Theatre Arts

Bachelor of Arts, Department of Theatre and Dance

Two students perform a scene in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

See program requirements, course sequences and more in the Course Catalog.

Program Mission

The mission of the Theatre Program is dedicated towards creating “total theatre-makers.” Performing arts provide the indispensable social functions of entertainment, enlightenment, and education. For the theatre artist, performing arts teaches practical skills including collaboration, creative problem solving, communicative clarity, organizational prowess, ethics, and time management skills through the execution of production. This execution is implemented onstage and in classroom simulation.

Degree Objectives

  • Foster academic excellence through development of programs that meet  national standards
  • Enhance the cultural and aesthetic experience of our campus, community and region through quality productions, leadership, and service learning.
  • Embrace a standard of artistic excellence, which is enhanced by aggressive pursuit of summer internships and other professional development opportunities.
  • Prepare students for successful transfer to graduate or conservatory programs or to pursue professional careers in the theatre and dance performance, theatre and dance education, or allied fields.

Contact

Nathan Bowman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor & Chair
Contact by Email
(913) 360-7205

St. Benedict Hall

Department Website

Faculty

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Other Department Offerings

  • Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts Management
  • Minors in Theatre Arts and Dance 

 Requirements for a Theatre Arts Major 

  • THTR-1800, Script Analysis
  • THTR-1150, Fundamentals of Acting
  • THTR-1550, Stagecraft
  • THTR-2150, Techniques of Acting
  • THTR-2250, Movement for the Performing Artist
  • THTR-2210, Stage Makeup
  • THTR-2240, Voice and Diction
  • THTR-2550, Fundamentals of Theatrical Design
  • THTR-3150, Advanced Acting Styles
  • THTR-3520, Scene Design
  • THTR-3560, Lighting Design or THTR-3580, Costume Design
  • Three theatre history courses:
    • THTR-3810, Theatre History and Literature to 1640
    • THTR-3820, Theatre History and Literature From 1640 Through 1918
    • THTR-3830, Modern and Contemporary Theatre THTR-4150, Play Direction THTR-SRCOMP, Senior Comprehensive Exam or THTR-4950, Senior Creative Project 
  • Six hours of Production Arts
  • Six hours of theatre electives
  • In lieu of the senior comprehensive examinations, departmental majors are provided the opportunity and privilege of culminating their undergraduate studies with a senior creative project. Students desiring this option must take THTR-4950. Majors must participate in the college production program in four of the following capacities: assistant director or stage manager, box office and publicity, performance, lighting crew, scene construction crew, costuming crew, and/or properties crew.

Requirements for a Theatre Arts Minor

  • THTR-1800, Script Analysis
  • THTR-1150, Fundamentals of Acting
  • THTR-1550, Stagecraft
  • Four hours of Production Arts
  • Two courses selected from:
    • THTR-3810, Theatre History and Literature to 1640
    • THTR-3820, Theatre History and Literature From 1640 Through 1918
    • THTR-3830, Modern and Contemporary Theatre
  • Six additional hours selected from theatre arts.
  • The minimum total hours for the minor will be twenty-one; nine hours must be in courses numbered 3000 or above. Minors must participate in the college production program in two of the following capacities: assistant director or stage manager, box office and publicity, performance, technical design including costume, lighting, scenic, sound, and props design, and/or production run crew.

Requirements for a Theatre Arts Management Major

Business/Management Component

  • ACCT-2090, Principles of Financial Accounting
  • ECON-2100, Principles of Microeconomics
  • BUSI-2230, Business Communication MGMT-3400, Enterprise Management
  • MATH-2110, Applied Statistics
  • BUSI-3710, Legal Environment of Business
  • MKTG-3100, Principles of Marketing
  • FINC-3100, Principles of Finance
  • One 4000-level elective in Business Administration

Theatre Arts Component

  • SPCH-1100, Speech Communication
  • THTR-1800, Script Analysis
  • THTR-1150, Fundamentals of Acting
  • THTR-1550, Stagecraft
  • THTR-2210, Stage Makeup
  • THTR-3520, Scene Design
  • THTR-3560, Lighting Design or THTR-3580, Costume Design
  • THTR-4150, Play Direction
  • THTR-3810, Theatre History and Literature to 1640
  • THTR-3820, Theatre History and Literature From 1640 Through 1918
  • THTR-3830, Modern and Contemporary Theatre
  • Majors must complete three hours of Production Arts. Majors must also participate in the college production program as assistant director or stage manager, and in box office and publicity, plus two of the following capacities: performance, technical design including costume, lighting, scenic, sound, and props design, and/or production run crew.

Requirements for a special double major in English & Theatre Arts

A full major in both English and Theatre Arts can be earned through applying interdepartmental courses in both fields and thus reducing the total number of hours that might otherwise be required.

  • ENGL-2030, British Literature to 1750
  • ENGL-2040, British Literature After 1750
  • ENGL-2050, American Literature to the Civil War
  • ENGL-2060, American Literature After the Civil War
  • ENGL-3020, Shakespeare
  • ENGL-4110, Literary Criticism
  • ENGL-4310, Introduction to Linguistics
  • THTR-4950, Senior creative project
  • ENGL-SRCOMP, Senior comprehensive examination
  • Choose one from:
    • ENGL-2010, World Literature I: Ancient to Renaissance
    • ENGL-2020, World Literature II: Enlightenment to the Present
  • Choose two from:
    • THTR-3810, Theatre History and Literature to 1640
    • THTR-3820, Theatre History and Literature From 1640 Through 1918
    • THTR-3830, Modern and Contemporary Theatre 
  • THTR-1800, Script Analysis
  • THTR-1150, Fundamentals of Acting
  • THTR-1550, Stagecraft
  • THTR-2150, Techniques of Acting
  • THTR-2210, Stage Makeup
  • THTR-2240, Voice and Diction
  • THTR-3520, Scene Design
  • THTR-4150, Play Direction choose one from
  • THTR-3560, Lighting Design
  • THTR-3580, Costume Design
  • Majors must complete six semesters of Production Arts. Majors must participate in the college production program in four of the following capacities: assistant director or stage manager, box office and publicity, performance, technical design including costume, lighting, scenic, sound, and props design, and/or production run crew

Transfer students majoring in Theater Arts must take a minimum of 40% of the coursework required for the major at Benedictine College. Transfer students pursuing a minor in Theater Arts must take a minimum of 25% of the coursework required for the minor at Benedictine College.

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