Majoring in Theater
The course of study in the Department of Theater is grounded in the belief
that the performing arts draw on a unique combination of intellectual and artistic
skills and talents which are most fully developed when theory and practice
are integrated into the learning experience. Students in the program gain expertise
in all the fundamental areas of theatrical art in graduated sequences of study
designed to bring into focus rigorous critical thinking, precise methods of
research, and imaginative expression.
Although theater majors often focus in on a specific area of the field, such
as acting, design, directing, or dramaturgy or directing, the major is designed
to give students experience in all the major areas of theater. As a result,
students leave the department superbly trained, with a well-rounded base
of knowledge that makes them competitive candidates for employment as well
as graduate study.
In addition to coursework, students participate in productions, serving as
actors, designers, directors and dramaturgs, both in our season and in independent
undergraduate productions and informal events.
Undergraduate theater majors also participate in many special events designed
to supplement the curriculum, ranging from hands-on master classes with guest
professionals to career-development workshops.
Students also benefit tremendously from the Five-College
Consortium. UMass
is located down the road from four renowned liberal arts colleges: Smith
College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College and Amherst College. This
consortium enables students to take courses or participate in productions
at any of the other member schools at no extra charge. There are also several
Five-College programs, including those in Dance and Film, which offer courses
on the five campuses to all students.
The Amherst area boasts a number of regional and community theater companies
and arts organizations which offer both interesting programming and great opportunities
to get involved.
The theater major offers an outstanding foundation for a career in the theater.
It is also a superb preparation for graduate work in the field. Additionally,
a theater education is useful in many related professions such as film and
TV, public relations, law, broadcasting, management, advertising, arts administration,
teaching, and social work.
The Department of Theater is part of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts
at University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Information about
the College of Humanities
and Fine Arts.
More about the University of Massachusetts.
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Theater Productions
Every year the Department of Theater features a vibrant season of mainstage
productions, open to the paying public. This season is carefully planned
to meet the needs of undergraduate and graduate students and to give faculty
members a chance to exercise their creative talents, too. Guest artists are frequent
collaborators.
Undergraduates perform as actors or work in production activities behind the
scenes. They may assist the graduate students, faculty members and guest artists
or may serve as directors, designers and dramaturgs in their own right. The image
above is from Archipelago of Delight, a piece in which undergraduate students
helped create and manipulate the puppets that featured in the work, helped design
and run the unique sound effects used for the puppets' voices, and ran a number
of backstage aspects of the production.
The production season is planned to be diverse, offering students a chance to
work on classics as well as work by up-and-coming playwrights. All styles and
genres are represented on stage.
Participation in University of Massachusetts Department of Theater productions
is open to all University students, as well as to students at other area colleges
and members of the University community. Theater majors are also free to audition
for other productions in the area, on other campuses, or under any auspices other
than the Department of Theater.
The Department also has a very active season of second stage and laboratory projects.
Dozens of these projects take place in our spaces over the course of a given
year—most of them student-initiated.
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Admissions and Major Requirements
The Department of Theater does not require prospective majors to audition for
admission to the program. All UMass students in good standing are welcome to
declare the major. (There is no minor in Theater.) Once they declare a Theater
major, students are assigned a faculty member who will serve as their advisor.
The University's admissions requirements
and an application are available on-line.
The University has a variety of financial
aid options available to qualified students.
For the B.A. degree in Theater, students must fulfill all University General
Education requirements as well as appropriate requirements of the College of
Humanities and Fine Arts. In addition, Theater majors must complete at least
36 credits in theater. At least 12 credits must be completed in the area
of Dramaturgy and a minimum of 24 combined credits must be completed
in the two areas of Performance and Design, Technology and Management,
with at least 9 credits required in Performance and 12 credits in Design,
Technology and Management. Courses with a grade below C will not
be accepted towards the major.
