The Bachelor of Arts in Theatre provides students with a comprehensive program of study through one of our four concentrations: directing, playwriting, stage management, and theatre studies. Students will study theatrical practices, theory, and history from the perspective of all four concentrations in order to gain an understanding of the discipline as a whole.
Students will take courses and gain valuable knowledge in the art and craft of design and technical theatre, the conceptual skills involved in directing, the tools of story crafting required of playwrights, dramatic criticism and dramaturgy, and the organizational expertise necessary to manage stage and production. Students are encouraged to put into practice what they are learning in the classroom through hands-on engagement in the preparation and presentation of performances produced in the department. Students learn from a range of faculty who bring their professional experience to the art, craft, business, and scholarly approach to the study of theatre. This pragmatic approach prepares students to face the challenging realities of making a life in the performing arts.
As a result of successfully completing program requirements, students should be able to:
- identify and apply practical skills as a director, stage manager, playwright, dramaturg, and/or theatre scholar;
- analyze performance, performance text, and practical technique;
- efficiently lead a group of artistic and technical collaborators through the creation and presentation of public performances for theatre;
- think, write, and speak clearly about theory and practice; and
- analyze and employ diverse theatre traditions.