Theatre Arts
This is an archived copy of the 2020-21 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://bulletin.ndsu.edu.
The Department of Theatre Arts is dedicated to the highest standards of excellence in both its academic and performance/technical theatre programs. Its energies are committed to fostering student creativity in all areas of theatre—design, performance, directing and management—and to help students gain better insights into themselves and the world around them. The theatre arts program has been a vital and important part of the curriculum and student activities at North Dakota State University for more than 100 years. The program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.
The Curriculum
The department offers three undergraduate degree programs in theatre. Each is flexible and can be designed to fit the individual student's career goals.
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in theatre arts is a general baccalaureate degree built around a traditional liberal arts curriculum. Courses are required in technical theatre, performing and directing, as well as in literature, theatre history and modern language. The B.A. program requires proficiency of a foreign language at the second year level.
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree is an alternative to the B.A. The B.S. requires a minor in an approved field.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) with an emphasis in musical theatre, performance or design technology is a professionally-oriented degree track that places primary emphasis on performance and studio activity, while also requiring a high level of involvement in the academic curriculum. It can be entered only by audition. This degree track broadens the student's exposure to his or her field, and considerable study is made of other fine arts fields as well.
Admission to the B.F.A. degree program in theatre requires consistent involvement in Theatre NDSU and LCT Productions, and demands a high level of commitment on the part of the student.
The Program
Theatre NDSU is a laboratory for learning in which imaginative play and disciplined work are fused in dramatic creations. A high degree of professionalism is consistently displayed.
(1) Main Stage Productions—four plays are produced each school year. These productions range from modern musicals such as Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson and Sweeney Todd to classic comedies such as The Comedy of Errors and Noises Off, including contemporary and ancient plays of the widest variety. Production seasons are chosen according to a four year style-rotation cycle. This ensures that during the course of his or her undergraduate career, the student will have the opportunity to acquire first-hand knowledge of all major performance styles in the Western theatrical tradition, including Devised work and TYA or Theatre for Young Audiences.
(2) The Newfangled Theatre Company is the student branch of Theatre NDSU. This student-managed company produces up to four shows in the second stage season.
Numerous dramatic activities take place on a flexible schedule in Studio Theatre Productions. There are showcase productions for B.F.A. candidates and for student acting or directing projects as well as a dance recital each semester.
The Facilities
Theatre arts students study, work and create on three stages:
(1) Askanase Auditorium (the main stage), a 380-seat theatre with continental seating,
(2) the Studio Theatre, a flexible studio-lab black box space also located in Askanase Hall, and
(3) the 1,000-seat Festival Concert Hall, in Reineke Fine Arts Center, used for major musical stage productions.
In addition, Askanase Hall contains theatre classrooms, costume, scene and property shops.
Career Opportunities
Theatre training develops and exercises the creative imagination. Our graduates have found a rich variety of professions. Former students have gone on to earn advanced degrees in theatre and related fields and now teach in colleges and universities, community colleges and high schools. Other graduates of our program work in arts management, technical theatre and technical consulting, as well as in community theatre, semi-professional repertory companies, professional theatre and commercial radio and television. Theatre NDSU is committed to helping students understand the value of entrepreneurship in the Arts, creating their own work and community outreach.
Scholarships
A number of scholarships in theatre arts are available for students both in performance and technical emphases. Several scholarships are available to incoming freshmen. Both a student's academic record and his or her level of achievement in the production program are criteria used in awarding these scholarships. Active participation in the NDSU theatre arts program is expected of all scholarship recipients. Applications can be found on the Department of Theatre Arts website.
Plans of Study
B.F.A. Design & Tech
Please note this is a sample plan of study and not an official curriculum. Actual student schedules for each semester will vary depending on start year, education goals, applicable transfer credit, and course availability. Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisor on a regular basis to review degree progress and customize an individual plan of study.
