Central College Majors

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Sample Schedule
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Theatre

Have you ever dreamed of seeing your name up in lights on a theatre marquee? Or maybe you’d rather design a set and stay behind the scenes. If so, you could major in theatre at Central College. The theatre major at Central offers a broad preparation in theatre arts. Students complete courses in acting, directing, stagecraft and theatre history, any of which can become starting points for further exploration and study. Students also have the opportunity to earn practicum or independent study credit through backstage work or through independent projects in directing or designing Central College productions. Students are also encouraged to seek off-campus internships in their area of interest. Graduates have gone on to become sound designers, actors, costume designers and technical directors.

Faculty

Mary Jo Sodd, Ph.D., associate professor of theatre, soddmj@central.edu
Thomas Thatcher, technical director, thatchert@central.edu
Ann Wilkinson, theatre arts associate, wilkinsona@central.edu

Successful Careers

Dawn Everard, technology coordinator, Mosaic Youth Theatre, Detroit, Minn.
Jessica Heerema, costume shop supervisor, Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa
Angela Lampe, costume design director, Des Moines Playhouse, Des Moines, Iowa
April Simmons, graduate student, Trinity College, Carmarthen, Wales
Donald Tindall, sound designer, Alabama Shakespeare Company, Montgomery, Ala.
Dawn Toyne Esser, speech and drama teacher, Winterset High School, Winterset, Iowa
C.W. van Baale, Design Lab Chicago, Chicago, Ill.

Internships
Learn more about internships at Central.

Courses

Introduction to theatre
Acting I and II
Theatre history and dramatic literature I: ancient world
Theatre history and dramatic literature II: Medieval and Renaissance
Theatre history and dramatic literature III: Enlightenment and Romantic
Theatre history and dramatic literature IV: Modern and Contemporary
Stage management
Directing I and II
Costume design and construction
Advanced costume design and construction
Scene design
Advanced scene design
Lighting design
Advanced lighting design
Introduction to theatrical design
Play production
Voice and movement
Arts management
Makeup design

Get more details from the course catalog! (Note: this is a PDF file)

Sample Schedule

Freshman year

Introduction to theatre
Acting I
Introduction to theatrical production
Stage management
Core courses and/or electives

Sophomore year

Directing I
One course from theatre history sequence
Practicum in theatre
Costume design and construction or scene design or lighting design
Core courses and/or electives

Junior year

Practicum in theatre
Theatre electives
Core courses and/or electives
A semester studying abroad is recommended

Senior year

Practicum in theatre
Theatre electives
Core courses and/or electives

Facilities
The Kruidenier Center houses the theatre department and includes two black box theatres – a 200-seat mainstage theatre and a 75-seat studio theatre. A scene shop, costume shop, makeup and dressing rooms, box office, lounge (greenroom), classrooms and faculty offices are also part of the Kruidenier Center. The equipment is professional quality. Both the main stage and studio theatres have state-of-the-art light boards and a computerized sound-editing program is available for sound design.

Departmental Web site
Central’s theatre department maintains its own Web site with even more information about majoring in theatre.

Organizations
No matter what your interests are, Central has a student group or organization that you’ll want to join! Theatre students might be interested in Central’s Alpha Psi Omega (theatre honorary society).

Study Abroad
Students are encouraged to study abroad with one of Central’s 10 international programs to enhance their development as global citizens, or with Central’s Chicago program and the Washington, D.C., program. Learn more about about Central’s study abroad programs.