Theatre Arts
Department of Theatre Arts
Chairperson: DeAnna M. Toten Beard
Graduate Program Director: David Jortner
The Department of Theatre Arts is committed to providing quality training in advanced theatre studies (theory, criticism, theatre history, and dramatic literature) and directing for the stage. The Master of Arts degree is a pre-doctoral program requiring 31 hours. The M.A. prepares students for Ph.D. programs in theatre history, theatre theory and criticism, performance studies, and related disciplines. Each M.A. student will be closely mentored by a practicing theatre scholar and will be directed to produce original, meaningful research in the discipline. The Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing is a terminal degree requiring sixty-one semester hours. The M.F.A. Directing program is intended for the artist-scholar who plans to direct professionally, work as an artistic director, and/or pursue a career in university theatre education. Each M.F.A. student will undertake a range of directing projects during his or her three years at Baylor. As Graduate Assistants, M.F.A. students will also be assigned various production and teaching responsibilities.
Admission
To qualify for admission into the graduate program, a student must have completed a minimum of eighteen semester hours of undergraduate study in theatre arts. The M.A. and M.F.A. degrees do not have a foreign language requirement.
Students applying for admission to the M.A. Theatre program are expected to
- meet all requirements for admission to the Baylor University Graduate School;
- submit three letters of recommendation;
- submit a statement of purpose and professional goals;
- submit an academic writing sample; and
- submit scores from the GRE General Test.
The faculty reserves the right to require certain foundation courses, as well as advanced courses, according to the needs and specialization of the individual student. For further requirements, see the general graduate admission section of this catalog.
Students applying for admission to the M.F.A. Directing program are expected to
- meet all requirements for admission to the Baylor University Graduate School;
- submit three letters of recommendation;
- submit a resume which lists the plays he or she has directed, roles he or she has played, and technical/design activity in theatre;
- submit a statement of purpose and professional goals; and
- submit a director’s analysis and conceptual statement of a selected play.
Selected applicants will be asked to conduct a personal interview with a committee of faculty members from the Department of Theatre Arts. The faculty reserves the right to require certain foundation courses, as well as advanced courses, according to the needs and specialization of the individual student. For further requirements, see the general graduate admission section of this catalog.
Theatre Arts (THEA)
A study of dress from Egyptian times to the twentieth century.
Major historical movements and periods in architecture and decorative arts in the West, with special attention to how these trends relate to theatrical design.
Advanced principles and practices of costume design, with an emphasis on the design team/director collaboration.
Education, theory, and philosophy that will cultivate the techniques of creative dramatics and develop the skills needed for human interaction in dramatic play. Lab required.
Directing techniques for departures from realism, with an emphasis on postmodern theatre, musical theatre, and verse drama. Workshop required.
Continuation of THEA 4365. Workshop required.
Historical investigation of theatre practice, performance, and dramatic literature from the early twentieth century to the present.
An exploration of biblical perspectives concerning creativity and the arts with a special emphasis on theatre and the performing arts.
Investigation of the functions and methods of the dramaturg such as choosing a season, audience enrichment, new play development, researching production history, and understanding dramatic structure and theory.
Topics related to leading contemporary playwrights, current issues of dramatic style, and emerging trends in theatrical practice. May be repeated once for credit with different content.
Organizational structure, fundraising techniques, and board development for non-profit professional and commercial performing arts organizations. Includes contracting with professional unions, budgeting, and season planning. Technical crew lab included.
Role and responsibilities of the stage manager using the Regional Theatre or LORT Stage Manager model. Explores budgeting, seasonal planning and responsibilities in touring and non-theatrical situations.
Four basic areas of technical direction: creating technical drawings, estimating a set, choosing materials used in the theater, and scheduling the building of sets for the theater. This course may be repeated once with a different topic.
A two week introductory intensive designed to prepare students for graduate level theatre research, analysis, and teaching.
To fulfill requirements for non-thesis master's students who need to complete final degree requirements other than coursework during their last semester. This may include such things as a comprehensive examination, oral examination, or foreign language requirement. Students are required to be registered during the semester they graduate.
Analysis of contemporary directing styles.
An historical and theoretical study of the development of the director, with emphasis on the late nineteenth century to the present.
Advanced study of several methodologies for analyzing dramatic structure and composition; approaches to the direct application of analysis to play production.
Development of twentieth-century performance theory.
Dramatic theory and criticism from Aristotle to the twentieth century.
An historical and theoretical study of selected classical masterworks in performance.
A study of theories and techniques used in directing selected European and American masterworks with emphasis on script analysis and interpretation, staging practices, and particular concept and style.
Directing theories and concepts of tragedy and comedy from the Greeks through the nineteenth century.
Research, analysis, and practical experience in designing scenery, lighting, sound, costumes, and makeup for a realized production.
This seminar course offers advanced study of modern American and British and European drama specifically for graduate students of theatre.
Practical experience in all areas of theatre production for the public presentation of a full-length play.
Seminar study of practical issues in advanced theatre scholarship, research methods, application of theory, academic writing, and scholarly publication.
Research and critical analysis of plays and their productions.
Guided study of pre-approved topic(s).
Application of directorial script analysis and dramaturgical tools in production planning, development of the production script, and rehearsal.
An investigation through research and discussion of the elements of design, the relationship between the director and designers, and the process of unifying various elements of theatre production. Students will submit proposals for designs of both classic and modern plays and justify their ideas through literary and pictorial research.
Through scene work and acting exercises, directors explore the theories, common vocabularies, and basic skills and techniques needed to work with actors from differing backgrounds. Attention will also be given to auditioning, casting and rehearsal strategies as well as the major directorial performance styles of the twentieth century.
A study of the art and craft of playwriting, emphasizing analytic approaches to writing, developing a personal voice, narrative, characters, and point of view. Workshop required.
Master of Fine Arts students only. Research, design, and direction of the thesis production.
Research, data analysis, writing, and oral defense of an approved master’s thesis. At least six hours of THEA 5V99 are required.