About This Program
Are you passionate about multiple aspects of theatre but don’t necessarily see it as your future profession? Not sure how to keep theatre in your life as you pursue other developing interests? Our Theatre Minor is a great way to continue to expand your theatre knowledge and experiences while also exploring additional areas of study with your major. We will help you stay connected to what you love about theatre!
We are a community for storytellers, scholars, and creative artists. We bring people together to explore essential human questions through the performing arts and we invite you to join our vibrant community, where you will grow skills that will serve you as an artist and wherever your life takes you - thinking creatively, working collaboratively, and communicating effectively.
Working with our talented and supportive faculty and alongside peers who also value the imaginative and intellectual discovery theatre brings to life, you’ll have meaningful opportunities both in production and in the classroom to express your perspectives and ideas through a variety of methods and styles.
Program Highlights
- Participating in our shows is open to all UMD students; Theatre Minors are encouraged to get involved in the area of your choice
- Member of Region 5 of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), one of the premiere organizations celebrating theatre in higher education. We’ve been honored to have fifteen shows selected to travel to the regional and/or national festival, and to have dozens of our students recognized for their achievements in performance, design, dramaturgy, and stage management with scholarships and internships
- Great opportunities to study abroad for either a semester or a full year, with options including a theatre specific program with the University Worcester in England
- A minor in Theatre pairs well with many other fields of study. An education in Theatre shows employers you have creativity, communication skills, self-awareness, confidence, discipline, teamwork, experience, a cultivation of empathy—skills that make you a strong candidate in any field
Research & Experiential Learning
- Work onstage or behind the scenes in our Main Season productions
- Work-study student employment positions available in all our shops
- Get involved in The Lab Series, our incubator for original student work and a space for creative risk-taking
- Pursue internships with professional theatre organizations in a range of disciplines
Student Internships
- Northern News Now
- Santa Fe Opera House
- Southern Overlook
- Pangea World Theater
Potential Careers
- Arts administrator
- Writer
- Performer
- Project manager
- Designer
- Lawyer
- Teacher
- Business owner
- Producer
- Marketing
- Public relations
Scholarships
As a CAHSS Student, you will automatically be considered for scholarships for which you are eligible on an annual basis.
Get Involved
- Stage 2 Theatre Company: A student organization affiliated with the Department of Theatre that produces its own student-run theatrical season every academic year. It is a great way for you to get involved whether you are a major, minor, or -non-major; all are welcome
- United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT): A student chapter that promotes learning among peers and supports theatre design and technology on campus. You have the opportunity to attend the annual USITT national conference, where you will learn about new design elements, technologies and theories, and connect with peers from around the country
- Attitudes Dance Association: A student-run group that welcomes anyone who is a student at UMD, College of St. Scholastica, or Lake Superior College; anyone who wants to dance! ADA gives you the opportunity to both perform and choreograph in their annual spring performances
Requirements
Refer to the link below for more detailed information about the program, admission requirements, sample plans, and contact information.