Theatre Arts

The Department of Theatre Arts commits to a liberal arts education through a balanced program of hands-on and scholarly coursework with holistic exposure to theatre’s varied practice areas. We maintain the highest standards in academic pursuits and production, while actively investigating the literature, history, cultural resonance, and current processes of theatre from critical viewpoints. We also value theatre as a form of creative communication, one that illuminates pathways for personal growth.

3-5

PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS EACH YEAR
 

1
student-run playhouse
100+
students across majors participate in productions
Students in a play

 

Left Hand of Darkness, 2017

University Theatre

University Theatre’s annual season includes productions ranging from Shakespeare or other classics to musicals to contemporary and experimental works to student-written plays. Auditions and backstage opportunities are open to all UO students. Visit the University Theatre website to learn more about the current season. Tickets are free to students with UO ID.

What You Can Do with a Degree in Theatre Arts

Theatre arts majors use their skills and liberal arts foundation for a wide range of professional employment, including professional theatre and other creative media, as well as education, law, and marketing. Theatre arts provides students with a foundation for employment in:

  • Community, regional, and commercial theaters
  • Repertory companies
  • Amusement and theme parks
  • Cruise lines
  • Radio stations
  • Television and motion picture studios
  • Acting conservatories
  • Arts councils
  • Talent agencies
  • Colleges and universities
Sean Andries, Executive director, Chehalem Cultural Center

How Theatre Arts Launches Your Career

“Studying theatre arts at the UO laid the foundation for me to build my life and career in the arts. Whether I am directing a show, delivering on stage, presenting in a boardroom, balancing budgets, or myriad other things I never imagined then, I know my time in Villard Hall prepared me well for all of it. All these years later, I have a career I'm proud of and a job I love.”

—Sean Andries '05, executive director, Chehalem Cultural Center

Our Degree Programs

Undergraduate students can major or minor in theatre arts. Graduate students can pursue a master’s or doctorate.

Students in a play

The Home Planet, 2019

Learn from Experts in the Field

As mentors, collaborators, and coaches, our faculty advise and prepare students to audition and interview professionally or to pursue graduate training programs. They maintain a longstanding tradition of excellence and innovation as well as a liberal arts approach to theatre education.

Student in a play

Hay Fever, 2022

Get Real-World Experience

Our University Theatre serves as a laboratory for theatre arts majors to apply what they learn in their classes and to develop professional skills through experiential learning. Majors, minors, and all University of Oregon students can participate in various areas of production. This commonly involves acting, assistant directing, costumes, dramaturgy, lighting, projections, scenery, sound, or stage management.

Scholarships and Funding

All theatre arts graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to apply for annual departmental scholarships. Students can also seek funding from a variety of additional sources.

Undergraduate Scholarships Graduate Funding

Academic Support

Our academic advisors can help students understand their major or minor requirements, plan their course of study, explore study-abroad opportunities, and more.

Undergraduate Advising
Support for Graduate Students

Department of Theatre Arts News and Events

When Damon Jones '84 was diagnosed with cancer, he was determined to make some dreams come true. One of those dreams was reviving "The Last Dragon," a stage production he was part of in his last year in the Theatre Department at University of Oregon. Through sheer determination he pulled together the majority of the original cast, and they are staging it live in Portland Aug. 8-10, 2024.
THEATRE ARTS - Jeanette deJong, associate professor of costume design, history and technology in the College of Arts and Sciences, brings decades of experience to the theatre arts. Whether leading a lecture or writing a book, deJong draws from her professional journey and offers methods and techniques that have been honed over the years.
CINEMA STUDIES - Dive into the art of producing with a hands-on immersive experience through the University of Oregon’s “The Art of Producing” Visiting Filmmaker Series 2024. Hear firsthand from the producer who brought “The Last of Us” to the screen, explore the craft of horror cinema and learn about a variety of possible careers in the film industry.

All news »


Department of History Coffee Hour
Oct15
Department of History Coffee Hour Oct 15 McKenzie Hall
Disabled and Neurodivergent Graduate Student Time Together
Oct15
Disabled and Neurodivergent Graduate Student Time Together Oct 15 Susan Campbell Hall
The Roots of Polarization: From the Racial Realignment to the Culture Wars
Oct15
The Roots of Polarization: From the Racial Realignment to the Culture Wars Oct 15 William W. Knight Law Center
How to Be Ready for the Graduate Student & Postdoc Industry Recruitment Event (GSPIRE)
Oct15
How to Be Ready for the Graduate Student & Postdoc Industry Recruitment Event (GSPIRE) Oct 15
Let's Talk - Tuesdays 3-5PM (CMAE/Zoom)
Oct15
Let's Talk - Tuesdays 3-5PM (CMAE/Zoom) Oct 15 CMAE
The BIG 10+ Academia Career Fair
Oct16
The BIG 10+ Academia Career Fair Oct 16
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches)
Oct16
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches) Oct 16 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
Get Ready for the Big One! What You Need to Know About Earthquake Preparedness
Oct16
Get Ready for the Big One! What You Need to Know About Earthquake Preparedness Oct 16 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
Let's Talk - Wednesdays Noon-2MP (Peterson Hall/Zoom)
Oct16
Let's Talk - Wednesdays Noon-2MP (Peterson Hall/Zoom) Oct 16 Peterson Hall
Let’s Talk – Wednesdays 2PM-4PM (BCC/Zoom)
Oct16
Let’s Talk – Wednesdays 2PM-4PM (BCC/Zoom) Oct 16 Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center

All events »