Explores the dynamic intersection of acting, culture, and personal creativity, examining how socio-cultural perspectives shape the craft. Covers key pioneering acting practitioners from around the globe. Develops creativity, self-expression, and confidence speaking publicly, while investigating a diverse range of acting techniques and traditions. Includes hands on exploration of the ways actors evolve their creative practice. Ideal for anyone eager to discover the art of acting.

Explores how theatre has been organized and performed in the context of various social movements in order to learn more about theatre's participation in transformational justice. Studies both play texts and the artists who do the work, examining how theatre and social forces influence each other. Includes readings, class discussions, written responses, and group presentations, as well as the viewing of live theatre.

Explores creative process and how designers effectively communicate ideas through imagery. Introduces the elements and principles of theatrical design and how these are used in visual storytelling. Emphasis on script analysis as an integral part of the design process and provides the skill set necessary to thoroughly analyze a script as a costume, lighting or set designer. Includes rendering and communication techniques, and research for designers through theoretical design projects.

Introduces the aims and principles of the actor alongside an investigation of the art of solo performance. Looks at a diverse range of key solo performance artists. Practical acting and creative writing workshops lead to the development of an original solo piece. Reinforces acting vocabulary and theory, while fostering creativity and artistic agency. Culminates in live performance of original material.

Offers techniques to train the body and voice for performance, emphasizing self-awareness in relationship to the world. Explores a diverse range of exercises from key practitioners, focusing on ground and weight, breathing and breath, connecting the voice, working with objects, time, space, and partners. Introduces techniques for improvising, choreographing, and devising movement. Provides hands-on experience analyzing and building character from scripted scenes. Culminates in live performance.

Provides hands-on, introductory-level practical learning in production aspects of Theatre Program productions, including work in the scene or costume shop or work backstage on a show. Bridges theory with practice providing students with immersive experience in professional theatre making. Offers experience with real-world scenarios working alongside peers and faculty. Develops technical prowess, enhances creative abilities, promotes collaborative teamwork, and prepares students for professional careers.

Provides hands-on, introductory-level practical learning in performance aspects of Theatre Program productions, including acting, stage management, assistant direction, and dramaturgy. Bridges theory with practice providing students with immersive experiences in professional theatre making. Offers experience with real-world scenarios working alongside peers and faculty. Develops technical prowess, enhances creative abilities, promotes collaborative teamwork, and prepares students for professional careers.

Provides an in-depth study of theatrical works by women within the context of feminist theory. Examines how feminism has shaped theatre across time. Highlights identity and the situated nature of knowledge creation. Covers the lost theatrical traditions of women, challenges of representation, diverse feminisms, and intersectionality. Engages problems faced by women in theater and presents possibilities for dismantling patriarchal institutions and misogyny through feminist interventions in the field.

Studies the process of designing for a specialized aspect of theatre production. Rotating topics may include: Sound Design, Projection Design, Masks: History and Design, and Shadow Puppetry. Students may repeat enrollment for credit, but may not repeat topics.

Studies the process of designing scenery for theatre through play analysis, research, color theory, composition, and the examination of design elements and principles for the stage. Explores design intentions through research, drawing, and modeling to communicate ideas, cultivating a unified and cohesive design aesthetic.

Explores the role of costume design in visual storytelling. Introduces skills necessary for effective costume design including: figure drawing, fabric identification, rendering techniques, and the curation of evocative and historical visual research through theoretical design projects. Includes readings, class discussions, and analysis of costume design in film, television, and theatre.

Studies the process of designing lighting for theatre through play analysis, research, color theory, composition, practical experimentation, and the examination of design elements and principles for the stage. Explores design intentions through techniques such as research compilations, technical drawings, and written descriptions.

Explores the skills actors need to perform musical theatre, including a survey of its history, from its roots to the present. Builds confidence with the genre through applying acting principles to songs, including understanding song structure, making lyrics the natural language of a character, using music as subtext, and finding a character's physical life. Includes musical theatre dance, staging, and storytelling through song. Culminates in live performance.