The 36 credits must be completed as follows:
Dramaturgy (12 credits)
- 120 Play Analysis for Theatrical Productions (required)
- 9 credits of electives by choosing any three of these five courses, but
not both THEATER 130 and THEATER 333:
- 130 Contemporary Playwrights of Color (ALU)
- 320 Classical Repertory
- 321 Renaissance and Neoclassical Repertory
- 322 Modern Repertory
- 333 Contemporary Repertory
Note: Successful completion of THEATER 120, plus any designated 300-level
Junior Year Writing course in the major, fulfills the Junior Year Writing requirement.
Performance (9 or 12 credits)
- 140 Beginning Techniques in Performance (required)
- 6 or 9 credits of electives by choosing any two or three of the following:
- 240 Beginning Voice
- 340 Advanced Voice
- 341 Stage Movement
- 342 Acting
- 345 Directing
- 442 Acting II
- 443 Period Acting
- 445 Directing II
- 493C Ensemble Acting
- 493D Performance in Detonated Language
- 493E Performance and Social Justice
Design, Technology and Management (12 or 15 credits)
- 110 Performance Management; 1 credit; must be taken for three semesters
(required)
- 160 Beginning Techniques in Design (required)
- 6 or 9 credits of electives by choosing any two or three of the following:
- 360 Scene Design
- 361 Lighting Design
- 362 Costume Design
- 393F Technical Direction
- 397I Stage Management
Enrollment in many theater courses is by consent of instructor only. It is
imperative, therefore, that all majors, prospective majors, and nonmajors consult
with a department adviser to determine eligibility for, and appropriate placement
within, the various courses.
Nonmajors with appropriate qualifications are welcome to participate in the
activities of the department. Introduction to Theater, a general education
course, is primarily for nonmajors. Department majors are given preference
in placement at all levels within the program.
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The Courses
The Department of Theater offers a wide range of courses covering many different
aspects of the theater world, from traditional courses about classic work and
basic performance to new courses that offer them the chance to try different
acting techniques, learn about the artist as teacher, and much more. Below
is a listing of courses that are regularly taught.
THEATER 100. Introduction to Theater
Introduces nonmajors to theater as a performing art through a wide variety
of theatrical experiences including attending live performances and creating
original plays. Topics include major styles of theater throughout history and
the roles of director, actor, and designer in the contemporary theater. Recommended
for first- and second-year students. (Gen.Ed. AL)
THEATER 110. Performance Management
Practical production experience, including ushering, publicity, and stage
crews. Specific assignments determined by Production Manager. Open to freshmen;
required of majors. May be repeated. Mandatory Pass/Fail.
THEATER 120. Play Analysis for Theatrical Production
Analysis of texts as blueprints for production; emphasis on written and oral
discourse about the theater. Readings from the world repertory. Attendance
at department productions. Required of majors.
THEATER 130. Contemporary Playwrights of Color
Theater movements of Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans, and the
body of literature by contemporary playwrights of color within a historical
context. (Gen.Ed. AL, U)
THEATER 140. Beg Techniques In Performance
Introduction to acting. Includes all or some of the following: improvisation,
theater games, monologues, scenes. Required of majors.
THEATER 157. Survey of Costume History
Survey of western dress from antiquity to 1980. The societal significance
of dress, the social, economic, and political influences affecting clothing
change. Recognition of historic styles throughout history. (Gen.Ed. HS)
THEATER 160. Beginning Techniques In Design
Lab, studio. Elements of theatrical design and basic skills in the areas of
costume construction, lighting techniques, drafting and stagecraft. Required
of majors.
THEATER 210. Rehearsal and Production
Participation in department productions; principally for actors, and for other
assignments by permission. Credit by approved contract only. Credit awarded
in semester following that in which assignment is completed. Mandatory Pass/Fail.
May be repeated for credit.
THEATER 240. Beginning Voice for the Actor
Studio. Training of the actor's voice using a progression of psycho-physical
exercises developed by Kristin Linklater. Emphasis on freeing the body and
voice from habitual tensions and patterns. Prerequisites: THEATER 140, consent
of instructor.
