Where Acting Out Is Expected
Do you like being on the stage or are you the person who likes to run the show behind the scenes? You will get to try all aspects of theatre and prepare yourself for positions that play to your strengths. The Theatre department offers you the opportunity to earn either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Fine Arts and has scholarships available to help you pay for your education.
A Bachelor of Arts is a degree that is ideal if you would like to double major in another area of study and have a broader area of study while the Bachelor of Fine Arts digs deeper into the study of theatre with particular focus on intensive performance and design studies. The BFA also prepares you for entry into graduate school.
The C-SC Difference
At Culver-Stockton, you will have the opportunity to participate on stage and behind the scenes immediately — NO FRESHMAN FREEZE. You will design mainstage productions, direct one act and full-length plays, work with practicing guest artists, compete in the Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre festival, dramaturg productions and even write and produce your own plays. Our faculty are award-winning in screenwriting, design and directing and have been involved on the national scene. We offer two spaces for productions, a traditional proscenium auditorium and a flexible black box theatre. We also bring in talented guest artists for productions annually who work directly with you in a production. Guest artists have included Michael Boatman in Noises Off, Michael Brainard in War is Coming, Ernie Pyle and Joseph Gatt in A Streetcar Named Desire.
Art Galleries & Venues
Alexander Campbell Auditorium
Alexander Campbell Auditorium is a proscenium theatre built in 1966 with a seating capacity of more than 900. The auditorium is used for musicals and larger theatre productions.
Mabee Art Gallery
The Mabee Art Gallery can be found on the main level of the Herrick Foundation Center. The gallery extends up into a second story balcony overlooking the main floor which features the center jump circle from the original basketball court previously housed in the building. The gallery hosts shows from renowned regional and national artists, faculty exhibits, and student honor and senior shows.
Mabee Little Theatre
Mabee Little Theatre is a flexible seating "Black Box" experimental theatre, used for theatre department productions and student-directed productions. It is housed in the lower level of the Alexander Campbell Auditorium.
Merillat Recital Hall
Merillat Recital Hall is a 225-seat area used for the opera workshop, student recitals, and other events.
What can I do with a Theatre Degree?
Our students continue their professional theatre studies in performance, design, and history and theory at graduate schools such as University of Nebraska-Lincoln Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Texas Tech University, George Washington University, Western Illinois University, and Oklahoma State University.
Beyond the Classroom
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Student Experiences
- Theta Alpha Phi – Theatre Honors Fraternity
- Travel study courses offered frequently
- Service learning within theatre
- Opera workshops
- Musical ensembles
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Professional Experiences
- Exploratory and Professional Internships
- Multiple theatrical performances each year
- Summer theatre work as actors, crew or designers
Information About Our Minors
Our minors in Theatre pair well with Music, Art, Communication, Psychology, Criminal Justice, English, History and Finance majors. The opportunities build confidence in communicating that is vital to many degree holders.