From the stage to airwaves, Western New England University’s student-led arts and media groups foster creativity, connection, and lifelong memories that span generations.

In keeping their traditions of immersing audiences with electric energy and live entertainment, three campus organizations are marking milestone anniversaries this year. Improv on the Rocks rings in its 20th season, and the Stageless Players and WNEK “The Voice” Radio each mark 50 years.

For some Golden Bears, membership among these organizations means a deeper connection to social life on campus. For others, they are an opportunity to learn a new skill or refine a craft. Yet for all, it is the lifelong memories of laughter, connection, and a little notoriety that endure the decades.

Stageless Players

In the moments before stepping on stage, Joshua Farrel ’26 recalls that, “It’s the most nerve-wracking and exciting experience that you can have in theater.” Farrel, who performed the lead role in Stageless Players’ 2025 production of Sweeney Todd, added, “the second you step on stage and you get into your character and scene, everything just starts rolling—all those nerves flood away in an instant.”

The Stageless Players have captivated theatergoers in Sleith 100 for half a century. Known for attracting seasoned community theatre members, students who had never set foot on a stage, and virtually everyone in between, the organization offers a warm, inclusive, and encouraging setting for performance enthusiasts to deepen their appreciation for the stage.

Twice each year, members of the Stageless Players select, rehearse, and perform classic and up-and-coming shows. Encouraged by Theatre Professor Hillary Haft Bucs, students wrap up productions not only with the lines of great performances committed to heart, but with the confidence and sense of accomplishment that only a standing ovation can provide. “Stageless has brought out a different side of me,” explained Skyler Quadros, a once-reserved Creative Writing major who found her voice on the stage.

For Dale Facey ’83, it was his involvement in Stageless Players that brought him out of his shell and embedded him in campus life. Facey went from a shy commuter student to appearing before the Western New England University administration to keep the organization afloat in its early years. He recalls stacking the Student Senate with Stageless Players members and then appearing before administration when his attempts to “improve” Sleith Hall for productions were not appreciated by all. Yet for all its trouble, Facey looks back fondly on when Sleith 100 was just a carpeted lecture hall; costumes were kept in closets, a course in theatre was new to campus, and a dance studio was installed at the campus center.

“It’s the reason I have great memories of college,” Facey said. “It was where I met all of my college friends; it was my social circle, and 43 years later I still keep in touch.”

Gregory Madrid ’96 reflects how the organization brings together “such a different group of students.” As a business major and peer advisor, Madrid still connects with his fellow cast and crew members: “Those friendships last for a lifetime.” Echoing his sentiment, Danna (Mazzola) Castanho ’13 said of her involvement with the Players, “It was magical to see a show come together with people from all different majors.”

Ian Martin ’97 recalls how his experience with Stageless Players and WNEK led him to pursue a career in college student development. “If I hadn’t joined the Stageless Players and met the lifelong friends that I did,” Martin said,” I’m not sure I would have followed the path I have taken.”

The Stageless Players celebrated their 50th season with a spring production of Lawrence D. Cohen’s Carrie: The Musical. The Players’ production is a nod to the 1976 Stephen Spielberg film, for which Cohen also wrote the screenplay. Alumni from across the nation gathered for the anniversary event to support the student production, as well as to reminisce and make new Golden Bear connections. This production featured the largest cast and stage crew since pre-pandemic seasons.

WNEK “The Voice” Radio

Ian Martin ’97 joined WNEK to combine his interests in performing and music. Following graduation, he returned to WNE as assistant director of student activities and continued his involvement with the radio station as faculty advisor for WNEK. He witnessed firsthand the renovation of the St. Germain Campus Center and the subsequent move of The Westerner, The Cupola, The Review of Arts and Literature, and WNEK to a recently renovated Rivers Hall.

“This was exciting, as it significantly increased WNEK’s physical space,” Martin said. Now with room for an on-air studio, reception and production areas, and an office, WNEK elevated their presence on campus and throughout the Springfield community.

First airing on February 17, 1976, WNEK was initially known as WTRZ after the initials of Dean Theodore Regis Zern, when the call letters WNEK were taken by a Coast Guard cutter of the same name. In 1981, the station chartered with the Federal Communications Commission to allow commercial broadcast, and in 1988 became WNEK-FM. Keeping up with the evolution of radio, the station broadened its listener base with internet streaming in 2010, and WNEK “The Voice” Radio now plays 24/7 in the Campus Center as well as during events throughout campus with the mobile DJ service.

When Kathryn Henry ’23 arrived at WNE, she fully immersed herself in WNEK. “It was probably the highlight of my college career,” Henry said. “It was such a welcoming community to be a part of. It transformed everything about my life.” Henry went on to earn the WNEK General Member of the Year award as a first-year student and held roles of marketing director, technical director, and assistant station manager. Yet Henry’s pivotal achievement with the station was her role in the launch of the Kodiak Music Festival in April 2022.

The Kodiak Music Festival now celebrates its fifth year on Commonwealth lawn where students and local bands can be found performing. Under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Alex Russo, the club’s members have mastered the skills to run their own audio for the festival.

The station held a 50th anniversary broadcast on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 to mark the completion of its fifth decade, followed by a dance party hosted by WNEK students and alumni DJs. The celebration will continue in the fall during Golden Bear Weekend, with alumni reuniting over stories of their WNEK experiences.

Improv on the Rocks

Student comedians audition for membership in this tight-knit community that performs on and off campus, hosts workshops, and brings graduated Golden Bears home for reunited laughs at its annual alumni show. Improv on the Rocks provides comic relief for members and entertainment-seekers alike, and now at 20 years old, the organization has become a mainstay on campus.

For Allie Provost ’24, the club was a much-needed refresher in her busy schedule. “Practices with improv were scheduled points in my week where I knew I could relax, laugh with my friends, and recharge for the day, which was such a blessing,” Provost said.

Looking back on her time at WNE, Provost recalls laughter in the rehearsal room, as well as the confidence and leadership of her roles that both Improv on the Rocks and Stageless Players offered. As a member of the executive board for both clubs, she added that “these roles prepared [her] for career opportunities,” and that the skills honed with improv can extend to a variety of workplace settings.

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Improv on the Rocks expanded their annual alumni show to incorporate even more hilarity, marrying the minds of alumni with present members on one stage. Golden Bear comedians of the past, including founding members Jeffrey Stanwood ’06 and Rebecca Giudici ’06, returned to perform alongside the newest generation, ensuring that the traditions of laughter and camaraderie would continue in the decades to come.