THEATER 310. Theater Practice
Advanced production assignments as stage manager, house manager, designer,
or crew chief for major department productions. Credit by approved contract
only. May be repeated for credit.
THEATER 320. Classical Repertory
Development of the theater in Greece and Rome, and the rediscovery of classical
models in the 16th and 17th centuries and beyond. Reading and analysis of plays
in their theatrical and cultural contexts. Prerequisite: THEATER 120.
THEATER 321. Renaissance & Neoclassical Repertory
Development of the professional theater in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Reading and analysis of plays in their theatrical and cultural contexts. Prerequisite:
THEATER 120.
THEATER 322. Modern Repertory
Development of the theater from the late 18th century, with special emphasis
on the realistic play and its antecedents. Reading and analysis of plays in
their theatrical and cultural contexts. Prerequisite: THEATER 120.
THEATER 331. Black Theater
The African American presence in the American theater. Selected periods and
styles. Prerequisite: THEATER 120. (Gen.Ed. AL, U)
THEATER 333. Contemporary Repertory
Trends in recent theatrical practice. Prerequisite: THEATER 120.
THEATER 340. Advanced Voice
Studio. Training of the actor's voice and speech for flexibility and clarity.
Specific attention paid to the connection between the actor and the text. Prerequisites:
THEATER 140, THEATER 240, consent of instructor.
THEATER 341. Stage Movement
Studio. Development of the actor's physical resources through movement analysis
and practice. Prerequisites: THEATER 140, consent of instructor.
THEATER 342. Acting
Script analysis and development of vocal and physical performance in the building
of effective stage characterizations. Improvisations and scenes. Prerequisites:
THEATER 140, consent of instructor.
THEATER 345. Directing
Studio. Theory and practice of stage direction; attention to work with actors
and stage space for conveying theatrical in-formation. Assigned scenes and
exercises. Prerequisites: THEATER 140, consent of instructor.
THEATER 357. 20th Century Fashion
For sophomores and above, 20th century dress, as seen through fashion illustration,
designers, contemporary usage and the movies. Emphasis on influences affecting
change in dress, and on the reflection on society that clothing offers.
THEATER 360. Scenic Design
Process of visual communication to an audience of the designer's responses
to dramatic texts. Topics may include puppetry, set design, masks, table top
theater, scenic painting, and installations. Participation on construction
crews for department productions is required. Prerequisite: THEATER 160, consent
of the instructor.
THEATER 361. Lighting Design
Studio. Study of "seeing": concentration on the articulation of
visual pictures developed from a dramatic text and on research; functions and
qualities of light and the development of lighting concepts. Practical application
of design through specific crew assignments on Department productions. Prerequisites:
THEATER 160, consent of instructor.
THEATER 362. Costume Design
Making visual statements through study of characterization, silhouette, historical
periods, color and texture. Beginning drawing skills developed; basic sewing
skills needed. Projects, concept papers, sketch book, and construction work
on Department productions. Prerequisites: THEATER 160, consent of instructor.
THEATER 393F. Technical Direction
How scenery, props, and other technical elements are created for theater and
other entertainment venues. Students gain practical experience working
with various materials and techniques while fabricating elements for the theater
department's main-stage productions. Prerequisites: THEATER 160, consent
of instructor.
THEATER 397D. Plays to Movies: Costume Interpretation.
This course explores the role of costume design in a series of movies that
have been made from plays, from the 1900s to the 1990s. Students will
learn how critical the costuming is in placing the movie in its own time frame,
and in interpreting the play's period. Students will be required to read
the original plays, watch the subsequent movie(s) and write papers on the actualizations
from word to film as they relate to costume.
THEATER 397F. Spanish and Latin American Repertory.
Exploration of major plays from the Spanish-language repertory over four hundred
years of history, from the classics to the contemporary. Includes plays from
Argentina, Mexico, Spain, and other major countries. Prerequisite: THEATER
120.
