The Sarah Lawrence College Theatre program embraces the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of theatre. Theatre students must investigate not just one discipline of theatre arts but many, including acting; Alexander Technique; breathing; comedic and dramatic improvisation; creation of original work; design; directing; movement; playwriting; puppetry; speech; voice; and the art of bringing theatre into the local community through Theatre Outreach. Students also are exposed to the fundamentals of the many technical skills demanded by the modern theatre. All students are encouraged to explore the connection between the theatre arts, music, and dance with the College’s large faculty of artists who are working professionals.

The Theatre program examines not just contemporary American performance, but the major historical periods that precede our own, as well as the diverse cultural influences that enrich and expand our experience.

Curriculum

Each student taking a Theatre Third is expected to have an individual course of study that reflects the Theatre program’s interdisciplinary philosophy. A Theatre Third is divided into several “component courses.” Students entering the program for the first time (regardless of their class) enroll in the two components known as the Gateway to Theatre courses: Gateway History and Histrionics, and Gateway Technology, which introduce them to the history of theatre and to a wide range of technical theatre skills. In their first year, students also take one or more components of their own choosing.

Continuing theatre students construct an individualized Theatre Third with the advice of the theatre faculty that consists of three or more components based on their level and focus. Each Theatre Third must include components from multiple disciplines of study within the program.

Practicum

The theatre faculty is committed to the philosophy that students learn by doing. Classes provide a rigorous intellectual and practical framework, and students are continually engaged in the process of making theatre. The program helps students build a solid technique based on established methodologies while also encouraging them to discover and develop their individual artistic selves.

Wide-ranging opportunities are available for students to learn by doing. Students may participate in internships or fieldwork in New York City theatres and theatre organizations. The College’s Theatre Outreach program is a training program that uses music, writing, theatre techniques, and the visual arts to address social and community issues. The outreach course has been a vibrant component in the curriculum for over two decades, encouraging development of original material with a special emphasis on cross-cultural experiences. Many theatre components include an open-class showing or performance. In addition, there are multiple performance and production opportunities in acting, singing, dance, design, directing, ensemble creation, playwriting, and technical work available throughout the academic year.

The College’s performance venues include productions and readings sponsored by the department in the Suzanne Werner Wright Theatre, a modified thrust stage, and the Frances Ann Cannon Workshop Theatre, as well as studentproduced work in the student-run blackbox DownStage Theatre. Workshops, readings, and productions are also mounted in the black-box Open Space Theatre and in various performance spaces throughout the campus.