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In the Theater program, undergraduate students can earn a Bachelor of Arts in theater one of five specializations including performance, playwriting, dramaturgy, theatrical design and technical production. Courses cover topics including voice, movement, acting, directing, theater history, production design and technical theater in all dramatic genres.

Undergraduate students get a taste for all facets of theater production and performance, from lighting and directing to dancing and acting. This immersion into the world of theater helps students master the concepts, skills and vocabulary necessary to succeed in the field of performance art.

Productions

During each academic year our theater program produces as many as six plays and musicals. These performances enhance the classroom studies for theater students by providing hands-on training in the many facets of production.

Recognized as the cultural heartbeat of SIU and the surrounding community, these plays and musicals provide valuable learning tools for students. Actors are given the opportunity to perform for full audiences in the McLeod Theater both during the school year and during the McLeod Summer Playhouse platform. Technical students are able to hone their skills in costume design, lighting, directing and scenic design. Besides the full-feature productions, the program also hosts workshops, play readings, master classes with guest artists and numerous opportunities to view an array of works.

Accreditation

We are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theater (NAST). The NAST establishes national standards for universities and colleges and provides credentials for theater departments across the United States. SIU鈥檚 continued membership in NAST signifies the importance the Theater program places on sustaining the utmost level of educational responsibility.

SIU maintains compliance with the NAST by submitting curriculum changes and updates as well as participating in work related to the NAST. This accreditation helps enhance the reputation of the Theater program and what the school offers in regards to classroom instruction, academically based production experience and exposure to the human experience as an art form for all students.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the BA programs in the Theater program historically find successful careers in all areas of theater upon completing their degree at SIU. Touted as a gateway degree to the entertainment industry and with an almost 100% employment rate for technical design students, SIU opens the door to many successful career opportunities.

Successful graduates hone their skills as actors to perform in films, musicals and live theater while others go on to find success as voice-over actors, video-game actors and motion-captor actors for CGI. The field of acting is always expanding and new technologies abound for unique opportunities.

Performers may choose careers in theme parks, Renaissance fairs, on cruise ships and in regular running shows in companies such as the Disney Corporation, Carnival Cruise Lines, Broadway Theater, The Muny in St. Louis and Cirque de Soleil.

Technical theater graduates explore careers in lighting, scenic design, costuming, theater crafts and skilled labor, wigs and makeup design while others move on to the business side of theater as stage managers, theater promotors and concert managers.