William H. Morse II, Chair
Linda Bisesti, Bernardo Solano
Elizabeth Bourgeois, Julian White
The Cal Poly Pomona Department of Theatre awards an undergraduate degree in theatre, which emphasizes production, and experience in the "doing" of theatre. At the same time, the Department offers courses in all aspects of the theatre, both artistic and academic. The program stresses concern for students as artists and individuals. Faculty, staff and students work closely together to build a solid foundation of knowledge of both the practical and artistic aspects of theatre for the student.
Five subplans are offered. The first, the general subplan enables students to develop a broad theatre curriculum with primary interests in: directing, playwriting, management, or theory and criticism in order to create a course of study that best suits their goals. The second, the acting subplan, is for the student whose primary interest is in acting for the stage. The third, the design and technical theatre subplan, is for students with an interest in the theatrical design areas of: scenery, lighting, costumes, makeup or sound; or in the technical areas such as scenic or costume construction, production management, or technical direction. The fourth subplan is dance for students interested in a general background in theatre with a specific performance interest in dance. The fifth subplan is theatre in education and community, for students interested in teaching theatre in secondary schools and working with community-based theatre organizations.
The Department presents a wide variety of productions to give the student a broad spectrum of experiences. Main stage productions range from dramas to musicals, from realism to varied theatrical styles, from premieres of new plays to presentations of classics by Shakespeare, Shaw, Moliere and Tennessee Williams. Students participate on main stage not only as actors and dancers, but also as designers and participants in all the many technical aspects.
In addition to the main stage season, the Department of Theatre also offers an opportunity for experimentation in a program of workshops and projects presented in the smaller studio theater, where student involvement is strongly encouraged and supported. All productions draw audiences from the university and the community, and contribute greatly to their cultural climates.
In the classroom, students receive intensive training in acting (a series of at least nine acting courses are offered), voice, movement, directing, stagecraft, makeup, stage lighting, costume and scenic design, playwriting, and theater management. Coursework also includes theatre history and criticism, dramatic structure and dramatic literature, to provide intellectual and academic skills, which work hand-in-hand with artistic skills. After completing the theatre major at Cal Poly Pomona, students are prepared for advanced training in graduate schools; to go into teaching in high schools; or to begin their careers or specialized training in professional theatre, television or film.
The theatre minor is designed to acquaint a person interested in pursuing theatre on a limited scale with the basic tools for mounting a production, whether in a school or a community theatre situation. It also accommodates those who wish to begin a specialization in the acting- directing or the technical track. The program is one of both classroom participation and practical experience in the production program. Special advisement for students who are interested in theatre may be obtained from the department chair. Detailed information is available from the departmental office.
