Mailing Address: 332 S 1400 E RM 101, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Office Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Website: www.theatre.utah.edu
Phone: 801-581-6448
Email: info@theatre.utah.edu
Department Chair: Chris DuVal
Undergraduate Director: Sydney Cheek-O'Donnell
Contact for Prospective Students: recruitment@theatre.utah.edu
Mission Statement
Our mission is:
· To educate a diverse student body in current competencies, content-area knowledge, and self-advocacy skills, to produce graduates who are prepared to join the broader community of theatre practitioners and scholars or other fields of endeavor
· To conduct creative and scholarly research that is both rigorous and innovative
· To engage and serve our community in and through theatre activities and live performance
Overview
The Department of Theatre provides academic training, engaged learning, and creative exploration for students pursuing careers in theatre, related fields, or graduate study. Committed to excellence, equity, diversity, and personal wellness, the department offers both the BFA and BA levels of theatre education in every area of study. Each program of study combines a strong core curriculum with specialized courses, enabling students to gain a comprehensive understanding of theatre’s processes and its unique ability to illuminate the human experience.
The department continually reviews and improves its policies to promote consent-based practices and inclusive casting and season selection. Its mission is to educate a diverse student body with professional skills, content knowledge, and self-advocacy; to conduct rigorous and innovative creative and scholarly research; and to serve the community through theatre and live performance. Its vision is to cultivate a supportive, inclusive environment that encourages creative risk-taking and honors diverse cultures and perspectives. Faculty and staff are world-class professionals and dedicated educators who bring passion and expertise to their work, striving to support and uplift students while ensuring each educational journey is both exciting and meaningful.
Types of Degrees
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Arts
Minor
Undergraduate Certificate
Undergraduate Programs
The Department of Theatre views the creation of theatre as an art form in itself - where artists in acting, design, stage management, dramaturgy, and production collaborate to weave their individual visions into a powerful, unified experience. Studying in the Department of Theatre means joining a vibrant, supportive community rooted in mentorship, collaboration, and creative exploration. From the very beginning, students are welcomed into a dynamic environment that nurtures artistic growth, meaningful connections, and preparation for future careers in the arts.
The undergraduate theatre experience at the University of Utah offers rigorous, conservatory-style BFA training alongside a flexible BA pathway, blending intensive artistic development with a strong liberal arts foundation. Students engage in immersive studio work in acting, voice and speech, movement, dance, musical theatre, design, and stage management, while also exploring contemporary and classical texts, new work development, on-camera performance, stage combat certification, and multidisciplinary production practices. Design and technology students receive hands-on training across lighting, sound, scenery, costumes, props, and emerging technologies, while stage management students complete advanced skills courses, production labs, and seminar training. BA students build core competencies in acting, design, theatre history, and script analysis before pursuing focused pathways in performance, design and technology, or new works
Signature opportunities extend learning beyond the classroom. Through partnerships with professional companies such as Pioneer Theatre Company, Salt Lake Acting Company, Plan-B Theatre Company, and Hale Center Theatre, students earn professional credits while completing their degrees. Paid fellowships, apprenticeships, production roles, and teaching placements allow students to “earn while they learn,” gaining meaningful industry experience before graduation. Additional enrichment includes a six-week study abroad program in London, mentorship from nationally recognized faculty and guest artists, and a strong culture of collaboration and belonging. Graduates leave prepared for professional careers in performance, design, stage management, theatre education, and related fields, with many securing employment or professional contracts prior to graduation.
Through programs such as the Department’s Town Hall and discipline-specific performance labs, students build relationships and gain hands-on experience early in their journey. Opportunities such as performance attendance events, mentorship through UROP, the Arts Pass, and the College of Fine Arts Assembly further strengthen community ties and artistic engagement. The DoT News Canvas Page keeps students connected and informed. The Department of Theatre offers more than professional training - it provides a true artistic home where every student can belong, thrive, and grow.
Additional Information
Facilities, Centers, or Labs
The Department of Theatre at the University of Utah is anchored by the Price Theatre Arts Building, a centralized creative hub housing administrative and faculty offices, rehearsal studios, classrooms, and fully equipped production facilities including the costume shop. This dedicated arts complex supports daily training, design work, collaboration, and production preparation, creating an immersive environment where students move seamlessly between coursework and hands-on practice. Students also train and perform in multiple specialized theatre spaces across campus. The intimate Babcock Theatre, located within Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, provides a flexible black box environment ideal for experimental and student-driven work. The 375-seat Meldrum Theatre, shared with Pioneer Theatre Company, offers students experience in a state-of-the-art, professional-caliber performance venue. Additionally, Studio 115 in the Performing Arts Building serves as a versatile rehearsal and performance space that supports classes, workshops, and developmental productions. Together, these facilities give students access to a diverse range of studios and stages that mirror professional theatre environments.
Professional/Career Opportunities
Our alumni are thriving across the global performing arts landscape, bringing their training to stages, studios, ships, classrooms, and creative industries around the world. They are performing for international audiences with major cruise lines and national tours, appearing in iconic productions ranging from Broadway-adjacent and Off-Broadway work to Cirque du Soleil, Disney Live Entertainment, and Universal Studios. Others are shaping theatre from behind the scenes as stage managers, production managers, designers, technicians, and craftspeople at leading regional theatres, ballet companies, festivals, and entertainment institutions. Many have expanded their impact through academia, mentoring the next generation at universities and conservatories, while others are building innovative careers as producers, photographers, administrators, advisors, and multi-hyphenate artists in major cultural hubs like New York City, Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Edinburgh, and beyond. Together, their work reflects a powerful blend of artistry, leadership, adaptability, and creative ambition—demonstrating how a foundation in theatre translates into meaningful, influential careers across the entertainment and arts ecosystem.
Scholarship/Financial Aid/Support Information
At the University of Utah Department of Theatre, students can pursue several department-connected scholarship and funding pathways. University Merit Scholarships automatically consider incoming and transfer students who apply for admission by December 1. Need-Based Scholarships require submission of the FAFSA by February 1 for priority consideration and may include scholarships, grants, work-study, and subsidized loans. In addition, Department of Theatre Scholarships require both university admission and submission of the department’s General Scholarship Application (via CIS) by late February. Continuing students must be declared theatre majors, enrolled full-time, maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, and remain in good departmental standing to qualify. Award notifications are typically released between mid-March and mid-April.
Beyond scholarships, students may access broader financial support through the University’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and College of Fine Arts awards. FAFSA completion is required for consideration of need-based aid, work-study, and other university funding opportunities. These layered funding options -merit-based, need-based, and department-specific -are designed to make professional theatre training more accessible while supporting students’ academic and artistic progress.