For Current Students

Theatre

What to Expect

Auditions are open to everyone and the department practices an identity conscious casting policy. Auditions usually consist of a reading from the chosen plays or prepping a song if it’s a musical. We usually lead warm-ups as part of the audition evening and then have each actor come in individually to audition. Callbacks usually consist of reading material with other actors, and can sometimes include dance or devising work.

Auditions always take place the WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY of the first week of the semester.

ANYONE can be a performer in a production at Lewis & Clark! There are no prerequisites and you do not need to be a major to audition. Students receive 2-4 credits in TH351 - Rehearsal and Performance or TH257 - One Acts/Thesis Rehearsal and Performance when they are cast in a production. Rehearsals last anywhere from 3-12 weeks depending on the production.

Tips for Auditioning

• • Make bold choices in relationship to the material. Take a risk! We want to see YOU, not what you think we want to see!
  • Prepare for the audition, but keep the stakes low - this is meant to be fun.
  • Build community - Auditions are a great way to meet people in the department. Say hi to your fellow auditioners and get to know someone new.
  • Ask questions! We’re all here to learn, so don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Dance

Any student can audition for a dance production at Lewis & Clark. There are no prerequisites and you do not need to be a major. Depending upon the performance, students can receive 1-4 credits in TH 252 (Rehearsal and Performance, Dance) once cast in a production. Rehearsals typically last 8-12 weeks.

What to Expect

The choreographer(s) will conduct a short warm up, followed by phrase work, and/or improvisational tasks. Each choreographer will explain their medium, concept, process, and goals for their piece. In some audition processes, students can indicate a preference for which piece(s) they might want to be involved in on an audition sheet after the audition is complete. There may be occasions where students are allowed to be cast in more than one piece.

How to Prepare

• • You do not need to prepare anything for an audition.
  • No dance experience required.
  • Show up 15 minutes early to fill out paperwork and stretch.
  • Wear clothes that allow for free range of movement including floor and partner work.

Tips for Auditioning

• • Be yourself and breathe.
  • Make creative choices.
  • Meet a friend.
  • Ask a question.
  • Have fun.
  • If you don’t get cast, come back next time!

The Theatre and Dance Department at Lewis & Clark is committed to an open and transparent process for the selection of our season. We seek to choose productions that speak to the breadth of theatrical history and literature and the urgency of the contemporary moment as well as offering our students a wide range of opportunities for performance, design and production.

To that end, faculty endeavor to choose plays that will both allow students to express aspects of their lived experience and challenge students to encounter ideas, forms and narratives that are new to them. We also seek to serve the Lewis & Clark Community with our mainstage season, and look for plays that will engage and provoke dialogue within the larger community. We endeavor to select plays that represent a diversity of perspectives and consider plays that expand the diversity of the stories we are telling onstage in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, culture and lived experience.

The Process

Season usually selection happens in the spring for the upcoming academic year. Faculty or Guest Directors propose a handful of scripts in January. A committee of students (Student Script Advisory Committee) is convened to review the scripts and meet with the Faculty or Guest director. SSAC makes a recommendation to the director, and the director makes the final decision. The season is announced at Senior Dinner in the spring.

Student Script Advisory Committee (SSAC)

All students are eligible to serve on SSAC. You don’t need to be a major to serve on the committee. The commitment is reading 7-10 scripts over the course of a month and attending two meetings with directors for the mainstage.

If you would like to be considered to serve on SSAC please fill out this form.

Learn how you can get involved with assistant directing, dramaturg, scene & costume shop, and design/tech!

Assistant Directing

• TH351: Rehearsal and Performance - If you want to assistant direct, it’s required that you have taken TH113: “Acting 1,” and preferred that you have taken TH301: “Directing.” Then, you can register in TH351: “Rehearsal and Performance.” Students can receive up to 4 credits as an assistant director or dramaturg for the fall or spring MainStage Play. If you’d like to assistant direct for the following semester, you must email the Theatre Department Chair by week 5 (October for the Spring Mainstage, February for the Fall Mainstage) of the previous semester so that you can be put in touch with the MainStage director for the next season’s MainStage Play. 
• TH257: Thesis Rehearsal and Performance - Students can also work as assistant directors and dramaturge for the One Act Festival and the Senior Thesis Festival and can receive up to 2 credits for this course. No perquisites required. Email the professor of TH257 prior to the semester starting. 