THEATER 397I. Stage Management.
In-depth examination of the role and nature of stage management, using practical
projects as a basis for the learning.
THEATER 425. Playwriting
Studio, discussion. Exercises in play construction involving characterization,
dialogue, and plot development; and completion of a short playscript.
THEATER 439. Projects In Dramaturgy
Advanced individual projects in text analysis and research. Consent of instructor
required. May be repeated for credit.
THEATER 442. Acting Study
Studio. Further work in the preparation of stage characterizations. Classroom
projects in roles and scenes. Prerequisites: THEATER 342, consent of instructor.
THEATER 443. Period Acting
Learning to create credible characters in plays with theatrical and social
conventions seemingly artificial and different from our own. Emphasis on dealing
with formal language and movement. Studio. Prerequisites: appropriate 300-level
performance courses, consent of instructor.
THEATER 445. Directing II
Studio. Intensive analysis and rehearsal of scripts for public performance.
Prerequisites: THEATER 345, consent of instructor.
THEATER 460. Scene Design Studio
Visualization of multi-scene plays from initial ideas through complete presentation
as portfolio projects. Participation in Department productions in drafting,
scenic painting, properties design, and construction. Prerequisites: THEATER
360, consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit.
THEATER 461. Lighting Design Studio
Lighting design theory, conceptualization, and solution of related technical
problems. Advanced lighting lab and paper projects. Advanced lighting assignments
on department productions. Prerequisites: THEATER 361, consent of instructor.
May be repeated for credit.
THEATER 462. Costume Design Studio
Costume design theory, conceptualization, and solution of related problems.
Design projects, concept papers, sketch book, and appropriate design work for
department productions. Prerequisites: THEATER 362, consent of instructor.
May be repeated for credit.
THEATER 493C. Ensemble Acting.
Advanced studio projects for actors. Prerequisite: THEATER 140, consent of
instructor. May be repeated for credit.
THEATER 493D. Performance in Detonated Language.
Studio. Explores techniques and methods to help actors unleash the power of
theatrical language in live performance. Prerequisite: THEATER 140, consent
of instructor.
THEATER 493E. Performance and Social Justice.
Studio. Exploration of theater as a vehicle for addressing issues of social
justice. Prerequisite: THEATER 140 or consent of instructor.
THEATER 493M. AutoCAD in Theater
Introduces the theater technician to the AutoCAD program. Students learn
how to create a technical drawing using correct theatrical design symbols and
standards. This class is very useful for any student interested in the
large and extremely fast-growing field of entertainment technology. Must
have laptop with AutoCAD. Prerequisites: THEATER 160, consent of instructor.
THEATER 497B. Contemporary Latina Voice
Examination of dramatic texts by contemporary Latina writers. Explores the
contextual, theoretical, and formal dimensions of US Latina theater and its
development. Visits by artists, scholars, and dramatists.
THEATER 499C-D. Honors Capstone: Writing for the Stage/Screen
A two-semester course. During the first semester, students study narration
for stage and screen, and undertake a series of writing projects aimed at developing
story-telling skills. During the second semester, each student writes
an original one-act play or short screenplay. Prerequisite: consent of
instructor.
Students are advised to declare their major no later than their sophomore year
and to take the key prerequisite courses as early as possible — those who
do not may find it difficult to fulfill all the requirements needed to graduate
in four years.
Enrollment in theater courses is by consent of instructors only. It is imperative,
therefore, that all majors, prospective majors, and non-majors consult with a
department adviser to determine eligibility for, and appropriate placement within,
the various activities.
Non-majors with appropriate qualifications are welcome to participate in the
activities of the department. Introduction to Theater, a general education course,
is primarily for non-majors. Enrollment of non-majors in all upper-level courses
is permitted after completing beginning techniques in the specific area(s) of
interest. Department majors are given preference in placement at all levels within
the program.
