Department of Theatre and Dance

Telephone: (302) 831-2201

Department website: https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/cas/units/departments/theatre-and-dance/

Healthcare Theatre website: https://sites.udel.edu/healthcaretheatre/

Mission Statement
The Theatre and Dance Department is dedicated to cultivating creativity, critical inquiry, and artistic excellence in performance, production, and scholarship. Through training, collaboration, and storytelling, we empower students to become innovative artists, engaged citizens, and leaders in the cultural landscape. We are committed to fostering a supportive community where the transformative power of theatre and dance inspires dialogue, challenges perspectives, and enriches society.

The BACHELOR OF ARTS IN THEATRE STUDIES at the University of Delaware offers a distinctive educational experience that combines academic study with hands-on professional engagement. Central to the program is the Resident Ensemble Players (REP), a professional regional theatre company located on campus and integrated within the Department of Theatre and Dance. Students benefit from direct interaction with faculty who are actively engaged in all aspects of theatrical production-including acting, directing, design, and technical work-providing a dynamic learning environment rooted in professional practice.

The program emphasizes the collaborative nature of theatre, cultivating students’ abilities to communicate with clarity, imagination, and purpose. This focus on effective, creative communication prepares graduates for a broad range of careers both within and beyond the performing arts. Students interested in the Theatre Studies major are encouraged to contact Steve Tague (stague@udel.edu)

The BACHELOR OF ARTS IN DANCE at The University of Delaware is a dynamic program that integrates technical training, creative practice and scholarly inquiry, emphasizing movement as a powerful form of inquiry, activism, and expression. Merging fine and liberal arts, the curriculum emphasizes anatomically sound technique, performance, and choreography within historical, cultural, social, and educational contexts. Students will critically and ethically explore the intersections of body, performance, and culture, while developing a deep understanding of dance as both an individual and social practice. Our program nurtures empathy and collaboration, encouraging you to engage with diverse perspectives through movement, writing, and discussion. You will study the performative body as it relates to dance, music, performance, aesthetics, history, culture and knowledge and explore your unique interests by pursuing creative and scholarly study within the coursework. Students interested in the Dance major should contact Denise J. Murphy (djmurphy@udel.edu)

THEATRE STUDIES MAJOR

The Theatre Studies degree is designed as a general degree allowing the student great flexibility. Students interested in interdisciplinary study will have the opportunity and support to pursue a double major. Throughout the students’ four years in the department, they will be led by professionals and experts in their field, in classes with small enrollment, ensuring great attention to individual growth. The theatre student can steer their education in four different directions: to a higher degree in theatre, to a higher degree in another field, to a job in an arts related field or to a job in the wide world of employment.

Throughout their course of study, students pursuing the Theatre Studies major can depend on the following opportunities:

Focusing on one of the following: performance, production, or scholarship.
Building a resume with professional credits before graduation.
Gaining experience in any area of the theatre business: front of house, marketing, box office, stage management, development, arts management.
Working with the faculty of this department who are well connected to professional theatres across the country, giving students access to summer work.
Working on a unique playwriting sequence shared with the English department and supported by the Stroman fund and the Hawkins fund.

DANCE MAJOR

The Dance degree is designed as a general degree allowing the student great flexibility. Students interested in interdisciplinary study will have the opportunity and support to pursue a double major. Throughout the student’s four years they will be led by professional and experts in their field, in classes with small enrollment, ensuring great attention to individual growth. The dance student can steer their education in four different directions: to a higher degree in dance, to a higher degree in another field, to a job in an arts related field or to a job in the wide world of employment.

Throughout their course of study, students pursuing the Dance major can depend upon the following opportunities:

Performing in at least two concerts per year, with additional opportunities available by audition.
Working with the faculty of this department who are well connected to the dance profession across the country.
Focusing on researchwhich will enable a student to develop academic, problem-solving and communication skills.
Working across disciplines to engage in joint decision-making, co-creation, and community.
Engaging with the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA), developing skills in administration, teaching, and leadership, while building the credentials to graduate with honors in dance.

The Theatre and Dance Department also offers six distinct minors all designed to deepen the student’s appreciation of theatre and dance as art forms within the context of a liberal arts education.

Coursework in all minors provides students with a foundation for theatre, dance, musical theatre and healthcare theatre appreciation. The Department of Theatre and Dance also provides the University with a variety of general education courses in theatre and dance designed to expand appreciation of, and future participation in, the arts. There are no auditions required to minor in Theatre or Dance. However, dance minor concert auditions happen early in the fall semester; reach out to Kim Schroeder (kschroed@udel.edu) for more information. Students interested in Healthcare Theatre can reach out to Heather Mekulski (hem@udel.edu) for more information. Students interested in additional, extra-curricular and student-led performance opportunities could also contact one of the student theatre or dance organizations on campus, found on Student Central.

DANCE MINOR PROGRAM

A minor in dance is available for students who have an interest in dance and want a concentration of study in this area to complement their career goals. The minor provides students with the opportunity to study a variety of coursework including, but not limited to, technique, composition and choreography, and elective choices in the historical, cultural, pedagogical, and somatic areas of dance. Additionally, dance minors complete an introductory seminar course exploring career options in dance as well as a variable credit capstone experience project at the end of the minor course of study.

HEALTHCARE THEATRE MINOR

A minor in HEALTHCARE THEATRE (HT) provides University of Delaware undergraduates the opportunity to learn and collaborate in a highly interprofessional educational program across multiple colleges and disciplines. HT provides students with the essential communication skills, verbal, nonverbal, and written; so that they can become communication specialists able to teach, coach, and provide feedback to learners both inside and outside the healthcare field. The fifteen credits that make up this unique minor may come from many various courses in different colleges, schools, and programs here at UD. The Healthcare Theatre minor is available to all undergraduate students, but is especially valuable to students interested in the fields of healthcare, theatre, communications, leadership, and education.

MUSICAL THEATRE MINOR

Musical Theatre is a common part of our cultural experience. By completing this minor, students gain insight into the interdependent nature of this artform. Drawing from elements across the entire Arts portfolio, this program is designed to enhance the students’ knowledge and skills in both production and performance aspects of Musical Theatre. Musical Theatre also gives students a new way of looking at the world; it has proven invaluable to students in a wide variety of disciplines from pre-law to pre-medicine, increasing their chances of getting into their graduate schools.

THEATRE PERFORMANCE MINOR

The Theatre Performance Minor is designed for those students who are interested in learning about the performance areas of the theatre - acting, voice, speech, movement, and other related subjects - and who desire the opportunity to explore these areas through the prescribed coursework of a minor.

THEATRE PRODUCTION MINOR

The Theatre Production Minor is designed for those students who are interested in learning about the production areas of the theatre - scenery, lighting, properties, sound, costuming, stage management, and other related subjects - and who desire the opportunity to explore these areas through the prescribed course work of a minor.

THEATRE STUDIES MINOR

The Theatre Studies Minor is designed for those students who are interested in a variety of areas of the theatre - performance, production, history, directing, and other related subjects - and who desire the opportunity to explore these areas through the prescribed course work of a minor.

Programs

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