You are a collaborator. You dream of standing in the spotlight or working behind the scenes to make the show
happen. Learn about the latest techniques and hone your skills in courses like script
analysis, stage make-up, directing, and stage management. Through class instruction,
private coaching, mentoring, and performance, the Department of Theatre and Dance
helps to develop students’ skills in order to succeed after graduation. The department
advocates both theoretical and creative exploration to achieve an understanding of
the social, political, historical, and technological aspects of theatre or dance.
Winthrop theatre graduates are prepared to pursue careers with resident theatre companies,
national touring groups, theme parks, local arts councils, and schools. Theatre alumni
also pursue graduate degrees at prestigious institutions throughout the U.S.
Intensive professional training is provided to ensure the development of highly motivated,
self-disciplined graduates. Students can be assured their Winthrop degree meets the
rigorous professional standards of theNational Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), of which the university is an institutional accredited member.
Degrees
•Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in theatre with concentrations in performance, design/ technical
theatre, musical theatre, or k-12 teacher certification
The department presents four main stage productions (three in theatre, one in dance),
two student choreography showcases, and as many as 6 studio dance/theatre productions
and other informal performances each year!
Come see us at the Southeastern Theatre Conference in Baltimore, MD March 19-25, 2025!
February 19
Moments of Icarus
02.19 - 02.22 | 7:30 p.m. 02.23 | 2 p.m.
Johnson Studio Theatre, Johnson Hall
Coordinated by Winthrop University Department of Theatre & Dance
Admission: $5 with Winthrop ID | $10 General Admission
*Cultural Event
An original evening of dance. Student-choreographed by RJ Lee. Moments of Icarus is a contemporary retelling of the story of Icarus, made famous by the Roman poet Ovid. This dance work explores the original story, as well as the moments in life where we fly too close to the sun and we inevitably fall back to Earth. Explores themes of perfectionism, jealousy, and aging.
Coordinated by Winthrop University Department of Theatre & Dance
Admission: $10 with Winthrop ID | $15 General Admission
*Cultural Event
Music and lyric by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine
Directed by Rachel Dawson
What happens after 'Happily Ever After'? In Sondheim and Lapine's beloved retelling of Grimm's classics, a parade of familiar folktale figures find their way 'into the woods' and try to get home before dark- What begins as an irreverent fantasy becomes a moving lesson about community responsibility and the stories we tell our children.
Coordinated by Winthrop University Department of Theatre & Dance
Admission: $10 with Winthrop ID | $15 General Admission
*Cultural Event
By Sophocles
Adapted and directed by Brandon Dawson
A brutal civil war has ravaged the land, and the victorious Creon of Thebes forbids anyone from burying the traitor who started the conflict. When Antigone, discontent to let her brother go without proper funeral rites, takes matters into her own hands, she sparks a revolution that pits parent against child, sibling against sibling, and civil law against the gods. In this fresh and vibrant take on an ancient classic, family love and civil disobedience clash in titanic fashion.
Coordinated by Winthrop University Department of Theatre & Dance
Admission: $5 with Winthrop ID | $10 General Admission
*Cultural Event
By Barbara Field
Student Directed by Noah Lake
Mary Shelly’s legendary masterpiece, Frankenstein, is not only a gothic tale of horror, but a cautionary tale about the dangers of excessive passion, unchecked science, and the estrangement of god and man. At once intellectually insightful and emotionally complex; Playing with Fire is a modern morality play that eloquently speaks to some of the most burning moral and ethical questions of our time!
Coordinated by Winthrop University Department of Theatre & Dance
Admission: $5 with Winthrop ID | $10 General Admission
*Cultural Event
An evening of selected works by students, faculty, and guest artists. Come see an eclectic showcase of the best of the year's dancing in the Department of Theatre and Dance. A variety of dance styles will be featured.
The mission of the theatre program is to foster individual students' aesthetic, intellectual,
and creative development within the context of a liberal arts education as they pursue
a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Theatre Program Goals
To provide a developmentally sequenced curriculum of studio and theory courses that
exposes students to a breadth of skills, knowledge, and critical thinking about the
creative processes of theatre and the nature of the theatrical event.
To develop basic knowledge of the major authors, periods, movements, ideas, and trends
in drama and theatre.
To nurture artistic leadership and understanding of production processes through opportunities
to perform, direct, teach, design, and stage manage.
To promote collaborative experiences that develop students' communication skills,
appreciation of diversity, and flexibility in all artistic and interdisciplinary endeavors.
To develop advanced competence in one or more theatre specializations (performance,
design/technical, K-12 certification).
Explore Concentrations
Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree with a concentration in Musical Theatre
For the safety of our community, all motor vehicles parked on the campus or any property
owned by Winthrop University, must be registered with the Winthrop University Police
Department and be issued either a Regular parking permit, a Temporary parking permit,
or a Visitor’s parking permit. Temporary or Visitor parking permits can be obtained
online either before or upon arriving on campus.
