Pioneers Steal the Show

Designed for students intending to enter the entertainment industry, the Bachelor of Fine Arts Theatre program is for artists serious about developing their talents and honing their craft.

As part of our close-knit community, students in the program take foundational theatre courses and complete one of three tracks: Design and Technology, Directing, and Performance. In two of the tracks, Design and Technology and Directing, they further specialize into one or more emphases to help reach their individual interests and goals.

Beginning their freshman year, students apply their growing skills to productions to create dynamic theatre experiences. Those involved in productions earn academic credit hours through our practicum courses. Each track requires specific practicum courses providing significant hands-on experience in theatre productions. Students complete a theatre internship to practice their expertise professionally and culminate their Marietta College education with a capstone project to demonstrate mastery of theatrical skills.

Because each track includes classes across multiple disciplines, this program is exempt from the general education secondary concentration requirement.

A strong foundation: the Theatre Core

In addition to completing a liberal arts core curriculum, BFA Theatre majors prepare for success in the entertainment industry by completing a rigorous course load that begins with the Theatre Core, classes required of all Theatre majors.

The Theatre Core courses provide the solid foundation on which each track stands. By experiencing each main area of theatre and exploring plays from historical and analytical perspectives, students gain skills necessary for better collaboration and artistic creation.

Theatre Core courses

THEA 106	Acting I	3 credit hours
THEA 210	Backstage Experience	3 credit hours
THEA 211	Theatre History I: Ritual to Renaissance (500 BCE to 1800 CE)	3 credit hours
THEA 212	Theatre History II: Romanticism to Post-modernism (1750 to present)	3 credit hours
THEA 303	Directing I	3 credit hours
	One 300-level dramatic literature course	3 credit hours
THEA 397	Theatre Internship	3 credit hours
21 credit hours

Majors should take Acting I and Backstage Experience in their freshman year but have the flexibility to schedule their remaining Core courses when offered throughout their time at Marietta College.

Behind the scenes: our Design and Technology track

The Design and Technology track emphasizes the behind-the-scenes artistry of theatre through advanced stagecraft and design courses. Future designers and theatre technicians choose one of the following emphases: Costume, Digital Media and Projection, Lighting, Scenic, or Sound.

Design and Technology track courses

THEA 231	Stagecraft: Scenery	3 credit hours
THEA 232	Stagecraft: Costume	3 credit hours
THEA 234	Stagecraft: Lighting / Electrics	3 credit hours
One(1) of the following advanced Directing and Acting classes:
THEA 304 THEA 314 THEA 318 THEA 319	Directing II Advanced Topics in Acting Advanced Acting: Musical Theatre Advanced Acting: Meisner	3 credit hours
THEA 341	Scenic Design	3 credit hours
THEA 342	Costume Design	3 credit hours
THEA 344	Lighting Design	3 credit hours
THEA 346	Sound Technology and Design	3 credit hours
THEA 366	Professional Preparation and Ethics	3 credit hours
THEA 481	Theatre Capstone	3 credit hours
ART 101	Drawing I	3 credit hours
ARTH 161	Art Appreciation	3 credit hours
GRPH 201	Software for Design	3 credit hours
	Five hours of Technical Theatre Practicum courses AND one hour of a Performance Practicum course*	6 credit hours
	Nine hours of required emphasis courses AND nine hours of elective emphasis courses:* - Costume emphasis   OR - Digital Media and Projection emphasis   OR - Lighting emphasis   OR - Scenic emphasis   OR - Sound emphasis	18 credit hours
63 credit hours Track total: 84 credit hours including the Theatre Core

*Each Design and Technology emphasis includes relevant required and elective courses from some of the following fields: art, art history, communication, graphic design, mass media, and music, as well as options for more topics courses in technical theatre and design. For the complete list of required courses and elective options in each emphasis of this track, see the Design and Technology audit form.

The whole picture: our Directing track

Don’t let the name fool you… the Directing track is not just for directors! This track takes a wider view by looking at how the various theatrical arts combine, making it a great choice for future stage managers, playwrights, directors, and artistic directors. Students in this track choose an emphasis: Artistic Direction and Management, Playwriting, or Communication.

Directing track courses

Two (2) of the following Stagecraft classes:
THEA 231 THEA 232 THEA 234	Stagecraft: Scenery Stagecraft: Costume Stagecraft: Lighting/Electrics	6 credit hours
THEA 236	Stage Management	3 credit hours
THEA 314   OR THEA 318   OR THEA 319	Advanced Topics in Acting   OR Advanced Acting: Musical Theatre   OR Advanced Acting: Meisner	3 credit hours
THEA 304	Directing II	3 credit hours
Two (2) of the following Design classes:
THEA 341 THEA 342 THEA 344 THEA 346	Scenic Design Costume Design Lighting Design Sound Technology & Design	6 credit hours
THEA 371	Project in Directing	minimum 2 credit hours
THEA 366	Professional Preparation and Ethics	3 credit hours
THEA 481	Theatre Capstone	3 credit hours
ART 241	Introduction to Photography	3 credit hours
COMM 110	Human Communication	3 credit hours
ENGL 350	Shakespeare	3 credit hours
	Two hours of Performance Practicum courses AND two hours of Technical Theatre Practicum courses*	4 credit hours
	Nine hours of emphasis courses:* Artistic Direction and Management emphasis   OR Playwriting emphasis   OR Communication emphasis	9 credit hours
	Twelve hours of electives*	12 credit hours
63 credit hours Track total: 84 credit hours including the Theatre Core

 *For the complete list of courses required in each emphasis of this track, see the Directing audit form.

Take the stage: our Performance track

Students in the Performance track develop a variety of techniques to analyze scripts, collaborate with fellow theatre artists, create believable characters, and consistently deliver evocative performances.

Performance track courses

THEA 215	Voice and Movement	3 credit hours
THEA 217	Stage Combat	3 credit hours
THEA 233	Stagecraft: Makeup	3 credit hours
THEA 231   OR THEA 232   OR THEA 234	Stagecraft: Scenery   OR Stagecraft: Costume   OR Stagecraft: Lighting / Electrics	3 credit hours
THEA 266	Auditioning	3 credit hours
THEA 314   OR THEA 318	Advanced Topics in Acting   OR Advanced Acting: Musical Theatre	3 credit hours
THEA 319	Advanced Acting: Meisner	3 credit hours
THEA 366	Professional Preparation and Ethics	3 credit hours
THEA 481	Theatre Capstone	3 credit hours
COMM 110	Human Communication	3 credit hours
COMM 201	Fundamentals of Interpretation	3 credit hours
DANC 110	Dance for Theatre	3 credit hours
ENGL 350	Shakespeare	3 credit hours
ENGL/LING 320	Introduction to Linguistics	3 credit hours
PHED 133	Concepts of Wellness	3 credit hours
PSYC 101	Introduction to Psychology	3 credit hours
PSYC 212	Social Psychology	3 credit hours
	Five hours of Performance Practicum courses AND one hour of a Technical Theatre Practicum course*	6 credit hours
	Nine hours of electives*	9 credit hours
66 credit hours Track total: 87 credit hours including the Theatre Core

*For the complete list of courses required in this track, see the Performance audit form.

 

Ready to Apply?

In addition to applying to Marietta College, the BFA Theatre program requires acceptance to the program through an application process. For more information, go to Theatre Application Requirements.

 

Learn More

Interested in learning more about our programs? Contact Cas Felt in the Department of Theatre at cas.felt@marietta.edu or 740.376.4698. Be sure to ask about our Talent Scholarships!