Theatre Major
As a Cedar Crest theatre major, you will be given the opportunity to enhance your skills and knowledge both in the classroom and in the theatre. Each year, the department stages four major stage productions, which you may take part in from your first year here at Cedar Crest College. Productions include dramatic and comedic performances and musicals. Major productions are performed in the 250-seat Samuels Theatre, with smaller shows presented in the 75-seat Little Theatre.
Each term, theatre students participate in all campus productions in some capacity, in roles including cast member, stage crew, box office, scene shop, costume construction or stage management.
Major productions are strategically planned to correspond with classroom instruction, allowing students to immediately put their classroom knowledge into practice on stage. Shows are also picked to reflect the college’s strategic initiatives and are carefully selected to include strong roles for women.
After declaring your major during your sophomore year, you will be required to participate in First Friday, a program that connects students with their peers. There, you will observe projects being done at the junior and senior level. This exposure allows you to develop your own ideas and creativity, learning from your peers in addition to your professors.
During your senior year, you will showcase a senior thesis project of your choice. This provides you with the opportunity to present and demonstrate your creative process, while also offering you the experience of expressing your ideas to a larger audience.
Theatre at Cedar Crest offers you:
- The opportunity to audition and participate in major productions starting your first year
- Hand-on experience in all aspects of a theatre production
- The opportunity to present and express your creativity in front of peers, faculty and the public
- Instruction by knowledgeable and experienced faculty members
- The flexibility to explore multiple areas of interest, including minors and dual majors
Program Requirements
Auditions or applications are required for all production responsibilities. All theatre majors are obliged to abide by the written Performing Arts Departmental Policies. A grade of C or better is required in all courses taken for application toward all major requirements in the performing arts. At least 15 credits of course work in the major must be taken at Cedar Crest College. The total number of credits required by the theatre major program is 47.
Competencies and Assessment in the Performing Arts
- An initial assessment of each student's prior skills and experience is done upon declaring the major in theatre.
- Attendance at the First Friday Performing Arts Noon Series is required each term for declared majors. Presentations are required once each year. All presentations are expected to be works in progress and can be drawn from class work or independent work.
- All majors are given appropriate literature or reading lists to guide them in rounding out their studies. Students are expected to be familiar by graduation with the major authors, styles or periods on the lists appropriate to their discipline.
- By spring of the junior year, students submit project proposals for approval. All majors are expected to make an oral presentation on a designated First Friday briefly presenting the progress and plans for their project in spring of the junior year.
- Senior Project: All majors must produce a major creative project in order to graduate. Students present a project proposal for departmental approval and seek an adviser for the project by April 1. No projects will proceed without departmental approval. This project is included in PER 353.
- All performing arts majors are required to participate in a minimum of two faculty-supervised musical ensembles, dance productions, theatre productions and/or performing arts practicums.
- 15 credits of coursework in the major must be taken at Cedar Crest College.
Course Requirements
Total number of credits required by program: 47
- THS 120 Introduction to Theatre 3 credits
- THS 150 Stagecraft 3 credits
- THS 201 Beginning Acting 3 credits
- THS 231 History of Theatre I 3 credits
- THS 232 History of Theatre II 3 credits
- THS 240 Design for the Stage (scene design, lighting or costumes) 3 credits
- THS 250 and/or THS 251 (3 x 1) 3 credits
- THS 301 Directing 3 credits
- THS Electives in one area, either acting/directing or design: (3 x 3) 9 credits
- Performance and/or Design/ Technology
- PER 100 First Friday (4 x .5) 2 credits
- PER 252 Sophomore Seminar 3 credits
- PER 255 Portfolio 1 credit
- PER 353 Senior Project 5 credits
- THS 105 Public Speaking 3 credits
Technology, Oral Presentation and Information Literacy requirements (for majors) are fulfilled through completing the major and are assessed in the following courses:
- PER 255 Portfolio Preparation
- PER 353 Senior Seminar
Mission Statement
The mission of the theatre major is to develop artistic and leadership skills toward the practical application of theatre through coursework in the areas of history, performance, design, technical theatre and production. Emphasis is placed on understanding the balance between practical and artistic choices, accepting responsibility and promoting teamwork. The foundational courses are taught in the context of their value to the liberal arts and are available to all students regardless of major, while advanced courses prepare students to apply for graduate work.
For more details on this major, contact department chair Roxanne Amico at rtamico@cedarcrest.edu.
