Theatre & Dance students have the unique opportunity to work closely with departmental faculty and staff on professional projects. Mentorship and hands-on experience are central to the functioning of our program, and we are always eager to share our expertise! Members of our department work frequently with professional theaters such as the Cleveland Playhouse and the Porthouse Theatre, as well as with local dance companies and studios. Summer opportunities include the chance to audition and/or work for Wooster’s resident summer professional company, The Ohio Light Opera. Wooster also offers theatre and dance students off-campus opportunities such as internships with professional theaters and study abroad at renowned schools of dance and drama.
The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF)
The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a national theater program that provides opportunities to college theater students to have their work critiqued, improve their dramatic skills, and receive national recognition for excellence.
The Department of Theatre and Dance has participated in the festival numerous times, and we have been invited twice to the Kennedy Center to perform shows. Moreover, students, faculty, and staff have garnered awards and recognition for their artistic work.
There are regional competitions of acting, design, technology, management, directing, playwriting, dramaturg, musical theatre, and theatre critics. If a student wins the regional competition, they will go to the National festival at Kenndy Center, DC.
We are in Region 2, along with colleges and universities from Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, Western New York, Northern Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
This year, the 56th Annual Regional Festival is from Wednesday-Saturday, January 24-27, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Penn., Doubletree by Hilton.
The KCACTF Acting Scholarship Auditions (Formerly Irene Ryans)
The Acting Scholarship Auditions provide recognition, honor, and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education. The KCACTF awards sixteen regional and two national scholarships annually.
One nominee and partner from every region will be invited to the national festival, and the nominee will receive a $500 scholarship. The runner-up in each region will receive a $500 scholarship, but will not attend the national festival to audition for the national scholarship.
The Deadline for Preliminary Submissions is December 15th, 2023.
Dance OH5 Conference
The annual Dance OH5 Conference brings together dance students and faculty from the Five Colleges of Ohio (The College of Wooster, Oberlin College, Kenyon College, Denison University, and Ohio Wesleyan University) for a day of workshops and performances. The inaugural one-day dance gathering was held at Oberlin College in February 2014, and subsequent years have been hosted by each of the five colleges in rotation. The annual conference provides opportunities for students and faculty to share work, exchange ideas, and become acquainted as colleagues. Students are able to dance together in workshops offered by faculty and guest artists, socialize, perform for each other, and engage in student-led discussions. This year, the conference is on Saturday, February 24th at Denison University. Watch their highlight recap of the 2023 OH5 Dance Conference events.
Ohio Light Opera
As a resident professional company of the College of Wooster, the Ohio Light Opera seeks to preserve the tradition of operetta and musical theater with engaging and accessible productions that uplift, educate, and entertain a diverse present-day audience. Current Wooster students are eligible to apply for various positions for the summer season including box office, run crew, scenic construction, costume design and construction, and performance.
American Dance Festival (ADF)
Since 1934, the American Dance Festival has been a recognized leader in modern dance presenting dance performances, and offering educational opportunities and community programs, while maintaining an international reach. ADF ensures that modern dance remains a powerful and universal form of human expression and that this art form is accessible to all, now and for generations to come. Past Wooster students have been involved with the American Dance Festival via the Summer Dance Intensive (formerly the Six Week School at ADF). Talk to your advisor if you are interested in learning more.
Professional Conferences
Current Wooster students are encouraged to submit their work to professional conferences, especially those with which our faculty and staff have connections. See below for a list of popular conferences for our department:
- USITT The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (performing arts design and technology)
- SETC Southeastern Theatre Conference (design, technology, performance, auditions)
- NDEO National Dance Education Organization (dance, choreography, education)
- IAMDS International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (dance science,kinesiology)
Off-campus study
Many of our students pursue a semester of off-campus study during one semester of their junior year. As a result students receive a more expansive perspective on the practical and intellectual applications of theatre and dance.If you are planning to study off-campus, please consult with your adviser and the Global Engagement Office (GEO) or APEX Experiential Learning Office. Together, they can help you identify programs and courses that match your interests and needs.
Some of the programs that our students have attended include the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, The Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, the Gaiety School of Acting, and The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Students have also pursued a variety of summer programs, including the Kyoto Art Center Traditional Theatre Training program, the Open Jar Institute Summer Broadway Intensive, and USF Dance in Paris.