SaveBradleyTheater,” “Theater Arts MATTER!” and “Our home is Hartmann.”
Junior theater production major Cierra Conrad was one organizer of the protest. She said she was devastated when she heard of the news of proposed cuts and knew action needed to take place.
“We can’t stand idle,” Conrad said., “We have to sway anyone’s opinion and get support from our fellow classmates, to show the administration how important this is.”
Photo by Anthony Landahl.
Sophomore theater arts, public relations and advertising double major Maggie Sullivan said she was protesting to emphasize theater’s importance in the university ecosystem.
“Theater is one of the umbrella majors,” Sullivan said. “Theater can involve engineering, graphic design, artists, they can involve communications with publicity for our shows … there’s a job for everyone in every field that Bradley has to offer.”
Since helping start a movement to save the program, Conrad said there has been a surprising amount of support from friends and Bradley alumni.
“It’s honestly been overwhelming how much support I have from alumni,” Conrad said. “I’m getting calls and text messages and Facebook reach outs and through our campaign page.”
Sullivan was also delighted to see how those outside Bradley’s campus were reacting.
“It’s really interesting how you don’t really see in every day how the theater can impact a community,” Sullivan said. “But once it’s threatened, the community will stand up and support it.
Photo by Anthony Landahl.
Bradley theater alumnus and filmmaker Nicholas Thurkettle produced a video that was posted on the “Save Bradley Theatre” YouTube account today. In the video, Thurkettle said his experience in the Bradley theater program changed and inspired him.
“I learned at Bradley that all you need to make theater is two planks and a passion,” Thurkettle said in the video. “And if you are focusing on the monetary cost of the planks, you have missed everything that makes theaters important.”
Students were also handing out pamphlets promoting a Change.org petition to save the theater program. The petition has reached over 7,500 signatures as of Monday afternoon.
“In making such a proposal,” the petition reads, “the leaders of the university are not only doing a disservice to the students and faculty members but also, recanting the university motto ‘Mid-sized big difference’.”
In the midst of the proposal, the theater department is currently in the rehearsal phase of its upcoming play “The Wolves,” which will be running from Feb. 27 to March 8. Conrad said the potential cuts will always be a thought in everyone’s mind.
“We are in a different program today than we were last week,” Conrad said. “If anything, that has envigorated us and our passion for what we’re doing.”
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