Asbury Theatre graduates are turning their passion for storytelling into meaningful careers while carrying forward the artistic excellence, character, and faith that shaped their experience at Asbury University.
Recent graduates have already stepped into professional roles across the country. Rebekah Askey ’26 serves as a company management apprentice at the renowned Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, N.Y., while Joelle Yoder ’26 works as a deck intern at Sight & Sound Theaters in Lancaster, Pa.
At Sight & Sound, I work backstage on the current production of Joshua. I help move giant sets, call a massive LED screen to fly in, and make sure everything runs smoothly.”
Beyond her daily responsibilities, Yoder continues to expand her technical expertise by shadowing professionals in lighting, automation, special effects, and concessions.
“I’m gaining hands-on experience that directly connects to what I learned at Asbury,” she said.
Asbury Theatre alumni also serve in a wide variety of creative and communication-focused professions. Clay Hassler ’08 founded Wet Paint Motion Pictures and works as an independent filmmaker. Joseph Ledford ’99 serves as Morning Show Host and Production Director for 104.3 The Pulse. Brooke Butterworth ’17 works as a media producer and actress in Atlanta, bringing stories to life across multiple platforms.
Asbury Theatre prepares graduates for diverse career paths while equipping them to lead with creativity, excellence, and Christian conviction wherever they serve.
For Sarah Nesselroade ’20 Hopson, now a Ph.D. candidate and theatre instructor at Bowling Green State University, Asbury provided both artistic and spiritual formation.
Asbury is a place where students can explore, imagine, and engage curiosity as part of their theatre curriculum.”
“My experience at Asbury not only expanded my understanding of theatre as an art form. It grounded my art in faith and helped me see the medium as a space to explore the human condition and the making and meaning of ‘the good life’ in Christ.”
Through hands-on productions, mentorship, and professional opportunities, Asbury Theatre prepares students to apply their gifts across the United States and around the world.
The department will present three productions during the 2026–27 season: Nunsense and The Ruby Sunrise in the fall, followed by Anne of Green Gables: The Musical in the spring.
From the laughter of Nunsense to the heartbreak of The Ruby Sunrise to the wide-open heart of Anne of Green Gables, this season keeps circling one question: who gets to belong, and what do we owe the people who don't fit the plan? I can't wait for our community to see how much honesty and heart our students bring to it."
The Asbury University Communication & Theatre Department offers two majors (in Communication and Theatre), five minors (in Communication, Leadership, Public Relations, Social Media, and Theatre), and the Master of Arts in Communication. Last summer, Asbury Theatre students completed an acting intensive with the Complicité theatre company in London and explored Pinewood Studios. This summer, they will attend the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland.