Our Theatre Performance Major

Perform stories that define human nature

Take center stage at Susquehanna and beyond in our theatre performance major.

You'll grow artistically as an actor. From critical analysis of dramatic literature, to authentic and powerful acting on stage, you'll develop in your craft beyond what you thought possible.

Explore characters that force you out of your comfort zone and learn something about yourself in the process. You'll focus on the tools you need to improve your acting. Our intensive acting classes are supported by coursework in theatre history and dramatic theory, enhancing your performances. Adding one of our interdisciplinary minors, like arts administration and women's studies, help you gain a better understanding of important topics in today’s world.

In ways more broad-based than fine arts degrees, you'll gain a better understanding of human communication and culture.

Opportunities abound

The department follows a professional model, preparing you for the environment you'll step into after graduation. Shows are produced by developing the strength of the ensemble, which helps you build collaboration skills with your fellow theatre practitioners.

Our students often begin performing on the main stage in their first semester.

There are four mainstage productions each year, including a student-directed show and a major musical, and six second stage productions
You'll collaborate with the Department of Music on their annual opera program
We offer a second stage season-experimental, edgy and fueled by students' artistic desires

Our faculty will help you find the right internships in theatres across the country. You will develop your professional experience resume and build your network so you can pursue an advanced degree or employment opportunities in acting or related theatre fields.

Recent graduates have gone on to school at:

Bowling Green State University
California Institute of the Arts
Florida State University
Kent State University
Illinois State University
The New School, New York City
Ohio University
Roosevelt University, Chicago College of Performing Arts
University of Arizona
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Houston
University of Maryland at College Park
University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Pittsburgh
University of Texas – Austin
University of South Carolina
Villanova University
The Yale School of Drama

Recent graduates have gotten jobs at:

Arden Theatre Co.
ArtsPower National Tour
Berkshire Theatre Festival
Cirque du Soleil
Delaware Theatre Company
Disney Cruise Lines
Glimmerglass Festival
Merry-Go-Round Playhouse
NetWorks Productions (Broadway tours)
New Jersey Shakespeare Festival
Playwrights Horizons
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
Portland Stage Co.
Syracuse Opera
Walnut Street Theatre
Weston Playhouse Theatre Company

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. Susquehanna offers a major in theatre with three emphases: performance, production and design, and theatre studies. Majors complete university Central Curriculum requirements plus 52 semester hours of courses in one of the three theatre emphases. These include introductory courses and specific emphasis requirements. A grade of C- or better is required for any course to apply to the major or minor. Courses may count toward only one emphasis or minor. The department also expects theatre majors and minors to participate each semester in department theatre productions and activities supervised by department faculty.

Theatre Major Emphases

Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in department productions and successfully complete the following courses:

Semester Hours	View Full Course Catalog >>
24 Department Requirements
4 THEA-151 Acting I: The Stanislavski System
4 THEA-252 Western Theatre History
4 THEA-253 Identity and Representation in Non-Western Theatre
4 THEA-258 From Page to Stage
4 THEA-340 Stage Management and Theatre Operations
4 THEA-453 Dramatic Theory and Criticism
Students also choose one of the following options: 28 Option One: Performance Emphasis
4 THEA-251 Acting II: Voice and Movement
4 THEA-351 Acting III: Period Styles
4 THEA-451 Directing
4 Four semester hours chosen from THEA-101 The Fall Musical, THEA-102 Student-directed Production, THEA-103 Spring Production, THEA-104 Advanced Acting Workshop and THEA-105 Experimental Acting Workshop. 4 Four semester hours chosen from THEA-142 Stagecraft, THEA-143 Scenic Production, and THEA-144 Costume Technology 8 Choose 8 semester hours from the following:
1 THEA-101 The Fall Musical
1 THEA-102 Student-directed Production
1 THEA-103 Spring Production
1 THEA-104 Advanced Acting Workshop
1 THEA-105 Experimental Acting Workshop
4 THEA-240 Theatre and Violence
4 THEA-246 Scenic Design
4 THEA-254 African-American Theatre History
4 THEA-341 Costume Design
4 THEA-342 Stage Makeup
4 THEA-345 Lighting Design
4 THEA-452 Seminar in Theatre
28 Option Two: Production and Design Emphasis
4 THEA-142 Stagecraft
4 THEA-143 Scenic Production
4 THEA-501 Production Lab
8 Choose 8 semester hours chosen from:
4 THEA-341 Costume Design
4 THEA-342 Stage Makeup
4 THEA-345 Lighting Design
8 Choose 8 semester hours from the following:
4 THEA-144 Costume Technology 4 THEA-452 Seminar in Theatre (repeatable with topic change) 4 THEA-455 Computer Applications for Theatrical Design 4 THEA-254 African-American Theatre History or THEA-240 Theatre and Violence
28 Option Three: Theatre Studies Emphasis
4 THEA-254 African-American Theatre History 2 THEA-502 Dramaturgy 4 4 semester hours chosen from THEA-246 Scenic Design, THEA-341 Costume Design, or THEA-345 Lighting Design 4 THEA-200 Introduction to Dramatic Literature or THEA-240 Theatre and Violence The remaining 14 semester hours may be chosen from the courses below:
4 THEA-142 Stagecraft
or THEA-143 Scenic Production
or THEA-144 Costume Technology
4 THEA-251 Acting II: Voice and Movement
4 THEA-260 The Choreopoem
4 THEA-342 Stage Makeup
4 THEA-451 Directing
4 THEA-452 Seminar in Theatre (repeatable once with department head approval) 1 THEA-502 Dramaturgy (repeatable once) 1 THEA-501 Production Lab (repeatable once) No more than 4 semester hours from the following may be included:
1 THEA-101 The Fall Musical
1 THEA-102 Student-directed Production
1 THEA-103 Spring Production
1 THEA-104 Advanced Acting Workshop
1 THEA-105 Experimental Acting Workshop

Minor in Theatre. Students are expected to participate in departmental theatre productions and complete 20 semester hours: THEA-151 Acting I: The Stanislavski System and THEA-142 Stagecraft; four semester hours chosen from THEA-252 Western Theatre History, THEA-253 Identity and Representation in Non-Western Theatre, THEA-240 Theatre and Violence or THEA-254 African-American Theatre History; and eight semester hours chosen from the following: four semester hours of production ensembles (THEA-101 The Fall Musical, THEA-102 Student-directed Production, THEA-103 Spring Production, THEA-104 Advanced Acting Workshop and THEA-105 Experimental Acting Workshop); THEA-143 Scenic Production; THEA-144 Costume Technology; THEA-240 Theatre and Violence; THEA-246 Scenic Design; THEA-251 Acting II: Voice and Movement; THEA-258 From Page to Stage; THEA-260 The Choreopoem, THEA-340 Stage Management and Theatre Operations; THEA-341 Costume Design; THEA-342 Stage Makeup; THEA-345 Lighting Design; THEA-451 Directing; and THEA-506 Individual Investigation.