Theatre

Program Objectives

The EOU Theatre Program, with a diversified curriculum leading to a B.A. or B.S. in theatre, places an emphasis on academic excellence, production, creativity, and hands-on learning. Both the B.S. and the B.A. explore the role of theatre as a voice and a mirror for the cultural behaviors of all human beings. Our objective is to prepare students in the theatrical world for either graduate work in the discipline, teaching, or other creative professional endeavors. Students after completing the Theatre required core can finish their degree as actors, directors, designers, stage managers, playwrights, dramaturgs or theatre generalists. Students contemplating a Theatre minor can complete at a distance with those courses within the minor that are taught online.

Learning Outcomes

Content Knowledge: Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of theatre literature and history.
Critical Thinking: Use critical thinking to demonstrate understanding/appreciation of all aspects of theatre production including performance and design.
Integrated and Applied Learning: Use integrated and applied learning to demonstrate hands-on experience in a variety of theatre disciplines to bring a production from conceptualization to opening night.
Teamwork: Employ teamwork to gain an understanding/appreciation of the collaborative process that makes theatre possible.
Civic Engagement: Dedication to civic engagement and service to society through a season of plays covering a diverse range of topics and content.

In addition, students will gain specific proficiencies in the following areas:

Musical Theatre, Acting, Directing, Design, Stage Management or Dramaturgy.
Hands-on experience in the creation of the “visual world” of the theatre
The development of the actor’s instrument (voice, body, and imagination) through exercises, scenes, and improvisation
The ability to direct using the skills of movement, text analysis, character motivation, and visualizing the environment
The ability to apply theatre to a major production or scholarly experience

Means of Assessment

Theatre majors are evaluated in many distinct ways. They complete the required and elective courses in the discipline that reinforce creative response, historical knowledge, and analytical thinking. In musical theatre students learn the meaning of the “triple threat’ performer who can act, sing and dance thus being a complete theatre practitioner and marketable to a wider theatre career. By acting in plays, students refine their physical instrument, the body, by creating believable characters. By designing sets, lights, and costumes for plays, they are given avenues of expression in theatrical production and execution, which also provide hands-on experiences. In directing courses, theatre majors demonstrate a mastery of textual analysis, form, visualization, and structure. In their capstone experiences, they showcase abilities as a “culmination experience” in musical theatre, acting, design, directing, dramaturgy or stage management.

Programs

Major(s)

Minor(s)

Theatre Minor

Four Year Plan(s)