Skip over carousel to next section
  • Screen Acting students filming on set.
  • Theatre Performance students on stage in 19th-century costume taking feedback from director.
College of Performing Arts
Department of Theatre

»Welcome to the Department of Theatre

Stay in TouchVisitApply

As a Chapman Theatre major, you will progress through a strong professional theatre curriculum with high-quality productions, all while enjoying the benefits of a liberal arts university located just a short drive from Hollywood and the vibrant SoCal performing arts community.

Our students gain real-world experience from working onstage and backstage with industry professionals and renowned faculty in state-of-the-art facilities. And our entire team is dedicated to delivering an education with strong professional ethics that will empower you to pursue your chosen career path. 

Choose from our three degree programs, each tailored to your specific goals:

Each of these degrees gives you excellent preparation to attend graduate school or to start working in the industry directly after graduation. 

The Department of Theatre is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.

 

students listening to instructor in a theatreTheatre Faculty

Our faculty aren’t just theatre professionals with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. They are also masters at the craft of teaching. 

And because of our low faculty-to-student ratio, you will get to know your teachers and have personalized guidance and career planning from professionals who know your name.

 

 

Students acting in a production

Performance Opportunities

At Chapman, first-year students can audition for and perform in any production, including lead roles in:

  • Four or five main season productions a year, usually including a musical.These shows include professional directors and production designers.
  • Student-led theatrical productions across campus.
  • Film and television student productions at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

You will also have opportunities to perform in local theatres and productions across Southern California. There is a vibrant theatre scene in Orange County, and Los Angeles is a short drive or train ride away. 

We hope you can see a production for yourself!Visit our event calendar to view information and get tickets to upcoming theatre productions.

 

Facilities

You’ll have the opportunity to perform in front of large and intimate audiences in our on-campus venues. 

  • Entertainment Technology Center: home to CoPA's production group. Students can take classes related to entertainment technology and have opportunities to create scenic, lighting, sound, and costume elements for all of the college's dance, opera, and theatre productions.
  • Musco Center for the Arts: an 88,000-square-foot venue with state-of-the-art technology to help enhance your hands-on theatre education. Musco Center boasts 1,044 seats on three levels and has been named one of the finest performance venues on the west coast. 
  • O.L. Halsell Foundation Studio Theatre: a black box theatre that is a flexible, fully equipped space for both classes and performances and can seat up to 50 patrons.
  • Waltmar Theatre: a 244-seat performance and classroom space for students to hone their skills as professional artists.

 

Study Abroad

We encourage you to study abroad in one of our many study-abroad programs. Our Theatre Academy London program (TAL) is especially popular for Theatre Performance majors. You will study with some of London's leading theatre artists and earn academic major credit towards your degree.

Our London Theatre Tour is a popular interterm course for all types of theatre majors. You will attend British theatrical productions in London and Stratford, England, while developing visual literacy and critical analysis skills.

There are several other options, and we will work with you to find the right program to match your interests and goals.