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With spring semester about to start, we are look forward to seeing you again, on screen or in person. About 75% of our spring classes will be Fully Remote, with the remaining 25% being face-to-face (F2F) or hybrid. Instructors will be in touch with students about how much synchronous learning will be involved in remote classes, and how in-person learning will be involved in F2F classes.
Please read below our answers to some frequently-asked questions. Check back often, because we’ll update this page as circumstances change and spring nears, and please contact us if you have a question that isn’t answered here.
For information about the university's spring 2021 plan, please visit: https://www.umass.edu/coronavirus/
We’ve missed you this winter break. We are hopeful for a great semester, and can’t wait for it to begin.

When will the Department of Theater onsite main office be open?

• With the campus back down to “Elevated Status,” our building will be open again, Monday to Friday, 8:30-5:00.
• Due to the small number of F2F classes meeting this week, the front office will be open reduced hours; Bethany will be in Tuesday/Thursday 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For the weeks of March 1 and March 8, her hours will be Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 11:00am-4:30pm and Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Bethany will also be available via email Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00pm
• Email is currently the best way to contact department personnel. Visit our Staff and Faculty, Guest Artists and Scholars, or Graduate Student pages for contact information.
• Please remember that everyone who has business on the UMass campus is required to wear a mask, maintain social distancing, wash hands frequently, and avoid crowded spaces.

Will Spring 2021 classes be in-person or remote?

• The majority of our classes (about 75%) at both the graduate and undergraduate levels are being conducted remotely. Students with concerns about remote work are encouraged to contact instructors for more information.
• A small number of classes (about 25%) will include an in-person component. Some are entirely face-to-face, while others are hybrid. Faculty will share details with students who are enrolled in these classes. Students with concerns are encouraged to contact instructors for more information. 
• We recognize that both the remote as well as the in-person course options present different challenges for different students. Students are encouraged to contact faculty with concerns. Their needs will be accommodated on a case by case basis. Most classes will have a blend of synchronous and non-synchronous teaching.
• UMass is asking instructors to designate their courses as Synchronous-Required or Synchronous-Optional by Jan. 15, so please look for updates on SPIRE and check in with faculty if you need further details on specific courses.

How will registration and advising be different from usual this spring?

• For registration and advising questions, students are encouraged to contact their instructors, their advisor, Undergraduate program Director Amy Altadonna, Graduate Program Director Chris Baker, Administrative Assistant Bethany Sherwood, or Department Chair Harley Erdman.
• We will update the Online Advising page as registration approaches.

Does the department plan to put on any productions?

• Yes! We anticipate mounting new iterations of our three online presentations, COVEN-19, Visionary Futures, and Café Subterrain; the latter will kick off the spring semester.
• We are also excited to conclude the semester with a festival, The Rights of Spring, which will run April 22 to May 2. This festival will include live streamed online events, recorded video presentations, and, if circumstances allow, in-person, socially distanced performances.
• We will announce performance details as the Spring semester progresses, so please check our Season page frequently.

How can I participate in an event?

• While some events are already cast, we will be holding auditions for a number of them. Please visit our Auditions page regularly as the spring semester nears for information.

Can I attend one of your events?

• Yes! We are excited to share our work with the community! Information and registration is already available for some events, and as we schedule others, more information will be posted on our Season page.

I miss our Department community. How do I stay in touch?

• We miss you too, so we’ve got lots of ways to connect! Make sure you’re getting our weekly newsletter, The Purple Lobbyist, which has information about classes, workshops, productions, and more. (Email our publicity director if you need to be added to the mailing list.)
• The Community Play Reads series, which was started by students last year, offers weekly gathering spot on Fridays at 3:30 for anyone who’s excited to explore new work. Fill out the form so that student producer Siena Moraff can send you updates and the Zoom link for readings.
• Stay tuned for community meetings, and other events that will offer an opportunity to see your fellow department members via Zoom.

Are tours available for prospective students and other visitors?

• Not at this time. Please check back for information about when these will resume. In the meantime, faculty and staff are available by email if you have questions about our program.
• For questions about our undergraduate program, please contact Undergraduate Program Director Amy Altadonna
• For questions about the graduate program, contact Graduate Program Director Chris Baker