Each academic year, our Performing Arts department produces a collection of theater productions open to our campus community and the general public. In addition, Artists’ Ensemble, Rockford’s only professional theater company, is in residence on our campus and performs in our theatres in the Clark Arts Center.
Rockford University Performing Arts Season: 2026-2027
September 4-5 | The Epic Eighties: From Billboard to Broadway!
More information coming soon!
October 1-3 | Orchesis: Reclaiming Hope Through Dance
More information coming soon!
November 19-22 | Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
In his first successful play, Stoppard tells the tale of two hapless university students who are on their way to Elsinore at the invitation of the King and Queen of Denmark. Neither Guildenstern nor Rosencrantz know why they have been summoned but who are they to question a King. Also, they look forward to seeing their classmate, Hamlet. As they approach the castle, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern meet a group of disreputable players touring the countryside looking for work. Yes, this is the story of Hamlet told through the eyes of two minor and inept characters. They are so busy trying to rationalize life they fail to comprehend the events unfolding around them. The result is a comedy of misunderstanding and total confusion until the very end.
December 4 | Winter Choral Concert
7:30pm Maddox Theatre
February 18-21 & 25-27 | Silent Sky
This is the true story of astronomer Henrietta Leavitt during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This gentle but brave women was driven by her passion to understand the heavens. She was equally driven to explore a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific inquiry and social unrest. With music and math bursting forth onstage, Henrietta and her female peers change the way we understand both Heaven and Earth while empowering us with their courage to follow their convictions.
April 22-25 | She Loves Me
More information coming soon!
April 30 | Spring Choral Concert
7:30pm in Maddox Theatre
Ticket pricing and notes: Single ticket admission for adults is $12. Seniors age 55 and up and non-RU students are $9, unless otherwise noted. Groups of 10-49 are $5 each, and groups of 50+ are $2 each. RU STUDENTS/FACULY/STAFF are FREE with ID, or by emailing the box office, but free tickets are limited (boxoffice@rockford.edu). There will be a 5% fee for all credit card purchases. All seating in Maddox will be assigned, Cheek is general admission.
Box Office
Clark Arts Center
5050 E. State Street
Rockford, IL 61108
815-226-4100
fax: 815-394-5167Fall/Spring Hours:
Mon-Fri - 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Summer Hours:
Tue-Fri - 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Rockford University Performing Arts is generously supported by:
