Theatre
Program Details
Ready to take center stage? As a student in the theatre major at Xavier, you'll collaborate with industry professionals and be part of theatre productions starting your first year. Dive into a world of creativity where you can tailor your studies to focus on acting, theatre technology, stagecraft, directing, playwriting or design—all while gaining practical skills and cross-cultural insights to prepare you for the professional stage beyond Xavier.
Student interested in becoming a theatre major must audition and/or interview with the Department of Music and Theatre faculty. Read about the audition requirements.
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre
Curriculum
The sample course sequence below illustrates class offerings for the Theatre major. Consult the official Xavier University course catalog for detailed registration and advising information.
Fall
- THEATRE 100 - Intro to Theatre............ 3cr.
- THEATRE 120 - Acting I............ 3cr.
- CORE 100 - First Year Seminar............ 3cr.
- PHILOSOPHY 100 - Ethics as an Introduction to Philosophy............ 3cr.
- second language I............ 3cr.
- CORE 101: GOA Co-curriculum Program I............ 0cr.
Spring
- THEATRE 110 - Survey of Dramatic Literature............ 3cr.
- THEATRE 150 - Stagecraft............ 3cr.
- THEOLOGY 111 - Theological Foundations............ 3cr.
- ENGLISH 101 - English Composition............ 3cr.
- second language II............ 3cr.
- CORE 102: GOA Co-curriculum Program II............ 0cr.
Fall
- THEATRE 205 - Theatre History I............ 3cr.
- Theatre Performance Elective............ 3cr.
- Historical Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- Scientific Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- Philosophical Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- THEATRE 198/199 - Theatre Workshop............ 1cr.
Spring
- THEATRE 206 - Theatre History II............ 3cr.
- THEATRE 211 - Script Analysis............ 3cr.
- Mathematical Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- Theological Perspective Elective............ 3cr.
- Theatre Production/Performance Elective............ 3cr.
- THEATRE 198/199 - Theatre Workshop............ 1cr.
Fall
- Theatre Production/Performance Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
- Natural Science Elective............ 3cr.
- Humanities Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- THEATRE 310 - Directing............ 3cr.
- THEATRE 198/199 Theatre Workshop............ 1cr.
- Social Science Elective............ 3cr.
- Literature and Moral Imagination 205............ 3cr.
- General elective............ 1cr.
- THEATRE 350 - Internship............ 1cr.
Fall
- Theatre Production/Performance Elective............ 3cr.
- THEATRE 198/199 Theatre Workshop............ 1cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- Theatre Production/Performance Elective............ 3cr.
- THEATRE 450 - Senior Thesis............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
Theatre Courses
Sample courses within the theatre curriculum:
- Improvisation for the Actor (THTR 160) - This course will introduce the student to the historical origins of improv, long and short form improv, and traditional improv games used by Second City. Students will create monologues, scenes, and performances with the skills developed in class.
- Acting II (THTR 320) - Building on the skills developed in Acting I, this class focuses on honing a more specific approach to acting through detailed scene analysis, performance of contemporary scenes and plays, and reading and research of major acting techniques.
- Directing (THTR 350) - Students will gain practical experience in play direction through the study and application of script breakdown and analysis, basic staging techniques, and basic directing theories. Students will direct two scenes during the semester.
- Internship (THTR 351) - The Theatre Internship course offers practical experience in a professional theatre company in the student's area of interest, ranging from acting to directing, set design to carpentry.
- Set Design (THTR 330) - This course introduces students to the techniques, processes and methods of the scenic designer. The course will explore scenic design through analysis and research, creating a design statement, developing preliminary sketches, creating a groundplan and white model, and presenting a finalized design. This course will also examine historical aspects of set design, effective use of scale, and key aspects of artistic drafting and rendering.
Theatre Clubs
- Don't Tell Anna- Don't Tell Anna (DTA) is an improvisational comedy group that provides an alternative entertainment option to students on campus. The troupe combines the two types of improv, long-form and short-form, into monthly performances that are free of charge.
- Toolbox- Toolbox is a student-led improv comedy troupe sponsored by the Xavier Theatre program. Featuring both long and short-form improvisation techniques, Toolbox performs multiple times throughout each semester.
- XU Live- XU Live is a live performance club that strives to support student performers at Xavier University and create a platform for bi-monthly open mic live performances in the heart of campus: Gallagher Student Center.
Theatre Careers
99% of Xavier students, including those in the theatre major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduating (Class of 2022). Explore Xavier's Career Outcomes Dashboard to view career outcomes by major.
Career Opportunities: Theatrical Design (lights, sound, set, costumes, video), Director, Actor (stage, film, tv, commercials), Stage Manager, Producer (theatre, film, tv), Talent Management, Education, Sales, Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Communications Specialist, Broadcaster, Project Management, Event Management, Realty, Authors, Health Care, Fundraising
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Learn from the Best in the Industry Through Professional Collaborations
From Tony Award-winners to artistic directors of professional theatre companies, students in the musical theatre major have the opportunity to learn from the best in the industry. You'll also have the chance to participate in Xavier Theatre’s new play development collaboration with NYC’s Fault Line Theatre.
Gain Expertise in Multi-Production Seasons Starting Your First Year
Xavier Theatre produces a dynamic and diverse eight-show season, and all incoming students have the opportunity to be cast in productions, including leading roles. You'll also create your own professional website, helping you to get ready for your next steps after Xavier.
Tailor Your Academic Experience to Your Interests and Career Goals
With a varied course selection, you'll have the flexibility to customize your academic journey according to your interests and professional aspirations as a professional in the theatre industry. Chose from courses covering diverse topics within the discipline, including acting, theatre technology, stagecraft, directing, playwriting and design.
Graduate With Honors
Are you looking for an academic challenge? The University Scholars Honors Program offers incoming students a more challenging curriculum and close support from professors while completing their undergraduate degree. Acceptance into the program is highly selective and includes a $2000 travel grant.
Theatre Major at Xavier University
Xavier University's Theatre program combines practical experiences and professional collaborations to prepare students for careers in theatre performance and production. With a fundamental focus on offering student opportunities, Xavier Theatre offers a dynamic and diverse production season of musicals, dramas and comedies, working with some of the most outstanding directors and designers across the country.
Xavier University’s College of Arts and Sciences challenges students to develop an integrated understanding of humanity, the world, and God by pursuing the questions raised in Xavier's core and departmental curricula. The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest college at Xavier University. The college provides an excellent liberal arts education in the Jesuit tradition that prepares students for careers, professional or graduate school, and life in a global society.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."