Program Overview

Overview of the Theatre Program at Xavier University

The Theatre program at Xavier University combines practical experiences and professional collaborations to prepare students for careers in theatre performance and production. With a fundamental focus on offering student opportunities, Xavier Theatre offers a dynamic and diverse production season of musicals, dramas, and comedies, working with some of the most outstanding directors and designers across the country.

Program Features

• Hands-on production experience: Participate in Xavier Theatre’s five to seven-show season and even land leading roles as a first-year student. Plus, work with some of the best artists in the industry.
• Production lineup: Design your unique career path with diverse courses in acting, theatre technology, stagecraft, directing, playwriting, and design to build the career you want.
• Located in a city of opportunity: Located in Cincinnati, a city with a vibrant arts scene, you'll have access to internships, performances, and partnerships with local arts organizations.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre includes:

• First Year:
  • Fall:
    • THTR 100: Intro to Theatre
    • THTR 120: Acting I
    • CORE 100: First Year Seminar
    • PHIL 100: Ethics as an Introduction to Philosophy
    • Second Language I
    • CORE 101: GOA Co-curriculum Program I
  • Spring:
    • THTR 110: Survey of Dramatic Literature
    • THTR 150: Stagecraft
    • THEO 111: Theological Foundations
    • ENGL 101: English Composition
    • Second Language II
    • CORE 102: GOA Co-curriculum Program II
• Sophomore Year:
  • Fall:
    • THTR 205: Theatre History I
    • Theatre Performance Elective
    • Historical Perspectives Elective
    • Scientific Perspectives Elective
    • Philosophical Perspectives Elective
    • THTR 198/199: Theatre Workshop
  • Spring:
    • THTR 206: Theatre History II
    • THTR 211: Script Analysis
    • Mathematical Perspectives Elective
    • Theological Perspective Elective
    • Theatre Production/Performance Elective
    • THTR 198/199: Theatre Workshop
• Junior Year:
  • Fall:
    • Theatre Production/Performance Elective
    • General Elective
    • General Elective
    • Natural Science Elective
    • Humanities Elective
  • Spring:
    • THTR 350: Directing
    • THTR 198/199: Theatre Workshop
    • Social Science Elective
    • ENGL 205: Literature and Moral Imagination
    • General Elective
    • THTR 351: Internship
• Senior Year:
  • Fall:
    • Theatre Production/Performance Elective
    • THTR 198/199: Theatre Workshop
    • General Elective
    • General Elective
    • General Elective
  • Spring:
    • Theatre Production/Performance Elective
    • THTR 450: Senior Thesis
    • General Elective
    • General Elective

Outcomes

98% of Xavier students, including those in the theatre major, are working, volunteering, or in graduate school within six months of graduating (Class of 2023).

Exciting Career Opportunities

• Theatrical Design (lights, sound, set, costumes, video)
• Director
• Actor (stage, film, tv, commercials)
• Stage Manager
• Producer (theatre, film, tv)
• Talent Management
• Education
• Sales
• Public Relations
• Advertising
• Marketing
• Communications Specialist
• Broadcaster
• Project Management
• Event Management
• Realty
• Authors
• Health Care
• Fundraising

Sample Courses

• Improvisation for the Actor (THTR 160)
• Acting II (THTR 320)
• Directing (THTR 350)
• Internship (THTR 351)
• Set Design (THTR 330)

Clubs

• Don't Tell Anna: An improvisational comedy group that provides an alternative entertainment option to students on campus.
• Toolbox: A student-led improv comedy troupe sponsored by the Xavier Theatre program.
• XU Live: A live performance club that strives to support student performers at Xavier University and create a platform for bi-monthly open mic live performances.

Related Programs

Related Majors

• BA in Digital Innovation, Film, and Television Production
• BA in English
• BA in Music Performance
• BA in Music Production
• BA in Musical Theatre

Related Minors

• Arts Administration
• Digital Innovation, Film and Television
• Music Production
• Music Performance
• Music Studies
• Musical Theatre
• Theatre
• Writing

About Xavier University

Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."