Stronger Together: Colleges Launch National Christian Theater Network
Driven by the belief that collective collaboration far outweighs individual effort, nearly 20 theater professionals from across the country gathered at Westmont College on August 13–14 to launch the Association of Christian Theatre Schools (ACTS). Funded by a grant from the Lilly Network, the new initiative helps faith-based drama faculty grow spiritually, artistically and vocationally together.
The organization stems from a vision that first struck Kris Dietrich, director of theater at Asbury College. Through God’s providence, Dietrich connected with Jonathan Hicks, chair of the Westmont theater department, during a Southern California conference. Together, they recognized an unmet, vital need for a dedicated network to support Christian theater educators nationwide.
Inspired by the deep peer support of organizations like the former Christians in Theatre Arts, ACTS creates a space where theater artists share burdens, exchange insights, and find long-term professional encouragement.
Westmont provost Kim Denu began the conference by acknowledging the power of storytelling that each of the Christian artists pass on to students and audiences in their classrooms and theaters. “What an opportunity you have to shape the way people think, to open up their awareness to see things from another perspective, to tap into the superpower of empathy to humanize people instead of dehumanizing,” she said. “You will go places and do great things because this group came together. We are stronger together than apart.”
The group worked on and approved the founding charter with the mission of guiding and equipping Christian theater faculty to “grow spiritually, artistically and vocationally – creating spaces to teach better, lead stronger and dream bigger, together.”
“I am here because I love the theater community, and I don't have a lot of Christian theater colleagues nearby that face the same challenges or concerns,” Dietrich said. “It’s great to see other artists and to be able to interact and share each other’s burdens. We, as theater people, understand collaboration. What we can accomplish together is so much greater than any individual contribution.”