Theatre


Major, Minor

Westminster College of Arts and Sciences

4-Year Degree

two males students sword fighting in commons on Westminster campus

The Theatre Program at Westminster University

When we fear failure, we avoid risk; when we avoid risk, we stunt our creativity. As a theatre student, you’ll be challenged to take creative chances—to push yourself beyond what you thought you were capable of. You’ll work closely with classmates and professors who encourage you to explore and experiment as you find your voice. Together, you’ll discover what you’re passionate about and create worlds that have the power to captivate your audiences.

With classes as small as 11 students, it’s nearly impossible to go unnoticed in Westminster’s Theatre program. You’ll work side-by-side with devoted professors who are passionate about helping you succeed and collaborate with classmates who push you to do your very best. Performing is a huge part of the program. You’ll have the chance to tackle major roles even as a first-year student and have access to 2 performance spaces (1 proscenium and 1 black box) and spacious scene and costume shops. The Florence J. Gillmor Hall expansion also includes enhanced classroom, rehearsal, and performance spaces.

There are helpful student resources available to theatre students and suggestions for extracurricular opportunities you may want to explore, including partnering and affiliated companies in the local area and professional organizations. And, you can get insight into the perspectives of Westminster theatre students and alumni.

Who the Theatre Program Is For

The Theatre program is targeted to students who want to become strong actors, directors, designers, technicians, and theatre administrators who create inspiring and challenging work. Students are passionate, curious, and creative—always hungry to explore the unknown.

What Are the Key Benefits of the Theatre Program?

  • Intimate class sizes encourage intensive, in-depth exploration
  • A collaborative environment encourages you and your classmates to support and challenge one another
  • A mixture of classics, contemporaries, musicals, original plays, and devised works gives you an opportunity to explore a wide range of thought-provoking topics about socially relevant issues
  • Experimentation, collaboration, and individual creativity are cornerstones of the program that allow you to continuously rediscover the dynamic quality of the theatrical process
  • Connections to major theatre companies in town (including Pinnacle Acting Company, the Classical Greek Theatre Festival, and the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival) that gives you access to internships and learning opportunities off campus

Sample theatre courses

  • THTR-101: Devised Theatre
  • THTR-145: Stagecraft I

  • THTR-180: Acting I
  • THTR-220: Stage Management

Apply Now Request Information

Our Faculty

Spencer Brown
Technical Director

Andrea Davenport
Costume Shop Manager & Designer

Stephanie Stroud
Associate Professor

 

Upcoming theatre perfoRmances

Attend an upcoming theatre performance and see how Westminster students put the skills they hone in the classroom to work on the stage.

 

theatre scholarship auditions

Incoming students entering the Theatre Arts program can audition/interview for a talent-based theatre arts scholarship. Scholarships apply for up to 4 years. The audition is for scholarship consideration only and does not affect entering the program as a bachelor of arts student.

 

"Being able to either participate in storytelling or experience it as an audience member connects us as humans and shows us that we are more similar than we are different."

Read The Story

Shianne Gray
Honors '15

 

Theatre Program Plan of Study

Degree Options

During your first year and a half in the program, you'll explore a wide range of classes, including acting, costuming, stagecraft, and dance. As you begin to specialize your craft, you can choose from advanced classes like musical theatre, directing, stage lighting, and dramatic theory and criticism while utilizing your theatre training in productions on campus and throughout the Salt Lake City community. All theatre majors must participate in departmental productions as performers, designers, and/or technicians. Faculty members often arrange internships and other professional experience opportunities with partner organizations in your field of study.

The Theatre program offers 2 degree tracks. All students who declare as a theatre major enter the bachelor of arts degree track (no audition/interview required). If you want to pursue the bachelor of fine arts degree track, you must audition/interview when you become eligible. In the bachelor of fine arts degree track, you additionally choose an emphasis to pursue based on your career goals.

The program can also be taken as a minor, which is a great addition to the Arts Administration program or the Dance program.

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre

The bachelor of arts in theatre is a generalist degree explores a wide range of studies in performance, production, and design, allowing you to incorporate the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities you acquire in your chosen career path. There is no audition/interview requirement for this track; you declare the major. If you'd like to double major, this degree path is a great fit with the Art, Communication, or Dance programs, or a program within the School of Education or Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business.

The bachelor of arts degree does not have any emphases. You will take courses covering the core artistic and academic competencies that inform all theatre studies and will choose some of your elective courses based on your interests.

If you plan on applying to transition into the bachelor of fine arts degree track, you can select elective courses that coincide with the bachelor of fine arts emphasis you plan to pursue. Talk to the head of the emphasis you are interested in for guidance on elective selection: 

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre

A bachelor of fine arts signifies that you're ready to get into entry-level, professional work in theatre after graduation. Unlike the bachelor of arts in theatre, you must audition/interview for entry into this degree track. You will choose between 2 emphases that provide in-depth training in a specific area.