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The Facility
The Department of Theater is located in the Fine Arts Center of the University
of Massachusetts. The Center is a complex of semi-independent structures, housing
the Departments of Art, Music, Theater, an art gallery, and a concert hall.
The Department of Theater, housed in the west wing of the Fine Arts Center, operates
two fully equipped theaters, in which the department's five or six season productions
are performed annually. The Frank Prentice Rand Theater is the larger of the
two. It can seat approximately 560 people and features a traditional proscenium
stage.
The Curtain Theater is a smaller black box theater that nonetheless allows the
flexible staging of fully mounted and produced plays. It seats approximately
100 people and provides students and faculty with the opportunity to work in
an alternative space. In addition to being the home of several season productions,
it is often used by students wishing to mount independent productions.
Fully equipped costume and scene shops, as well as dressing rooms, a make-up
room, and a green room support the two theaters.
Elsewhere in the building, the department has a number of classrooms suited for
design instruction as well as performances classes, notably Studio 204, a space
equipped with a wood floor and theatrical lighting. These rooms, as well as other
spaces in the building and on campus, are also used by theater majors to put
on more informal productions of experimental pieces, one-act plays, and more.
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Theater in the Area
Students of theater in western Massachusetts are as well off as students
in any major city when it comes to the number of opportunities available to
them to augment what we can offer them in the department.
Aside from the talented faculty and staff members of our own program, students
can avail themselves of the skills and knowledge of the members of the Five
College community. The University of Massachusetts is located only a few
miles away from Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College and Hampshire
College, four liberal arts school with rich theater traditions of their own.
Students from all five schools may take courses at any of the other five schools.
In the same way, most auditions for productions are open to students at all
five schools, a fact that geometrically increases the number of productions
in which actors can participate.
The cultural wealth doesn't stop there. Local performance organizations ranging
from professional theater companies to community drama abound. Not only do
those organizations (which include New
Century Theatre, The Miniature
Theater of Chester, Enchanted
Circle Theatre, Hampshire
Shakespeare Company) put on interesting work, many of them welcome
our students as interns or employees.
The Fine Arts Center here on campus and
the Calvin Theater, the Iron
Horse Music Hall, and the Massachusetts
International Festival of the Arts in Northampton, as well as the Civic
Center and CityStage down
the road in Springfield, regularly bring in touring shows of the highest caliber.
Finally, some of the most respected resident theaters in the nation are easily
accessible from Amherst, including the American
Repertory Theater, the Huntington
Theatre Company, the Long Wharf Theater, Trinity
Repertory Company, Yale Repertory
Theatre, Shakespeare and Co. and
the Hartford
Stage. Many of our students intern at these companies.
Only an hour away are these major summer theaters: Berkshire
Theatre Festival, The Berkshire
Opera, the Barrington Stage,
and the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
In Amherst itself, top-quality new work is showcased each summer at the New
WORLD Theater PlayLab and the Ko Festival of Performance.
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Affirmative Action and Non-Discrimination Policy
The University of Massachusetts at Amherst prohibits discrimination on the basis
of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, mental
or physical disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation; in any aspect
of the access to, admission, or treatment of students in its programs and activities,
or in employment and application for employment. Furthermore, University policy
includes prohibitions of harassment of students and employees, i.e., racial harassment,
sexual harassment, and retaliation for filing complaints of discrimination.
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For More Information
If you would like to learn more about the opportunities available to undergraduates
in the University of Massachusetts Department of Theater, please write or call.
We welcome visitors to our campus year-round and will be happy to meet with
you and answer any questions you may have about the program. Meetings with
students of the department are also available. To set up an appointment, please
contact:
Penny Remsen
Undergraduate Program Director
Department of Theater
112 Fine Arts Center
University of Massachusetts
151 Presidents Drive Ofc 2
Amherst, MA 01003-9331
(413) 545-3490
umasstheater@theater.umass.edu
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