Theatre (B.F.A and B.A.) | Office | Website

"Theatre" is both an academic department and a professional company. The theatre program at UDM provides an apprenticeship system of working with professional actors and directors. Classes are structured around an actor-intensive two-year conservatory system. The conservatory system is developed using smaller class size thus providing each actor with maximum master teacher guidance.

The professional theatre maintained by the B.F.A. faculty and students has a wide reputation for artistic excellence bringing positive media coverage and audiences from the entire metropolitan area.

The Theatre Department is concerned with stimulating artistic expression by articulate, dynamic and creative people and is designed to prepare students to enter the profession as performers, directors, or educators. To this end, three interlocking methods are used:

• First, departmental advisors build an individualized program for each student within the college core curriculum, and cognate courses.
• Second, either the B.F.A. program or a specialized B. A. program is designed for each student in his or her area of concentration.
• Finally, since application of techniques is essential to the performing arts, the department sponsors a season of at least four major productions and student directed one-acts. As members of the Theatre Company, students gain experience in all areas of theatre production, in plays reviewed by the major critics, and working alongside professional guest artists and faculty members. Roles in most productions are open to all students, and non-majors are encouraged to participate.

Theatre - Bachelor of Arts (B. A.)
The B. A. in Theatre is for those students interested in teaching, or in a more diversified liberal arts program.

Theatre Major 36 Credits

Theatre - Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
The main objective of this professionally oriented program is to provide intensified actor training for students who show potential for a career in the performing arts. Using the conservatory approach, the two-year program is entered in the junior year (acceptance pending audition), allowing the student time to mature, prepare, and evaluate his/her future goals and needs.

Entering freshmen will take two prerequisites in the first year (TRE 131 and TRE 161) and three prerequisites in their sophomore year (TRE 254, TRE 266 and TRE 268.) ENL 265, The Study of Drama is also required in the freshman or sophomore year. This course also fulfills Core Objective 5B. Most of the University Core Curriculum requirements must be completed in the freshman and sophomore years.

Following admission to the BFA program at the end of the sophomore year, the student must focus the junior and senior year on the demands of the program, apart from academic studies outside of the theatre. Each semester of the junior and senior year will nearly be filled with theatre courses exclusively. With the five prerequisites in the freshman and sophomore year, plus ENL 265, 52 hours remain in the junior and senior years. Eight total hours must be taken in Rehearsal and Production, typically one credit per semester in either TRE 132 or TRE 374.

A student may audition for the B.F.A. program at the end of the sophomore year. If the faculty feel the student displays maturity, capability, and promise of further development, he/she will be admitted as a sophomore. If the student is not ready for the program, he/she will be asked to re-audition in the following semester, or advised to enter the B. A. program.

The program is open to transfer students from other four-year universities, and community college graduates holding associate degrees, as well as University of Detroit Mercy and other consortium college students.

All B.F.A. students are organized as members of a professional performing company. They attend classes daily, Monday through Friday. Typically, five hours per day are devoted to class work while evenings and weekends are devoted to work on major productions, studio performance, and scene rehearsals.

Candidates accepted for the B.F.A. program might elect to specialize in either acting or directing.

Acting Sequence 66 Credits
Students specializing in acting will receive training in stage movement, period acting styles, contemporary acting methods and process, voice and diction, directing and theatre history. The Study of Drama in the English department is a shared requirement. Vocal music and dance are recommended.

The following are required courses:

Directing Sequence 57-61 Credits
Students specializing in directing will spend the first year working with the actors. The second year, they will not only take the Fundamentals of Directing course, but a directed study culminating in a full-length production. They will also demonstrate competence in the fields of stage management, publicity, and drama literature (as a cognate) as well as all backstage areas.