Departmental Overview

At The University of Texas at Austin's Department of Theatre and Dance, students share the excitement of working with internationally–known artists, scholars and experienced professionals at one of the nation's top research universities. At UT, you can consider the ever–changing nature and function of performance arts while preserving and honoring diverse traditions of the past and present. Here, you can help shape the future while investigating your own intellectual and artistic talents.

The Department was founded in 1938 as the first university theatre program in the state of Texas. From its humble beginnings of four faculty teaching nine courses, it has grown tremendously in both size and quality. Now, with over 50 faculty and staff, and more than 260 courses each semester, the UT Department of Theatre and Dance is the largest theatre and dance department in the United States. Our Department's M.F.A. programs rank 8th in the nation. Our alumni continue to rise to the top of their professions, and our faculty are some of the finest in the world.

Fine teachers, noted scholars and professional artists share their knowledge and expertise. Small classes allow students greater access to both faculty and visiting artists in a variety of classroom, research, rehearsal and performance situations. All faculty are professionally active—designing, choreographing, publishing, directing, performing and presenting scholarly work.

The Department is housed in the Winship Drama Building, which includes some impressive facilities. We have three, fully equipped in–house theatres: the Lab Theatre, the B. Iden Payne Theatre, and the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre. Our design/technology program has access to two costume shops, two scenic studios, a properties shop, robotic lighting lab and computer design lab. Our dance program boasts three in-house studios, a fully equipped Pilates studio and two additional studios in Bellmont Hall and Anna Hiss Gym.

Our performance season runs parallel with the academic year from late August through the first week of May. We average six to eight mainstage productions annually, with an additional 20 to 30 laboratory shows and readings. In alternate years, we host the University Co–op presents the David Mark Cohen New Works Festival, an intensive, Department–wide celebration of new plays, choreography and performance art.

The Department is dedicated to balancing high–quality production and performance work with rigorous academic study. The development of new work, scholarly articles, innovative design and a varied dance and theatre repertory is a high priority.

Scholarly research is supported by the eight–million volume UT Library System, which includes an excellent Fine Arts Library and the unique theatre and dance collections of the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center.

The Department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD) and is a member of the University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA).

Over six decades of high–quality education at UT have produced successful alumni including: Tommy Tune, Marcia Gay Harden, Rip Torn, Barbara Barrie, Robert Schenkkan, Tom Jones, Harvey Schmidt, Eli Wallach, Mark Harelik, Amanda McBroom, Chase Masterson, and Valerie Mahaffey, among others.

Our academic programs encompass various areas of theatre, dance, and performance studies:

Performance: Acting, Dance, Directing
Production: Design (costume, lighting, scene), Theatre Technology
Performance Studies: Drama and Theatre for Youth, Performance as Public Practice, Playwriting

For more information regarding our various degree programs, choose from the Main Menu above, or visit our degree programs page.