Careers in Theater Arts

What Can a Theater Major Do?
The number of careers available to theater majors is vast and varied. Students graduating from our program tend to be organized, articulate, inventive, curious, competitive, energetic, creative and friendly. Because of the unique nature of the art of theater, our students are hard workers, proactive, understand and practice collaboration, know how to meet deadlines, respect complimentary disciplines, accept criticism well, are creative problem solvers and enjoy "process" as well as "product." 

They engage in a most complex and interesting area of study where how you arrive at a solution is frequently more interesting than simply coming up with the right answer.

This type of student has little problem in securing a job or embarking on a fruitful and (very often) lucrative career. Does this mean that all theater majors will earn a living in the performing arts? Certainly not, although many of our talented graduates will make their mark on New York City, Hollywood and in various regional theaters across the country.

On the whole, theater students are in demand in the workplace. They are motivated people who embrace challenges and deliver on promises.  In short, they are passionate in all their pursuits.

The Study of Theater
The program takes great pride in how closely and completely the art of theater reflects the liberally educated individual. The theater is noble art for it is the only artistic expression solely dedicated to the study of human beings and their social and private interactions.  The art of theater gleans its inspiration from a host of different sources, but, finally, its purpose is to illuminate the complexities of the human condition. Therefore, the study of theater is the study of what is means to be human. Additionally, theater is by its very nature collaborative and cooperative. The process and product of theater draws its inspiration and collaborative life by embracing other arts and disciplines. So it's not surprising that dedicated study of Theater is in-and-of-itself a liberal education. The study of Theater Arts includes:

• History and Literature (dramatic literature)
• Oral Communication and Language (performance and voice)
• Physical Well Being (movement and dance)
• Visual Art and Design (scenic, costume, light design)
• Math, Engineering and Applied Physics (technical theater and all its many elements)
• Writing (playwriting, criticism)
• Music (musical theater, song, sound design)
• Critical Thinking/Philosophy (script analysis and the study of major artistic movements)
• Management (directing, stage management, collaboration, cooperation)
• Psychology and Sociology (all theater studies)

Specific Careers Associated with each Theater Track: