Welcome to the 2025-26 mainstage season at SUNY New Paltz! It is my honor to extend this greeting as I begin my fourth year as Interim Chair for the Department of Theatre Arts. It is a truly energizing experience to work with such a talented and passionate group of artists. We all – faculty, staff, and students – are anxious to get back and kick off the new year in the theatre!
To kick our season off in style, our guest speaker for the Fall 25 Theatre Arts Welcome Event on Aug. 27th is Tony-nominated actor/writer/composer Noel Carey. Noel’s original musicals have been showcased throughout NYC and the U.S., and his most recent score earned a Tony nomination earlier this year: Death Becomes Her, cowritten with his collaborator Julia Mattison. Noel and Julia met as undergrads, and we look forward to hearing about the journey that began in a college classroom.
Theatre Arts continues to evolve on its own journey, and we are pleased to welcome several new faculty members this fall. Ryan Quinn joins us as Assistant Professor and his vast experience as an actor, director, and teacher is a perfect fit for our Performance Concentration. Musical Director Brittany Proia returns this fall as Assistant Professor, which further enhances the makeup of the Performance faculty. New Paltz alum Caitlyn Halvorsen (’18) joins us as Lecturer in Theatre Studies, and Diane Feller as our new Production Manager. Diane is also an alum and has worked in a variety of theatrical and educational settings. We are thrilled they have each chosen to return to their alma mater. Our faculty has grown into a truly stellar team, ready and eager to meet our students.
With the reopening of the McKenna Theatre this academic year, the Department of Theatre Arts reconfirms its artistic commitment. As our latest mainstage season gets under way, we again strive to offer our entire community an array of stunning performances as diverse and engaging as our students themselves, honoring an equally broad span of perspectives and life experiences.
Without your valued support the unique experience that is theatre would not be made possible. To learn more about our program and make a gift please visit:
https://www.newpaltz.edu/fpa/theatre/friends/
Please join us! The 2025-26 season features dramatic, comedic, and musical performances, both classic and contemporary, all staged with our unique craft. I look forward to seeing you at the theatre.
Patricia A. Fitzpatrick
she/her/hers
Associate Professor and Interim Chair
