theatre course information

 scholarships/awards/competitions

degree information
core information
minor information

The course requirements for students pursuing a Theatre Arts option within the Department of Speech Communication are held to a minimum, with the intention of allowing the student (and their faculty advisor) to devise a program most suited to their specific needs and objectives. Areas of concentration within Theatre Arts are possible, but not necessary. Working within a liberal arts framework and perspective, all undergraduate theatre students are expected to complete coursework and demonstrate basic knowledge in two general areas of study:

1. Theatre History, Dramatic Literature, Theory/Criticism
2. Design/ Technical, Performance

In addition, theatre arts students must demonstrate production skills through participation in University Theatre shows on the Withycombe Hall Mainstage and/or in the Withycombe Hall Lab Theatre. Academic credit may be earned for selected University Theatre production experiences via TA 250 or TA 350 (Theatre Workshop), or in certain cases TA 406 (Projects) or TA 408 (Workshop). Faculty approval for any production-related credit MUST be secured PRIOR to registration.

A minimum of 24 hours of elective courses are required by the University for graduation. At least half of the elective courses must be in courses from outside the Department of Speech Communication.

NOTE: Grades for all TA courses used for a major or minor must be at least C-. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for all courses applied to the major/minor. A maximum of 60 term credit hours may be included in either departmental or interdepartmental majors.

Theatre Core Requirements

• TA 144 Play reading (1 credit/take twice)
• TA 147 Introduction to the Theatre (3 credits)
• TA 244 Scenecrafts (3)
• TA Stage Makeup (3)
• TA 248 Fundamentals of Acting (3)
• TA 344 Playscript Analysis (3)

Theatre Arts Area of Study #1
(minimum of 15 hours)

Theatre History, Dramatic Literature & Theory/ Criticism

• History of Theatre Arts
• TA 330 Greek to Italian Renaissance (3)
• TA 331 Elizabethan English to 1875 (3)
• TA 332 Modern (3)
• Dramatic Literature
• TA 360 (DPD) Multicultural American Theatre (3)
• Theory & Criticism
• TA 444 Theory & Criticism of Theatre Arts (3)
• Special Seminars in Theatre History, Dramatic Literature, Theory/Criticism
(i.e.,Theatre of Moliere, Theatre of Chekhov etc.)
• TA 407 Seminar (3)
• Topics in Theatre Arts
(when subject is suitable-e.g., British Theatre, The Shakespearean Stage)
• TA 416 Topics (3)
• Special Studies in Theatre History, Dramatic Literature, Theory/ Criticism
• TA 401 Research (3)
• TA 402 Independent Study (3)
• TA 405 Reading & Conference (3)

Theatre Arts Area of Study #2

Design/Technical & Performance

• Design/Technical
• TA 242 Visual Design for Theatre (3)
• TA 243 Principles of Costuming (3)
• TA 245 Stage Lighting (3)
• TA 346 Scene and Stage Design (3)
• TA 443 Costume Design (3)
• TA 464 Theatre Management (3)
• TA 465 Theatre & Auditorium Design (3)
• Performance
• TA 406 Projects
• TA 121 Oral Interpretation II (3)
• TA 249 Fundamentals of Acting II (3)
• TA 321 Advanced Interpretation (3)
• TA 348 Advanced Acting: Realism (3)
• TA 349 Advanced Acting: Styles (3)
• TA 351 Principles of Playwriting (3)
• TA 352 Playwriting Workshop (3)
• TA 354 Fundamentals of Play Directing (3)
• TA 454 Advanced Play Directing (3)
• Topics in Theatre Arts
• TA 416 Topics
• Special Studies in Design/Technical & Performance
• TA 406 Projects
• TA 408 Workshop
• TA 410 Internship
• TA 450 Studio

TOTAL HOURS IN THEATRE ARTS OPTION

Minimum = 53	(17 Theatre core + 15 in Study Area #1 + 21 in Study Area #2)
Maximum = 60

ELECTIVES

A minimum of 24 hours of elective courses are required by the University for graduation. At least half of the elective hours must be in courses from outside the Department of Speech Communication.

Departmental Electives

• TA 250 Theatre Workshop (Production and Faculty Supervisor)
• TA 350 Workshop
• Comm course

Total TA 250 and 350 Workshop credits not to exceed 6 hours.

More workshop credits can be taken, but only 12 (6 + 6 of 250/350) may be counted toward graduation.

Electives Outside the Theatre Department

Recommended Electives:

• ENG 105 Introduction to Lit. Drama (3)
• ENG 201, 202, 203 Shakespeare (3, 3, 3)
• ENG 320 American Drama (3)
• ENG 411, 412, 413 Development of Drama (3, 3, 3)
• ENG 436, 437, 438 Advanced Shakespeare (3, 3, 3)
• ENG 442 Yeats and Irish Drama (3)
• AIHM 225-227 Apparel Construction (3, 3, 3)
• AIHM 250 Fundamentals of Textiles (3)
• AIHM 270 Fashion & Society (3)
• AIHM 319, 320 Comp. Assisted Design & Drafting (3, 3)
• AIHM 321 Fashion Illustration & Design (3)
• AIHM 327 Flat Pattern Design (4)
• AIHM 360 Twentieth Century Fashion (3)
• AIHM 427 Draping (4)
• AIHM 429 Adv. Problems in Apparel Design
• AIHM 461, 462 History of the Near Environment (4, 4)
• MUS 169, 369 Opera Workshp (1)
• MUS 185 Voice Class (1)
• ART 131 Drawing (4)
• ART 204-206 Introduction to Western Art History (3, 3, 3)
• ART 222 Graphic Design (3)
• ART 360-366 History of Art (3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3)
• ART 367 History of Design (3)

All theatre students should be aware of courses in other departments of particular relevance to Theatre Studies and be alert to opportunities to satisfy Baccalaureate Core Requirements or College Distribution Requirements with studies pertinent and of particular value to the theatre student.

NOTE: All theatre majors and minors must at some time in their undergraduate training:

1. Serve on a running crew for a Mainstage production.
2. Serve as a stage manager or assistant director for a Mainstage or Lab production.
3. Perform in a major or minor role in a Mainstage or Lab theatre production.

In addition, all theatre majors/minors should serve as an usher and/or house manager and participate in all Mainstage production strikes.