Theater offers students opportunities to study acting, directing, design and production, theater history and criticism, and playwriting within the broader context of a liberal arts education. Students participate in all aspects of performance, both artistic and technical.

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Faculty

Theater faculty, who are accomplished professionals in their own right, teach a range of courses that nurture the natural and developing abilities of students, thus providing a sound liberal arts grounding in theory and practice of theater. Faculty support student-directed work and actively mentor them throughout their academic progress.

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Department Overview

Oberlin College is an ideal choice for students who are looking for a highly selective liberal arts school with a strong theater program committed to serious artistic training. Oberlin students have the flexibility of taking conservatory-caliber theater classes while simultaneously pursuing a broad, individually designed undergraduate education. Because of Oberlin’s dual emphasis on academic and artistic excellence, the college attracts multitalented individuals. Our students are our theater program’s greatest asset. Collectively, they make up a dynamic and mutually supportive artistic community like no other.

Construction is complete on both the Hall Annex renovation and the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Annex! Follow along from the beginning of both projects by viewing the album on our Flickr page.


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Theater Bulletins

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Theater News

An empty auditorium facing a stage with columns on it.

Behind the Scenes

June 26, 2020
Theatrical set designs at Oberlin College range from sophisticated levels and platforms to small neighborhoods complete with residential fronts built to scale, and students can learn all the creative steps of the process.
A woman types on a laptop in her backyard.

Postcards from Oberlin

May 8, 2020
“The best thing about my quarantine workday (besides hanging out with my toddler) is seeing my students, even though they are far away. The second best thing is seeing them when it's warm enough to be outside in my backyard in Lakewood. Students + sunshine (+ toddler) = happiness,” writes Kathryn Metz , assistant professor of ethnomusicology.
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Theater Facilities

exterior view of performing arts annex

Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Annex

The Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Annex brings together these three theaters to allow the Department of Theater to stage a range of productions—from experimental works to full-scale plays.
metal and glass doors entrance of kander theater

Hall Annex

Hall Annex is a two-story building just behind the Sophronia M. Brooks Hall Auditorium and near the Allen Memorial Art Museum. It houses the Kander Theater, a 75-seat space for student-produced theatrical works.
Hall Auditorium

Hall Auditorium

This 501-seat theater is used for large-scale opera, drama, and dance productions.
stage and seating area of wurtzel theater

Irene and Alan Wurtzel Theater

The Irene and Alan Wurtzel Theater is part of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Annex. The accessible and highly adaptable theater can accommodate up to 300 seats.
exterior entrance to kander theater building

Kander Theater

Kander Theater is a new 75-seat performance space in Hall Annex that replaces the Little Theater, part of a major renovation project to enhance Oberlin’s Department of Theater. It is an ideal venue for smaller scale, intimate, and experimental productions presented by faculty and students.
Warner Center

Warner Center

Originally built as a gymnasium in 1901, Warner Center is now home to Oberlin's theater and dance programs. On the first floor are faculty offices and spacious acting studios.