Theatre & Dance

PARKING LOT CONSTRUCTION:

Please note that the parking lot next to the Lowe Center for the Arts will be under construction beginning April 1, 2024.  Arrive early to find alternative parking.  Patrons may park in the ramp on the corner of Farwell & 17th Streets for free after 7:00 p.m. and on the weekends.  For those with mobility issues, there is a drop off site next to the Lowe Center for the Arts on the corner of 15th & Pine Streets.  The Parking Ramp can be located on the campus map (#30).

Whether you are interested in Theatre or Dance as a major, a minor, or just as an extra-curricular activity, we have the program for you.  We have an invigorated and fresh approach to theatre at UWL.  You will be a person in the theatre department and never just another number.  We are a liberal arts undergraduate program, so you will never have to compete with graduate students for the same acting roles or backstage and design assignments.

We produce a 6-play season with recent productions including: Murder on the Orient Express, Metamorphoses, The Rocky Horror Show, Cabaret, She Loves Me, Big Fish, The Country Wife, and Hair. Come and work with us! Become part of a community on campus just as soon as you'd like. Audition, volunteer, sign-up for class credit for production work; whatever fits your needs. Most auditions are cold readings (nothing to prepare) and backstage work is always available. Majors and minors can emphasize in Performance, Design/Tech, General Theatre, Arts Administration, Theatre Management, Musical Theatre or Dance (minor only)!

Theatre and Dance at UWL is a vibrant and growing program. We have a dedicated faculty and a strong student body who collaborate to create exciting and cutting-edge theatre:  Theatre that matters.  Feel free to contact us for information or just to ask a question at any time.  Join us for a Campus Close-Up or call and set up a campus visit.  We'll have you visit classes, meet with students and faculty members, get you tickets for a play or let you attend a rehearsal.  We look forward to meeting you and working with you.

Come be part of a community of artists and creators at UWL!

MISSION STATEMENT

The Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse endeavors to provide students with the tools necessary to function as complete artists and self-realized individuals, combining theatrical training with a strong liberal arts curriculum. A combination of classroom training and realized production work allows for a well-rounded college experience with an emphasis on the collaborative and creative process.

DEPARTMENT GOALS

The course work and production requirements followed to earn a bachelor's degree in Theatre and Dance at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse seek to: 1) provide training for theatre careers by preparing students for further specialization at the graduate level or employment within the professional field, and 2) provide students with the skills necessary to seek other career and/or educational opportunities.

THEATRE PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

The study of theatre and dance combines the knowledge and skills required of a performer, creator, teacher, theorist, and historian. Undergraduate studies in theatre should prepare students for a variety of collaborative artistic roles.

In order to achieve these goals, the program is designed to prepare students to:

• Demonstrate competence in multiple theatrical disciplines onstage, offstage, and in the classroom.
• Create public performances in multiple styles and genres of theatre.
• Showcase improved technical writing skills in assignments and journals.
• Create a professional working atmosphere by employing strong collaborative skills in practicum work.
• Apply research and critical analysis to scripts, scholarships, productions, and additional forms of theatrical writing.
• Identify and incorporate a range of global and artistic perspectives in the creation and evaluation of theatre.

DANCE PROGRAM LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Apply essential concepts of alignment, balance, flexibility, strength, and endurance through physical practice in dance technique courses.
• Implement self-care and injury prevention concepts through practice in courses, rehearsals, and performances.
• Demonstrate technical progress and performance skills through projects and performances.
• Create compositions and choreographic projects to develop and strengthen each student's choreographic voice.
• Incorporate terminology and historical concepts of multiple dance genres in written work and class discussions.
• Develop collaborative skills through course work and rehearsals.