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The Acting Program At...

The Department of Theatre and Dance at The University of Texas at Austin exists as a diverse educational community of artists and scholars who are committed to excellence in teaching, research, creative practice and service.

We train students to work in professional arts environments as well as educate them in the rich traditions of theatre and dance. We encourage our students to be critical spectators as well as professional practitioners, and educate them to the importance of arts advocacy and promotion. We believe students should hold deep, complex understandings of theatre and dance so that they can participate in the widest possible cultural conversations about the arts.

At The University of Texas at Austin's Department of Theatre and Dance, students share the excitement of working with internationally–known artists, scholars and experienced professionals at one of the nation's top research universities. At UT, you can consider the ever–changing nature and function of performance arts while preserving and honoring diverse traditions of the past and present. Here, you can help shape the future while investigating your own intellectual and artistic talents.

Fine teachers, noted scholars and professional artists share their knowledge and expertise. Small classes allow students greater access to both faculty and visiting artists in a variety of classroom, research, rehearsal and performance situations. All faculty are professionally active—designing, choreographing, publishing, directing, performing and presenting scholarly work.

Our performance season runs parallel with the academic year from late August through the first week of May. We average six to eight mainstage productions annually, with an additional 20 to 30 laboratory shows and readings. In alternate years, we host the University Co–op presents the David Mark Cohen New Works Festival, an intensive, Department–wide celebration of new plays, choreography and performance art.