The University of Arizona’s repertory theater has a new artistic director this year, who has been involved in overseeing the process of phasing out the school’s audition-only musical theater program. 

Christie Kerr, an associate professor of musical theater in the School of Theater, Film, and Television, has been teaching at the UA for nine years. She now steps into the role of artistic director at the Arizona Repertory Theatre, also known as ART. 

The theater is the main stage program for musical theater students, which gives them a place to rehearse and perform a variety of musicals. That program, however, is in its last two years after the College of Fine Arts announced last February that it was eliminating its musical theater degree.

“We are in the process of sunsetting out,” Kerr said, “We have two more years of the (Bachelor of Fine Arts) musical theater program, so things have changed since I’ve gotten here.”

Kerr has been involved in musical theater since she was a child and said she decided to pursue it professionally early on in life.

“I knew in high school I was bit by the bug, that I had to go study this,” she said. “I went to the University of Michigan, which is one of the top schools in the nation for musical theater.”  

Once she graduated in 1994, she traveled the country as a performer, choreographer and eventually director of her own projects. After landing in Chicago in 1999, Kerr began teaching musical theater in 2005. 

“I kind of fell into academia by mistake,” she said. “I was teaching at Columbia College, Chicago, starting off subbing a three week class for a friend, which turned into teaching there for 12 years.”

After her time at Columbia College, Kerr moved to Tucson to join the faculty of the UA College of Fine Arts. Now, after nearly a decade teaching musical theater at the UA, Kerr and the musical theater department are facing the implications of the university’s decision to phase out the program.

This year, because of the phase out, some faculty members quit their jobs to begin their search for a new job. As a result, the department of musical theater needed a new artistic director for the Arizona Repertory Theatre. Kerr’s past experience in directing made her well-suited for this role. 

“Her broad knowledge of the repertoire and the deep respect and love she engenders from her students will result in high quality productions on the Marroney stage,” Brant Pope, the director of the School of Theater, Film, and Television, said in a written statement. He added that Kerr would lead the theater with profound competency in performing, teaching and directing. 

And Kerr embraced the opportunity.

“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do,” she said. “When the opportunity arose, the director of the school said, ‘I think this would be a great fit for you.’”

She said the theater prepares students for the professional world. In addition to acting, singing and dance classes, musical theater students synthesize what they learn by putting it into practice on stage. As artistic director, Kerr said she also connects students with the professional world to prepare them for their post-graduate careers.

Haiden Pederson, a senior in the musical theater program, said Kerr has been doing the work of an artistic director during her entire tenure at the UA, just without the title.

“Her appointment as the head of ART could not have come at a better time,” she said. “She really understands the needs of the students who are still here with the program shut-down.”

Pederson said Kerr is a key figure in keeping the theater strong during its last two years. She added that Kerr emphasizes the joy of musical theater with unique opportunities that keep students motivated, such as industry Q&A’s with working professionals and alumni.

“She’s trying really hard to have a commitment towards making new and exciting opportunities available to us that weren’t necessarily there since this shut down,” Pederson said. 

Lily Grubert, also a senior studying musical theater, said with Kerr’s leadership, the program is giving aspiring artists professional development and networking opportunities. 

“Most recently, she set up a Zoom for the cast of ‘Bright Star’ with Josh Rhodes, the original choreographer for the Broadway production of the musical,” said Grubert, who is a cast member of “Bright Start,” a musical students are performing at ART this fall. “We had an hour to ask questions, as well as hear about his experience as a creative in the industry.”

She said Kerr is great to work with as both a director and choreographer because of her willingness to collaborate and commitment to the program. Grubert said she has learned a lot from Kerr as a role model, especially for young women in theater. She said it’s inspiring to see an example of women stepping into important leadership roles.

ART’s 2024-2025 season includes the Broadway hit “Bright Star,” originally slated to be performed in 2020, but canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“It’s a beautiful collection of shows that we put together,” Kerr said, adding that the performances highlight students’ talents and abilities.

The season also includes “Uncle Vanya,” “John Proctor is the Villain” and “Little Women.” Tickets can be purchased online on the School of Theater, Film, and Television’s theater season website.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.