Academic Catalog

Theatre Arts

Program Description

The Theatre Arts department is an important center for theatre training encompassing acting, performance, literature, design, and technical studies. Branches of the department include theatre technology, actor training, and the general studies program for both majors and non-majors.

The Theatre Arts department operates a theatre program for both non-theatre majors and theatre majors, consisting of theatre appreciation, multi-cultural theatre studies, studio-acting classes, production related classes, musical theatre, technical theatre studies, industry preparation, and electives in theatre specialization.

Learn more about the program on the Theatre Arts website.

Associate Degree for Transfer

This program also offers an Associate Degree for Transfer. Learn more and review the degree requirements on the Theatre Arts AA-T listing.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to proceed to further educational opportunities or entry-level workforce employment in their prescribed area of the performing arts with a minimal adjustment period.
  • Students will be able to employ skill sets of collaboration relevant to multiple arenas of alliance or teamwork within the performing arts arena.

Career Opportunities

The Theatre Arts program prepares the student to continue studies at a four-year institution, transfer into more specialized performance (stage, musical and on-camera) training, or apprentice or work in the performing arts industry. Graduates have opportunities to pursue careers as stage and film actors, directors, producers, stage managers, run crew, make-up artists, teachers, artistic directors, casting directors, and more.

Award Type(s)

  • AA = Associate in Arts Degree
  • CA = Certificate of Achievement

Units Required

  • Major: 40-48
  • Certificate(s): 28

Additional Information

The Theatre Arts department offers three tracks for the AA degree:

  • General Theatre Studies
  • Acting Performance
  • Musical Theatre Performance

Associate Degree Requirements

English Proficiency
Select one of the following:
ENGL 1ACOMPOSITION & READING5
ENGL 1AHHONORS COMPOSITION & READING5
ESLL 26ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING5
or equivalent
Ethnic Studies
Any course in the ETHN (Ethnic Studies) subject code, currently approved for Area F of CSU GE and Area 7 of IGETC
Mathematics Proficiency
College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra

A minimum of 90 units is required1 to include:

  • Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • Core courses (24-40 units)
  • Support courses (8-16 units)
1

Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.


Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree or certificate.

Core and Support Courses

Select one of the following track options:

Option 1: General Theatre Studies

Core Courses
THTR 1INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE4
THTR 2AHISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE: CLASSICAL TO MOLIERE4
or THTR 8 MULTICULTURAL THEATRE ARTS IN MODERN AMERICA
THTR 20AACTING I4
THTR 21ASCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION4
THTR 31MANAGEMENT FOR THE THEATRE & STAGE4
or THTR 42 INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN
And four units from the following:4
TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I
TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
PERFORMANCE PRODUCTION I
Support Courses
Select an additional 16 units from the following:16
HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE 1
HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE: CLASSICAL TO MOLIERE
MULTICULTURAL THEATRE ARTS IN MODERN AMERICA
SCRIPT ANALYSIS
ACTING II
FOUNDATIONS IN CLASSICAL ACTING
FILM & TELEVISION ACTING WORKSHOP
INTRODUCTION TO FASHION & COSTUME CONSTRUCTION
BASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP
IMPROVISATION
INTRODUCTION TO DIRECTING
SINGING TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE
Total Units40
1

THTR 2A and THTR 8 may be completed only once for credit to satisfy either the core or support course requirement.

Option 2: Acting Performance

Core Courses
THTR 1INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE4
THTR 2AHISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE: CLASSICAL TO MOLIERE4
or THTR 43A SCRIPT ANALYSIS
THTR 20AACTING I4
THTR 20BACTING II4
THTR 20CACTING III4
THTR 21ASCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION4
THTR 31MANAGEMENT FOR THE THEATRE & STAGE4
or THTR 42 INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN
THTR 40ABASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP4
THTR 48BSINGING TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE4
And four units from the following:4
TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I
TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
PERFORMANCE PRODUCTION I
Support Courses
Select an additional eight units from the following:8
AUDITIONING FOR THEATRE
MOVEMENT PRACTICUM I
STAGE COMBAT
SCRIPT ANALYSIS 1
FOUNDATIONS IN CLASSICAL ACTING
IMPROVISATION
INTRODUCTION TO VOICE-OVER ACTING
FILM & TELEVISION ACTING WORKSHOP
Total Units48
1

THTR 43A may be completed only once for credit to satisfy either the core or support course requirement.

Option 3: Musical Theatre Performance

Core Courses
THTR 1INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE4
THTR 2FHISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE4
THTR 20AACTING I4
THTR 21ASCENERY & PROPERTY CONSTRUCTION4
THTR 31MANAGEMENT FOR THE THEATRE & STAGE4
or THTR 42 INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN
THTR 38AMOVEMENT PRACTICUM I2
THTR 40ABASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP4
THTR 48BSINGING TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE4
THTR 48CMUSICAL THEATRE REPERTOIRE FOR SINGERS4
And four units from the following:4
TECHNICAL THEATRE IN PRODUCTION I
TECHNICAL THEATRE MANAGEMENT IN PRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
Support Courses
Select an additional eight units from the following:8
ACTING II
ACTING III
AUDITIONING FOR THEATRE
STAGE COMBAT
SCRIPT ANALYSIS
IMPROVISATION
Total Units46

Certificate Requirements

Certificate of Achievement in Acting

  • Units: 28
THTR 20AACTING I4
THTR 20BACTING II4
THTR 20CACTING III4
THTR 40ABASIC THEATRICAL MAKEUP4
And select 12 units from the following:12
AUDITIONING FOR THEATRE
MOVEMENT PRACTICUM I
STAGE COMBAT
FOUNDATIONS IN CLASSICAL ACTING
IMPROVISATION
SINGING TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE
INTRODUCTION TO VOICE-OVER ACTING
FILM & TELEVISION ACTING WORKSHOP
Total Units28