Students prepare for another year in the spotlight

Another year filled with stories, emotions and creations is set to take center stage. Troy’s Department of Theatre and Dance released its itinerary of productions for the 2026-27 school year.

The department’s production season includes literary favorites, inventive adaptations and a variety of student-led performances and projects.

“This semester's performances will be ones you don’t want to miss,” said Melody Chen, a senior dance major from Andalusia, Alabama, who is a media and publicity assistant for the theatre and dance department. “The lineup of theatre and dance productions includes something for everyone.

“It’ll be an exciting season.”

The first production is set for September and will be an original play by Professor Quinton Cockrell titled “Trains.” This play focuses on the aftermath of an incident of racial violence that occurred in Corbin, Kentucky, on Oct. 31, 1919, when all the Black residents of the town were rounded up and shipped out of town in boxcars overnight.

“Of course, I am looking forward to seeing ‘Trains’ come to life with actors I have taught,” Cockrell said. “We have not done an African American focused play in a long time, so I am thrilled that my play will get that ball rolling again.”

As the months go on, a few dance numbers will also be placed in the spotlight. “Art In Motion: Rooted in REconnections” will be performed in October, and the “Spring Dance Concert” in February.

“Emerging Voices: Student-Led Works” will take place throughout both semesters , featuring performances such as “Page to Stage,” “Creative Habit Showcase” and “Senior Creative Projects.”.

“The performances this year will be like no other season at Troy,” said Darius Cabell, a junior theatre major from Clarksville, Tennessee, who is one of the recruiting managers for the theatre side of the department. “To prepare, I have read and sorted through a couple plays and found monologues to use for my audition.

“I have also gone through my rep song book to find a song that caters to the shows this year and will put me in the best light.”

Other general productions for the year include “Alice By Heart,” “Little Women” and “Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery.”

With a number of performances to choose from, the department invites everyone to come watch these stories unfold.

“When we select productions, the larger Troy University community is at the forefront of our discussions,” Cockrell said. “Every production chosen for this season has extreme educational value for our students but will also thoroughly entertain audiences.

For more information on tickets and production dates throughout the year, visit troy.edu/theatreanddance.