The Theatre concentration provides students with a comprehensive foundation in all aspects of the theatre and then allows students to continue their training in acting, costume design, lighting design, scenic design, or sound design. Students participate in numerous departmental productions to gain practical experience, develop portfolios, and connect and apply ideas and theories from their coursework and life. The theatre division prides itself on educating its students to acquire the discipline, analytical skills, and aesthetic judgment necessary for collaboration with others as productive citizens and artists.
Points of Pride
- Two new theatres in Purdue’s new Visual Performing Arts Building opened in 2005. The Nancy T. Hansen Theatre is a proscenium house seating 300 people, while the Gordon Mallett Studio Theatre features a flexible configuration and seats 105-155 people. These new theatres complement additional, larger campus venues.
- The study of theatre should include both the classroom study and practical application of those studies. Therefore, students are encouraged and expected to be active members of our production community. In this laboratory setting, the student not only applies information and ideas learned in classes, but also learns the critical life lessons of responsibility, commitment, and cooperation, which are crucial skills needed for survival in the 21st century.