At MidlandUArts, the philosophy is that the more you know, the better off you are.
Students who participate in the arts at Midland University have the opportunity to learn anything and everything, whether on stage, behind the scenes, dancing, playing an instrument, or singing in one of the various music groups.

Among those experiences is the opportunity to direct a student-led show during an Evening of One Acts, which takes place each November. Students in Directing 1, a course where they learn the collaborative art of directing live performances, direct the performances. The course is open to students of any grade level, and students who are not in the Directing 1 class can still participate in the production as cast or crew members.
“It’s important to learn and understand every aspect that goes into a performance,” said Keaton Kreikemeier, Director of Arts. “The more experience you gain within a production process (acting, lights, sound, costumes, props, etc.), the more understanding you have as a director when it comes to what you are asking from your production team. This helps to make the overall experience better for everyone involved..”
Senior Brendan Westlake said student-led experiences were a big reason he chose Midland, and have been a major component of his college journey. “Student-driven performances have been a huge part of my Midland experience, and were part of what made me want to attend Midland,” he said. “Having Evening of One-Acts as a student-driven event made the process feel very real. It taught me a lot about improvising and teamwork.
“Directing my own show gave me a lot more experience with the planning and logistical side of directing, like building a set and scheduling rehearsals with actors.”
Kreikemeier said directing a scene or one-act performance is a semester-long process. Students coordinate with faculty to find a performance, then work to assemble a cast and plan a rehearsal schedule. “These students are incredibly busy with their schedules, but they find whatever free time they have to practice and pull everything together,” he said. “Students apply to direct longer scenes/one-acts called anchor shows. They are chosen by our Director of Theatre, Dan P. Hays, as well as fellow faculty and staff of the MidlandUArts Department.
Madison Hall, a senior, enjoyed the freedom that being in charge of the One-Act gave her as director. “It gives students a lot more responsibility, credit, and creativity,” she said. “The amount of effort put into the show will demonstrate the director’s vision, skills, and passion. It also gave me more insight into what responsibilities a director must have in order for everything to go smoothly, which in turn makes your actors have more faith in you.”
Skills attained in these student-driven performances translate into real-world situations, preparing students to be leaders no matter what vocation they choose. “It’s important to see our students take the reins,” Kreikemeier said. “Whatever experience they can gain by being in the driver’s seat will set them up for success in whatever they do, whether that’s in the Arts or something else.”
While the Evening of One-Acts steals the show in November, holiday concerts that are free and open to the public are on full display at Midland in December. It all begins with the Colors of Christmas, which involves students in choir, vocal music, dance, theatre, instrumental music, and speech and debate. This past December’s performance drew a packed house to Kimmel Theatre, and the community also raised more than $1,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Nebraska.
“We made the move from the Wikert Event Center to the Kimmel Theatre this year to add more technical aspects to the performance. Our technical team worked tirelessly to make it a beautiful experience, and I’m extremely proud of the work they did.,” Kreikemeier said. “We had nearly 100 students taking part in the performance, and it’s fun for them anytime they get the chance to perform.”
In that same week, Midland also hosted the Merry CLEFmas and Happy BLUE Year concert in Kimmel, featuring Midland’s vocal jazz ensemble, the BlueNotes, and the a cappella group, the Clef Dwellers.
“It’s cool to have two concerts, two days apart, both filled to near capacity and greatly supported by the community,” Kreikemeier said. “Holiday music is upbeat and fun, and that’s something the students and the community really love.”
Getting to showcase their talents to the community is something students are grateful for. “I had a blast getting to display the unique talents of Clef Dwellers and Blue Notes with my friends and classmates,” said Alex Bigsby. “I loved getting to perform our concerts on the Kimmel stage.”
Students are getting the full experience with MidlandUArts, and Kreikemeier believes that is a massive benefit to their time at Midland. “Allowing them to work in every area of the Arts makes for well-rounded individuals,” he said. “They are developing transferable skills that will help them no matter what they choose to do.”