A Look at Susan Stroman’s Residency at Drew University

The Tony Award-winner has spent the fall as Drew’s Artist-in-Residence

October 2026 – Drew University Artist-in-Residence and five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman has spent the fall 2026 semester holding workshops, discussions, and classroom visits with theatre and dance students.

In an event open to the public, Stroman discussed her career in a conversation with President Hilary L. Link, PhD. Members of the Drew community, including many current students, learned about Stroman’s work and processes, which she connected to her work, showing clips from The Producers, Contact, Little Dancer, and her other Broadway hits.

Enlarge

Stroman was asked for her thoughts on the future of the theatre amid the industry’s current financial struggles and in the backdrop of the rise of AI in creative industries.

“I think theatre will always survive,” said Stroman. “It always has through all these years, and I think it’s because it is live. You can’t make AI the singular answer. It can certainly spit out a screenplay, or a play, or even a song, so it is different, but you still always need the person for something live. So we will always be here. There’s still nothing like seeing something live.”

Stroman also offered advice to students who are aspiring theatre professionals, calling on a Broadway phrase to drive the point home.

“Being in the room where it happens. Once you get in that room to try to observe people actually doing it, people who actually make it,” said Stroman, noting union programs that allow . “Another thing is learning more about not just your artform, but learning about the whole form, because i can make the most beautiful dance step in the world, but if it’s not lit right, it doesn’t matter, if it’s not the right costume, it won’t matter. So the more I can understand the other departments, the better off my work is going to be. It’s not just having a lot of focus on one thing, because theatre is a collaboration of all the art forms. The last thing is to not be afraid to ask the question. The worst thing that can happen is someone can say no.”

The following day, Stroman held a mock audition workshop for Drew Theatre & Dance students. Stroman graciously brought her pianist Jesse Kissel and dancer Polly Baird, who helped to teach the dance combination. The workshop taught best practices to auditioning. 

“What an amazing opportunity for our Drew students to be given Tony Award winning advice,” said Associate Professor and Chair of Theatre & Dance Kimani Fowlin. “It was a masterclass.”

As part of her residency, Stroman also held a special preview of her upcoming musical, inviting students who were able to talk with her and debrief after the event.