Theatre & Film
Acting, Production, and Much More
The first line of the greatest story you will ever tell!
The Theatre and Film program at Davis & Elkins College prepares you with a strong foundation in acting, design, and community-engaged theatre as well as advanced skills in a specialty of your choice. Acting, design, directing, dramaturgy, film production, playwriting, stage management, theatre management — the possibilities are endless and limited only by your imagination.
The theatre and film program at D&E is part of the Division of Creative Arts. Its mission is to inspire thoughtful engagement in the collaborative processes of theatrical creation and film production. You’ll work with your advisor to develop your own creative emphasis and take courses across a wide range of disciplines, within the department and beyond, tailored to your specific interests and career goals.
By incorporating arts entrepreneurship and civic engagement alongside theatrical practice and analysis, the program encourages students to translate course skills into career opportunities both within theatre and far beyond it. The program prepares and presents two to three main stage productions annually from a variety of theatrical genres, as well as student-driven theatrical works and film projects.
Baccalaureate Programs (B.A.)
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre
The bachelor’s degree in Theatre requires 42 credit hours, including 27 core credits, 3 production credits, and 12 credits of advisor-approved electives drawn from art, business, communication, English, and theatre and film courses. Students must complete a department-approved minor.
Minors
Minor in Theatre
A minor in Theatre consists of 20 semester hours: 12 credits chosen from core theatre and film courses, 6 credits of theatre and film electives, and 2 production credits.
Minor in Film Production
A minor in Film Production consists of 18 semester hours: a 12-credit core including filmmaking, video & audio editing, graphic design, and digital media, plus 6 credits chosen from comedy web series, movie production, history of movies & TV, playwriting/screenwriting, or advanced film courses.
Courses
What We Offer
Core Theatre Courses
(required for B.A.)
- Introduction to Acting
- Introduction to Design and Technology
- Introduction to Community-Engaged Theatre
- Script Analysis
- Dramaturgical Methods
- Contemporary Performance
- Collaboration Lab
- Arts Entrepreneurship for the Theatre and Film
- Internship
- Senior Thesis for Theatre
Production Credits
(choose from)
- Production Lab
- Class Voice (Music)
- Concert Choir (Music)
- Chanteur Chamber Choir (Music)
Acting and Performance Courses
- Beginning Improv
- Voice and Diction
- Movement Fundamentals
- Physical Comedy Studio
- Stage Combat
- Advanced Scene Study
- Musical Theatre Studio
- Shakespeare Studio
- Advanced Directing for Theatre and Film
Design and Technology Courses
- Stage Makeup
- Scenic Design and Technology
- Costume Design and Technology
- Lighting and Sound Design and Technology
- Concert and Event Production
- Advanced Design for Theatre and Film
Film and Media Courses
- Filmmaking
- Comedy Web Series
- History of Movies & TV
- Movie Production
- Video & Audio Editing
- Directing for the Theatre and Film
- Playwriting / Screenwriting
Additional Courses
- Stage Management
- Theatre Education Methods
- Independent Study
Careers in Theatre & Film
The theatre & film program prepares graduates for a career in any profession that values communication, creative thinking, and arts entrepreneurship.
Career paths for theatre & film graduates include:
Performance and Production
- Professional Actor/Performer
- Director of Stage/Film
- Stage Manager
- Scenic/Costume/Lighting/Sound Designer
- Filmmaker/Videographer
- Screenwriter/Playwright
Arts Management and Entrepreneurship
- Arts Administrator/Theatre Manager
- Casting Director
- Concert and Event Producer
- Non-profit Arts Organization Director
- Cultural Tourism Coordinator
- Grant Writer for the Arts
Education and Community Engagement
- K–12 Theatre/Drama Teacher
- Teaching Artist
- Youth Theatre Director
- Community-engaged Theatre Practitioner
- Drama Therapist
Cross-Disciplinary Paths
- Marketing/Advertising/Public Relations
- Human Resources/Training and Development
- Law
- Media and Journalism
- Graduate Study in Theatre
- Directing
- Design
- Film
- Arts Administration
Internship Opportunities
Internship opportunities for theatre and film students are available in art therapy, cultural tourism, and youth theatre, as well as in a wide range of professional theatre, film, and arts management settings regionally and nationally.
Facilities
Theatre & Film students at D&E have access to a range of creative spaces
Harper-McNeeley Auditorium
A versatile 350 –1,000-seat performance space is perfect for Shakespearean spectacle and contemporary musicals alike.
The Boiler House
Home to the scene shop, this facility provides you with the opportunity to work with the tools and materials used by professional scene shops.
Found Space
The theatre program also performs “guerilla style” in “found” spaces on and off campus, including the college’s historic mansions, outdoor pavilion, amphitheatre, chapel, and spaces in the surrounding Elkins community. Students are trained for any venue, preparing them for the demands of making theatre wherever their careers take them.
Why Theatre & Film at D&E
Small class sizes enable dedicated faculty members to enhance your learning experience by getting to know your creative voice, your career ambitions, and your strengths, then designing an individualized course of study that helps you develop them. Coursework covers current and relevant principles in acting, design, directing, dramaturgy, film production, arts entrepreneurship, and community-engaged theatre.
You’ll have hands-on opportunities to participate in mainstage productions, student-driven works, and film projects. The program’s emphasis on arts entrepreneurship means you’ll graduate not just as an artist, but as a professional who can build a career on your own terms, including freelancing, founding organizations, or applying your creative skills in fields from marketing to education to law.