Training

"The high quality of training shows in the students' work, which is of the caliber of a graduate program. In the senior showcase, I saw a personal uniqueness about each actor, and an individual approach to character, which demonstrated great inner depth."

- Julie Tucker, casting director (Nurse Jackie)

“Fordham students give me so much joy and hope for the future in theatre.”
- LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Denzel Washington Endowed Chair in Theatre, Fall 2019

The Fordham University Theatre Program is highly regarded as one of the most outstanding BA theatre training programs in the country. The program combines the intimacy of a small conservatory with an exceptional liberal arts education, and the rich resources and opportunities available in the world capital of the performing arts. With four mainstage shows and up to 20 studio shows each year, students are continually learning by doing.

Theatre majors pursue a concentration of study in any of four areas: performance, design and production, directing, or playwriting. The theatre curriculum, which reflects the faculty’s belief that theatre is an interdisciplinary art, emphasizes the collaborative links between these disciplines.

The diversification of faculty and distinguished guest artists gives students exciting opportunities to work with leading theatre professionals and begin to focus on their particular interests and strengths.

Students receive a strong liberal arts foundation creating the breadth of knowledge that marks the educated person. The core curriculum, taught by Fordham’s distinguished arts and sciences faculty, includes courses in the arts, social sciences, literature, philosophy, theology, history, and modern and classical languages. There are also opportunities to take academic electives and to have an academic minor. Please use the links in the left-hand navigation bar to learn more about the different tracks within our program.

LEARNING GOALS THEATRE MAJOR

Curiosity, Critical Thinking and Continuous Learning: Cultivate a deep, enduring passion for theatre that drives commitment to excellence, continuous learning, and personal growth through exposure to, practical experience in, and critical thinking about a stylistically and globally diverse curriculum that deeply engages the complexity of human experience.  

Artist Citizen and Social Justice: Develop the craft of ethical and empathetic storytelling in order to use theatre as a tool for community building, engaging with contemporary social issues to foster responsibility, integrity, and respect for our shared humanity. 

Collaboration and Process:  Practice effective communication, flexible thinking, generosity of spirit, and emphasize the importance of the creative process that values experimentation and revision, artistic growth, and mutual respect.   

Risk and Artistic Freedom: Encourage creative risk-taking, celebrate the exploration of unconventional and bold ideas, grow in the commitment to discover and innovate different modalities of theatre-making.  

Technical Skills: Build a strong understanding of the fundamental skills in an area of concentration (Performance, Directing, Playwriting and Design and Production) by acquiring practical experience in a hands-on learning environment to bring theatrical works from concept to production.