Theatre Major

The Theatre Program delivers rigorous training in the performing arts within the liberal arts setting of Seaver College. With high production values onstage and frequent master classes taught by professional guest artists, our students experience firsthand the excitement of becoming theatre professionals.

Our theatre arts majors become intellectually and artistically prepared for careers in acting, directing, media production, music, and production design by teaching students the professional skills needed for real-world application. Our students help enrich the cultural environment at Seaver College by participating in University productions in our state-of-the-art facilities.

• Program Learning Outcomes

Audition Requirements

Apply Now

Theatre Arts Degree

The bachelor of arts degree in theatre arts prepares students for immediate professional work, teaching, or graduate studies, while also enriching the cultural environment of the University and the surrounding communities. Theatre Arts majors choose one of four areas of emphasis:

• Acting: Employ Stanislavsky's acting principles; study classical authors, as well as advanced voice and movement techniques; participate in master classes led by professional teachers and performers.
• Musical Theatre: Focus on acting through dialogue and song; study classical vocal technique in private lessons to ensure healthy and sustained singing habits; develop dance skills through classes and performance opportunities.
• Directing: Explore the methods of new play development; conduct deep dramaturgical analysis; engage in the hands-on experience of directing and producing shows.
• Production and Design: Work side by side with professional faculty; integrate professional stage management training; apply current design techniques; participate in master classes led by professional designers and stage managers.

Musical Theatre Degree

The bachelor of arts degree in musical theatre combines the benefits of the distinguished faculty, leading soloists, and top studio professionals of the Pepperdine music department with the intensive performance training of the theatre program. As the home to one of the nation's top opera-training programs, we offer students the opportunity to develop superior singing skills and apply them in performance. Students may also take musical theatre dance training.

Theatre and Screen Arts Degree

Students in the bachelor of arts in theatre and screen arts program combine on-screen performance with behind-the-camera skills, and apply them to the production, business, and artistry of filmmaking. Taking advantage of our geographical proximity to Hollywood, students study real-life productions and then put these skills into practice in the classroom and in University productions.