Learn about... Univ. of Illinois

Home > Tour the Colleges! > Illinois > Illinois College

The Acting Program At...

On or behind stage, you're invited to become part of Illinois College TheatreWorks. Whether you've been involved in high school productions or are new to the theatre, there are many opportunities for students with various interests.

TheatreWorks produces two or three main-stage shows and several student-directed shows each academic year. We have two theatres: Sibert Theatre, a 250-seat modified thrust theatre; and the Illinois College Experimental Blackbox Theatre or the ICE Box. Committed to staging a variety of works including classics, new works, and musicals, we also experiment with a variety of theatrical styles, from realism to theatricalism. Our seasons often revolve around particular themes.

Students play a vital role in the operation of TheatreWorks from staffing the box office, to house management, to publicity, to work on set and lights, to costume design and construction, to makeup artists. Paid student positions are available in many of these areas. Students also receive academic credit for production work.

Most jobs in the professional theatre require a master's degree, and our program prepares students for graduate school in theatre and in related areas. But we are also training students to enter the 21st-century workforce at large by training them in creative problem-solving, leadership, collaboration, critical thinking, and integrity. Despite claims that a theatre degree is "impractical," it teaches many valuable skills highly prized by employers in a multitude of fields. Some of the career paths you could pursue upon graduation include actor, designer (lights, set, sound, props, costume), director, makeup artist, stage manager, set builder, scene painter, light or sound engineer, playwright, box office manager, exhibit/display designer, talent scout, casting director, amusement park entertainer, tour guide, paralegal, admissions director, advertising/marketing specialist, business manager, residential life coordinator, movie theatre manager, media salesperson, public relations specialist, and radio/TV announcer.