The Cherryfield Toy Company engaged students across campus and community partners while creating many realized opportunities for theatre students and others. It was awarded an unprecedented 153 regional Certificates of Merit by the American College Theatre Festival as well as national ACTF awards. Beyond its artistic and pedagogical outcomes, the production serves as a powerful recruitment and outreach tool.

This link is an archival walk-through featuring 45 student performers and student-designed sets, costumes, lighting, sound, and projections, which engaged students across 53 course sections, generating 489 credit hours over five semesters.

Immersive Theatre—audiences move through environments and interact with performers—is a growing field rarely attempted in academic theatre due to resource demands. Through extensive interdisciplinary collaboration across and beyond the university, and four grants, this production reversed the traditional hierarchy of text-first production, resulting in the first design-driven, student-written CSU production.

Audiences followed Emily Cherryfield, heir to the toy company, through her fragmented memories. The installation included realistic rooms, filmed scenes, interstitial spaces, puppetry, and tarantulas, as well as guest appearances by community members.

Directed by Saffron Henke, Production Design by Roger Hanna. Written, designed, and starring CSU Students.