The Bachelor of Arts in Theatre trains multifaceted, entrepreneurial theatre artists for sustainable lives in the arts.  Where in the World is Frank Sparrow (Spring 2015)
It is an intense, interdisciplinary course of study allowing a broad range of exploration and of theatre as an artistic, scholarly, and social discipline. Students earning this degree are prepared for the intellectual and aesthetic challenges of the contemporary theatre as artists and leaders whose expertise spans more than one facet of the discipline. BA Theatre Arts students develop deep skills in collaborative creative problem solving; written, verbal, and visual communication; critical thinking; and project management.
This degree is flexible; each BA Theatre Arts student tailors a unique course of study, focusing on developing her or his skills and voice as an artist and taking advantage of the depth of coursework available at Illinois Wesleyan both within the School of Theatre Arts and across the university. Thomas Quinn runs this program.

 

The program is designed for those who:

  • Have multiple areas of interest in the theatre. Students in the BA program have the full range of opportunities to participate in the production season and take upper level courses in performance and design, and advanced students routinely hold leadership positions and play major roles in productions. BAs at Illinois Wesleyan receive the same amount of consideration, attention, and opportunities as students enrolled in BFA tracks.

  • Aspire to a professional career in artistic leadership, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, theatre management, theatre scholarship, applied theatre, educational theatre, or other sub-disciplines requiring a broad understanding of theatre arts and theatre's role in society.  Students build skills in these areas across Illinois Wesleyan’s curriculum, supplementing their theatre courses with coursework, minors, or second majors in areas such as Business, Education, or English-Writing. 

  • Plan to double major in Theatre Arts and a second area.

  • Plan to teach at the high school level.  In Illinois, students are required to declare a major in another area and to satisfy certification requirements in education.  The student's teaching certificate lists theatre as a secondary area of expertise. 

 

Alumni Spotlight

  • Kyle Blair

    Kyle Blair, BA '09 

    Actor national tours with the National Players. Recently worked at Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre "Beauty and the Beast," "Guys and Dolls," & "Chess." Currently (2011-12) working as an Associate Company Member at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, TN appearing in "Avenue Q," "Annie," "The Vibrator Play," "Spring Awakening," & "A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline.
  • Charles Haughland

    Charles Haugland, BA '07

    Artistic Programs and Dramaturgy, Huntington Theatre Company, Literary Manager/Dramaturgy Actor's Theatre of Louisviille
  • Max Lewendel

    Max Lewendel, BA '03

    Director/designer, founding member of the Icarus Theatre Company in London, England where credits include Lost Children, The Lesson, Albert's Boy, Coyote Ugly and Gates of Gold.

  •  nick diamond

    Nic Dimond, BA '93

    Actor/Director returned to Chicago's Strawdog Theatre Company in the fall of 2002 for their 15th-season opener: a bold, new interpretation of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." He was joined by Carm Grisolia '91 as Octavius and Shannon Hoag '00 as Portia. Bel Calvert '02 functioned as the play's dramaturg. He directed Lonnie Carter's" Ring-o-Levio" at Victory Gardens in the spring of 2003

  •  Elizabeth Auman

    Elizabeth K. Auman, BFA Theatre '91

    Managing Director of TimeLineTheatre, Chicago
  • Larry Shue

    Larry Shue, BA '69

    Actor/playwright (plays include "The Nerd" and "The Foreigner"; acting credits included One Life to Live and the Alan Alda film Sweet Liberty; died at 39 in a crash of a commuter plane in the Shenandoah Valley)