Theatre Arts | Humanities (original) (raw)
The Department of Theatre Arts commits to a liberal arts education through a balanced program of hands-on and scholarly coursework with holistic exposure to theatre’s varied practice areas. We maintain the highest standards in academic pursuits and production, while actively investigating the literature, history, cultural resonance, and current processes of theatre from critical viewpoints. We also value theatre as a form of creative communication, one that illuminates pathways for personal growth.
3-5
PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS EACH YEAR
100+
students across majors participate in productions
Left Hand of Darkness, 2017
University Theatre
University Theatre’s annual season includes productions ranging from Shakespeare or other classics to musicals to contemporary and experimental works to student-written plays. Auditions and backstage opportunities are open to all UO students. Visit the University Theatre website to learn more about the current season. Tickets are free to students with UO ID.
What You Can Do with a Degree in Theatre Arts
Theatre arts majors use their skills and liberal arts foundation for a wide range of professional employment, including professional theatre and other creative media, as well as education, law, and marketing. Theatre arts provides students with a foundation for employment in:
- Community, regional, and commercial theaters
- Repertory companies
- Amusement and theme parks
- Cruise lines
- Radio stations
- Television and motion picture studios
- Acting conservatories
- Arts councils
- Talent agencies
- Colleges and universities
How Theatre Arts Launches Your Career
“Studying theatre arts at the UO laid the foundation for me to build my life and career in the arts. Whether I am directing a show, delivering on stage, presenting in a boardroom, balancing budgets, or myriad other things I never imagined then, I know my time in Villard Hall prepared me well for all of it. All these years later, I have a career I'm proud of and a job I love.”
—Sean Andries '05, executive director, Chehalem Cultural Center
Our Degree Programs
Undergraduate students can major or minor in theatre arts. Graduate students can pursue a master’s or doctorate.
Learn from Experts in the Field
As mentors, collaborators, and coaches, our faculty advise and prepare students to audition and interview professionally or to pursue graduate training programs. They maintain a longstanding tradition of excellence and innovation as well as a liberal arts approach to theatre education.
Get Real-World Experience
Our University Theatre serves as a laboratory for theatre arts majors to apply what they learn in their classes and to develop professional skills through experiential learning. Majors, minors, and all University of Oregon students can participate in various areas of production. This commonly involves acting, assistant directing, costumes, dramaturgy, lighting, projections, scenery, sound, or stage management**.**
Scholarships and Funding
All theatre arts graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to apply for annual departmental scholarships. Students can also seek funding from a variety of additional sources.
Undergraduate Scholarships Graduate Funding
Department of Theatre Arts News and Events
THEATRE ARTS – At the North Pole, Victor Frankenstein has finally caught up with his Creature with the intent of killing him to right his wrong of creating him in the first place. Before he can, the Creature asks, “Why did you make me?” This simple question is the premise of the University Theatre's production of "Frankenstein: Playing with Fire," which opens Nov. 8 and plays for three weekends.
When Damon Jones '84 was diagnosed with cancer, he was determined to make some dreams come true. One of those dreams was reviving "The Last Dragon," a stage production he was part of in his last year in the Theatre Department at University of Oregon. Through sheer determination he pulled together the majority of the original cast, and they are staging it live in Portland Aug. 8-10, 2024.
THEATRE ARTS - Jeanette deJong, associate professor of costume design, history and technology in the College of Arts and Sciences, brings decades of experience to the theatre arts. Whether leading a lecture or writing a book, deJong draws from her professional journey and offers methods and techniques that have been honed over the years.
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