Theatre

Why Choose a Degree in Theatre?

We are a community of artists, scholars, choreographers, designers, technicians, writers, and critics. Fir Acres Theatre hums with activity and creativity from the first morning classes to rehearsals that run late into the evening. From department mainstage productions to dance concerts to student-driven festivals, you will have many opportunities to create performances and put theory into practice.

What You’ll Study

The major is divided into four concentrations: performance, design/tech, dance, and arts for community. We also offer minors in theatre studies and dance. Our majors are required to study all aspects of the theatre, which includes coursework in classic and contemporary dramatic literature, acting, directing, theatre design, and dance. Many students also participate in our growing playwriting program. Our classes and productions are open to all students, regardless of major, and emphasize theatre and dance as an integral part of a liberal arts education. All students have the opportunity to participate in creating professional productions ranging from classics to contemporary pieces to musicals to original student-written works.

Many of our students earn course credit while on an overseas program. In addition to general cultural programs that are open to all students, we encourage our majors to participate in the England: Fine Arts and New York programs. These programs give our students the opportunity to experience more than 30 productions over the course of a semester, as well as the chance to intern with professional companies such as Manhattan Theatre Club, Atlantic Theatre Company, and the Wooster Group, among others.

Outside the classroom, our faculty regularly collaborate with students in their scholarship and creative practice. Students have recently worked with faculty on productions at Third Rail Repertory Theatre, Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble, and CoHo Theatre, and at the Chekhov Symposium, an event that brought in scholars and artists from all over the country to Lewis & Clark to present research on the works of Anton Chekhov. We also sponsor numerous opportunities for students to engage with professional artists throughout the year.

Curriculum

Connect With Lewis & Clark!

 

Complement Your Education With One of These Minors

The most popular minors for our theatre majors are dance, English, and history.

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What Students Are Saying About Lewis & Clark

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  Theatre really is about how we create the environments we exist inside of and all of the necessary thought processes to create those environments. 

  Phoenix Cox BA ’24

  Theatre | Latin American and Latino Studies | Bellevue, Washington

  More about Phoenix
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  Creative writing has always been a source of joy in my life. Both of my majors (theatre and English) are based in stories, so learning how to write a good story will contribute well to the academic disciplines I’m invested in.

  Niels Truman BA ’22

  Theatre and English (double) | Aurora, Oregon

  More about Niels
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  I love how dynamic the rhetoric and media studies major is. You could be learning about how film works in one class and the history of argument and persuasion in the next. When paired with theatre, the two disciplines become a powerful tool for expression and impact—one I’m eager to keep developing and exploring further.

  Debbie C. Mukuka BA ’27

  Rhetoric and Media Studies, Theatre | Hispanic Studies | Kitwe, Zambia

  More about Debbie

What Can You Do With a Degree in Theatre?

Our alumni use their bachelor of arts degree to pursue careers in theatre and many other fields, such as education, law, nonprofit administration, business, and international relations. They also attend prestigious graduate schools, such as Northwestern University and the University of London.

Dedicated Faculty

Our expert professors are your expert mentors. You will learn directly from faculty (no graduate assistants here!) that are nationally recognized in their fields of study and who love to work with and learn from their students. Our theatre faculty are some of the most engaged working artists in the Pacific Northwest. Our faculty are running nationally recognized theatre and dance companies, performing and directing professionally both regionally and in New York City, and publishing in national and international publications. They bring those experiences into the classroom and into opportunities to connect you with internships and professional development opportunities. Your small classes will support you as you explore new ideas, find your voice, and speak your truth.

Meet the Professors

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  No matter where our graduates go, their theatre training and their education serve them well. Their skills of collaboration, creativity, reliability, and determination that “the show must go on” make them exceptional human beings.

  Professor of Theatre

  Štĕpán Šimek More about Štĕpán
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  Living in the third most creative city in America means that our students have access to a vibrant artistic community right at their doorstep.

  Associate Professor of Theatre and Department Chair

  Rebecca Lingafelter More about Rebecca

Invest in Yourself

A private liberal arts education is often more affordable than you think. Last year, Lewis & Clark distributed over $74 million in assistance from institutional, federal, state, and private sources. Additionally, we’re so confident that our first-year students will graduate with their bachelor of arts degree in four years that if you don’t, we’ll cover the extra semester of tuition.

Find Your People

Students can join a variety of student-run organizations. The Theatre is an inclusive and welcoming community with many opportunities to get involved. SCIT, PAUSE, The Serious Club are just a few ways to find your people and start making art! Don’t see what you’re looking for on the club list? Start something new and build your own community of peers!

Where Lewis & Clark Will Take You

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  I know what I can do for my own students, and I also know how I can advocate for change, largely thanks to the classes I had as an undergrad.

  Haley Wildhirt BA ’22

  Theatre, performance concentration | Longmont, Colorado

  More about Haley
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  I knew I wanted to continue my theatre education and was presented with the amazing opportunity of Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble’s Institute of Contemporary Performance!

  Zoe Brouwer BA ’22

  Theatre | Corvallis, Montana

  More about Zoe
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  L&C sets you up to have a lifetime of support.

  Margaret Jordan BA ’18

  Theatre | English | Placentia, California

  More about Margaret

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