Department of Theater

TWo student actors on stage during the Juniors production

Students in the Department of Theater learn by doing in the intellectually and physically rigorous environment of studio courses, rehearsals, and public performances. Majoring or minoring in theater fosters students’ ability to read closely, think critically, and communicate clearly. Students of theater are trained to integrate analytical, physical, emotional, and interpersonal intelligence in a way that few other courses of study demand. By making and studying theater at a liberal arts university, Colgate students act out a variety of perspectives on the world, learning to problem solve and self-start through immersion in the challenges of the creative process. Graduates regularly pursue successful careers not only in theater but also in communications, media, business, law, and technology.

Major in Theater Minor in Theater

 

Two students perform a conversation over coffee on stage.

Our Mission

Employing multiple global and cultural perspectives, the Department of Theater inspires and transforms students through immersion in the challenging and exhilarating reversals of the creative process. Our curriculum prepares students to thrive in a wide range of future endeavors. As a close-knit group of artists and scholars, we ignite collaborative engagement and experimentation in the classroom through a far-reaching sense of wonder, curiosity, and play. The department serves Colgate and the surrounding communities by creating theater and dance performances that awaken feeling, interrogate assumptions, and sharpen perceptions of an ever-changing world. 

Academic Program & Course Offerings

Productions

The Department of Theater produces up to four theater and dance main stage productions each year. All students are welcomed to audition, regardless of concentration or experience. Auditions are held at the beginning of each semester and participation in a department main stage production carries a full course credit.

Browse Past Productions

Department Contacts

Chair: April Sweeney
Theater Programming and Operations Manager: Denise Crandall
Academic Department Coordinator: Shelby Gilbert
Office: Dana Arts Center
Phone: 315-228-7639