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The Acting Program At...

The mission of the Department of Theatre is to invigorate and advance the understanding and practice of theatre arts, and to prepare graduates who will serve diverse local and global communities through artistic and scholarly expression. We are committed to equipping diligent students with the requisite skills and knowledge for a successful career in the theatre by providing rigorous education in design, performance, pedagogy, playwriting, technology, and theatre scholarship. We also reach out to all University students with thoughtful, stimulating classes which will fulfill both their University requirements and their desire for personal expression and expanded horizons.

The Department encourages faculty in their own artistic and research pursuits, for the purpose of enriching the learning experience in the classroom, design studio, and performance space. Faculty and staff are passionately committed to excellence in their fields and to guiding students into significant, challenging artistic and academic exploration and growth in a collaborative environment. Moreover, by creating productions of high artistic merit which share with the University and larger community the soul-nourishing and boundary-stretching art of the theatre, the Department participates actively in the project of making the world wiser and more humane.

The BA in Theatre Studies is a versatile degree for students interested in exploring all theatre has to offer, with a special emphasis on the development of new works for the stage. Along side students focusing on acting, musical theatre, stage management, and design, BA students take the Theatre Core Requirements, which create a foundation for advanced study in any field. In addition, BA students complete intermediate and advanced coursework aimed at preparing them for work in the broad and exciting field of new play development—as playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, actors, stage managers, teachers, critics, or just lovers of theatre.

The University of Utah Theatre Department offers a dynamic and demanding undergraduate training experience in its Theatre Performance Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (BFA.) Actor Training Program -- a professionally oriented university/conservatory program for students who seek careers as actors.  Designed to prepare students for classical and contemporary theatre, the curriculum is fundamentally craft-based, offering rich and intensive courses in voice, speech and movement as well as acting.  Rigorous instruction is also provided in verse drama, acting styles, audition technique, singing and dialects.  The faculty is comprised of nationally and internationally recognized working professionals who bring their talents, skills, and experience to the classroom.  We also have a commitment to bringing in guest artists and other visiting professionals to complement our existing curriculum.