Dobbins Conservatory at SEMO

09/18/2026

This summer, three Conservatory students and four faculty joined the professional company at Theatre 605/Black Hills Playhouse for its 80th season in South Dakota!

✨ Izzy Paisley served as Stage Manager for THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (ABRIDGED) and COME FROM AWAY.

✨ Brea Johnson appeared as Roger Sherman/Courier in 1776 and Annette & others in COME FROM AWAY.

✨ Romell Johnson III took on Edward Rutledge in 1776 and Kevin J & others in COME FROM AWAY.

Our students were joined by faculty members Amber Marisa Cook, who was Production Manager for the season and Costume Designer for 1776; Chris Haug, who was Technical Director for the season and Lighting Designer for 1776; Kathy Voecks, who was Scenic Designer for COME FROM AWAY; and Scott Anderson, who joined as First Hand/Cutter/Draper for the season and as Costume Designer for THE COMPLETE WORKS OF AMERICA (ABRIDGED).

And Romell is already onto his next professional gig! This fall, he’s performing as Wolfie in Love at First Fright as part of Fright Fest at Mid-America Adventure. 🎃🐺

Congrats, everyone! We’re proud of you!

Izzy Paisley Brea 🔻Romell Johnson
Amber Marisa Cook Christopher George Haug

09/16/2026

Huge congratulations to Dobbins Conservatory alum Nadirah T. Harper, who was accepted this spring into the MFA Lighting Design program at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)!

Nadirah joins CCM this fall with an already impressive professional résumé — and some exciting recent recognition. Her lighting design for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at Hattiloo Theatre (see slides) earned her a 2026 Ostrander Award nomination for Lighting Design in Memphis!

Since graduating from SEMO, Nadirah’s work has taken her around the country, with design credits including Waitress and The Best Little Wh******se in Texas at Black Hills Playhouse, A Christmas Story at Theatrical Outfit, multiple productions at Florida Studio Theatre and Hattiloo Theatre, and work with Aurora Theatre in Atlanta.

We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this next chapter in Nadirah’s career. Congratulations, Nadirah Taliah Harper Muhammad — CCM is lucky to have you!

09/13/2026

Fresh off graduating this May with a BFA in Design & Technology, Mason Hagarty (he/they) is already bringing their lighting design skills to stages across the country!

This summer, Mason served as Lighting Designer for the St. Louis Osuwa Taiko Drum Group’s Yosotose concert at The Grandel — celebrating 40 years of taiko in St. Louis. 🥁💡

Mason also spent the summer at Buck’s Rock Creative & Performing Arts Camp (BucksRockCamp) in Connecticut, working as an electrician, designer, programmer, mentor, and Lighting Design Counselor for young artists. Among their projects: lighting Three Jokes (The Bear, The Proposal, The Anniversary) by Anton Chekhov.

Congrats, Mason Elliott - we’re proud of you!

09/08/2026

The dancing starts October 1 at the River Campus! 🕺

Dobbins Conservatory at SEMO kicks off our 2026–27 season with FOOTLOOSE — four days of big dancing, big voices, ’80s rock ’n’ roll and one town that’s about to learn what happens when you try to outlaw a good time.

Featuring the songs you know and love: “Holding Out for a Hero,” “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” “Almost Paradise” and, of course, “Footloose.”

⚡ OCTOBER 1–3 / 7:30pm
⚡️ OCTOBER 3-4 / 2pm
⚡ Bedell Performance Hall
⚡ Reserved seating.
🎟️ Tickets: $25–$32.75 online
🎓 Current SEMO students: FREE with ID

Call (573) 651-2265 or head to RiverCampus.org to purchase!

Southeast Missouri State University offers students groundbreaking academics and personal support that launch extraordinary careers.

09/07/2026

Our Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival is thrilled to welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok for a special conversation about her work, career, and life in the American theatre.

Martyna Majok is the author of COST OF LIVING, SANCTUARY CITY, IRONBOUND, QUEENS, and most recently GIRL, INTERRUPTED (the musical) at The Public Theater.

Monday, September 21st at noon in the Rust Flexible Theatre.

09/07/2026

SEMO/Dobbins students - we want to know what you’ve been up to!

Onstage, backstage, on set, on tour, designing, directing, choreographing, producing - wherever your work has taken you, we’d love to hear about it.

Tell us about your current, upcoming or past projects, jobs and credits so we can celebrate what our community is doing out in the world.

Submit your update through the link in the post above!

09/05/2026

did you know DoCo has an exchange program partnership with Edda Høyskole Acting School in Oslo, Norway? Not only do Conservatory students get to spend a semester in Oslo, each semester our program has visiting students from Norway.

Join Conservatory students Abbie Van Pelt (BFA MT), Maddie Wightman (BFA MT) and James Rice (BFA Acting) as they start a semester in Oslo! First of a series - more to come!

09/02/2026

Interested in checking out a Conservatory mainstage show, touring the beautiful River Campus, and having dinner while you chat with our faculty?

Register for our FOOTLOOSE AND FEARLESS Open House to see FOOTLOOSE live before it opens!

To register, press and hold the QR above to open your browser!

We look forward to meeting you (or seeing you again)!

08/16/2026