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  Why Study Theatre?

For many of us, the answer is simple: because no other human activity offers rewards that are so personally profound and meaningful. But even for those for whom theatre is not “a calling,” there are a surprising number of career opportunities associated with theatre.

These include not only opportunities for artists, but also for technicians, educators, and managers. And the skills gained in the study of theatre – skills in public speaking and self-expression, imaginative problem-solving, general research, and collaborative effort - may serve the student well in a wide assortment of contexts and careers.

Why Cornell?

The Cornell theatre program combines two features that are rarely found in the same institution: a rigorous pre-professional training regimen in a dedicated liberal arts context. Accordingly, we are able to serve two different constituencies – both the serious theatre student, preparing in a focused way for the profession and/or for graduate education, and the traditional liberal arts student, committed to exploring the range of human knowledge and activity.

Cornell theatre courses offer scholarly and experiential training in a wide range of theatre arts, including playwriting, acting, directing, stage management, costume design, scenery design, and lighting design. Our courses are taught by experienced and active theatre professionals, both from our own faculty and through our Guest Artist Program.

Cornell's One Course At A Time schedule enables a focused and intense workshop experience in our courses. It also allows us to offer special opportunities such as Contemporary Theatre, a 2008 topics course taught largely in New York that will engage students with a wide variety of theatre ranging from Broadway productions to small experimental shows.

Internships

We strongly encourage students to pursue internships in performance, production, arts management, and other areas. Our students benefit from relationships with Iowa City's Riverside Theatre, Colorado's Creede Reperatory Theatre, the Chicago Arts Semester, and other programs.