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Explore more than 40 majors and minors.

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Theatre

Take Center Stage

Turn your love for acting, storytelling, and performance into a theatre career, either on stage or behind the scenes. Learn the skills to act, set design, direct or work the magic of theatre as a technician. Make every day your opening act with a DWU theatre degree.

What jobs can you take with a
theatre degree?

Acting

Directing 

Stage management 

Broadcaster
Voice Actor 
Theatre technology 

What’s the Difference at DWU?

  • Dive into your curriculum with courses like history of theatre and drama, acting, stage combat, scene design and directing. 
  • Discover the history of theatre in workshops hosted by professionals. 
  • Direct your own production as part of your student experience. 
  • Immerse yourself in stage arts and theatre productions with events like the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival or in places like the United Kingdom. 
  • Auditions for all productions are open to any part-time or full-time DWU student, as well as faculty, staff and community members. 
Performing Arts Scholarships and Auditions

The Dakota Wesleyan University Performing Arts Department invites you to participate in our performance groups. Students wishing to be awarded a Performing Arts Scholarship must upload an audition video or present an on-campus audition. Any student awarded a scholarship for Performing Arts must participate in the corresponding ensemble(s) for each semester that they receive the scholarships.  

Students interested in technical theatre need to audition. Instead, contact the director of theatre to schedule an interview.  

Please complete the performing arts scholarship form. If you choose to do an online audition video, here are some helpful tips: 

  • Record your audition video 
  • Upload it to a platform (YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Flickr, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) 
  • Make sure the video is public or is viewable for anyone with the link 

Theatre Courses

Take a look at courses you'll complete as part of earning your Theatre degree.

DRM 121 Technical Theatre

3 Hours
This is a hands-on course which will introduce students to the terminology, equipment, materials and techniques used in theatre for the purpose of the construction and painting of theatrical sets and scenery.

DRM 132 Auditioning and Tech Interviews

3 Hours
This class will investigate the theory and practice of quality actor auditioning for all forms of theatrical productions, professional and amateur, as well as auditions for local television markets.

DRM 141 Theatre Arts

3 Hours
This course introduces students to all aspects of a theatrical production including producing, acting, directing, design, writing, technical theatre and construction, and theatre management. This course provides a broad overview of the history of theatre and explores the cultural and social significance of theatre in the contemporary era. A course requirement is that students attend theatrical productions. This course is a breadth of knowledge course as designated by Dakota Wesleyan’s general education program. Breadth of knowledge courses expose students to knowledge and concepts that Dakota Wesleyan University believes all its graduates should possess.

DRM 151 History of Theatre

3 Hours
Students will explore the rich history of theatre through the examination of the origins of theatre, starting with the Greeks and then transitioning into Western drama and theatre productions of the contemporary world of theatre. Study of selected plays from Aeschylus to Ayckbourn.

DRM 188 Stage Management

3 Hours
This course offers the theatre student the vital study of the principles and systems of stage management and production team communication needed for theatre today, with particular emphasis placed upon developing effective organizational tools and communication techniques. Practical application of stage management and production team communication skills will be demonstrated in DWU theatre productions.

DRM 203 Acting For the Stage

3 Hours
This course explores the basic techniques of acting, using exercises in observation, concentration, sense recall, emotional recall and imagination as the basis of character development. Students learn how voice and body are tools for creating a role. These explorations culminate in interpretation and performance of scenes from contemporary plays.

DRM 213 Scene Design

3 Hours
Through this course students explore the scenic design process. Students study techniques specific to the area of theatrical scenic design. The designer's analysis, concept, initial drawing, rendering and model making are all investigated as well as software design and applications using Vectorworks and AutoCad 2007.

DRM 222 History of Musical Theatre

3 Hours
This class is an introduction to American musical theatre focusing on the shifts in style and content over the past 200 years. Our discussion includes European and American theatrical influences, methods of analysis, influential artists throughout history, and the current state of the American musical. Additionally, this course examines the ways musical theatre deals with issues such as racism, sexuality, gender, economics and politics and how those issues, woven together through song, dialogue and dance, create a uniquely American theatrical art form.

