Westminster College Department of Theatre Arts

"The theater is so endlessly fascinating because it's so accidental. It's so much like life.”

                                                                                                                                -Arthur Miller

The mission of the Department of Theatre is to sustain the tradition of collegiate theatre and contribute to its future viability and vitality by dedicating itself to one guiding principle: to explore the truth of the human experience and the human spirit through the examination and presentation of dramatic work. The Department of Theatre strives to teach the ability to work as a team and learn how to function as an ensemble.  It's critical to help students develop those skills in order to nurture a strong company of actors, directors, designers, technicians, and administrators to inspire and challenge artists and audiences. We strive to produce a mixture of classics, contemporary and original plays and musicals that prvoke thought and communication about social issues such as peace and justice, race, sexual politics, war, immigration and other socially relevant work with vision, while simultaneously educating and entertaining our audiences. We attempt to continuously rediscover the dynamic quality of the theatrical process by encouraging experimentation and nurturing collaboration and individual creativity, all while providing the training and proving ground for the development of future theatre professionals.

The theatre major is a fluid program with an aggressive performance schedule that affords students the opportunity for intensive involvement in all aspects of theatrical production. Students intending to go on to graduate school, desiring to pursue a career in theatre, or merely hoping to stay active in theatre as they move into another vocation, will all find a supportive environment.

The Theatre Program has experienced tremendous growth in the past decade, garnering extensive critical praise along the way. One of the programs biggest accomplishments came in the Fall of 2004 with the opening of the Emma Eccles Jones Conservatory. This state of the arts performance facility has ushered in a new era for music, dance, and theatre at Westminster. A mainstage theatre, blackbox theatre, concert hall, recording studio, fully equipped scenic and costume shops, storage, rehearsal and practice rooms -- you name it, we have it.

The theatre program has a reputation as a fun yet demanding course of study. Theatre students are expected to maintain a strong GPA and, therefore, must be among the most organized students on campus. It has been stated that the greatest challenge in academic theatre is that we seek to mount professional productions while working with students who have not yet attained a professional status. At Westminster we see this as an asset. We train our actors to approach their art in a professional manner while unabashedly capitalizing on the tremendous energy and zeal that youth and inexperience affords. We believe that this gives our shows an edge that even professional companies can't touch. Without a doubt, our greatest asset is our students.