Artistically innovative, socially conscious.
The Theatre and Peformance BA program offers a world-class liberal arts education in the theatre, where students combine scholarship and artistic practice to create original and socially engaged performances.
From global classics to cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, the theatre and performance major encourages creativity, intellectual curiosity, and social engagement through a hybrid “liberal arts within a conservatory” degree program. Learning from award-winning instructors who are professional artists and published scholars, you’ll gain practical experience while enriching your understanding of diverse theatre traditions across eras and cultures.
Strong Foundation
The core requirements provide a strong foundation in theatre history, dramatic literature, and stagecraft, with opportunities to focus on applied theatre, devised theatre, directing, dramaturgy, ensemble creation, performance, playwriting, scholarship, and theatre production.
Topical courses offer deep dives into subjects such as Asian American Theatre, Black American Drama, Contemporary US Latinx Theatre, Documentary Theatre, Dramatic Theory, LGBTQ Drama, Satire, Solo Performance, Transmedia, and Women in Performance.
Experiential Approach
Our robust production calendar offers numerous opportunities to be involved in theatrical performances. Whether working with a professional director on a Mainstage production or creating original performances for senior projects, theatre and performance students are engaged in making vibrant theatre that emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and social change.
Concentrations and Senior Projects
Theatre and Performance majors declare one of the concentrations below prior to junior year, which determines the nature of the senior project.
- Directing
- Writing for the Stage
- Production
- Performance Practice
- Alternative Performance Practices
- Applied Theatre
- Dramaturgy
- Theatre History, Theory, and Criticism
The senior project allows you to explore a topic you choose through a rigorous research and writing component and the execution of a creative project (except Theatre History, Theory, and Criticism).