Theatre Studies Minor
John Zerbe, Department of Theatre Studies
The Department of Theatre Studies offers three different minor tracks: the theatre arts track, the musical theatre track, and the film and video track.
The theatre arts track provides students with the opportunity to study an intensely collaborative art form from three perspectives: design or technical production; dramatic literature or theatre history; and performance. It explores the unique responsibilities carried by different members of the creative staff as they conceive and execute a theatrical production.
The theatre arts track is not available to theatre studies majors.
The musical theatre track provides an opportunity to develop performance skills and knowledge of a significant American theatrical tradition and its literature. Coursework includes: acting, singing, dance, and work on production.
The musical theatre track is not available to theatre studies majors, who may take any and all of the courses as part of the major field of study in theatre.
The film and video track serves students of any major who seek a serious exploration of film as an artistic medium. The track examines filmmaking as an important component of modern culture in the following aspects: a reflection of society, an artistic medium of the auteur and a medium of influence and social change.
The film and video track is available to theatre studies majors.
Minor Requirements
- One course from each of the three perspectives areas listed below (12 hours)
- One other four-credit course with a THEA prefix (or the equivalent in two-credit offerings). Ideally, this course should enhance the minor’s understanding of a specific perspective area (four hours)
- One practicum assignment (THEA 295, one to four hours) to be determined in a meeting with a theatre studies advisor. Options include stage management, properties management, costuming, lighting, publicity, sound, box office, house management, makeup and scenic art.
Theatre Arts Track
A minimum of 17 credit hours (five courses):
- One course from: 4 credits
- THEA 111 Backstage Production
- THEA 171 Introduction to Theatrical Design or THEA 273 Lighting Design
- One course from: 4 credits
- IDS 408 East Asian Theatre
- THEA 130 Theatre and Culture I
- THEA 131 Theatre and Culture II
- THEA 151 HP: Birth of the Avant-Garde
- THEA/ENGL 215 Play Analysis
- Any Theatre course at any level – 4 credits
- THEA 295 Practicum Course1 – 4 credits
- THEA 125 Acting 1:Basic Tools – 4 credits
Total credit hours required for Theatre Arts Track Minor – 17-21 credits
Musical Theatre Track
A minimum of 17 credit hours (six courses):
Acting
- THEA 126 Acting 1: Acting in Song – 4 credits
- One course from: 4 credits
- THEA 125 Acting 1: Basic Tools or THEA 126 Acting 1:Acting in Song
- THEA 227 Acting 2: Play the Action
- THEA 228 Acting 2: Creating the World
Dance
- THEA 103 Beginning Ballet – 2 credits
- THEA 104 Jazz Dance – 2 credits
- or any appropriate 4 credit substitution by departmental approval
History
- One course from: 4 credits
- THEA 131 Theatre and Culture II
- THEA/MUS 152 HP: America and Its Musicals
Backstage Work
- THEA 295 Practicum – 4 credits
Total credit hours required for Musical Theatre Track Minor – 17-18 credits
Film and Video Track
A minimum of 17 credit hours (five courses):
- THEA 161 Masterpieces of Cinema – 4 credits
- THEA 265 Artistry in Film – 4 credits
- THEA 365 Documentary Filmmaking – 4 credits
- One course from: 4 credits
- ENGL 272 World Cinema
- ENGL 286 Classic American Cinema
- ENGL 287 Cult Movies
- ENGL 288 Shakespeare and Film
- FREN 315 French & Francophone Cinema
- THEA 262 Gay and Lesbian Cinema
- THEA 295 Practicum:Film Festival or THEA 366 Filmmaking Capstone – 1 credit
Total credit hours required for Film and Video Track Minor – 17 credits
Students will process the coherence of their minor experience in a formal “post-mortem” critique with the minor coordinator following the film festival.