Dramaturg

Some examples of dramaturg include, “help directors develop the production concept, give the playwright feedback during the revision process, and enhance the audience’s experience of the play by developing supplemental interpretive materials like lobby displays, public websites, and program notes.”

• TH351: Rehearsal and Performance - If you want to dramaturg, it’s required that you have taken TH113: “Acting 1,” and preferred that you have taken TH280: “Theatre and Society” or TH275: “Intro to Playwriting.” Then, you can register in TH351: “Rehearsal and Performance.” Students can receive up to 4 credits as an assistant director or dramaturg for the fall or spring MainStage Play. If you’d like to dramaturg for the following semester, you must email the Theatre Department Chair by week 5 (October for the Spring MainStage, February for the Fall Mainstage) of the previous semester so that you can be put in touch with the MainStage director for the next season’s MainStage Play. 
• TH257: Thesis Rehearsal and Performance - Students can also work as assistant directors and dramaturge for the One Act Festival and the Senior Thesis Festival and can receive up to 2 credits for this course. No perquisites required. Email the professor of TH257 prior to the semester starting. 

Scene and Costume Shop

• TH110A or 110B: Theatre Laboratory - Theatre Lab students sign up for a production position at the beginning of the term as part of the experimental learning portion of the class. Those who choose to do their Theater Lab assignment in one of the shops complete 40 hours of work within that term.
• Work study positions: These positions are posted on the HR website when they come available. Typically, these positions are hired just before the beginning of fall term and continue through the entire school year, but on occasion positions come available mid year.

Design/Tech

Some examples of design and tech work include lighting designers, stage managers, design assistants, props coordinators, scenic artists, and additional run crew positions.

• TH357: Theatre Design/Production Laboratory - Students can earn up to 2-4 credits. It is required that you have taken TH110A: “Theatre Laboratory,” and that you are sophomore standing. 
• Design/tech info form - Please fill out this to share your areas of interest with our Department Managers. Sharing interest in a position does not commit you to any project, it just means you will be contacted when a production position becomes available. 

Signing up for the Black Box (Theatre Building)

All students are welcome to use the Black Box to rehearse any class, club or personal projects. Rehearsals for department productions receive priority scheduling. Personal projects may not be scheduled more than 3 days in advance. There are two ways to reserve the Black Box: 

• Check the Black Box calendar and email theatre@lclark.edu to reserve an open space.
• Stop by the theatre office in person. There will be a printed calendar outside the Black Box where you can write your name, the class or club (if applicable), and sign up for an open slot. 

Your ID card will grant you access to the building between 8am and midnight, 7 days a week. If your card is not working, you can call Campus Safety’s Emergency phone number at (503) 768-7777 and they will let you in. If this is the case, please let us know at theatre@lclark.edu.

Signing up for other rehearsal spaces on campus

Please contact Lewis and Clark Conferences and Events office to inquire about rehearsal space outside of Fir Acres Theatre. The best way to make a request is via their Event Planning Intake Form or by emailing events@lclark.edu. 

Signing up for rehearsals in the Platteau Dance Studio

The Platteau has a small dance studio that can be utilized for rehearsals space. Please note this space has a 90 minute space usage maximum. Please use the Platteau space request form to sign up.

Are you new to the design process? Check out costume process guide for tips and tricks on pulling and fitting costumes for a performance class.

1. Drop In Hours

Stop by the costume and prop room in the Theatre Building during the following dates and times:

• • • Tuesdays, 3:30p-5p
    • Wednesdays, 2p-5p

2.  Make an appointment

For Appointments, email: stock@lclark.edu with subject line as ‘Costumes’ or ‘Props.’

When borrowing costumes or props, you will be asked to fill out a loan agreement.

Costume Stock Manager: Katie Alker

Prop Stock Manager: TBD

Self Produced Student Projects (SPSP) is a student-run opportunity to direct, produce, and/or perform. Students propose a project, submit it to the Student Script Advisory Committee (SSAC), and – if your project is chosen – begin rehearsal for performance! 

General Information

Once Upon a Weekend is a playwriting festival and performance put on by Pause and sponsored by the Theatre Department. The secret of it is that it all happens quickly — in the space of a week (end). 

How it Works

We provide a theme, then you have one week to write a short play (10 minutes max) based on this theme. We need writers, actors, directors, an audience, and anything & everything in between! The theme will be posted on the Theatre lobby bulletin board and our Instagram (@firacrestheatre).

