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Theatre and Performing Arts

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Contact Information

    This is an archived copy of the 2024-2025 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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    Overview

    www.music.iastate.edu/theatre

    The Theatre and Performing Arts program:

    • Utilizes a flexible, interdisciplinary curriculum.
    • Focuses on undergraduate experiences, high impact learning, interdisciplinary and cross-community collaboration, and exceptional professional preparation and training.
    • Engages in collaborative, innovative practices in both classroom and production settings.
    • Empowers students to take an active role in an interconnected system of artistic community engagement and creative momentum.
    •  Is dedicated to individualized student-centered programming that is ambitious, relevant, and rigorous.

    ISU Theatre impacts hundreds of students from majors throughout the university in our classes, productions and studios. Our students are compassionate, enthusiastic, aware, ambitious, dependable, dedicated, disciplined and generous. The Theatre and Performing Arts program offers a wide variety of courses that support the student’s individual interests and specialization. 

    The major in performing arts offers the undergraduate student a cross-disciplinary core including 26 credits in three categories: Theatre, Music and Dance. Students also select a 21-22 credit emphasis in one or more of the following areas of focus:

    • Acting/Directing
    • Dance
    • Musical Theatre
    • Theatrical Design and Technology

    Additional professional development occurs within two required professional internships in which students can practice the skills and passions developed throughout their individualized plans of study. Preparation for these internships include various impactful experiences in theatre and the performing arts here at Iowa State. This work is vital for students to gain a practical understanding of the rigors of the field.

    ISU Theatre and Performing Arts focuses solely on the undergraduate student artist, offering students many opportunities to participate in production experiences throughout the academic year. Students implement the theories and principles explored in the classroom with experiential learning though public performances. These productions vary in scope, taking place in the 435-seat proscenium space at Fisher Theatre as well as in other intimate and “found” venues both on and off campus. Performing arts majors must maintain a 2.0 GPA to participate in production activities. Scholarships and employment opportunities are available to both incoming and current students on a yearly basis. All areas of ISU Theatre and Performing Arts, including classes and productions, are open to all students regardless of major. Visit here to learn about scholarships and all of the ways to get involved with Theatre and the Performing Arts at ISU.

    In addition to building a solid foundation in theatre, Performing Arts graduates enter the world as empathetic members of their community prepared to engage in civic life and meet the challenges of the work force or graduate school with strong skills in leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking.

    Student Learning Outcomes

    Upon graduation, students should be able to:

    • Recognize the ways in which theatre and performing arts can reflect and change communities and culture.  
    • Apply collaboration principles to the creation of performing arts. 
    • Analyze dramatic literature and performances from dramaturgical, performative, sensory, aesthetic, and community perspectives. 
    • Organize and integrate resources - including human (self and others), technology, and systems - to solve abstract and practical problems. 
    • Compare and critique performing arts theory, practice, literature, design, performance, and one's own process and work within cultural and historical contexts.