Your passion for theatre deserves its time in the spotlight. Gain formal training in performance while you hone your research, writing and production skills.
Why Study Theatre?
This is your opportunity to follow your dreams. Studying theatre takes your talent to new heights. It teaches you how to captivate audiences and lets you explore humanity from different angles.
Theatre education offers essential skills relevant to our fast evolving society in the 21st century. You develop creativity, mental resilience, problem solving, and interpersonal communication skills in collaborative environments.
As a Theatre major, you will learn the tools you need to succeed from our renowned faculty. You'll work on stage and behind the scenes to learn the ins and outs of production.
You'll graduate ready to pursue graduate studies or embark on a career in theatre, cinema or television. The skills you acquire can also work in a variety of fields like education, psychology, and law.
Why Study Theatre at CSUN?
Live the World of Theatre
Our curriculum is designed to give you the experience of staging a production from start to finish. We cast, rehearse, and mount full-length productions throughout the year. As a student you can audition to be part of the cast or volunteer to be part of the technical crew.
Renowned Faculty
CSUN's theatre program offers a liberal-arts based, well rounded education by dedicated faculty and staff. Located only 20 miles from the heart of the Hollywood entertainment industry, our faculty are professional theatre artists who will connect you to internship and professional job opportunities.
Professional Performance Spaces
Our campus boasts the 400-seat Campus Theatre, the 200-seat Little Theatre and a black box theatre inside The Soraya. You will also have access to a rehearsal room, scene shop, costume shop, and lighting design studio.
National Recognition
The Theatre Department is accredited by National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST). CSUN Theatre is also a member of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). Students regularly attend the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and have been recognized for their work there. Featured alumni include Charles Martin Smith, Teri Garr, and Donald Petrie.
What You'll Learn
Over the course of your studies, you will receive a broad overview of every component of theatre. All students take classes in:
- Acting
- Movement
- Voice
- Directing
- Textual analysis
- Theatre history and literature
- Scenic, costume and lighting design
- Stage management
As an upper-division student, you will study the history of theatre, principles of directing and stage management. Electives include advanced work in production techniques and different theatre traditions.
Our curriculum is designed to give you real-world experience through active participation in different productions. As an upper-division Theatre major, you will be required to participate in four department productions.
The Theatre Arts option is broad-based and intended for students who want to study all aspects of theatre. Often students want to sample all aspects of theatre before choosing an area of specialization. Those looking to further their education at a graduate level are well served by this option, as it provides a solid foundation for advanced specialization. You are encouraged to explore and try all aspects of theatre in this option, including
- Acting, movement, voice
- Directing
- Textual analysis
- Theatre history and literature
- Technical courses in design, production and theatre management
As an upper-division student, you will study aspects of performance, principles of directing, the history of theatre, design and stage management. Electives include advanced work in production techniques and different theatre traditions.
Our curriculum is crafted to give you real-world experience through active participation in different productions. As an upper-division Theatre major, you will be required to participate in four department productions.
The Acting and Directing option enables students to focus their study more deeply in techniques of performance including acting, directing, voice and movement. The curricular core of the program is consistent with the Theatre Arts option, but allows for a deeper specialization in performance courses.
The Acting and Directing core will focus on:
- Acting
- Movement
- Voice
- Directing
- Textual analysis
Electives include advanced work in:
- Acting for the Camera
- Musical Theatre Workshop
Our curriculum is crafted to give you real-world experience through active participation in different productions. As an upper-division Theatre major, you will be required to participate in four department productions. With the Acting and Directing Option we encourage you to audition and participate in department productions.
The Design and Production option focuses on the technical aspects of creating theatre. Areas of specialization at CSUN include scenery, costumes, lighting, projection/video, sound, and stage management.
In the Design and Production option you will take lower division classes in scenic construction, costume construction, lighting and sound and work in our production shops in these areas. In the upper division you will take more in-depth classes in the area(s) you choose as well as theatre management and stage management.
Our curriculum is crafted to give you real-world experience through active participation in different productions. As an upper-division Theatre major, you will be required to participate in four department productions.
Careers & Outcomes
Upon graduation, you will be qualified to find a career in theatre performance or production. Your degree can also open doors in related roles in film, television and other creative industries.
Employers of recent alumni include:
- The Walt Disney Company
- Disneyland
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- IATSE 705 Motion Picture Costume Union
- Center Theatre Group
- LA Opera
- Independent Shakespeare Co.
- Fox Sports
- National Endowment for the Arts
Career paths for graduates include:
- Set, costume or lighting design
- Technical director
- Props artisan or prop master
- Costume technician or skilled craft stitcher
- Lighting director
- Control programmer
- Production stage manager
- Figure finishers
- Imagineers
- Theatrical educator
- Project coordinator
- Artistic director
One program, three venues.
To facilitate full-length productions throughout the year, the Department of Theatre makes use of its three on-campus spaces: the Campus Theatre, Little Theatre and Experimental Theatre. Each has different stage configurations and layouts to adapt to each production.
Theatre Honors Program
Outstanding theatre students can apply for the Theatre Honors Program after their sophomore year. You will participate in honors seminars and complete an honors project or thesis. Find out about the Honors Program requirements.