Celebrating nearly 60 years of community theatre! The Kent Trumbull Theatre, located on the campus of Kent State University Trumbull, produces many shows and performances that generate rave reviews from local critics and the general public. Theatre students usually perform the shows, but sometimes include outside talent as the theatre presents three productions annually throughout the university season (September-May) and three more as part of the Summer Stock program (May-August), which includes an active youth theatre component. Students can complete their Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Studies at Ken State Trumbull.

When the theatre was under the direction of Dr. Daniel-Raymond Nadon, one of the missions of Kent Trumbull Theatre was to generate community-engaged theatre: a production process of working with a specific group of people to ensure inclusion, celebrate diversity, and support mutual empowerment. The first two plays were produced under his direction. Prof. Eric Kildow, then took over the theatre program at the KSU Trumbull campus and supported the production of two more plays under his direction.  All four productions were planned by Dr. Carol Robinson.

In addition to the usual challenges of preparing for performances (as well as several personal issues, such as illnesses and family deaths), the cast and crew were also confronted by the large obstacle of a communication battleground. Indeed, during each production process, there were moments when people were ready to “get medieval” on each other, but they worked to overcome this and other obstacles because they knew, each time, that the show must go on.

Over the course of a decade, between 2009 and 2019, four plays were produced:

  • For Every Man, Woman, and Child—a modern morality play inspired by EVERYMAN (2009)
    • Playwright: Willy Conley
    • Co-Producers: Daniel-Raymond Nadon, Nancy M. Resh, and Carol L. Robinson
    • Director: Daniel-Raymond Nadon
    • Sign Master: Nancy M. Resh
    • Dramaturg: Carol L. Robinson
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (2013)
    • Playwrights: Aaron Weir, Iosif Schniederman, and Bill Morgan
    • Co-Producers: Daniel-Raymond Nadon and Carol L. Robinson
    • Director: Iosif Schniederman
    • Assistant Director: Verne Taylor, Jr.
  • ANOTHER Christmas Carol (2017)
    • Playwrights: Carol L. Robinson and Ensemble
    • Co-Producers: Eric Kildow and Carol L. Robinson
    • Director: Carol L. Robinson
    • Assistant Director: Farah Kish-Leland
    • Sign Master: Lauren Lemley
  • See No Beast, Hear No Beast, Speak No Beast (2019)
    • Playwrights: Ammauri Peters, James Caverly, and Carol L. Robinson
    • Co-Producers: Eric Kildow and Carol L. Robinson
    • Director: James Caverly
    • Assistant Director: Carol L. Robinson
    • Sign Masters: Lauren Lemley and Pamela Beisch