Musical Theatre
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Theatre Major in Pennsylvania
Participate in the full breadth of theatrical experiences on and off campus with our Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in theatre at Messiah University, one of the top private Christian universities in the U.S.
Study Theatre at a Christian University
While earning your Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in theatre at Messiah University, a top private Christian university in the U.S., you’ll have plenty of opportunities to express and enhance your artistic gifts both on and off campus. Within the theatre major, you will choose a concentration in acting, directing, or technical production and design. As an audition-based program, all applicants seeking admission to the Department of Theatre and Dance must audition or interview with the department’s faculty.
We offer a rigorous exploration of historic and contemporary theatre practice within a vibrant liberal arts tradition. Our curriculum includes applied studio courses in acting, directing and technical production and design as well as course work in dramatic literature, theatre history and theory.
Messiah University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST). Information about the association can be found here.
As a Theatre major or minor at Messiah University, you’ll be able to:
- Choose from three different areas of interest: acting, directing and technical production and design.
- Get hands-on experience in the production process.
- Create a Senior Capstone Project—a portfolio-building project representing the culmination of your training and serving as a bridge to graduate programs, professional theatre, and other career opportunities.
- Learn how to engage theatre as a forum for civic dialogue.
- Gain knowledge in a broad range of theatrical genres, historic movements and critical theories.
- Collaborate with educational and artistic initiatives throughout Central Pennsylvania and at the national level.
- Study with faculty who are practicing performers, directors, designers and technicians.
- Spend a semester abroad through programs in locations such as Ireland, Australia, London and Italy.
- Participate in Alpha Psi Omega, Messiah's chapter of the National Theatre Honor Society, which puts on a student-run show every semester.
- Learn and perform in our various performance spaces.
- Pair this major with the B.A. in business administration as a secondary (double) major, if you wish. Within your primary field of study, learning critical business skills can open up additional opportunities for you after graduation.
As a graduate of the theatre program, you will be equipped to secure positions such as:
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
- Playwright
- Light or sound coordinator
- Costume director
- Community arts activist
- Set designer
- Stage technician
For more information on career planning for the theatre program, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center.
Messiah’s nationally recognized internship program places students in a variety of theatre internships. A few examples include:
- Open Stage of Harrisburg
- Manhattan Theatre Club
- Arden Theatre, Philadelphia
- Sight & Sound Theatre, Lancaster
- New Jersey Shakespeare Festival
- Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble
- Touchstone Theatre Ensemble, Bethlehem, Pa.
- London Internships
Programs related to Theatre
Dance
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In the Theatre program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.
Course options for Theatre:
Theatre (B.A.)
Theatre careers and outcomes
Where our grads work
Graduates of the Theatre program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.
96% of the Class of 2022 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.
Our Alumni
Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.
Put what you learn into practice
Each year the theatre major applies classroom and studio knowledge to a robust six-production season of contemporary and classic plays. You’ll be challenged to explore the intersections between Christian faith and theatre and engage theatre as a forum of civic dialogue.
As an undergraduate, you will have the opportunity to participate in Alpha Psi Omega, Messiah's chapter of the National Theatre Honor Society, which sponsors the student-run Rogue Theatre Festival each spring.
Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning
Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.
Great location
With Messiah’s close proximity to cultural centers of Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia and Lancaster, theatre majors gain exposure to a broad range of acting, directing and technical production experiences.
Learn from experienced professionals
Our team of faculty mentors, who are also practicing performers, playwrights, producers, and technicians, will work alongside you to cultivate your intellect and imagination through acting, directing, producing, critique, set-design, and more!