KENNESAW, Ga. | Nov 10, 2025

Marketing Students Gain Real-World Experience Promoting KSU Theatre’s Fall Mainstage Production

A new partnership between Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business and the Geer College of the Arts is giving students the opportunity to put their learning into action, bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world through creative collaboration.
 
When Limited Term Assistant Professor of Marketing Kara Kapczynski approached Department of Theatre and Performance Studies Chair Chuck Meacham this summer, she proposed that her Event and Entertainment Marketing and Marketing Data and Analytics students apply their coursework to a live project: developing a marketing campaign for one of KSU’s theatrical productions. Meacham identified the fall Mainstage production of Federico García Lorca’s Blood Wedding as the perfect opportunity.
 
Working with Alanna Foxwell, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Geer College of the Arts, Kapczynski designed an immersive experience that merged theory and practice. Foxwell presented to Kapczynski’s classes, sharing how the College of the Arts approaches season marketing, audience engagement and data-driven communications strategy. The students then formed small marketing “agencies,” creating comprehensive campaign proposals — including print ads, social media content, and video reels — which they pitched to a panel of faculty and staff from the Geer College of the Arts in September.
 

Throughout the semester, students also developed an audience survey to assess brand image and customer experience during the eight performances of Blood Wedding at KSU’s Stillwell Theater, running November 6–16, 2025. The data collected will be analyzed and presented to the Geer College of the Arts at semester’s end, offering real, meaningful insights to inform future marketing strategies.
 

“This experience has been transformative for our students,” said Kapczynski. “They’re learning to think critically, act creatively and collaborate across disciplines -- just as they would in a professional agency setting. These kinds of real-world opportunities make their education immediately relevant.”
 
Foxwell echoed that sentiment: “This partnership created a powerful cycle of learning. Our team benefited from fresh ideas and student perspectives, while the students gained exposure to the realities of arts marketing and the collaborative process that drives our work. It’s the kind of innovation that strengthens both our colleges.”
 
In addition to class presentations and campaign work, students met with Blood Wedding Director Marlon Burnley, Dramaturg Tom Fish, and Artistic Director Amanda Wansa Morgan to better understand the production’s themes and audience appeal. The collaboration also inspired a student-initiated scholarship fundraiser, encouraging those unable to attend the performances to “donate the price of a ticket” to support student scholarships in the arts.
 
“This partnership exemplifies KSU’s commitment to academic innovation and community engagement,” said Meacham. “It’s exciting to see applications from our students of how creative and analytical thinking can work hand in hand.”
 

As Blood Wedding brings its haunting, poetic story of passion and fate to the stage, the collaboration behind it tells another story — one of shared purpose, experiential learning and the power of creative connection across disciplines.
 
Performances: November 6–16, 2025
Stillwell Theater, Kennesaw State University
Tickets and information here