Marywood's theatre program will prepare you for a career in contemporary theatre by providing professional instruction in acting, playwriting, and stage direction. Students participate in all aspects of production, broadening their knowledge and developing an understanding of the diverse skills necessary to produce modern theatrical shows.

Our small class sizes ensure that you receive personalized instruction. Courses are taught by faculty who are working professionals in the entertainment industry.

Productions

Each year, students produce a musical and non-musical production on the main stage in the 1100-seat Sette Laverghetta Center for Performing Arts. Students build the scenery, construct costumes, hang and focus lights, and perform in these productions.

Recent productions include Godspell, To Kill A Mockingbird, Songs for a New World, Our Town, Measure for Measure, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, A Little Night Music, Crimes of the Heart, Miss Julie, Proof, Once Upon a Mattress, The Fantasticks, and All in the Timing.

All seniors must present a capstone project. Often, these capstones are productions performed in our flexible seating Black Box Theatre.

More About This Degree

• Learn more about this program or visit the Music, Theatre, and Dance website.
• College of Arts and Sciences
• Courses: Available courses in this department

Marywood's Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts features two theaters:

• Main Theatre: An 1100-seat auditorium outfitted with professional lighting and sound systems.
• Black Box Theatre: An intimate performance space with flexible staging for student-directed productions and experimental theatre.

Undergraduate Admissions Requirements

• Official SAT and/or ACT scores
• Completed application
• Essay
• Official transcripts
• Letter of recommendation

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B.A. in Music (Musical Theatre)

Combining competencies in both music and theatre, the Bachelor of Arts in Music with a concentration in Musical Theatre provides opportunities for students to develop competencies in both the artistic and technical production of musical theatre. Admission to this program requires an audition with music, theatre, and dance components.

Completion of this program prepares the student for professional work in musical theatre, as well as for further graduate study. 

Music courses — 31 credits

Theatre courses — 30 credits

Dance courses — 15 credits

*Six credits of dance technique required. Courses are offered in ballet, jazz, modern dance, tap, musical theatre, and special topics.

Additional Requirements

A musical theatre major must appear in music, theatre, and dance performances each year at Marywood and must attend master classes and workshops offered in music, theatre, and dance.

The musical theatre major will be evaluated or juried each year in music, theatre, and dance to make recommendations for further study.

Requirements for all Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Majors

There are two concentrations in the theatre program: (1) Theatre prepares students as performing artists, directors, technicians, designers, and managers. (2) Theatre Education leads to Pennsylvania teacher certification in Communication Arts 7-12 (which includes English, theatre, and non-print media).

All students adhere to Marywood University’s liberal arts core curriculum requirements as outlined in the undergraduate catalog.

Curriculum Requirements

Basic requirements for all students in Theatre, Musical Theatre, Theatre Education, or Theatre Arts Administration (15 credits):

B.A. in Theatre (65 credits)

The broad base of the theatre arts program allows for the exploration of a student’s strengths, which are then converted into marketable skills. Students focus on performance, technical production, or management under the guidance of faculty and staff. For all theatre students, production experiences place strong emphasis on the development of an ensemble work ethic. Course requirements include the basic requirements of 15 credits for the major, plus:

Select 6 credits from the following:

Under faculty guidance, students select 21 credits of electives and are encouraged to pursue an 18-credit minor in a related area of interest.

B.A. in Theatre Education (75 credits)

Students are certified to teach Communication Arts at the secondary level. The certification area includes English, theatre, and non-print media. Theatre Education candidates complete 190 hours of assigned fieldwork in observation prior to student teaching. Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requires a minimum QPA of 3.00 for formal acceptance into the teacher education program. Application is typically finalized during the sophomore screening process. Teacher certification requires students to complete their student teaching experience and pass Pennsylvania state teacher education tests.

Course requirements include basic requirements of 15 credits for the major plus:

+ The course selected may be applied both as a requirement for the major and as an upper level Liberal Arts core requirement.

Select 6 credits from the following non print courses:

Professional Education Component

*requires upper level screening
**taken with student teaching