About the Program
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with a concentration in performance includes classes in acting, movement, improvisation, stage combat, voice/speech and dialects, and acting for the camera in addition to other theatre related courses. Classes in musical theatre performance can be substituted for some upper level classes for students desiring more training in musical theatre. The senior year concentrates on helping students launch successful careers after graduation through showcase presentations, and visits from leading professional theatre internship programs as well as classes in audition techniques and professional preparation.
Our theatre faculty have won awards for producing, directing, and designing including Tony Awards, Bay Area Theatre Critics’ Circle Awards, Hollywood Drama-Logue Awards and many others. You’ll meet guest artists and directors at the top of their fields and build contacts in the industry.
Theatre students and faculty have worked on AMC’s Turn: Washington’s Spies, Lincoln and Loving. Our department also has a partnership with Virginia Repertory Theatre, Richmond’s leading professional theatre company. Students have landed positions with The Public Theater, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre (D.C.), and Santa Fe Opera, and on-screen performances in productions from Netflix, FOX, Disney and Paramount.
Some classes you might take in this major:
- Movement for the Actor
- Acting for the Camera
- Solo Performance
- Black Theatre
- Voice and Speech for the Actor
Our alumni are:
- Actors on stage and film
- Voice over artists
- Directors
- Educators
Theatre Foundation
All freshman and transfer students entering the department are initially classified as Theatre Foundation students. After successfully completing the first two years of core theatre courses in their foundation areas of emphasis, students apply for admission to a specific degree program (B.F.A. or B.A.). The department offers B.F.A concentration areas in performance, including musical theatre, and stage management, as well as three areas of design/technology: scenic, lighting and costume.