The bachelor of fine arts audition/interview period is announced to current and transfer students each year. Students not accepted into the degree track upon their first audition or interview may continue in the bachelor of arts degree track and reapply for the bachelor of fine arts track the following academic year.

Eligibility

Current (Continuing) Students: Eligible to audition/interview for acceptance into the degree track in their chosen area of emphasis in the fall of their sophomore year.

Transfer Students: Eligible to audition/interview for acceptance into the degree track in their chosen area of emphasis in the spring before their first semester. Westminster offers consideration for a theatre scholarship and acceptance into the degree track when students audition or interview for a scholarship. Transfer students who are not pursuing a scholarship but are still interested in acceptance into the degree track must contact the head of the degree track to schedule an audition/interview.

Areas of Emphasis

The performance emphasis allows you to prepare for a professional career as an actor. You'll take rigorous courses focused on styles of acting, voice work, movement, and audition techniques. You will also prepare a repertoire to help market yourself as an actor for future theatre work or graduate programs.

Audition Requirements:

  • Current headshot/resume 
  • Audition including 2 contrasting monologues (1 must be classical and in verse)
  • Completed bachelor of fine arts (Performance Emphasis) self-assessment rubric
  • Letter of intent
  • Transcript

The production and design emphasis allows you to design and produce an effective portfolio that showcases your knowledge, skills, and personal qualities that will help you secure future theatre work or pursue graduate studies.

Audition Requirements:

  • Current resume
  • Current portfolio (online preferred) that includes:
    • Samples of renderings, models, and coursework
    • Process photos of technical work
    • Completed bachelor of fine arts (Production and Design Emphasis) self-assessment rubric
    • Letter of intent
    • Transcript

Transfer students portfolios may contain work produced at previous institution(s).

Theatre Arts Minor

The theatre arts minor is a well-rounded, basic sampling of courses and experiences in acting, design, and technical theatre, perfect for anyone wanting to get involved in theatre courses. It is often combined with a major in dance or music but can be combined with any major.

Musical Theatre Minor

The musical theatre minor combines courses from the Gillmor School of Music and the Dance and Theatre programs. Some personalization is available in course selection to help you meet your performing goals. This is a great minor option for those majoring in music, theatre, or dance, but students can pair it with any major. Paired with a music major, this minor provides an excellent foundation for opera performance.

liberal education courses

You must complete the WCore program or join the Honors College (and complete requirements) to fulfill your liberal education credits.


Theatre Career Opportunities

You’ll graduate with a comprehensive theatre education and in-depth training. Many students go on to professional careers in film, television, and entertainment, while others choose to continue their education through graduate studies, such as pursuing an MFA.

Potential Careers

Bachelor of arts graduates are prepared to incorporate the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities of focused theatre work in their chosen career path.
Bachelor of fine arts acting emphasis graduates’ repertoire will allow them to market themselves as actors to secure theatre work or pursue graduate programs.
Bachelor of fine arts production and design emphasis graduates possess an effective portfolio that showcases their knowledge, skills, and personal qualities, which will help secure theatre work or pursue graduate studies. Some careers graduates may choose to pursue include:

  • Actor
  • Dramaturge
  • Teacher 

Potential Employers

  • Disney 
  • Elevate Talent Agency 
  • University of Utah

 

Theatre Student Success

Theatre program graduates have begun careers with companies and organizations such as:

  • The Grand Theatre Company
  • Hale Center Theatre
  • Off Broadway
  • Pioneer Theatre Company
  • Plan B Theatre Company
  • Salt Lake Acting Company

Theatre program graduates have chosen to further their studies at schools such as:

  • Cal Arts
  • Columbia University
  • Guilford School of Acting
  • London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
  • Savannah College of Art and Design
  • University of California Irvine

 

Tuition and Aid

There's No Better Investment Than You

Westminster University knows you want an education where you matter—a place that will serve as a launchpad for a successful career and a meaningful life. Westminster will work with you individually through every step of the financial aid process. From scholarships to grants and loans, Westminster helps you make it happen.

With the highest percentage of students who complete one or more internships in the state, Westminster students hit the ground running with real-world experience. Plus, 90% of students were either employed or attending graduate school within 5 months of graduating. With a Westminster degree, you don't have to choose between a successful career and a fulfilling life.

Learn About Tuition

You’ll be automatically considered for scholarship and grant opportunities.

In addition to general merit scholarships, other scholarship programs are available to support you throughout your time at Westminster.

Check Out Scholarships

Your tuition, fully paid

All students should have the ability to explore their passions. Westminster University is proud to cover the cost of tuition for qualifying students through the Westminster Commitment.

Learn About the Westminster Commitment

Theatre Scholarships

The Theatre program also offers talent-based scholarships to incoming students interested in majoring in theatre. An audition or interview is required for consideration.

Learn more about theatre scholarships