Theatre - Acting Southeast Missouri State University

Overview

The Theatre - Acting programme at Southeast Missouri State University offers a comprehensive professional training ground for aspiring performers. Students engage in a rigorous curriculum designed to develop technical proficiency in acting for live theatre, film, and television within a dedicated arts conservatory environment.

This degree is distinguished by its location at the River Campus, which is the only campus in the state entirely dedicated to the arts. The programme provides a robust foundation in performance theory and practice, allowing students to master their craft through a combination of classroom instruction and extensive practical experience in world-class venues.

Why Theatre - Acting at Southeast Missouri State University?

The university is home to the Jeanine Larson Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre & Dance, which is ranked as the top undergraduate theatre programme in Missouri. Students benefit from a unique learning environment that includes master classes, summer intensives, and the opportunity to participate in showcases in Los Angeles or New York City.

Distinctive features include the annual Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival and the Fault Line Film Festival, providing students with direct experience in new work and cinematic performance. The institution also maintains a partnership with NSKI University College in Oslo, Norway, offering international study opportunities in method acting.

Facilities at the River Campus include multiple professional-grade performance spaces where students participate in mainstage productions. The programme also offers specialised training and certification in stage combat through a residency with Dueling Arts International, enhancing the employability of graduates in both stage and screen sectors.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

• International fee: USD 17664 per year
• National fee: USD 10194 per year
• Local fee: USD 10194 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

Modules may include:

• Reheaarsal and Production
• Make-up for Actors
• Script Analysis
• Movement for the Actor
• Acting
• Voice for the Actor
• Acting for Film and Television
• Stage Combat I
• Auditioning
• Acting Styles
• Voice for the Actor
• Accents/Dialects for the Actor
• Senior Portfolio for Acting and Musical Theatre
• Theatre History
• Directing
• Playwright-Director Collaboration
• Shakespeare’s Comedies and Histories
• Shakespeare’s Tragedies

Careers with Theatre - Acting

Graduates from this programme have secured roles in prestigious venues and organisations including Broadway, the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and the Public Theatre in New York City. Alumni often find employment as professional actors, directors, and producers across various entertainment sectors.

The curriculum prepares students for diverse industries such as film, television, and live theatre. Recent graduates have also gained opportunities with NBC Universal, Disney, and Cirque du Soleil, or continued their training at elite institutions like the Stella Adler School of Acting and Juilliard.