You are in the official 1998-99 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Department of Theatre Arts
Drama and Dance
The School of Arts and Humanities
KATHLEEN S. McKINLEY, Chair
Speech Arts Building, Room 33
(559) 278-3987
B.A. in Theatre
Arts
Dance Option
Minor in Theatre Arts
Dance
Drama
Single Subject Teaching Credential
English/Drama
Faculty
Kathleen S. McKinley, Chair
Credential Adviser: Kim V. Morin
Jeanette P. Bryon, Dan Carrion, M. C. Drake, Thomas Whit Ellis, Edward
F. EmanuEL, Ruth H. Griffin, Jeffrey C. Hunter, Ronald D. Johnson, Terry
C. Miller, Bradley J. Myers, Robert G. Ware
The Department
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.
The Black Theatre Contingent (BTC) presents productions speaking to the
African American experience. 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.
