Overview

Students in the Department of Theater explore the art of theater through theory, performance, and production. Each student experiences the essentially collaborative nature of theater through participation in theater productions. Our curriculum enables students to develop a rich understanding of both the enactment of the written word and the essence of theatrical expression. In addition to preparing our students for further study and related careers in theater or film, we encourage each student to explore ideas of self and community and to express these discoveries through one or more aspects of theater.

Because the development of a theater artist is enhanced by time as well as training, we encourage students considering a Theater major or minor to consult with department faculty and begin taking courses in the first year. (The curriculum, however, is structured to enable an industrious student to begin at a later time and complete the major by the end of the fourth year.)

Students are encouraged to broaden their self-discovery through opportunities for Community Based Learning and through internships. The department has rich, ongoing relationships with Los Angeles theater companies, providing opportunities for internships and independent study. Artists from these companies are frequent and regular guest artists for productions and as guest instructors.

While the major is designed to prepare students for successful careers in theater and film, it provides also, in conjunction with study in other areas of the liberal arts, unique and effective preparation for success in such diverse fields as business, law, communications, arts administration, education, and social service.