KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 24, 2025

An award-winning, unflinching play about ambition, adolescence and the pressures of competition, running September 30-October 5

 The Robert S. Geer College of the Arts and Department of Theatre and Performance Studies continues its commitment to bold, nationally relevant productions this fall with Dance Nation, Clare Barron’s award-winning, unflinching play about ambition, adolescence and the pressures of competition. 
 
Directed by Amanda Wansa Morgan, the production runs September 30 through October 5 in the Onyx Theater, the College’s intimate blackbox performance space.
 
A Play That Pushes Boundaries
 
At once satirical and heartfelt, Dance Nation follows a pre-teen competitive dance team as its members navigate the complexities of growing up in a world obsessed with winning and losing. For Morgan, the play’s rawness is part of its power.
 
“In an environment where everything is binary — good or bad, winning or losing — that mindset is downright difficult and dangerous,” she explains. “This play finds moments where characters break free of that binary to simply explore themselves.”
 
With its fearless examination of identity, body image and ambition, Dance Nation underscores the Geer College of the Arts’ vision: bringing work of national prominence to Metro Atlanta while offering students and community members alike the chance to experience excellence up close.
 
“I also want audiences to know, this is not a polite play. It pushes boundaries in language, movement and emotion - on purpose,” Morgan continued. “And it promises a raucous, unforgettable time.”
 

A Deliberate and Collaborative Choice
 
The Department of Theatre and Performance Studies selects each season with great care, drawing on a faculty committee to ensure productions challenge students, engage audiences and contribute to the College’s growing national profile. Dance Nation has long been on that committee’s list for its unique blend of humor, grit and resonance with contemporary cultural conversations.
 
“This production exemplifies what it means to engage with a story at the highest level,” said Chuck Meacham, Chair of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies. “By working on plays that stretch boundaries and spark dialogue, our students gain the kind of transformative experience that prepares them for professional careers while giving audiences access to the kinds of performances shaping the national stage.”
 
A Student-Driven Creative Team
 
In keeping with the College’s mission to elevate student voices, Dance Nation is designed and produced by a team of undergraduate student artists. From scenic and costume design to stage management and intimacy choreography, students are at the center of this production, guided by faculty mentors but empowered to bring their own creativity and lived experiences to the work.

The play runs for only one week at the Onyx Theater, from Tuesday, September 30 through Sunday, October 5. Tickets are available for $12, with discounts for students, seniors, faculty and staff, and military.

Dance Nation rehearsal photos courtesy of Livia Stetson.