Department of Theatre | Avila University

Degree Benefits

Your Program

Avila Theatre offers focused classroom instruction coupled with hands-on experience. The program is designed for undergraduates who want stage time or who want to develop a diverse portfolio. Casting and Design/Tech leadership positions are earned based on talent, not a student’s year in school. Thus, the same production experience exists for freshmen as for seniors. Performers don’t have to spend years waiting behind upperclassmen and Techies won’t simply serve as faculty assistants.

Avila Theatre serves its students by recognizing students must have opportunities to try, fail, and try again.

Your Choice

Avila Theatre provides a pre-professional training program that allows choice. The BFA is for students wanting a specialized concentration in Acting, Musical Theatre, or Design, Technology & Management. The BA is for students wanting more broad-based training who may anticipate teaching or may be considering a double major. These choices, combined with a caring faculty, give majors personalized attention and guidance to obtain degrees that best fit their needs.

Program Uniqueness

Avila is unique in that it offers specialized training in an extensive list of upper-division courses from which to choose, combined with a private liberal arts education. Small class sizes and personal attention are the standards at Avila. Specifically, Theatre is a program that provides a sense of community and purpose. Avila Theatre prides itself on promoting a nurturing yet challenging working environment for every student.

Often theatre students are labeled “actors” or “techie” and never have a chance to explore other areas. At Avila, students have the chance, if they wish, to work many jobs on both sides of the fence: acting and tech. With proper training, it is possible for a student to play the lead in one show and then design the set for the next. Theatre students often say that what they enjoy most about Avila is the opportunity to explore many aspects of theatre, allowing them to discover what hidden talents unfold.

Degree Programs

B.F.A. in Acting

Acting Coursework

Acting I: Principles of Acting
Acting II: Principles of Scenework
Stage Management
Acting Styles
Shakespeare in Performance
ACTING III: Character Development
ACTING IV: Advanced Acting
Stage Combat
Stage Makeup
Principles of Directing
Business of Acting
Internship
Senior Project

Advisor: Matt Schwader Harbor
816.501.2405
Matt.Schwader@Avila.edu

B.F.A. in Musical Theatre

Musical Theatre Coursework

Applied Voice
Applied Piano
Music Theory I & II
Acting I: Principles of Acting
Acting II: Principles of Scenework
Business of Acting
Movement for the Stage
Diction & Dialects
Acting Styles
Stage Makeup
Internship
Senior Project

Advisor: Dr. Amity Bryson
816.501.3651
Amity.Bryson@Avila.edu

B.F.A. in Design, Technology & Management

DTM Coursework

Stagecraft
Scenery and Prop Construction
Stage Lighting
Sound Engineering & Design
Advanced Lighting and Sound Design
Scene Design I & II
Stage Management
Costume Techniques & Design
History of Costume
Stage Makeup
Scenic Painting
Technical Practicum
Stage Management Practicum
Internship
Senior Project

Advisor:

B.A. in Theatre

Overview

The Avila Bachelor of Arts in Theatre is an ideal major for students who wish to experience a broad education in theatre arts. Rather than focusing on a specific tenet of theatre such as design or performance, the B.A. allows diversity and experience in the full spectrum of theatre.
Students who plan to become theatre teachers or who plan to double-major in another field are good candidates for this major.

B.A. Coursework

Acting I: Principles of Acting
Acting II: Principles of Scene Work
Stagecraft
Stage Lighting
Stage Combat
Diction & Dialects
Principles of Directing
Stage Management
Costume Techniques & Design
Theatre Management
Stage Makeup
Scenic Painting
Movement for the Stage
Advanced Directing
Internship
Senior Project

Theatre Education

Missouri Teacher Certification is available in Speech/Theatre Education for grades 9-12. Students wishing to become certified to teach must choose a major field of study and concurrent enrollment in the Avila Secondary Education Minor. A middle school major with a concentration in drama is also available. Certification is available with either a B.A. or a B.F.A.

Kansas Teacher Certification may be achieved concurrently.

Advisor:

Visit Avila School of Education

Theatre Minor

Theatre Minor Overview

The Theatre Minor is a program for students who wish to have a theatre experience without fully immersing in the breadth of the full curriculum. Students take 18 credit hours from a variety of classes from across the wide spectrum of theatre. As a result, students can have begin (or continue) a life-long love for performing arts from which they learn life-skills in communication, teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, time-management, meeting deadlines, and hands-on skills.

Theatre Minor Coursework