UHD’s Drama Program continues to be one of H-Town’s hidden gems with the O'Kane Theatre serving as both a performance venue and a professional training space for more than 35 years. Thanks to a $50,000 gift from The Elkins Foundation, the theater is undergoing a major renovation, just in time for the fall semester.
The grant focused on modernizing the O'Kane Theatre's lighting infrastructure, which involves replacing the existing lighting inventory with professional LED lighting fixtures and a completely new overhead pipe grid. The previous system no longer reflected the needs of a modern performance space.
"This renovation is really an investment in our students,” said Senior Lecturer Luke Fedell, MFA, who added that today's theater industry is rapidly transitioning to LED technology.
“As theater technology continues to evolve, it's essential that our students graduate with experience using the same tools they'll encounter in the professional industry. The new lighting system gives them greater opportunities to experiment creatively while preparing them for careers in the performing arts. We're incredibly grateful to The Elkins Foundation for helping us provide that experience."
Located near the Houston Theater District and arts community, UHD Drama students are positioned to build professional connections while still in school. They regularly collaborate with artists from across Houston's theater community, learning directly from working professionals. UHD's Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts (BAFA) is unique: It offers students not only performance and design training, but also an understanding of the business of the arts, preparing them for jobs in Houston's thriving, nonprofit arts sector.
See them in action during the O’Kane Theatre’s 2026-2027 season, which includes “The Underpants” by Steve Martin, opening October 29, 2026, and “She Kills Monsters” by Qui Nguyen, opening on April 8, 2027.