DRM 280 Production and Practicum I

3 Hours
Theatrical production experience either in the design, technical or management areas of a production or in the performance areas of a theatrical production at Dakota Wesleyan University. This gives those participating in a show the credit deserved for the many hours needed to produce a theatrical production as well as practical experience. Consent of instructor.

DRM 301 Costume and Makeup

3 Hours
Students investigate the varied principles of costume design, including the fundamentals of play analysis, historical research, and rendering techniques. Students will then participate in costuming an actual performance.

DRM 305 Acting for the Camera

3 Hours
Though many people might believe live theatrical acting is the same as movie and television acting they would be wrong. In this class students discover the huge differences in acting styles for television and movies. Students will learn television audition and commercial techniques as well as what is really needed to be a fine movie actor.

DRM 335 Directing I

3 Hours
This course introduces the student to the art and craft of theatre directing. Students will delve into scripts, research and analyze them, and develop working concepts based on their analysis, research and imagination. Then through composition, movement and tempo-rhythm study, students should be able to take what they have discovered and apply these creative, communicative and performance skills required of today’s theatre director, and direct a one-act play or a DWU theatrical production

DRM 380 Production Practicum II

3 Hours
Theatrical production experience either in the design, technical or management areas of a production or in the performance areas of a theatrical production at Dakota Wesleyan University. This gives those participating in a show the credit deserved for the many hours needed to produce a theatrical production as well as practical experience. Consent of instructor.

DRM 409 Acting Period Styles

3 Hours
The course is designed to acquaint students with acting styles of important eras in theatre history and the special considerations inherent in performing these dramas. The course emphasizes cultural distinctions in manners, movement and vocal practice as they relate to the analysis and performance of period drama. Students learn techniques of performing Greek tragedy, Elizabethan drama, Restoration comedy, epic theatre and modern “isms” such as symbolism, expressionism, surrealism and absurdism.

DRM 436 Directing II

3 Hours
This is an advanced directing class that will look at complex problems in stage directing, emphasizing text analysis, communication, period styles, view pointing and other advanced techniques as applied to the production of a one-act play or a DWU theatrical production.

DRM 466 Stage Combat

3 Hours
The DWU theatre student begins by training in unarmed combat for the stage and then continues their training by incorporating weapons into their education. This training includes quarterstaff, light sword, broadsword, rapier and dagger as well as modern “stage” firearms. Emphasis is put on physical conditioning and safety.

DRM 480 Production Practicum III

3 Hours
Theatrical production experience either in the design, technical or management areas of a production or in the performance areas of a theatrical production at Dakota Wesleyan University. This gives those participating in a show the credit deserved for the many hours needed to produce a theatrical production as well as practical experience. Consent of instructor.

Get to Know Your Professors

Embrace learning the performing arts with our skilled teachers. Our low student-to-faculty ratio offers valuable one-on-one interaction with your professors.   

Dan Miller, MFA

Professor of Theatre | Chair of the Ron and Sheilah Gates Department of Theatre

Field Study

You'll travel and attend professional theatre productions either in New York, the United Kingdom or another theatre-rich, history-rich region of the world. Along with these productions, you'll investigate the history of theatre and participate in workshops hosted by professional theatre companies or individuals. 

Our Venues

Where will you perform? The DWU Theatre opened in September 2017. This $1.2-million, 5,000-square-foot building is located on the south side of Dakota Discovery Museum on DWU’s campus. The facility houses a Black Box Theatre, scene shop, office space, dressing rooms, bathrooms and a green room. 

The Pepsi-Cola Theatre for the Performing Arts is another venue used by Dakota Wesleyan theatre. In a partnership with the Mitchell Area Community Theatre, DWU theatre presents theatrical productions at this community facility when the occasion calls. DWU theatre students also participate in the MACT by acting, directing, stage managing or designing shows. 

The Mitchell Performing Arts Center (PAC) is a complex built to develop and showcase the abundant talent in our region. This 65,000 square foot facility is located on the 42-acre Mitchell Senior High School campus. The PAC is designed for teaching and learning including practice rooms, the Thomsen/Stahle band room, a choir room, and various classrooms dedicated to the arts. The highlight of the facility is the Ron and Sheilah Gates Auditorium which seats 1,200 and features the same sound, lighting, staging, and audience seating attributes available in most professional venues.

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