Theater

Senior Capstone Projects

Seniors majoring in theater are afforded the opportunity to pursue a faculty/staff mentored Senior Capstone Project for academic credit, that will serve as the culmination of their undergraduate studies.

The senior capstone should evolve directly from the student’s emphasis within the
major (e.g. directing, designing, management, dramaturgy/critical inquiry, playwriting, or acting).

For example:

  • For students who have supportive course work and production directing experience, capstone directing projects may include a departmental supported production as part of the Lab Series.
  • Designers may take on a design assignment in a Lab Series production or a supervised design role in a Mainstage production. 
  • Management specialists may stage manage a Mainstage production, create an arts
    management project in support of the department, or work independently on a supervised project of their own creation. 
  • Actors may wish to focus on a particular role in which they’ve been cast within a
    Mainstage or Lab Series production, and/or enroll in THEA 410 Acting Capstone, where they’ll learn about the professional aspects of the business and create a collection of well-rehearsed audition materials.
  • Seniors interested in more scholarly perspectives on theater may serve as dramaturg for a Mainstage production or write a scholarly paper under the supervision of a faculty mentor. 
  • Playwrights may request a workshop of a script they’re working on or partner with a director to propose a Lab Series production of the script. 

Declared majors will meet with departmental faculty early in the fall semester of their 3rd year to discuss options and students will be asked to provide a brief proposal for their intended work by the end of that semester. Students are highly encouraged to team with one or more of their cohort to create projects. For example, an actor and a director might propose a Lab Series production that features a particular role for that actor. All candidates applying for a directing project will be required to provide a script of their proposed play and fill out an application for Lab Series consideration.

All approved capstone projects may be completed for credit by enrolling for THEA 425: Senior Project. This may be taken as a full course over one semester or two half courses over two semesters.