Freshman | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
ENGL 110 | 4 | ENGL 120 | 3 |
THEA 150 | 1 | THEA 161 | 3 |
THEA 180 | 3 | THEA 181 | 3 |
THEA 270 or 271 | 3 | THEA 220 or 221 | 1 |
THEA 220 or 221 | 1 | THEA 223 or 224 | 1 |
THEA 272 or 279 | 3 | THEA 270 or 271 | 3 |
THEA 373 or 375 | 3 | ||
15 | 17 | ||
Sophomore | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
THEA 210 or 211 | 1-2 | ART 131 | 3 |
THEA 272 or 279 | 3 | THEA 210 or 211 | 1-2 |
THEA 275 | 3 | THEA 224 or 223 | 1 |
THEA 371 | 3 | THEA 280 | 3 |
Science & Technology Gen Ed | 3 | THEA 373 or 375 | 3 |
Quantitative Reasoning Gen Ed | 3 | THEA 370 | 1-3 |
THEA 376 | 3 | ||
16-17 | 15-18 | ||
Junior | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
THEA 210 or 211 | 1-2 | THEA 210 or 211 | 1-2 |
THEA 370 | 1-3 | THEA 377 | 3 |
THEA 486 or 487 | 3 | ART 111 | 3 |
COMM 110 | 3 | ENGL 380 | 3 |
Science & Technology w/Lab Gen Ed | 4 | Upper Level Writing Gen Ed | 3 |
Elective (if needed) | 2 | Social & Behavorial Sciences/Global Perspectives Gen Ed | 3 |
14-17 | 16-17 | ||
Senior | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
THEA 365 | 3 | THEA 210 or 211 | 1-2 |
THEA 450 | 3 | THEA 481 | 3 |
THEA 480 | 3 | MUSC 100 or 103 | 3 |
THEA 486 or 487 | 3 | Social & Behavioral Science/Cultural Diversity Gen Ed | 3 |
Science & Technology Gen Ed | 3 | Wellness Gen Ed | 2 |
15 | 12-13 | ||
Total Credits: 120-129 |
Please note this is a sample plan of study and not an official curriculum. Actual student schedules for each semester will vary depending on start year, education goals, applicable transfer credit, and course availability. Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisor on a regular basis to review degree progress and customize an individual plan of study.
B.F.A. Musical Theatre
Freshman | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
ENGL 110 | 4 | ENGL 120 | 3 |
MUSC 101 | 3 | MUSC 160 | 1 |
MUSC 167 | 1 | MUSC 167 | 1 |
THEA 150 | 1 | THEA 210, 220, or 221 | 1-2 |
THEA 161 | 3 | THEA 263 | 1 |
THEA 180 | 3 | THEA 266 | 3 |
THEA 270 | 3 | THEA 270 or 271 | 3 |
THEA 220 | 1 | Quantitative Reasoning Gen Ed | 3 |
THEA 362 | 2 | ||
21 | 16-17 | ||
Sophomore | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
MUSC 100 or 103 | 3 | ART 111 | 3 |
MUSC 130 | 3 | COMM 110 | 3 |
MUSC 132 | 1 | MUSC 267 | 1 |
MUSC 267 | 1 | THEA 210, 223, or 224 | 1-2 |
THEA 210 | 1 | THEA 263 | 1 |
THEA 362 | 2 | THEA 280 | 3 |
THEA 371 | 3 | THEA 367 | 3 |
Social & Behavioral Science/Cultural Diversity Gen Ed | 3 | ||
14 | 18-19 | ||
Junior | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
MUSC 367 | 1 | MUSC 367 | 1 |
THEA 210 | 1-2 | THEA 210 | 1-2 |
THEA 275 | 3 | THEA 228 | 3 |
THEA 365 | 3 | THEA 263 | 1 |
THEA 368 | 3 | THEA 466 or 467 | 3 |
Science & Technology w/Lab Gen Ed | 4 | ENGL 380 | 3 |
Science & Technology Gen Ed | 3 | ||
Wellness Gen Ed | 2 | ||
15-16 | 17-18 | ||
Senior | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
MUSC 467 | 1 | THEA 210, 223, or 224 | 1-2 |
THEA 450 | 3 | THEA 373 or 375 | 3 |
THEA 480 | 3 | THEA 466 or 467 | 3 |
Upper Level Writing Gen Ed | 3 | THEA 481 | 3 |
Science & Technology Gen Ed | 3 | Social & Behavioral Science/Global Perspectives Gen Ed | 3 |
13 | 13-14 | ||
Total Credits: 127-132 |
Please note this is a sample plan of study and not an official curriculum. Actual student schedules for each semester will vary depending on start year, education goals, applicable transfer credit, and course availability. Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisor on a regular basis to review degree progress and customize an individual plan of study.
