Program Overview

Introduction to the Theatre Program at Western

The Theatre program at Western is grounded in the liberal arts, providing a well-rounded education for its students. The program offers a variety of specializations, including Entertainment Design and Technology, Performance, Production, Educational Theatre, and Theatre Studies.

Specializations

• Entertainment Design and Technology: This area of specialization is for students interested in costume, lighting, or scenic design, and explores new technology and skills in the field.
• Performance: This specialization is for students who want to pursue a career in theatrical performance, with a focus on studio classes in Voice, Movement, Acting, and Musical Theatre.
• Production: This area of specialization is for students to learn dramatic writing, directing, or stage management skills.
• Educational Theatre: This specialization is for those interested in youth outreach, education, and applied theatre, with the option to complete the teaching certification program with Woodring College of Education.
• Theatre Studies: This specialization is for students interested in the general study of theatre, and is also suitable for individuals who want to blend concentrations.

Curriculum

The curriculum features devising, a process of collaboratively creating new work for the stage. Western has received six National Awards from the Kennedy Center for devised productions. All courses are taught by professional educators, and most classes in the Department offer a low student-to-faculty ratio. The major also includes an introduction to playwriting class, which many undergraduate programs overlook. Western students have won playwriting awards, including accolades from the Kennedy Center, and many have gone on to pursue graduate degrees or professional work in playwriting.

Faculty

The award-winning faculty have worked internationally, regionally, and locally at various prestigious institutions, including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Carnegie Hall, and Seattle Children's Theatre.

Guest Artists

The program has hosted several guest artists, including Steven Dietz, one of America's most produced playwrights, and Idris Goodwin, Seattle Children's Theatre's Artistic Director.

Productions and Facilities

The Mainstage Season consists of five theatre productions and two dance concerts, providing students with opportunities in acting, designing, tech/crew, stage managing, and more. The department has three performance spaces: the Mainstage, a large proscenium stage with a full fly system; the DUG Theatre, a black box theatre that can be transformed into various staging configurations; and the Old Main Theater, a smaller proscenium stage.

Collaboration with Seattle Children's Theatre

The WWU Department of Theatre and Dance collaborates with Seattle Children's Theatre to develop new plays each summer, which then premiere on the SCT mainstage or tour high schools throughout the state of Washington.

Student Groups

In addition to the Department's Mainstage Season, there are several student groups that provide ample opportunities for hands-on learning, including Student Theatrical Productions (STP), Plays 4 Us, and the Dead Parrots Society improv troupe.

Course Offerings

The program offers a wide range of courses, including:

• Scenic Design
• Lighting Design
• Sound Design
• Props Design
• 3D Digital Modeling & Design
• Costume Design & Technology
• Makeup and Hair Styling
• Intro to Stage Tech
• Stage Management
• Acting (Michael Chekhov, Stanislavski, Uta Hagen)
• Movement (Grotowski, Suzuki, Viewpoints)
• Voice (Linklater, Knight-Thompson, Dialects)
• Play Direction
• Playwriting
• Musical Theatre
• On-Camera Acting
• Mask/Commedia
• Audition Technique & Professional Preparation
• Styles Scene Study
• Secondary Theatre Education
• Improv for Teaching Artists
• Theatre History
• Intro to the Cinema
• Understanding Plays
• Costume History

Regional and National Conferences

Each year, the program supports students traveling to participate in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) and the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) conference.

Alumni

Western's Theatre alumni have gone on to work across the industry, regionally and nationally, in film, TV, and gaming, as well as in prestigious theatres such as Seattle Repertory Theatre and ACT.

Affordable Tuition

Western is nationally recognized for providing excellent education at an affordable cost, with Kiplinger's Personal Finance ranking Western as a top value in education.