Theatre Arts, BA

The Theatre Arts Program offers an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to the scholarly praxis of theater, dance and performance. The program encourages students to pursue rigorous aesthetic, historical, and theoretical inquiry in the performing arts in a global perspective.  

Our courses link academic approaches to theatre, dance and performance such as the study of dramatic literature, performance theory, history, and criticism, to practical aspects of performance such as acting, directing, designing, dance, choreography, devising, and playwriting. Special features of our program include faculty-directed productions, which are taught as courses for credit, and extracurricular programs such as a winter performance festival, workshops with visiting artists and theatre outings. One special highlight of our program is our Summer Festival Project. In alternating years, students are selected travel to an international theatre festival over the summer and enroll in a course where they will develop original work the following semester.

Majors who are accomplished in both academic and/or production work are invited to complete a capstone project. The capstone may focus on practice such as acting, directing, choreography and design or it may take the form of scholarly research.  

The Theatre Arts program prepares students for a range of professional pursuits in the arts -- whether as practitioners, scholars, curators, administrators, or entrepreneurs -- and encourages them to be leaders in creating new social, political, economic and cultural conditions for performance art making. 

The Theatre Arts Program offers an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to the scholarly praxis of theater, dance and performance. The program encourages students to pursue rigorous aesthetic, historical, and theoretical inquiry in the performing arts in a global perspective.  

Our courses link academic approaches to theatre, dance and performance such as the study of dramatic literature, performance theory, history, and criticism, to practical aspects of performance such as acting, directing, designing, dance, choreography, devising, and playwriting. Special features of our program include faculty-directed productions, which are taught as courses for credit, and extracurricular programs such as a winter performance festival, workshops with visiting artists and theatre outings. One special highlight of our program is the Edinburgh Project. In alternating years, majors are selected to enroll in a course that develops a performance piece that travels to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. 

Majors who are accomplished in both academic and/or production work are invited to complete a capstone project. The capstone may focus on practice such as acting, directing, choreography and design or it may take the form of scholarly research.  

The Theatre Arts program prepares students for a range of professional pursuits in the arts -- whether as practitioners, scholars, curators, administrators, or entrepreneurs -- and encourages them to be leaders in creating new social, political, economic and cultural conditions for performance art making.