Michigan State University Department of Theatre

02 / The story of this place

Make time for these

Michigan State University's Department of Theatre stages a public season across campus: the Pasant Theatre inside Wharton Center, and the Fairchild Theatre, Arena Theatre, Studio 60 and Concert Auditorium in the MSU Auditorium Building. Its New Musical Laboratory develops new musicals with Wharton Center, such as Discovery (September 24-27, 2026), about the NASA astronaut corps after the Challenger disaster. Each June brings Summer Circle Theatre, a professional summer company that pays students to present free outdoor theatre in the courtyard between the MSU Auditorium and the Kresge Art Building; 2026 was its 64th season. Later in the season you'll find Antigone (November 6-15, 2026) and Mean Girls (February 19-28, 2027).

• Stages all over campus, from the Pasant to Studio 60
• Summer Circle: free outdoor theatre every June
• New musicals from the New Musical Laboratory

Plan your visit

The department is in the MSU Auditorium Building at 542 Auditorium Rd. in East Lansing. Main-stage tickets are sold through Wharton Center (1-800-WHARTON or (517) 432-2000), while student productions sell tickets at the door only, one hour before curtain.

Box office

Main-stage tickets through Wharton Center: 1-800-WHARTON or (517) 432-2000. Student productions: tickets at the door only, one hour before the performance.