You are in the official 1996-97 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Theatre Arts - Drama and Dance
Theatre Arts - Drama and Dance
School of Arts and Humanities
Department of Theatre Arts
RONALD D. JOHNSON, Chair
Speech Arts Building, Room 33
(559) 278-3987
Department of Theatre Arts
RONALD D. JOHNSON, Chair
Speech Arts Building, Room 33
(559) 278-3987
Dance Option
Minor in Theatre Arts
Dance
Drama
Single Subject Teaching Credential
English/Drama
The theatre arts major offers you the opportunity to develop your skills
in acting, directing, dance performance, choreography, playwriting, children's
theatre, technical production, scene design, costume design, lighting design,
history, literature, and teaching. After completing our program, you will
have the background that will enhance your ability to pursue either an advanced
degree or a professional career.
Our professionally trained instructors will guide you through a program
which is not only educational but fascinating. A major or minor in theatre
or dance can be one of the more exciting times in your life because it will
develop communication and performing skills that will aid you no matter
what career you finally decide to pursue. If theatre is what you want, then
the California State University, Fresno Theatre Arts Department is ready
to serve you.
The Theatre Arts Department is an accredited institutional member of the
National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) and holds memberships
with the American Theatre in Higher Education, the California Educational
Theatre Association, the California Alliance for Arts Education, and the
United States Institute of Theatre Technology. The department regularly
participates in the American College Theatre Festival (ACTF) and the American
College Dance Festival (ACDF). Our students, faculty, and productions have
been awarded many regional and national honors from both ACTF and ACDF.
Our national and international award-winning Theatre Arts Department offers
you educational preparation in all aspects of theatre and dance. Beside
having the opportunity of being guided by an extensive curriculum and production
schedule of more than 10 plays and several dance concerts, you will have
the opportunity to study with guest professionals who participate in our
program on a regular basis.
At California State University, Fresno you have a variety of production
organizations, each providing a different kind of experience. University
Theatre produces five major productions a year, cast and crewed by students.
The Experimental Theatre Company (ETC) and the University Dance Theatre
(UDT) are student organizations that produce their own plays and dance concerts.
Playwrights Theatre is dedicated to the production of original plays. Theatre
for Young Audiences, as its name implies, produces plays for young people,
two of which tour throughout the Valley. You also have the opportunity to
work with our resident dance company, The Portable Dance Troupe. As you
can see, we offer a variety of opportunities for you to develop and practice
your art.
Facilities
At California State University, Fresno you have the opportunity to study
and practice your art with an outstanding faculty in well-equipped theatres
and production facilities. Our newly renovated theatre complex consists
of a 370-seat proscenium theatre and a 190-seat arena theatre. We also have
a 90-seat lab theatre. You will work closely with 14 faculty members who
are current in their craft and professionally active in acting, directing,
dance, design, and technical production. Playwriting is a specialty of several
of our faculty; all have published and two have been awarded Schubert Fellowships.
As you might imagine, we encourage the production of original plays at California
State University, Fresno.
Career Opportunities
Professional theatre and dance are very competitive areas especially for
performers. Nevertheless, our graduates have more than held their own as
actors and dancers in the professional world. As designers, production specialists,
and managers, our students have readily found career opportunities. The
rapid expansion in home video entertainment promises even more opportunity
in the field. Graduates have also found successful careers in related fields such as radio and television, journalism, rock performances, and touring productions. Many graduates teach in high schools, community colleges, and universities. Several former students have found their theatre training as an asset in such careers as law, theology, and politics.
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