Wright State, Dayton Performing Arts Alliance to collaborate on new series of performances

Under a new agreement, Wright State fine and performing arts students and faculty will perform alongside industry professionals and artists in Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s productions.

Inspired by the special “Evening with Sondheim” concerts earlier this year, Wright State University and the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance have formally agreed to collaborate on joint productions featuring performers from both organizations.

The special performances will be held every two years, with the first planned for the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s 2024–25 season.

The collaboration will involve students and faculty in Wright State’s School of Fine and Performing Arts — which includes theatre, dance, music, visual arts and motion picture programs — and professional performers in the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance — which consists of the Dayton Ballet, Dayton Opera and Dayton Philharmonic.

Details about the production will be announced later.

The formal partnership will allow Wright State students and faculty to perform alongside industry professionals and artists in Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s productions.

The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s goal is to cultivate a pipeline of world-class talent from Wright State’s fine and performing arts students and faculty.

Both institutions also believe the collaboration will help expose and foster a love of the arts among all Wright State’s students and employees.

Under the agreement, Wright State and the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) will also seek to identify other opportunities for collaboration. These could include artist-in-residency programs, masterclasses, guest speaker series or on-site performances at Wright State.

“The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance and Wright State University are both critically important performing arts organizations in Greater Dayton,” said Patrick Nugent, DPAA president and CEO. “Cementing this collaboration will enrich our artistic and educational missions, provide marvelous performance experiences to students and delight our audiences. Through musical theatre, dance, instrumental music, concert participation and so many other areas, our institutional friendship and cooperation will make Dayton’s vibrant arts community even more attractive to arts lovers from all over the region.”

“We are thrilled to work more closely with the talented professionals at the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance,” said Wright State President Sue Edwards, Ph.D. “This formal collaboration will provide valuable experience to the next generation of artists and provide new performance opportunities for the region’s community to attend.”

Wright State and the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance will also seek to identify other opportunities for collaboration

Interest in formalizing an agreement between the two institutions was inspired after Wright State musical theatre, acting and vocal performance majors performed with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra during its “An Evening with Sondheim” concerts in January at the Schuster Center in downtown Dayton. Several Wright State faculty members also collaborated with the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance to produce the concert.

DPAA and Wright State have a long tradition of collaboration.

A number of Wright State graduates and faculty are members of the Dayton Philharmonic, and music students and alumni sing with the Dayton Opera Chorus. In addition, Dayton Ballet II’s Senior Company regularly performs in the Wright State Dance Ensemble’s annual Spring Dance Concert.