Overview

The study of Theatre offered by Vanderbilt University, in our classrooms and on our stage, provides students with applied knowledge in historical and contemporary performance practices, skills in the analysis of dramatic literature, and engagement in performance as a cultural product. As a community-oriented art form, theatre shapes our perceptions of ourselves and the world in which we live. 

Key facts

• As a vital component to a liberal arts education, theatre studies encourage critical thought and discussion with both the Department’s production season and coursework. The shows produced in Neely Auditorium are a practical extension of the Department’s curriculum; our theatre space is a laboratory where students learn to form creative expressions as well as to evaluate and critique them.
• On one level, the Department of Theatre helps the general liberal arts student develop reasoned standards of criticism and an understanding of the intimate correlation between the theatre and the society, preparing Vanderbilt graduates for successful careers in the commercial and nonprofit entertainment industries, as well as many other professions. 
• For its major and minors, the Department provides a more detailed and specialized study of the major components of theatrical endeavor, allowing opportunities for the practical application of coursework in our productions. The Theatre Department prepares students for entry into a variety of disciplines, depending on the students’ specialized areas of interest.