San Antonio's only public four-year dramatic arts program is taking its second-ever production outside, staging an immersive version of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream on Brenan Lawn at UTSA's Main Campus starting Friday, October 16. The show runs Fridays through Sundays until October 25, and admission is free, though cash donations are accepted at the door.
The production marks a dramatic shift in venue and style from the program's debut. As reported by the San Antonio Express-News, the University of Texas at San Antonio's dramatic arts program is producing A Midsummer Night's Dream as an immersive experience that invites audience interaction, complete with a one-night Renaissance Faire. The program launched in Fall 2025 within UTSA's College of Liberal and Fine Arts, creating what San Antonio Report describes as the city's first and only public four-year degree program in dramatic arts or theater.
Before the major existed, local high school graduates who wanted a public four-year theater degree in Texas had to leave San Antonio entirely, often heading to Texas State University in San Marcos, according to the same report. That gap helps explain why enrollment has moved quickly: the dramatic arts major grew from roughly 22 students at its Fall 2025 launch to 39 declared majors by Spring 2026, per the outlet's reporting.
From a Broadway Puppet to an Open Field
The program's first show looked nothing like this one. UTSA staged its inaugural production, the musical Little Shop of Horrors, in April 2026 inside the Buena Vista Theater, using original Audrey II puppets rented from Monkey Boys Productions that were originally built for the 2003 Broadway production, according to UTSA News. That venue, located at UTSA's Downtown Campus, is an intimate 300-seat space that campus administrators specifically equipped for student dramatic arts and live public events.
For the second show, the production team originally planned to stage the play at Coates Chapel on UTSA's Southwest Campus downtown, director Maia Adamina told the Express-News. When those chapel dates did not work out, the crew chose an outdoor staging instead, landing on Brenan Lawn because it already has a shell and stage in place.
A Director Who Wants the Audience Inside the Play
Adamina, an Assistant Professor of Practice who has taught in UTSA's English department since 2005, brings theater credentials well beyond the classroom. She previously spent five years as Director of Reader's Theatre at the literary organization Gemini Ink and three years as Board President of San Antonio Public Theatre, according to UTSA's College of Liberal and Fine Arts.
That community-theater background shapes how she wants audiences to experience the outdoor production. Adamina said audience members may attend in costume or not, and can interact or dance with performers from the front and sides of the staging area, per the Express-News. She also said performers have to be ready for interruptions and unexpected events while performing outdoors, a reality that does not come with an indoor black-box stage. Seating on site is limited, so the production is encouraging attendees to bring blankets, chairs, and picnics.
A Faire Before the Fairies Take the Stage
The outdoor setting isn't the only new wrinkle. Ahead of Saturday's performance, UTSA is holding its inaugural Rowdy Renaissance Faire on October 17, running from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Brenan Lawn, two hours before that evening's show, according to UTSA's College of Liberal and Fine Arts. The faire features live bard music, interactive games, and a costume contest.
Jessi Artnz, an administrative associate and professional costume designer helping organize the fair, plans to attend in costume and play her lyre, the Express-News reports. Artnz said friends with crowd-work experience will also show up in costume so fair attendees have people to interact with. Adamina has said the format draws inspiration from the welcoming, imaginative, participatory environment of renaissance fairs generally.
The program's faculty roster reflects the same blend of professional polish and local roots driving the rest of its growth. Assistant Professor of Practice Bradley Freeman Jr., a veteran puppeteer with credits on The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and actor Victor Trevino, who joined in Spring 2026 as the program's first dedicated acting and directing professor, both support the new major, according to San Antonio Report. Program Director Paul Ardoin, who holds the Brackenridge Endowed Chair in Literature and the Humanities and leads UTSA's Film and Media program, designed the degree to blend screen acting and emerging media with traditional stagecraft, per UTSA News.
Canned Goods Welcome at the Door
Patrons attending the outdoor performances are also being asked to bring canned goods for the Roadrunner Pantry, which provides food to students in need. The pantry was established in March 2017 by the UTSA Student Union in partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank, and it distributes free non-perishable food, toiletries, and fresh dairy products to food-insecure students, according to a historical account published by The Paisano.
The production stages at Brenan Field, between the Convocation Center and the Recreation Wellness Center on UTSA's Main Campus at One UTSA Circle. With performances running through October 25 and no cost to attend, the show gives San Antonio audiences a free look at how the city's newest theater program is translating classroom training into public, community-facing work.