Develops the skills actors need to perform the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Students explore what it was like to act in Shakespeare’s era, gaining valuable historical context while building confidence with his text. Provides tools for analyzing complex poetic language and includes scansion, rhetoric, sword fights, period dance, and the connection between actor and audience. Culminates in live performance.

Explores the skills and tools theatre makers need to produce new material for live performance. Offers students opportunities in multiple roles, including as actors, designers, and dramaturgs in the collaborative exploration of the needs of a never-before-produced theatrical work as it is readied for performance. Rehearsal and preparation experience will result in a public premiere performance of the new work at the end of the semester.

Provides hands-on, introductory-level practical learning in production aspects of Theatre Program productions, including work in the scene or costume shop or work backstage on a show. Bridges theory with practice providing students with immersive experience in professional theatre making. Offers experience with real-world scenarios working alongside peers and faculty. Develops technical prowess, enhances creative abilities, promotes collaborative teamwork, and prepares students for professional careers.

Provides hands-on, practical learning in the performance aspects of Theatre Program productions, including acting, stage management, assistant direction, and dramaturgy. Bridges theory with practice to provide students with an immersive experience in professional theatre making. Offers experience with real-world scenarios working alongside both peers and faculty. Develops technical prowess, enhances creative abilities, promotes collaborative teamwork, and prepares students for professional careers.

Provides hands-on, practical learning participating in the set or lighting design aspects of Theatre Program productions. Bridges theory with practice to provide students with an immersive experience in professional theatre making. Offers experience with real-world scenarios working alongside both peers and faculty. Develops technical prowess, enhances creative abilities, promotes collaborative teamwork, and prepares students for professional careers.

Provides hands-on, practical learning participating in the costume design aspects of Theatre Program productions. Bridges theory with practice to provide students with an immersive experience in professional theatre making. Offers experience with real-world scenarios working alongside both peers and faculty. Develops technical prowess, enhances creative abilities, promotes collaborative teamwork, and prepares students for professional careers.

Examines a specific theatre topic in depth. Topics vary by semester. May be repeated for credit.

Traces western dress and its relationship to its socio-political, cultural and economic surroundings. Analyzes the relationship between dress and the body within a historical context and in relation to architecture, fine, and decorative arts. Explores representation of historical costume in film, television, and theatre. Develops the skills necessary to ‘read’ and accurately identify characteristics of period dress and conduct visual research for effective character costume design.

In-depth study of the collaborative process of designing scenery, costumes, and lighting for theatre. Students will explore various design approaches to shared texts and work in groups to execute unified and conceptually sophisticated design solutions.

Introduces the specific techniques and skills necessary to audition for the professional stage with confidence and artistic honesty. This course will focus on the development of audition material from a wide range of styles and genres as well as mastery of cold reading techniques, and practical preparation for the professional world and the business of acting. For the student contemplating a professional theatre career.

Introduces the mechanics and ethos of directing, including analysis, rehearsal planning, staging, working with actors, and developing a director’s voice. Explores directing theatre in today’s social, political, and environmental contexts, with a focus on transforming practices for a sustainable future. Incorporates social justice principles such as Adrienne Maree Brown’s, “Emergent Strategy.” Culminates in directing a live theatrical work.

Examines an advanced theatre topic in depth. Topics vary by semester. May be repeated for credit.

Offers students the opportunity to study theatre teaching methods, deliver academic class presentations, assist with study sessions and tutorials, attend all classes, final paper and other duties negotiated with course instructor. A final grade of B+ or better is required. This course can be taken for either Pass/Fail or traditional letter grading.

Open to juniors and seniors who wish to study a specific aspect of theatre or pursue a project or topic in depth under faculty supervision. Frequent conferences with the instructor are required.

Provides practical, hands-on field experience in theatre to supplement classroom courses. Eligible students work with an on-campus faculty advisor and an on-site supervisor when appropriate to jointly evaluate their work. 1-15 credits are possible depending on the level of student involvement.