Theatre Arts

Developing the skills to succeed on and off stage.

If you want to shine onstage, behind the scenes or writing the scenes, directing or designing, or by shining light on others, you can do it all at Augustana.

You’ll get more experience than at many undergraduate schools, along with guidance. Besides an actor, designer and technician, you can be a stage manager, director and playwright. Theatre arts majors also can be dramaturgs, researching and presenting the historical context for mainstage productions — a rare opportunity for undergrads.

For an emphasis, you can choose performance, musical theatre, design and technology, or theatre history and research.

You’ll work with inspirational people through a performance season that explores a topic or theme in a range of genres and historical periods — featuring mainstage productions (including a musical, frequently with OperX), a student-produced studio season, and an annual Festival of Short Plays.

Augustana theatre arts alumni have completed graduate programs in theatre history, acting, directing, set design, theatre technology, and costume and lighting design. Graduates have careers as actors (stage, TV and film), talent agents, regional theatre performers, independent film producers, lighting designers, directors, sound technicians, stage managers, teachers and professors.

What you'll learn

**Creative thinking**

Combine ideas to create something new. Use imaginative ways of solving problems.

**Disciplinary knowledge**

Gain a deep understanding of your subject and how it connects to other subjects.

**Communication competence**

Read and listen carefully. Express ideas (writing or speaking) suited to the audience.

**Intellectual curiosity**

Set yourself up for lifelong intellectual growth. Take responsibility for your own learning.

**Intercultural competence**

Understand real and imaginary similarities and differences. Use more than one perspective to view issues.

Distinctions

• Inspired by New York City’s Off-Broadway New World Stages, Augustana’s Brunner Theatre Center includes the Brunner Main Stage and the Heidi Honkamp Myhre Black Box, as well as a scene shop, costume shop, dressing rooms, a conference room and theatre library. Built into the hillside south of the Brunner Center is the intimate outdoor performance space, the Ruth and Lefty Anderson Pavilion.

• Every year, the theatre arts department offers workshops and field trips to professional theatres and conferences at an affordable cost. Students have taken trips to New York City, London and Ontario. The Nancy Salen Mueller Theatre Exploration Award supports theatre-related travel and research, and students also can use a $2,000 Augie Choice grant.

• Co-founded and co-directed by alumnus Estlin Feigley, the Emmy Award-nominated Fresh Films is based at Augustana. Having a working film studio on campus is another source of inspiration and internships for students. (See also the experiential minor in entertainment and media.)

• Another opportunity for theatre students is the annual Penguin Project, pairing mentors with students age 9-21 with disabilities, working together to prepare a theatrical performance for audiences in the Brunner Theatre Center. Video.

• Augustana education majors who complete the 20-credit minor in theatre arts and take an additional 4 credits in theatre may earn a state endorsement to teach theatre as a second area by passing a state board of education theatre exam.

Recent grads

James Wheeler '20 is an actor and director in the Aberdeen, N.C., area.

Debo Balogun '17 has worked with many Chicago theatres, including Oak Park Festival Theatre, First Folio Theatre, Definition Theatre Company, Steep Theatre Company, and Lookingglass Theatre. He also has a recurring role on the STARZ drama "Power Book IV: Force" and is currently performing in a world premiere, "Villette," at Lookingglass Theatre.

Gary Miller '15 is an actor and the media curator at Veriheal in the Denver area.