The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is ideal for students who want a broad education in addition to production and performance experience. Students can take classes in a variety of theatre areas such as Acting, Directing, Stage Management, Design & Playwriting. The program is designed to insure that students graduate with a sound artistic and experiential base for further pursuits in education and in life beyond the university.
The comprehensive program in theater combines a critical study of theater with experiential practice in one or more of its component parts. Students explore the various areas of theater to build a foundation for future creative work. This education will prepare the graduate to be an informed citizen of an increasingly complex world, an original and critical thinker.
Much of the training is accomplished by practical experience that also provides cultural and intellectual stimuli to campus and community life. These activities include main-stage theatre productions, experimental plays, and workshops by visiting artists.
The Theatre program may be combined with a Minors in other disciplines such as Business, Film Production & Social Entrepreneurship or with Pre-Law, Pre-Med and Pre-Ministry programs to prepare students for Graduate school application.
Internships
Students can work on internships during the semester with local Theatre companies. Many students also use their summer break to complete internships with regional professional theatres. Some recent Internships include:
The Prizery, Virginia • Flat Rock Playhouse, North Carolina • Barter Theatre, Virginia •Telsey & Co., New York • Lexington Children’s Theatre, Kentucky• Charleston Stage• Orlando Shakespeare Festival
International Study
Every three years, students travel to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland, which is the largest theatre festival in the world, with over 2,500 performances in three weeks. Recent productions include The Curious Savage, Our Town and Alice in Wonderland.
Students also have the opportunity to spend a short term or semester at Samford’s Daniel House, an international study center in London. Students take classes and can participate in internships in some of London’s most prestigious theatre companies.
Career Opportunities
Our students go on to work professionally in theatre as actors, directors, designers stage managers and technicians at all levels from Broadway to regional theatre, children’s theatre, and in film and television. In addition graduates also pursue careers as teachers and coaches, producers, critics,
In addition, many graduates continue their studies at prestigious at schools such as New York University, Columbia University, Louisiana State University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University of Georgia and University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
