Theatre: Acting & Directing Major | Baldwin Wallace University

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.

"Intimate Apparel" by Lynn Nottage
BW produces a wide range of plays, including classics and new works.
"Quality Street" by JM Barrie
BW takes a fresh approach to the classics, as evidenced by this acclaimed staging of a neglected masterpiece.
Backstage at Baldwin Wallace
Actors prepare in two large, well-lit dressing rooms. BW has an outstanding costume department that treats all students like professionals.
"The Diviners" by Jim Leonard Jr.
A busy production schedule means there are many opportunities to perform on the BW stage beginning freshmen year.
"What is Love?" - a devised play based on "Romeo and Juliet"
Entirely student written and conceived, this production represents one of the many ways BW students benefit from exceptional hands-on learning opportunities. Technical skill, innovation, creativity and a commitment to new works are hallmarks of the theatre major.
"The Two Noble Kinsmen"
Stage combat classes are offered as an elective to BA in theatre students. Weapons taught include rapier, dagger, hand-to-hand and broadsword.
Faculty-student collaboration
One-on-one coaching and mentoring are at the heart of BW’s theatre major.
"Pericles" by Shakespeare
Our two annual Shakespeare productions feature live music performed by the casts.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

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

FOUR SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS OF STUDY

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

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.

Theatre Productions

Baldwin Wallace's theatre and dance department produces two main stage productions and a series of one-acts each semester. Productions include musicals, operas, plays and a dance concert.

Performances for the 2020-21 season will be streamed for viewing, no in-person audience.

Mainstage Series 2020-21

Spring Awakening
Music by Duncan Sheik, Book and Lyrics by Steven Sater
Directed by Victoria Bussert
Choreography by Gregory Daniels
Music Direction by Matthew Webb
Nov. 11 – 22, 2020

fyoo zh en '21
Directed by Sara Whale
March 24 – 28, 2021
Inspired by research of a BW professor

She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen
Directed by Keira McDonald
April 29 - May 3, 2021

Studio Series

Stupid F##king Bird by Arron Posner
Directed by New Directing Faculty
Oct. 28 – Nov. 1, 2020

Men On Boats by Jaqulyn Backhaus
Directed by Anjanette Hall
March 31 – April 4, 2021

Lab Series

Devised Blues: Uncut and Funky
Directed by Jeannine Gaskin
September 30, 2020 – October 4, 2020

Muses Anonymous
Adapted and directed by Sara Whale
Oct. 29 – Nov. 1, 2020

Staged Reading: A Staged Reading
Written and Directed by Sam Sommer
Feb. 19 - 21, 2021

Testing Ground: Danceworks-in-Progress
Directed by Sara Whale
April 28, 2021

Staged Reading Series

Blue Stockings
By Jessica Swale
Directed by Martin Friedman
September 18 & 19, 2020

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom by Jennifer Haley
Directed by Martin Friedman
March 19 - 20, 2021

CURRICULUM

Offered as a major and a minor, theatre offers four programs of study: acting and directing, dance and movement, design and technical and stage management. BW also offers a major in music theatre through its Conservatory of Music and a BFA in acting.

The theatre major provides a broad perspective of the literature, history and creative practices of the discipline. Courses prepare students to appreciate and participate in theatre at all levels of performance, production, direction, design and management.

You can study acting, directing, voice and movement, scenic and costume design, lighting, stage management, theatre history and more. You also can take special seminars in contemporary topics.

The theatre major prepares students to:

Develop an awareness and appreciation of theatre and/or dance as art forms and as a vital asset to society
Acquire competency in their chosen area of study
Acquire an understanding of the history of the theatre and/or dance including its literature and criticism
Develop responsible standards of criticism regarding the aesthetics of theatre and/or dance
Develop research skills/techniques applicable to scholarly and/or production needs
Develop an understanding of the collaborative nature of theatre and/or dance by active participation in production work within the program

STUDENT EXPERIENCES

Experiential learning bridges classroom study with real-world opportunities. You can enhance your studies through theatre productions, internships, co-curricular activities and student organizations.

Student Organizations

Theatre Arts and Performance

This organization supports student theatre artists and those interested in theatre on campus. It informs students of events and opportunities in theatre, maintains an open forum for student ideas and projects, and raises awareness of on- and off-campus theatrical events.

United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT)

The BW student chapter of USITT is committed to strengthening the skills of technical theatre students while carrying out the mission of the national organization. USITT serves to create vibrant dialogue among practitioners, educators and students.

Facilities

The Department of Theatre and Dance is located in Kleist Center for Art & Drama. It houses two theatres: Mainstage and Black Box Theatre.

The Mainstage Theatre is a large 512-seat proscenium theatre. The stage has a 67-foot fly loft with a counterweight system. The stage opening is 44' by 24' with an extended 15-foot apron, ample wings and depth measuring 30 feet. This facility also boasts a new lighting system installed by ETC. With over 200 dimmers, lights are operated on an Emphasis board including a WYSIWYG program.

The Black Box Theatre is a smaller, flexible theatre with seating between 100-250. This unique studio space is intended to provide a variety of seating arrangements, including proscenium, three-quarter-thrust and in-the-round. The theatre has a balcony around three sides and a lighting grid 23 feet above the stage floor. This space also boasts a new Strand Century Lighting system with a 520 series light board.

Off-Campus Experiences

Baldwin Wallace's close proximity to Cleveland and its nationally ranked arts organizations offers outstanding learning and performance opportunities. BW students worked with many of them, including: