The purpose of Gardner-Webb University is to provide superior undergraduate and graduate education strongly grounded in the liberal arts. By fostering meaningful intellectual thought, critical analysis, and spiritual challenge within a diverse community of learning, Gardner-Webb prepares its graduates to make significant contributions for God and humanity in an ever-changing global community.

In support of the university mission, the GWU Theater will strive to integrate excellence in traditional scholarship and artistic creativity with a Christian worldview, in order to fulfill its mandate to be a cultural laboratory engaging the university, the larger community of artist scholars, and the world.

The Operational Philosophy of GWU Theater is rooted in our Christian commitment for excellence, our liberal arts mission, and our small size. As a theater faculty, we are committed to the dialectic tension between the classics and new works. For that reason we will attempt to produce each season one classical piece (i.e. Shakespeare, Moliere, Sophocles, Racine, et al), one modern classic (i.e. Miller, Williams, Inge, Chekhov, Ibsen, or perhaps a small musical), one full-length original play by an American playwright, and a new plays festival featuring short plays by young up-and-coming American playwrights. These major works are supplemented by various projects and performance pieces as our schedule allows. Above all, we desire to produce the very best theater that we possible can while providing opportunity for our students.