Theatre: Acting & Directing

Undergraduate Admission

(440) 826-2222, (877) BW-APPLY, admission@bw.edu

OVERVIEW

Explore your theatrical expression and develop the technical and narrative skills needed for a successful and rewarding career in acting and directing.

Baldwin Wallace's theatre major integrates extensive hands-on learning with comprehensive coursework. You'll build skills in acting, voice, movement, make-up, audition techniques, script analysis, directing, stage management and more. 

Foundation courses in literature, history, performance, technical and collaborative studies help you develop analytical skills and insights into professional theatre. Small class sizes, individual attention and faculty mentoring are at the core of the program. You’ll be encouraged to participate in professional apprenticeship opportunities nationally and abroad.

BW faculty are practicing professionals with contacts at Cleveland’s Great Lakes Theater, Cleveland Public Theatre, Beck Center for the Arts and Dobama Theatre, as well as Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival.

Through these opportunities, you'll gain experience, earn Equity points, network and build an impressive resume. On campus, you can get involved in theatrical productions through performance, design and construction, production, management and marketing.

With both proscenium and black box theatres, BW offers traditional and contemporary audience settings that provide a variety of learning environments, including theatre in-the-round, thrust staging and more.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

• Actor
• Director
• Critic
• Theatre manager
• Stage manager
• Playwright
• Casting or talent agent
• Dramaturg

THREE SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS OF STUDY

At BW, theatre majors can focus their studies in acting and directing, design and technical and stage management. All programs include a solid foundation of courses designed to give students a comprehensive overview of theatre.

MINOR IN DANCE

Students interested in a career in the performing arts, dance therapy, dance education or related area can benefit from this minor. It offers an analytical, imaginative and physical study of movement with an emphasis on developing sound technical, compositional and performance skills.

STUDY THEATRE IN LONDON

Heighten your understanding and appreciation of British theatre through a study abroad experience. The program is a three-week, credit-earning immersion course in British theatre that includes a nine-day trip to London. It is led by BW theatre faculty.