Theatre Program

Theatre at William & Mary is a liberal arts experience that emphasizes a vital breadth of knowledge. Theatre Majors take courses in acting, stagecraft, design, history, dramatic literature, and direction while filling a wide range of production positions for W&M Theatre. Participation in productions is open to all students at William & Mary.

Students interested in performance study acting, voice, musical theatre, stage combat, dance, and physical theatre; those interested in design and technical theatre study lighting design, scenic design, costume design, sound design, and stage management. Aspiring playwrights take coursework in playwriting and have plays produced through Premiere Theatre.

Our students develop into dedicated artists and technicians, and they experience the excitement of working closely with faculty and fellow students in classes and productions. Undergraduate students contribute to W&M Theatre and Dance productions by filling highly responsible positions, and as alumni, they often find they have forged working relationships and friendships that last a lifetime.

Why Theatre?

An undergraduate liberal arts degree in any field will not be "vocational" – it will be foundational. A liberal arts education opens each of us to the widest range of our intellectual potential. Theatre, in particular, demands a fusion of knowledge, hands-on skills, imagination, and human interaction. Our Theatre majors develop a wide range of career and life skills including the ability to:

Collaborate, work independently, lead a team, and follow another’s direction
Imagine what does not yet exist, communicate in different modes, and think creatively to solve problems
Organize, prioritize, adapt, meet deadlines, and work efficiently
Relate well to many different people and work well under pressure
Develop commitment, initiative, curiosity, self-discipline, and a desire for excellence

We expect our majors to become knowledgeable about all facets of theatrical practice including direction, design, technical production, and performance. Our undergraduates excel because the department provides major opportunities for students to directly fulfill high level production assignments and in-depth scholarly research in a collaborative environment. Many of our majors develop careers in theatre including:

Technical production
Lighting, Costume, and Scenic Design
Stage management
Producing
Directing
Playwriting
And, of course, as performers

Theatre majors from W&M have also gone on to a wide array of other careers including event planner, programmer, account specialist, teacher, business manager, marketing manager, artist, physician, box office manager, attorney, executive secretary, executive director, information technology specialist, drafter, and casting administrator.