Theatre

The Theatre Program at Westminster University

When we fear failure, we avoid risk; when we avoid risk, we stunt our creativity. As a theatre student, you’ll be challenged to take creative chances—to push yourself beyond what you thought you were capable of. You’ll work closely with classmates and professors who encourage you to explore and experiment as you find your voice. Together, you’ll discover what you’re passionate about and create worlds that have the power to captivate your audiences.

With classes as small as 11 students, it’s nearly impossible to go unnoticed in Westminster’s Theatre program. You’ll work side-by-side with devoted professors who are passionate about helping you succeed and collaborate with classmates who push you to do your very best. Performing is a huge part of the program. You’ll have the chance to tackle major roles even as a first-year student and have access to 2 performance spaces (1 proscenium and 1 black box) and spacious scene and costume shops. The Florence J. Gillmor Hall expansion also includes enhanced classroom, rehearsal, and performance spaces.

There are helpful student resources available to theatre students and suggestions for extracurricular opportunities you may want to explore, including partnering and affiliated companies in the local area and professional organizations. And, you can get insight into the perspectives of Westminster theatre students and alumni.

Who the Theatre Program Is For

The Theatre program is targeted to students who want to become strong actors, directors, designers, technicians, and theatre administrators who create inspiring and challenging work. Students are passionate, curious, and creative—always hungry to explore the unknown.

What Are the Key Benefits of the Theatre Program?

• Intimate class sizes encourage intensive, in-depth exploration
• A collaborative environment encourages you and your classmates to support and challenge one another
• A mixture of classics, contemporaries, musicals, original plays, and devised works gives you an opportunity to explore a wide range of thought-provoking topics about socially relevant issues
• Experimentation, collaboration, and individual creativity are cornerstones of the program that allow you to continuously rediscover the dynamic quality of the theatrical process
• Connections to major theatre companies in town (including Pinnacle Acting Company, the Classical Greek Theatre Festival, and the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival) that gives you access to internships and learning opportunities off campus

Sample theatre courses

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Theatre Program Plan of Study

Degree Options

During your first year and a half in the program, you'll explore a wide range of classes, including acting, costuming, stagecraft, and dance. As you begin to specialize your craft, you can choose from advanced classes like musical theatre, directing, stage lighting, and dramatic theory and criticism while utilizing your theatre training in productions on campus and throughout the Salt Lake City community. All theatre majors must participate in departmental productions as performers, designers, and/or technicians. Faculty members often arrange internships and other professional experience opportunities with partner organizations in your field of study.

The Theatre program offers 2 degree tracks. All students who declare as a theatre major enter the bachelor of arts degree track (no audition/interview required). If you want to pursue the bachelor of fine arts degree track, you must audition/interview when you become eligible. In the bachelor of fine arts degree track, you additionally choose an emphasis to pursue based on your career goals.

The program can also be taken as a minor, which is a great addition to the Arts Administration program or the Dance program.

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre

The bachelor of arts in theatre is a generalist degree explores a wide range of studies in performance, production, and design, allowing you to incorporate the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities you acquire in your chosen career path. There is no audition/interview requirement for this track; you declare the major. If you'd like to double major, this degree path is a great fit with the Art, Communication, or Dance programs, or a program within the School of Education or Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business.

The bachelor of arts degree does not have any emphases. You will take courses covering the core artistic and academic competencies that inform all theatre studies and will choose some of your elective courses based on your interests.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre

A bachelor of fine arts signifies that you're ready to get into entry-level, professional work in theatre after graduation. Unlike the bachelor of arts in theatre, you must audition/interview for entry into this degree track. You will choose between 2 emphases that provide in-depth training in a specific area.

Areas of Emphasis

Theatre Arts Minor

The theatre arts minor is a well-rounded, basic sampling of courses and experiences in acting, design, and technical theatre, perfect for anyone wanting to get involved in theatre courses. It is often combined with a major in dance or music but can be combined with any major.

Musical Theatre Minor

The musical theatre minor combines courses from the Gillmor School of Music and the Dance and Theatre programs. Some personalization is available in course selection to help you meet your performing goals. This is a great minor option for those majoring in music, theatre, or dance, but students can pair it with any major. Paired with a music major, this minor provides an excellent foundation for opera performance.

liberal education courses

You must complete the WCore program or join the Honors College (and complete requirements) to fulfill your liberal education credits.

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Theatre Career Opportunities

You’ll graduate with a comprehensive theatre education and in-depth training. Many students go on to professional careers in film, television, and entertainment, while others choose to continue their education through graduate studies, such as pursuing an MFA.

Potential Careers

Bachelor of arts graduates are prepared to incorporate the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities of focused theatre work in their chosen career path.
Bachelor of fine arts acting emphasis graduates’ repertoire will allow them to market themselves as actors to secure theatre work or pursue graduate programs.
Bachelor of fine arts production and design emphasis graduates possess an effective portfolio that showcases their knowledge, skills, and personal qualities, which will help secure theatre work or pursue graduate studies. Some careers graduates may choose to pursue include:

• Actor
• Dramaturge
• Teacher 

Potential Employers

• Disney 
• Elevate Talent Agency 
• University of Utah