“This program is a superstar in undergraduate theatre education. I can say from personal experience that the acting, design, and technology students at Western Michigan University are consistently among the best in the United States. Western Michigan University is considered an elite program, with some of the highest quality students in the nation.”- Brant Pope, Chair, Department of Drama and Dance, University of Texas-Austin

WMU’s nationally award-winning Department of Theatre offers extensive onstage, offstage, and behind the curtain training. The range of experiences to which you will be exposed is vast, creating the kind of well-rounded theatre artist necessary in today’s field. Opportunities for participation in the production program begin in the freshman year. The department presents nine faculty-directed productions each season in three different theatres, which feature student designs in set, costumes, lighting, and sound. Additional plays are presented in the laboratory theatre program and in the directing classes, allowing even more opportunities for onstage experience and student directing through our Footlight productions.

With BFA degrees in Performance, Design and Technical Theatre, Stage Management, Music Theatre Performance, and BA programs in Arts Management and Theater Studies, we are committed to providing a broad theatre background and the mastery of theatre fundamentals. The Western theatre experience includes master classes with nationally recognized guest artists and a low student to faculty ratio. We offer national and international travel opportunities and participation in conferences and regional competitions. All of these experiences are designed to complement the core program by taking academics far beyond the classroom.

Choose your area of interest to the right and read more about the individual programs offered.