Theater and Performance Studies

The Department of Theater and Performance Studies (TAPS) is built on the belief that theory and practice are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. We prepare our students to become scholar-artists who are fluent in both the practical knowledge of theater-making and the humanistic knowledge of the history and theory of performance.

With teaching at the center of our mission, TAPS guides undergraduate and graduate students through academic seminars, acting and dance studios, and close mentorship in both creative work and scholarly research. We create a collaborative environment for probing dialogues and participatory experiences, guiding students to discover how the performing arts can be utilized as a powerful platform for illuminating pressing social issues and pathways of change.

Academic Programs and Performance Training

The Department of Theater and Performance Studies offers rigorous academic and studio-based pathways designed to cultivate artistic innovation and critical scholarship:

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.): A comprehensive undergraduate major and minor program combining practical studio classes in acting and dance with humanistic coursework in performance theory, history, and literature.

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): A leading graduate program designed to train the next generation of scholars and educators through advanced research, seminar study, and original performance-based inquiry.

• Studio and Seminar Learning: Offering courses open to majors, minors, and the general student body that bridge creative execution with critical analytical thinking.

Research Frontiers and the Scholar-Artist Model

Intellectual and creative life in TAPS centers on the fusion of academic analysis with embodied practice:

• The Scholar-Artist Paradigm: Unifying theatrical production, dance choreography, and dramatic writing with historical contextualization and critical performance theory.

• Performance and Social Change: Examining how live performance, theater, and movement can serve as spaces to critique, challenge, and transform contemporary social structures.

• Mentored Creative Research: Supporting student-led productions, original performance research, and interdisciplinary collaborations across the humanities and arts.