Theatre & Dance

Call Boards and Theatre Communication

Call boards are located at the end of the Department of Theatre and Dance  hallway (near 158 Lowe Center for the Arts). Students are responsible for checking the call boards on a daily basis for important information about auditions, 360 assignments, rehearsal schedules, etc.
Other information regarding upcoming events, senior acting recitals, student representative opportunities, etc. is often sent out via e-mail through the Department of Theatre and Dance. It is the student's responsibility to provide a current e-mail address to the department during the Major/Minor meetings for this communication.  For information regarding a current production (i.e. cast lists, rehearsal reports, etc.), please visit the electronic callboard on the Theatre and Dance webpage. 

Material Borrowing

The Department of Theatre and Dance maintains a massive script library with over 3000 titles. Scripts may be checked out through the Theatre and Dance main office (154 Center for the Arts) and must be returned at the end of each semester.

Production Photos

All production photos taken during photo call are digitally downloaded on the UWL Theatre Production Facebook page as well as a select number of photos posted on the department's webpage under Production Archives.   

Student Representative Positions

The Department of Theatre and Dance relies heavily on student participation and input in a variety of areas. Opportunities to serve as a student representative within the department are plentiful and include Season Selection,  Departmental Meetings, High School Festival Recruiters, Publicity (interviews, informational tables, library story hours, etc.), Prospective Student Recruitment, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, etc. Representatives for Season Selection and Departmental Meetings are nominated during the first Major/Minor Meeting with voting open to all Theatre and Dance majors and minors. The Department Student Liaison will meet with the faculty and staff every Monday at noon and is responsible for sharing pertinent information with the theatre student body.

The Season Selection Committee consists of the theatre faculty and  Department Student Liaison. This student representative is responsible for attending weekly season selection meetings, reading and evaluating scripts and seeking script input from the theatre student body.  Other representative opportunities will be announced during class or via e-mail. The Department of Theatre and Dance faculty take these activities into consideration when determining scholarship distribution as part of service to the department. For more information on how you can get involved as a student representative, talk to a member of the Theatre and Dance faculty and staff.

Undergraduate Research Grants

Students can receive funding for their work while at UWL! Since 1997, the Undergraduate Research Committee (URC) has supported numerous collaborative student-faculty projects. The key is to begin talking to faculty and planning your work early and follow the guidelines and deadlines set for by URC.

The most important fact about undergraduate research at UWL is that the term "research" represents ANY creative, investigative, or scholarly activity in ANY discipline. This means that no matter what your major or academic interest, you can become involved and reap the rewards of undergraduate research. Theatre and Dance students have received funding for international travel (Russia, India, Vietnam, Italy, London) to study theatre, independent directing projects, research related to acting recitals, playwriting, and stage combat training just to name a few.  For more information, talk with a Theatre and Dance faculty member or visit Undergraduate Research & Creativity.

Theatre Study Abroad Tour

The Department of Theatre and Dance coordinates a study abroad trip during the spring break every few years with excursions to museums, theatre performances, backstage workshops and plenty of time for personal exploration. Past excursions have included Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Tate Modern Museum, organ recital at Westminster Abbey, London Eye, changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, and Kensington Park. Students may participate by registering for specially designated sections of Theatre Appreciation, Theatre Studies, and Independent Study. Students are encouraged to include this information in their financial aid requests as well as consider writing an undergraduate research grant to assist in travel and research costs.  Check out the Office of International Education and Engagement for more information about university-sponsored study abroad opportunities. 

Theatre Internships

The UWL Department of Theatre and Dance offers various internships available for 3-15 credits depending on the demands, complexity and duration of the work the student performs. Internships must offer an academically relevant work experience focusing on career development through professional contexts. Students pursue practical applications of course work in community or professional theatre or related areas. A written project relating the internship experience with the academic preparation is required as well as a joint evaluation with the cooperating firm and department supervisor. Students have performed internships at the La Crosse Symphony, Lanesboro Commonweal Theatre, Guthrie Theatre (Minneapolis, MN), American University in Cairo, Egypt, Glimmerglass Opera, Arena Stage Theatre (Washington, DC), and Okoboji Summer Theatre (Salt Lake, IA).  For more information on theatre internships, please see a member of the Theatre and Dance faculty.