2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Theatre
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The major in theatre is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in the craft and art of theatre through both theoretical and practical principles. The philosophy of the Theatre Department stresses the relationship between a liberal arts education and possible career paths in the theatre or further studies in graduate programs. The fall and spring Mainstage Theatre productions are linked to the College’s curriculum, providing a learning laboratory in which students have the opportunity to explore educational themes while producing high caliber theatre performances. During the summer, The Open Door Theatre offers students the opportunity for a six‐week professional theatre immersion experience. Working as interns with the resident professional company, 3rd year students take master classes as well as perform technical crew work for that summer’s production.
Learning Outcomes
Students completing the Theatre program should be able to:
- Apply the basic analytical, physical, and vocal techniques utilized in the process of acting.
- Apply the basic terminology and craft skills utilized by the stage technician (scenery, costumes, lighting).
- Describe the analytical and visual principles of theatrical design.
- Apply the basic analytical, staging, blocking, organizational and communication techniques utilized in the process of directing.
- Write creatively and critically for the theatre.
- Analyze, interpret, and evaluate their own and others’ work in the theatre.
- Describe theatre in relation to history and culture.
- Critically read and interpret theoretical and dramatic texts.
- Apply the collaborative and creative process through which a script is transformed into a theatrical production.
Experiential Learning Component
Theatre by its very nature is experiential. Critical to developing the skills necessary to pursue a career in the theatre students must engage not simply in theoretical classroom exercises but in practical production experiences. To that end, students will actively participate in some fashion in all mainstage productions (4 each year) by the theatre department (as actors, stage managers, crew or front of house staff). In addition students are provided additional production experiences with the student run Carriage Theatre Ensemble, which produces two or more works every year. CTE also provides students the opportunity to direct and design in addition to other acting and crew assignments.
After the spring of their junior year (upon completion of 60 credits), students will participate in a summer immersion experience with The Open Door Theatre, our resident professional summer theatre company. In addition to master classes, students will participate in rehearsals and perform technical crew assignments for the company’s production. Students will also produce their own showcase, which will be critiqued and evaluated by members of The Open Door Company. This experience will give students their first truly professional experience outside of the theatre department.
ProgramsMajorMinorCoursesTheatre
All undergraduate courses are 4 credits unless otherwise noted.
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