Studying and practicing art in the United States is inherently a bold, ambitious path. Many young people who choose to study an artform like theatre in college are too often met with the question, “What are you going to do with your degree when you graduate?” 

Practically speaking, not all theatre majors will make it to Broadway. The same way that few English majors become well-known authors, or scientists who win a Nobel Prize. However, that does not indicate there are no prospective careers for those students with the unique skill set that a Theatre degree can require.

The URI Theatre Department does everything in its power to make students collaborative, well-rounded artists that understand each element of putting on a production, even if it is not aligned with their primary concentration (Acting, Directing, Stage Management, Design and Theatre Technology). Students leave the program knowing how a costume got on their body, how the set beneath their feet was constructed, or following meticulous notes taken by the stage manager. 

Theatre instructor and Artistic Director at the Gamm Theatre in Warwick, R.I., Tony Estrella, can speak to this directly. Estrella joined the URI community in 1988 as an undergraduate student. After graduating in 1993 and immediately moving onto the Trinity Rep Conservatory for graduate school, he found his way back to campus as an acting instructor for senior M.F.A. acting classes where he focuses mainly on Shakespeare. In 1996, he began acting at The Gamm Theatre (formerly Alias Stage) which was originally founded by Trinity Rep. Conservatory graduates. That program eventually evolved into an M.F.A. partnership with Brown University. 

“What can’t you do with a theatre degree? It’s about cobbling things together that eventually builds to something more,” he says. “The Gamm is such a big part of our (URI theatre) success. The venn diagram between the theatre and university overlaps significantly.” 

This is reflected in the high volume of URI alumni working on a variety of productions at The Gamm. Estrella described the colleges in the state of Rhode Island as a vital part of the local theatre ecology. Former students coming from URI, Rhode Island College, CCRI, Providence College and Brown are frequently involved in shows and fellowships. In a sense, the theatre is a pipeline for many aspiring artists in the R.I. area.

Currently, The Gamm is producing “Angels in America Part Two: Perestroika” after their run of “Part One: Millennium Approachers” in June 2025. And the production team is brimming with URI talent. Resident costume designer and professor, David Howard created the costumes. URI faculty and alum, Rachel Walshe served as the dramaturge. Alum Patrick Lynch designed the set and recently earned an Emmy Award for his set design work on SNL. Alumni Robin Grady is the assistant stage manager. Tony Estrella, Artistic Director of The Gamm Theatre and URI acting instructor, plays the brash closeted lawyer, Roy Cohn.

“Angels in America” is a two-part play by critically acclaimed playwright, Tony Kushner. The play explores themes of the AIDS crisis, homosexuality, religion, and politics during the conservative 1980s. Angels was first performed in 1991 and quickly moved to Broadway in 1993. The play earned Kushner a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize, and was made into an Emmy-winning HBO film. 

While the epic story takes place (mostly) in New York City, it retains a startling intimacy. Producing a behemoth of a play is a tall order for any theatre, as it requires two separate productions and runs a total of 6.5 hours. It would take an astonishing commitment on the part of the even most well resourced commercial theatre. Despite its size, The Gamm Theatre is able to meet these demands with its extraordinarily talented and committed artists and craftspeople. 

“Theatre is about the people who make it. I always tell my students that the first group you are a part of (in this case, your peers in the program) is incredibly important. That’s because this is their first network, and that network creates a collaborative opportunity that will evolve and expand,” says Estrella. “One of your classmates may give you a great job down the road.”

The University of Rhode Island is an emblem of community in the Ocean State, calling to locals and newcomers to join the fold. The sense of community that the university fosters stretches beyond any graduation date. A shining example of this is through the collaborative work of the Theatre Department faculty and alumni. 

“Angels in America, Part two: Perestroika” runs from September 25-October 19. Purchase tickets here.