Program Overview

Introduction to the NYU Abu Dhabi Theater Program

The NYU Abu Dhabi Theater Program is an academic and artistic laboratory dedicated to theater research, scholarship, and practice. Reflecting the global vision of NYUAD, a cosmopolitan liberal arts university, we provide a rigorous approach to artist training, a solid scholarly foundation in theater history, theory, and criticism, and exposure to a variety of transnational cultural practices through the study of theater both here and abroad.

Program Overview

For NYUAD theater majors, making and thinking creating and articulating culture are inseparable tasks. Our aim is to develop artist-citizens whose theatrical contributions will expand the limits of the field and make a difference in the world. We expect NYUAD Theater graduates to collaborate eagerly with other artists, scientists, and scholars across disciplines and invent new and hybrid cultural practices that will come to define what theater will be in the 21st century.

Student Experience

Theater and performance are collaborative arts at NYU Abu Dhabi. These experiences happen in many ways:

• In practice-based classes and in scholarly seminars
  • On the mainstage production led by professional artists
  • In apprenticeships with professional companies in residence
  • As students host visiting artists
  • As collaborators on faculty research projects
  • By generating extracurricular experimental performances and staged readings
  • In their senior year, by producing a sustained and fully developed theater Capstone project Theater students learn teamwork, discipline, leadership skills, effective modes of creative expression, improvisation, adaptability, and collective problem solving, as well as interpretive and textual analysis. All these are critical skills necessary for a sustained career in the arts and which are transferable to many careers in the humanities and social sciences.

Program Options

• Theater Major: A comprehensive program designed to provide students with a deep understanding of theater history, theory, and practice, as well as the skills necessary to succeed in the field.
• Theater Minor: An option for students who wish to explore theater as a complement to their major field of study, providing a foundational understanding of theater principles and practices.

Conclusion

The NYU Abu Dhabi Theater Program offers a unique and comprehensive education in theater, combining academic rigor with practical experience and creative expression. By fostering a community of artist-citizens who are equipped to make a positive impact in the world, the program aims to contribute to the evolution of theater in the 21st century.