Overview

"I never would have guessed that the university close to where I grew up had the kind of theater program that would very much shape so much of who I am and what I do today. Each one of the faculty artists opened me up to a new world of possibilities that I never knew existed. I'm now about eight years removed from this program, but I still get to work with faculty and seek out their advice often."
-Anna Skidis Vargas, 2010, Assistant. Professor of Theater, St. Edward’s University 

Through the performance specialization, a diverse ensemble of faculty and students are dedicated to building a dynamic learning environment and creating exciting and evocative works of theater. Our program includes foundation classes in: 

• Foundations in Naturalism/Stanislavsky Technique
• Script Analysis for the Actor 
• Vocal Production (Lessac Technique) and Movement Fundamentals 

Upper-level courses include: 

• Multicultural Theater and Dance in America-Seminar
• Experimental Performance and Devising Technique
• Suzuki Method and Viewpoints Technique
• Shakespearen and Heightened Language
• Careers in Acting. 
• Advanced Scene Study/Meisner Technique

Core classes are supplemented by electives in: 

• Camera Technique
• Audition Technique
• Stage Dialects
• Comic Styles
• Stage Combat 

Annual performance opportunities include four faculty-directed productions, two student-directed productions and the Black Theater Workshop. Performance faculty bring passion to the classroom every day, and maintain active professional profiles, including work in New York, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Berlin and Prague. 

In addition to our regular curriculum, special workshops, guest artists and conferences are available to our students. Our most recent special learning experiences include: 

• Master classes in film/television auditions from Deborah Barylski, Emmy-award winning casting director, Los Angeles
• Mask technique workshop from Wonderheads Theater, Portland, Ore. 
• Devised theater master class from the Coldharts, New York
• Social activist art workshop/seminar with Antonia Lassar, New York
• Creating solo performance master class, Ernie de Silva, Los Angeles
• Master class in devised theater from Theater Simple, Seattle
• Annual trip to the Human Festival of New American Plays, Actors Theater of Louisville
• Four-week London Theater study abroad program