It’s all done in a week – so no huge commitment of resources is required. It’s open to ANY L&C student, not just those part of the Department already! It’s all for fun – so try it!

Timeline for Fall 2024

• Monday, October 14th: A theme will be posted on the lobby bulletin board of Fir Acres Theatre and on Instagram @firacrestheatre. Anyone and everyone may write a short (10 minute max) play/sketch/scene based on the theme.
• Thursday, October 17th at 10am: DEADLINE for entries. Email entries to: theatre@lclark.edu.
• Friday, October 18th at noon: Winning entries will be notified/posted. Then plays will be cast.
• Saturday, October 19th: Plays will be directed and final performances will be produced and performed at 8PM in the Fir Acres Black Box.

To qualify for departmental honors, students must demonstrate outstanding achievement in their first three years. The required GPA is 3.500 and Theatre Department faculty will invite qualified students to apply for departmental honors in the fall of their senior year. They must then demonstrate excellence in the capstone work of the Senior Seminar (Th 450), achieving a B+ or above in both the creative project (if applicable) and written thesis. Theatre Department faculty will monitor an applicant’s progress toward Honors.

For Theatre Students:

Because of Lewis & Clark’s longstanding commitment to international study, there is a wide range of opportunity for international travel, including two trips with special interest for theatre students: the London and Ireland programs. All feature superb theatre-going opportunities in major theatre capitals. The London program features internship opportunities in a variety of London theatres. There is also a first-rate domestic opportunity for theatre students: the New York program. This trip also features superb theatre-going opportunities – this time in the theatre capital of the United States. It offers internship opportunities in a variety of New York theatres. A number of our students have returned to New York or London following graduation in order to pursue opportunities they were made aware of through these trips.

For more information, contact the Overseas and Off-Campus Programs Office at overseas@lclark.edu. 

Students for Cultural Inclusion in the Theatre (SCIT)

We are looking for writers, actors, directors, prop designers, scenic designers, and literally anybody who is interested in theater, but doesn’t know what they want to do! SCIT is looking for both POC and white students who are interested in fostering a culturally inclusive community to uplift marginalized voices. We are looking for passionate creators of all skill levels to work on various projects throughout the semester. For more information email scit@lclark.edu OR follow @lcskit on instagram.

(Pause.) 

The mission of the (Pause.) board is to facilitate, produce, and publish student-written dramatic literature in the form of the annual (Pause.) Journal of Dramatic Literature and the biannual Once Upon a Weekend festival. We are a group that sets out to encourage student playwrights both by publishing and producing their work and also by involving those interested in playwriting or editing in the publishing process. For more information email pause@lclark.edu OR follow @pauseboard_lc on instagram.

Serious Club

To educate those who have an interest in basic improvisational forms as well as provide free entertainment to students in the form of scripted improv shows. For more information email serious@lclark.edu OR follow @lcimprov on instagram.

The Lewis and Clark Dance Company (LC Dance)

LCDance is a student-led club that holds a spring dance production called Dance Y as well as providing student-led and guest artist workshops, dance programming, and a centralized, casual place for student dancers to come together! We are welcoming of all dance styles and abilities and feel at the core that dance should be something that should breed joy not stress. We love giving student artists who aren’t necessarily academically in the arts a space to be creative as well. For more information email dancecompany@lclark.eduOR follow @lc_dancecompany on instagram.

Student Academic Affairs Board (SAAB)

SAAB provides research grants to support students who are conducting self-motivated research (supported by a faculty advisor) that adds depth and perspective to existing courses, programs, and issues at Lewis & Clark. Such research may be for independent study courses or theses/projects.

Student Script Advisory Committee (SSAC)

Selects and approves Self-Produced Student Projects, as well as advises Theatre faculty on upcoming projects and productions.

The Platteau

The Platteau is a student-run art center. Their space on campus also hosts monthly open-mics and gallery openings with live music. Follow @theplatteau on instagram.

Visual and Performing Arts Living Learning Community (VAPA)

The Platt West residence hall on campus houses Visual and Performing Arts Living Learning Community themed housing, a place where members of the floor embrace all forms of artistic expression, including writing, painting, drawing, dancing, playing musical instruments, singing, acting, or exploring previously uncharted artistic territory. Follow @vapalc on instagram.

The Co-op

The student-run Cooperative hosts monthly open-mics, student concerts, and other music events in their venue on campus. Follow @thecoop.pdx on instagram.