The Department of Theatre educates and trains students in the fields of performance, design/technology and theatre pedagogy. The department provides students with the professional and cultural foundations essential for achieving the highest standards of the art of theatre.
The Department of Theatre’s mainstage season consists of a minimum of four fully produced shows per academic year, plus opportunities for collaborative events and participation and performances in one of four award-winning improv teams.
Students in the Department of Theatre are introduced to contacts in the industry through many nationally recognized guest artists, the senior showcase and professional portfolio reviews.
Our Alumni are award-winning actors, producers, directors, designers, and technicians. They have worked with an impressive array of theatre and production companies including:
- Broadway, Off-Broadway and National Tours
- Top regional theatres including Arena Stage, Steppenwolf, Santa Fe Opera, Cincinnati Playhouse, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, American Shakespeare Center and more!
- Projects for Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, Disney, and major feature films with studios like Paramount and Warner Bros.
Degree Programs
The department offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre with an emphasis in performance, area of design and technical theatre or stage management. In these pre-professional training programs, all aspects of theatre including the art, craft, and business are examined. Click on the links below to learn more about the concentrations:
If an incoming student is interested in the BFA program, they apply to Theatre Foundations in a specific track (Performance, Musical Theatre, Costume, Scenic, Lighting, Stage Management). After successfully completing their second year in the program, all students must undergo an assessment with faculty to be admitted into the BFA program in their concentration of choice.
The BA track is designed for students who desire a strong emphasis in theatre combined with a liberal arts education and a minor in another course of study. Students in our BA program pursue interests in areas such as Business, English, Mass Communications, Gender Studies, and Religious Studies to name a few.
Read more about the BA in Theatre
The department offers a Minor in Theatre and a Minor in Musical Theatre. VCUarts also offers an interdisciplinary Minor in Sound Design.
The Master of Fine Arts in Theatre with a concentration in pedagogy/performance is tailored to prepare early- to mid-career theatre professionals to enter the field of teaching at the university or college level.
This dynamic two-year program combines classes in pedagogy, performance studies, dramaturgy, and critical studies with production work and the opportunity to teach and assist in undergraduate classes.
Mainstage Productions
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Mainstage Resources
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