The BA major in Theatre and Performance is designed for intellectually curious, adventurous, and bold theatre makers and thinkers.

The program provides a solid liberal arts education in the theatre, combining academic scholarship and artistic practice, with particular emphasis on theatre as a forum for collaboration, experimentation, and social engagement.

Academic Excellence

Students in Theatre and Performance engage equally in “thinking” and “doing,” with foundational courses in theatre history and dramatic literature, electives in multiple theatrical cultures and innovative modes of creation, and practical courses in the art of making theatre. Majors have numerous opportunities to gain experience in a variety of creative roles, including acting, design, directing, dramaturgy, playwriting, production, and stage management. They are also encouraged to enhance their education with courses in disciplines across the college, as well as in study abroad programs.

Artistic Exploration

The BA in Theatre and Performance produces a vibrant theatre season, consisting of professionally directed Mainstage productions, focusing on new and innovative plays, as well as student-created projects that have run the gamut from devised ensemble pieces to solo performances to reinterpreted classics. The new and state-of-the-art Center for Media, Film, and Theatre (CMFT), with two flexible black box spaces, is the principal venue for the program’s performances. Whether witnessing world-renowned performers at the Performing Arts Center, learning from invited guest artists, or taking sponsored trips to such venues as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Playwright’s Horizons, New York Theatre Workshop, and Theatre for a New Audience, students will experience the best of contemporary theatre–and participate in creating the theatre of the future.

Social Engagement

The BA Program in Theatre and Performance is designed for students who understand theatre as a means of engaging with the world, and they are encouraged to pursue projects that express their own perspectives and concerns.  In Applied Theatre, students have further opportunities to engage in social justice movements through the art of theatre. Graduates of the program, whether working in the professional theatre, education, or other fields, bring their experience of creativity, collaboration, and community into their careers.


Please note: Admission to the Theatre and Performance BA program is separate from and has no bearing on admission to the Acting BFA program.

Updated 9.22.21