Wildcat Theatre Follies hit stage Sept. 3-5

With the largest cast to date, the Wildcat Theatre Follies return to the Panowski Blackbox Theatre September 3 through 5 to kick off the 2026-2027 NMU Theatre & Dance season.

Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with an additional 1 p.m. Theater for All sensory-friendly matinee on Saturday. They'll showcase select songs, scenes, monologues and dance numbers from incoming NMU theatre and dance students

"The talent we have on this campus is incredible," said Kaitlyn Frotton, assistant professor and director of BA Performance. "Audiences will not be disappointed by this celebration of NMU's fresh talent."

Open only to freshman and sophomore students, this performance comes out of a "bootcamp" hosted on campus in which sophomores direct and choreograph scenes for incoming students.

"This establishes community and mentorship before class even starts, which has been extremely beneficial for the culture of our department," Frotton said.

Frotton, who is co-directing this year's follies with Assistant Professor and BFA Director Jimmy Ludwig, said the performance is special in that it provides an opportunity for freshmen to perform at the beginning of the year, early in their academic career.

"Globally, first years are asked to not audition for roles and focus on their studies, often leaving students feeling isolated and disappointed, waiting for the moment to actually do the job they are here to train for," Frotton said. "This opportunity ensures all incoming students are featured on stage within the first three weeks of school."

Tickets are $5 for NMU students, $15 for students 18 and under, $22 for NMU faculty and staff, seniors, and military, and $25 for the general public. Visit https://nmu.universitytickets.com/ to purchase tickets online, or visit an NMU ticket outlet in the Superior Dome or the NMU bookstore.