Community Engagement

Feasts. Fun. Family. From an Alice In Wonderland tea party to fantastically intricate machines fit for an HG Wells fantasy (or an engineering school), Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts brings the excitement before and after special performances. Masterclasses, meet-and-greets, and pre-show conversations immerse our campus and community in creativity, bringing together artists and craftspeople across disciplines and generations.

More than events – experiences. We're grateful to the local sponsors who make it happen. Let us know if you'd like to help.

2021-2022 Season

People participating in discussion after play

Aftershow Discussion

Performance: The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa Fasthorse
Performed by Wolf's Head Theater Company

A post-play discussion about The Thanksgiving Play with a unique group of panelists for each performance.

Group of people standing with Vieux Farka Toure'

Vieux Farka Toure' teaches more of master class

Master Class/Jam Session

Performance: Vieux Farka Touré

Vieux Farka Touré taught students, faculty, and people from the community before having a jam session with them before an evening show.

2019-2020 Season

Two children make arts and crafts at a table.

View of the Samuel and Grace Horner Lobby during the Fiesta Event.

Several children working on arts and crafts around a table.

Fiesta Party

Performance: Fiesta! Latin American Music for All Ages
Co-Sponsor: Superior Wind Symphony, Puppet Workshop, and Youth Choir

A pre-concert party with crafts, storytelling, music, and poetry in both Spanish and English.

2018-2019 Season

Three children perform a play in the puppet theatre.

Two girls show off the puppets they've created.

Children perform a play with their puppets in the shadow puppet theatre.

Four children create puppets at the sock-puppet creation station.

Child performs a play in the shadow puppet theatre.

Geppetto's Workshop

Performance: Pinocchio
Co-Sponsor: KC Bonkers and the Portage Lake District Library

An interactive puppet workshop, with an on-stage tour of the Pinocchio set, a shadow puppet theatre, a sock-puppet creation-station in the Rozsa lobby, complete with refreshments and puppetry-themed fun for all ages.

Group of party guests pose for a photo in the Samuel and Grace Horner Lobby.

Ushers from Mu Beta Psi pose for a photo.

Party guests in the Samuel and Grace Horner Lobby visiting with each other.

Party guests waiting in the Samuel and Grace Horner Lobby.

Screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show in the James and Margaret Black Performance Hall.

Performers dancing during Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Rocky Horror Picture Show Pre-Party

Performance: Rocky Horror Picture Show
Co-Sponsor: Keweenaw Young Professionals and Keweenaw Pride

The Rozsa celebrated the 43rd Anniversary of the Rocky Horror Picture Show with all of our creatures of the night! Cocktails, themed food, costumes, and time warp basics, and were enjoyed at the pre-party. Keweenaw Young Professional provided survival kits to the audience and participants entertained the audience by acting out scenes.

2017-2018 Season

Wide angle from above of seated guests at round and straight tables.

A group of children site a round table looking on.

The Mountaintop Cast Q and A

Performance: Katori Hall's The Mountaintop
Co-Sponsor: Michigan Tech's National Society of Black Engineers and Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Cast members shared their experiences as actors and their journey in portraying such impactful and pivotal characters Katori Hall brought to life. When cast reflected on their perspective of Hall's vision, they viewed The Mountaintop as humanizing an otherwise iconic and idealized MLK and hope audiences will continue to keep fighting and pushing for inclusivity.

Two event goers standing at the bar where drinks are being served.

A patron interacting with the drink server.

A group of event goers posing for photo.

A group of three event goers posing for photo.

Patron in a witch's hat posing for a photo.

Cocktails After Dark

Performance: PUSH Physical Theatre: Dracula
Co-Sponsor: Keweenaw Young Professionals

Audience donned their darkest apparel for the Cocktails After Dark afterparty. After PUSH Physical Theatre's dark and daring production of Dracula, the cast joined guests in the lobby for specialty cocktails, games, and tasty treats.

2016-2017 Season

Members of Bonkers Toy and Coffee Shop dressed in Alice in Wonderland costumes.

Overhead view of Bonkers serving tea to guests.

A mother with her two daughters coloring.

A mother having tea with her young son while he dips the tea bag into water.

Tea Party

Performance: Alice in Wonderland
Sponsor: KC Bonkers/Portage Lake District Library

KC Bonkers Tea and Toy shop and Portage Lake District Library created a magical Alice in Wonderland post-show tea party complete with cookie decorating, magic tricks, coloring, and, of course, tea!

Young student looking at a experiment with Mind Trekkers.

Young student doing a paperclip a experiment with Mind Trekkers.

Students poking colored foam cups during an experiment with Mind Trekkers.

Young student in a steam punk hat touching an electricity globe.

A picture of Albert Einstein made with electricity during a Mind Trekker experiement.

A Mind Trekker volunteer showing a young student a small tornado machine.

Steam Punk

Performance: Cirque Mechanics: Pedal Punk
Sponsor: Mind Trekkers

Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers brought their nationally renowned STEM road show for a full day of science, technology, engineering, math, and art to get students geared up for the Cirque Mechanics: Pedal Punk performance. Students toured the Cirque Mechanics stage, met the cast, played with robots, and explored the sciences that makes art #smartart