Activate Midwest Festival

The Activate Midwest Festival has been established to build connections between the Kalamazoo community and professional theatre artists throughout the upper Midwest by showcasing and developing the work of regional and student playwrights. The festival is meant to advance the artistic reputation of the Kalamazoo community, provide Kalamazoo county with the opportunity to engage with emerging and professional theatre artists from across the Midwest, elevate and promote theatre innovation in Kalamazoo county, deepen collaboration between the WMU’s Departments of Theatre and English, and strengthen the relationship between WMU, Kalamazoo and Chicago's professional theatre arenas.

Through a selection process, three regional playwrights have been selected to receive workshop productions through Activate in the Summer of 2015. After the festival in June, one of the three plays will be selected to receive a performance at Victory Gardens in August 2015. The festival will also allow WMU student writers, directors, and actors to develop and workshop their own work, thus creating a space for the professional development of emerging Kalamazoo artists.