Western ND News

In a significant development for the arts community, the Badlands Opera Project (BOP) has entered into a long-term agreement with Dickinson State University (DSU) to use the Dorothy Stickney Auditorium. This partnership marks a return to the venue where BOP first premiered its production of Fairy Tale Suite.

Chandra McClelland, Human Resources Director of BOP, expressed her excitement about this collaboration. "The first Badlands Opera Project (BOP) production was a premier of Fairy Tale Suite at Dorothy Stickney Auditorium. I'm thrilled that we're partnering with DSU to give BOP, its artists, and the community a long-term home," she stated.

This agreement follows a year after DSU's controversial reorganization under former President Stephen Easton, which resulted in the termination of tenured faculty from several programs, including music and theatre. The changes led to protests and criticism from various quarters and significantly reduced arts offerings at DSU.

Joel Walters, BOP's marketing director and performer, voiced appreciation for this new partnership. "As an alum of DSU, we are grateful for this partnership," he said. He also acknowledged the generosity of the DSU Foundation.

Under this agreement, BOP will have reserved access to the auditorium for performances along with dedicated office and storage space. However, it remains available for other community organizations and university activities as well. The next performance by BOP is scheduled for March 28-30, 2025—Into the Woods—directed by Anthony J. Rohr.

Sarah Crossingham from Dickinson State University commented on maintaining their tradition in performance arts through this collaboration: “By continuing our university’s rich tradition of performance arts in a new collaborative way we aim to inspire current and future Blue Hawks to be active participants and dedicated supporters of the arts.”

Founded in 2019, BOP also conducts an annual Summer Youth Camp featuring performances like Cinderella and The Sound of Music. This year's camp is set for June 8-14 at DSU and has consistently reached full capacity in previous years according to Walters.