B.F.A. Performance
Freshman | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
ENGL 110 | 4 | ENGL 120 | 3 |
THEA 150 | 1 | THEA 181 | 3 |
THEA 161 | 3 | THEA 266 | 3 |
THEA 180 | 3 | THEA 271 | 3 |
THEA 262 | 1 | THEA 221 | 1 |
THEA 270 | 3 | Social and Behavioral Science/Global Perspectives Gen Ed | 3 |
THEA 220 | 1 | ||
16 | 16 | ||
Sophomore | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
MUSC 100 or 103 | 3 | COMM 110 | 3 |
MUSC 162 | 1 | ART 111 | 3 |
THEA 210 | 1 | THEA 210 or 223 | 1-2 |
THEA 275 | 3 | THEA 263 | 1 |
THEA 371 | 3 | THEA 373 | 3 |
Science & Technology w/Lab Gen Ed | 4 | THEA 280 | 3 |
15 | 14-15 | ||
Junior | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
THEA 210 | 2 | THEA 210 | 2 |
THEA 361 | 3 | THEA 228 or 267 | 3 |
THEA 365 | 3 | THEA 263 | 1 |
THEA 462 | 3 | THEA 466 | 3 |
Social & Behavorial Science/Cultural Diversity Gen Ed | 3 | ENGL 380 | 3 |
Quantitative Reasoning Gen Ed | 3 | ||
14 | 15 | ||
Senior | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
THEA 368 | 3 | THEA 210 | 2 |
THEA 450 | 3 | THEA 263 | 1 |
THEA 461 | 3 | THEA 481 | 3 |
THEA 480 | 3 | THEA 467 | 3 |
Science & Technology Gen Ed | 3 | Upper Level Writing Gen Ed | 3 |
Wellness Gen Ed | 2 | Science & Technology Gen Ed | 3 |
17 | 15 | ||
Total Credits: 122-123 |
Please note this is a sample plan of study and not an official curriculum. Actual student schedules for each semester will vary depending on start year, education goals, applicable transfer credit, and course availability. Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisor on a regular basis to review degree progress and customize an individual plan of study.
B.A./B.S.
Freshman | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
ENGL 110 | 4 | ENGL 120 | 3 |
THEA 150 | 1 | THEA 181 | 3 |
THEA 161 | 3 | THEA 271 | 3 |
THEA 180 | 3 | Wellness Gen Ed | 2 |
THEA 270 | 3 | Social & Behavioral Science for BS(Foreign Language for BA ) | 3 |
THEA 220 | 1 | ||
Quantitative Reasoning for BS(Foreign Language for BA) | 3 | ||
18 | 14 | ||
Sophomore | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
MUSC 100 or 103 | 3 | ART 111 | 3 |
THEA 210 | 2 | THEA 210 | 1 |
THEA 275 or 279 | 3 | THEA 224 or 223(THEA 371, THEA 373, THEA 375 should be taken with corresponding class) | 1 |
Theatre Elective | 3 | THEA 280 | 3 |
AHSS Requirement | 3 | THEA 373, 375, or 371(THEA 223, THEA 224 should be taken with corresponding class) | 3 |
Minor Requirement for BS(Foreign Language for BA) | 3 | Science & Technology Requirement | 3 |
Minor Requirement for BS(Foreign Language for BA) | 3 | ||
17 | 17 | ||
Junior | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
THEA 210 | 2 | COMM 110 | 3 |
THEA 365 | 3 | THEA 210 | 2 |
Upper Level Writing Gen Ed | 3 | ENGL 380 | 3 |
Science & Technology w/ Lab | 4 | Theatre Elective | 3 |
Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | Minor Requirement for BS(AHSS Elective for BA) | 3 |
15 | 14 | ||
Senior | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
THEA 450 | 3 | THEA 210 | 2 |
THEA 480 | 3 | THEA 481 | 3 |
AHSS Requirement | 6 | AHSS Requirement | 3 |
Minor Requirement for BS | 3 | Minor Requirement for BS | 3 |
Science and Technology | 3 | ||
15 | 14 | ||
Total Credits: 124 |