Students Protest Ending of Theater Program at St. Scholastica

DULUTH, Minn. — A late Friday afternoon announcement that the College of St. Scholastica is ending its theatre productions led to a protest Monday outside the school president’s office.

Students from the theater program and others gathered for a sit-in to let school officials know they disagree with the decision. The CSS students were joined by UMD theatre students who were showing their support.

The school’s theatre director, Sharon Obst, explained the theatre program means much more to the students than just learning to act on stage. “I think it’s a place for students to feel safe and just feel seen and heard and where they can really experience who they are as people and discover who they are as people.”

The school says the decision was not made lightly and that its commitment to the liberal arts, including its academic programming in music and visual arts, will continue.