Visual & Performing Arts

Program Description

University of Southern California

		Program Description Program Overview Get Free Info Web Site Visit Email a Friend

Founded in 1945 by playwright and director William C. DeMille, the University of Southern California (USC) School of Theatre is recognized internationally as a leader in theater education. Ranked among the top five undergraduate theater programs in the nation, the School blends artistic training in a conservatory environment with all the academic advantages of a major research university.

The School offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) programs in acting, design, stage management, and technical direction. The B.F.A. offers a conservatory approach, while the B.A. offers more flexibility and the opportunity to double major or minor in another discipline. The School of Theatre also offers minors in applied theatre arts, dance, performing arts, and playwriting.

The School of Theatre has intentionally kept classes small to maintain a close student interaction with faculty members. Every student is also assigned an academic adviser to guide his or her course selection throughout the undergraduate’s four years.

The School offers educational and performance opportunities overseas. Students can study abroad at the British American Drama Academy (BADA) for course credit, working with leading actors and directors. The School of Theatre holds the distinction of having created the first American university theatrical troupe—Festival Theatre USC-USA—to be invited to perform at the prestigious Fringe of the International Theatre Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Unique Opportunities for Students

On campus, performance opportunities abound. USC’s School of Theatre produces more than twelve main stage shows each season. The School also encourages independent student productions. Students can participate in Brand New Theatre, which presents plays written, produced, acted, and directed by students. The School’s partnership with the USC School of Cinematic Arts allows theater students the opportunity to collaborate with film students on a variety of projects.

The location of the campus in Los Angeles—in the heart of the entertainment industry near major motion picture studios, performing arts centers, museums, and vibrant resident theaters—offers enrichment for the artist and the young professional that makes the USC School of Theatre distinctive among colleges and universities in the United States.

The School encourages students to gain professional experience and academic credit through internships and has created a partnership with Center Theatre Group—one of the country’s leading professional theaters that runs the Tony Award-winning Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre—that offers internships to students who receive professional experience and academic credit in such varied departments as production, development, marketing, press, and casting, as well as performance opportunities. In the last two years, over 50 students have benefited from this unique relationship. Additional internship opportunities can be arranged for students through the School’s association with other theaters as well as various film and television production companies and entertainment agencies.

The many performance and production opportunities, the quality of programs, and the lasting relationships students forge with faculty members and peers make USC a nurturing environment for developing theater skills and knowledge. Whether a student chooses to major or minor in theater or to pursue studies in acting, dance, theatrical design, or dramatic writing, a theater education at the University of Southern California is a unique and invaluable experience.

Program Facilities

 In addition to studio spaces, the School of Theatre’s active production program utilizes four main facilities. The Bing Theatre is a traditional proscenium house with seating for 550. The Massman Theatre is a flexible performance space, comparable to Equity Waiver and off-Broadway theatres, with seating for 50 to 75 individuals. The Scene Dock Theatre is also a flexible performance space, with seating for up to 99 people, while the Village Gate Theatre is a cabaret-style performance space with seating for 70.

Faculty, Visiting Artists, and Alumni

 Comprised of first-rate master teachers and theater professionals working at the highest level in their respective fields, the School of Theatre’s faculty members have strong ties in the theater world and are sought out by leaders in the industry, the arts, and the media for their expertise. Faculty members include Tony Award-winning designer and director of production Christopher Akerlind, MacArthur “Genius” Grant-recipient playwright Luis Alfaro, award-winning stage/film/television actor Andrew J. Robinson, Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company member actress Charlotte Cornwell, Tony Award-nominee Mary-Joan Negro, author Angus Fletcher, and Applied Theatre Arts founding director Brent Blair.

The USC School of Theatre also attracts a wide range of guest artists who are some of the most distinguished talents from stage, film, and television, including Academy and Emmy Award-winners Tim Robbins and Christine Lahti; Tony Award-winners playwright David Edgar, composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown, actors Brian Stokes Mitchell and Bill Irwin, director Peter Hall, and director/choreographer Twyla Tharp; as well as hip-hop artist Danny Hock, world-renown director Peter Sellars, internationally-acclaimed actresses Kathleen Turner and Fiona Shaw, and four-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis.

The School of Theatre’s alumni have gone on to establish careers in all aspects of theater, film, and television, including Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker, Golden Globe-winner Kyra Sedgewick, Emmy Award-winner LeVar Burton, as well as Eric Stoltz, Tate Donovan, Anthony Edwards, James Lesure, Jonathan Silverman, Sophia Bush, writer/actor Grant Heslov, director Andy Tennant, producer/director Jack Bender, and producer Todd Black. Recent graduates starring on Broadway include Stark Sands in Journey’s End, for which he received a Tony Award nomination as Best Featured Actor in a Play, and James Snyder who has the title role in the new musical Cry-Baby.

Application Procedures

Deadline--freshmen and transfers: January 3. Notification date--freshmen and transfers: continuous. Required: essay, high school transcript, college transcript(s) for transfer students, minimum 3.0 high school GPA, 2 letters of recommendation, interview, audition, SAT I or ACT test scores, portfolio for stage management, technical and design applicants. Auditions held 1 time on campus and off campus in New York, NY; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA; videotaped performances are permissible as a substitute for live auditions. Portfolio reviews held on campus and off campus in New York, NY; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA.

Undergraduate Contact

Phyllis Lemons, School of Theatre, University of Southern California, 1029 Childs Way, DRC 107, Los Angeles, California 90089-0791; 213-740-1286.