Welcome to our website!

July 31, 2024

New site coincides with several other online enhancements

Welcome to our new website!

This redesign has been in the works for over a year and we are excited to raise the curtain on our new site. In addition to a more modern and dynamic layout, you’ll find more features, in depth information about shows, and see a lot more of your friends and neighbors highlighted throughout the site.

“One of the first things on my goals list for Theatre Lawrence when I started was to enhance our web presence,” Jamie Ulmer, TL executive director, said. “This is such a dynamic organization and we needed a website that reflected the quality of work happening on stage.”

The redesign coincides with several other online changes for TL. We have switched to a new ticketing system. The new system is easier to navigate, and should provide a faster and more robust experience when you purchase tickets online.

Along with tickets, the new software will handle volunteer management. You just need to fill out an online volunteer application, then once approved you’ll be able to sign up for opportunities like ushering, tending bar, or other behind the scenes roles. We are still in the transition process with volunteer management, so please excuse any little unexpected bumps in the road.

Finally, the new box office system integrates donor management and email marketing – bringing together what had been four different systems that didn’t communicate with each other under one platform.

We are very excited to debut this and many other exciting enhancements to our community.

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Theatre Lawrence News & Announcements

Next to Normal starts season journey

By Jamie Ulmer • September 8, 2025

Welcome to the 2025–2026 Theatre Lawrence Season! This year promises a wide variety of theatrical destinations designed to entertain, expand, and enliven audiences and participants alike. We begin our journey with the Pulitzer Prize–winning musical Next to Normal . This groundbreaking work opened on Broadway in 2009, after first appearing as a 10-minute workshop in 1998. An unconventional topic for a musical, the show centers on a family navigating grief and mental health. In her book Feeling Pain is Normal, Rebecca Cecilia Kidwell writes, “Next to Normal provides a safe community for grief. Many of the audience members have experienced loss, and many of them will cry and hug each other—even if they are strangers—because they finally feel that someone is permitting them to be open with their emotions.” Paired with a contemporary rock score, the show asks honest, sometimes uncomfortable, questions. In rehearsals, we’ve reflected on how the themes and emotions explored by the characters are universal, reaching beyond the specific circumstances of the script. The excitement in our acting community has been remarkable: over 70 performers auditioned for this six-person cast. Casting was both a challenge and a gift, resulting in a group of performers who are giving their all every night as we explore this complex, rewarding material together. All of this makes me truly excited to share Next to Normal with you. Theatre offers the unique opportunity to share an experience—even when it is challenging. We thank you for joining us on this journey and encourage you to talk with one another, share your feelings, and seek support if this story resonates deeply with you. Enjoy the show! Jamie Ulmer Executive Director