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Department of Theatre

Courses

Courses Required for the Major

Students majoring in theatre are required to take a minimum of 30 credit hours in courses concerned with theatre and performance studies and theatre production practices. Courses are divided into the following categories:

  • Theatre and performance studies (6 credit hours)
  • Writing for the stage (3 credit hours)
  • Acting and directing for production (6 credit hours)
  • Theatre design and technical production (6 credit hours)
  • Production practicum (3 credit hours)
  • Individual focus (6 credit hours)

Total: 30 credit hours

Theatre and Performance Studies (Students select 2 courses, or 6 credit hours)

  • THTR 1010W: Writing about Performance
  • THTR 2201: Ritual and World Performance
  • THTR 2202W: Performing Gender on European Stages
  • THTR 2204: Performing Democracy on U.S. Stages
  • THTR 2206W: Gender, Race, Ethnicity and the American Musical
  • THTR 2711: Sustainability in the Arts
  • THTR 3207: Storytelling as Performance
  • THTR 3281: Theatre in London
  • THTR 3282: Theatre and Performance in the U.K.
  • THTR 3851: Independent Study
  • THTR 3892: Advanced Topics in Theatre and Performance Studies

Writing for the Stage (Students select 1 course, or 3 credit hours)

  • THTR 1010W: Writing about Performance
  • THTR 2311W: Writing for the Stage and Screen
  • THTR 3207: Storytelling as Performance
  • THTR 3311W: Playwriting
  • THTR 4612: Solo Performance
  • THTR 3851: Independent Study

Acting and Direction for Production (Students select 2 courses, or 6 credit hours)

  • THTR 1611: Fundamentals of Acting (Required for all majors; prerequisite for remaining courses in this category)
  • THTR 2651: Play Direction
  • THTR 3611: Jazz Acting
  • THTR 3612: Scene Study
  • THTR 4611: Advanced Topics in Acting (Including Audition Techniques, Voice, Body and Movement)
  • THTR 4612: Solo Performance

Theatre Design and Technical Production (Students select 2 courses, or 6 credit hours)

  • THTR 1111: First-Year Writing Seminar, Visual Storytelling in Theatre and Film
  • THTR 1711: Scenery and Costume Production
  • THTR 1712: Lighting and Sound Production
  • THTR 3721: Set Design
  • THTR 3741: Costume Design
  • THTR 3761: Lighting and Sound Design
  • THTR 3781: Management in the Theatre
  • THTR 3851: Independent Study
  • THTR 3891: Advanced Topics in Theatre Design and Technical Production

Theatre Practicum

Students complete 3 credit hours. Credit hours are gained by participating in department productions, either onstage or backstage. Consult with the faculty adviser on the number of credit hours to designate for individual production assignments. A student cast in a lead role or serving as an assistant designer, for example, might register for 2 or 3 credit hours. A student cast in a less demanding role or joining the backstage crew might register for 1 credit hour.

  • THTR 1101: Production Practicum (1-3 credit hours)
  • THTR 1701: Production Lab (1 credit hour) Taken in conjunction with or after completion of THTR 1711
  • THTR 1702: Production Lab (1 credit hour) Taken in conjunction with or after completion of THTR 1712

Individual Focus (Students select two courses, or 6 credit hours.)

  • These units could come from any of the THTR course offerings not already serving requirements; this requirement can also be filled with practicum units.
  • These 6 credit hours could come from a senior Honors project:
    • THTR 4998 (3 credit hours) scheduled in the fall semester
    • THTR 4999 (3 credit hours) schedule in the spring semester
  • Students can also propose to the department to accept courses taught in other departments related to theatre and performance studies OR courses taken at another university that do not repeat content taught at Vanderbilt (transfer students, study abroad programs, etc.)

Courses Required for the Minor

The Department of Theatre offers an innovative design your own minor program that is tailored to the student’s interest(s).

Students minoring in theatre are required to take a minimum of 18 credit hours in courses concerned with theatre and performance studies and theatre production practices.

Minors will select a minor emphasis in one of the following categories. They will take 12 credit hours from four courses in their selected category and fill the remaining six credit hours from two courses from other minor categories or one course from another category and three practicum credit hours.

Theatre and Performance Studies Minor (Students select 4 courses, or 12 units)

  • THTR 1010W: Writing about Performance
  • THTR 2201: Ritual and World Performance
  • THTR 2202W: Performing Gender on European Stages
  • THTR 2204: Performing Democracy on U.S. Stages
  • THTR 2206W: Gender, Race, Ethnicity and the American Musical
  • THTR 2711: Sustainability in the Arts
  • THTR 3207: Storytelling as Performance
  • THTR 3281: Theatre in London
  • THTR 3282: Theatre and Performance in the U.K.
  • THTR 3851: Independent Study
  • THTR 3892: Advanced Topics in Theatre and Performance Studies

Acting and Direction for Production Minor (Students select 4 courses, or 12 units)

  • THTR 1611: Fundamentals of Acting (Prerequisite for remaining courses in this category)
  • THTR 2651: Play Direction
  • THTR 3207: Storytelling as Performance
  • THTR 3611: Jazz Acting
  • THTR 3612: Scene Study
  • THTR 4611: Advanced Topics in Acting
  • THTR 4612: Solo Performance

Theatre Design and Technical Production Minor (Students select four courses, or 12 credit hours)

  • THTR 1111: First-Year Writing Seminar, Visual Storytelling in Theatre and Film
  • THTR 1711: Scenery and Costume Production
  • THTR 1712: Lighting and Sound Production
  • THTR 2711: Sustainability in the Arts
  • THTR 3721: Set Design
  • THTR 3741: Costume Design
  • THTR 3761: Lighting and Sound Design
  • THTR 3781: Management in the Theatre
  • THTR 3851: Independent Study
  • THTR 3891: Advanced Topics in Theatre Design and Technical Production

Writing for/and Performance Minor (Students select four courses, or 12 credit hours)

  • THTR 1010W: Writing about Performance
  • THTR 2311W: Writing for the Stage and Screen
  • THTR 2202W: Performing Gender on European Stages
  • THTR 2206W: Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and the American Musical
  • THTR 3207: Storytelling as Performance
  • THTR 3311W: Playwriting
  • THTR 4612: Solo Performance