Students apply foundational knowledge of cognate disciplines such as history, philosophy, anthropology, political science, film, art, music, and literature under the guidance of a professional resident faculty. The faculty and annual professional guest artists — all currently working on and off- Broadway, in regional theatre, and worldwide — provide students an experienced lens through which to study both the theory and practice of acting, theatrical design and technology, dramaturgy, dramatic criticism, storytelling, and playwriting.
During their first two years in the 120-credit Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, students enroll in a core of courses that provide a solid foundation as they pursue excellence in their discipline. Upon admission to CSU and declaration of theatre as their major, students are directed into one of three concentrations: Performance, Design and Technology, or General Theatre. No matter which concentration is selected, students are equally prepared for graduate school or potential entry-level positions in the theatrical professions or creative industries.
Comprehensive training, both on and off- stage, occurs in the classroom, in rehearsal studios, as well as during theatrical productions, produced by a company of student actors, directors, designers, and technicians. Each season includes classics, contemporary plays, and musicals.
Striving always to maintain the quality of a regional theatre, four main-stage productions — including one musical — are annually produced in the University Theatre (a 300-seat thrust theatre) and the Studio Theatre (a flexible black box seating 100). Two opera-theatre productions in the 550-seat Griffin Concert Hall, and four dance concerts in the 200-seat University Dance Theatre round out the production schedule.