Theatre and Dance

Stefano (Department Chair), G. Bell, M. Bell, Johnson, Kane, Kirk, Romer, Vaughan, White.

Mission and Programs

The Department of Theatre and Dance consists of nine full-time faculty members, 11 part-time faculty, and a support staff of four. The primary mission of the department is the training of artists for the professional theatre.

The department offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Acting, Design/Technology, and (with the Department of Music) Musical Theatre and Musical Theatre with a Concentration in Dance; a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre; and a minor in Dance. In addition, the department offers one of the Integrative Studies Arts courses.

The department mounts nine productions a year (six in the academic year and three in the summer) including an annual Dance Concert.

Selection and admission of all Theatre and Musical Theatre majors and Dance minors is made on the basis of departmental interview, audition and portfolio review. All Theatre and Musical Theatre majors are required to enroll in Theatre Participation (101, 201, 301, 401) every term they are in residence, and must achieve a grade of B or better each term. Students receiving a grade lower than B in Participation will be placed on departmental probation; probation will be removed if the student achieves a B in the following term. Students are allowed a maximum of two terms of probation during their academic career. Students not achieving a B in Participation at the end of their second term on probation will not be eligible to continue in any Theatre or Musical Theatre degree program.

In addition, all B.F.A. students are expected to maintain a 3.0 grade point average each term in their required major classes. Students falling below that standard will be placed on departmental probation; probation will be removed if the student achieves a 3.0 grade point average in the following term. Students are allowed a maximum of two terms of probation during their academic career. Students not achieving a 3.0 average at the end of their second term on probation will not be eligible to continue in the B.F.A. degree program.

Non-majors may participate in theatre activities by enrolling in Theatre 101. Nonmajors also may enroll in Theatre 300, 310, 351, 352, 353; and they may enroll in Theatre 160, 162, 163, 170, 215, 225, 335 and 455 with the permission of the instructor. All other Theatre courses are restricted to Theatre and Musical Theatre majors only. Additional courses as indicated below are restricted to B.F.A. majors. Waiver of restrictions must be approved by the department chairperson.

Program Outcome

Students should be aware that Theatre is a difficult and highly competitive field, and no training program can guarantee employment upon graduation. Nevertheless, the degree programs in Theatre should help students learn the skills needed to find work in the professional theatre, or to enter graduate school for further training. Finally, however, success in this field depends almost entirely on the determination of the individual.