Bachelor of Fine Arts
A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases.
Background
The Bachelor ...
and
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.)
is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admini ...
programs, including a
Bachelor of Fine Arts
A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases.
Background
The Bachelor ...
in
acting
Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode.
Acting involves a broad r ...
,
stage management
Stage management is a broad field that is generally defined as the practice of organization and coordination of an event or theatrical production. Stage management may encompass a variety of activities including the overseeing of the rehearsal p ...
,
technical theatre
Stagecraft is a technical aspect of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes constructing and rigging scenery; hanging and focusing of lighting; design and procurement of costumes; make-up; stage management; audio engineering; an ...
, theatre education and a joint degree in both
playwrighting
A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays.
Etymology
The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...
and
dramaturgy
Dramaturgy is the study of dramatic composition and the Representation (arts), representation of the main elements of drama on the stage.
The term first appears in the eponymous work ''Hamburg Dramaturgy'' (1767–69) by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing ...
; all at the undergraduate level. Graduate programs are offered in: acting, theatre studies, theatrical design, technical direction, and theatre education. The current Director of the School of Theatre and Dance is Rob Shimko, a position he has held since 2016.
History
The School of Theatre & Dance (SOTD) is the drama school of the University of Houston. SOTD produces professional plays, dance concerts, studio productions, a new play festival, and school shows through the Theatre for Young Audiences program. The school performs in the Wortham Theatre and the
Quintero
Quintero is a Chilean city and commune in Valparaíso Province, in the Valparaíso Region, 30 kilometers north of Valparaíso. The commune spans an area of . It was the first port in the country, created during the expedition of Diego de Almagr ...
Theatre. The Houston Shakespeare Festival is a professional project of the school, which is produced each summer at Miller Outdoor Theatre. The UH School of Theatre & Dance offers bachelor's and master's degrees in theater and teacher certifications in dance. Its graduate program consists of arts in theatre and masters of fine arts in theatre with specializations in acting, directing and design. Faculty includes Tony Award-winning producer
Stuart Ostrow
Stuart Ostrow (born February 8, 1932) is an American theatrical producer and theatre director, director, professor, and author.
Early life
Stuart Ostrow was born in 1932 in New York City to Abe and Anna Ostrow. He attended The High School of Music ...
, Broadway playwright Theresa Rebeck, and Tony Award nominated designer
Kevin Rigdon Kevin Rigdon (born February 17, 1956, in Pontiac, Michigan, United States) is a scenic designer, lighting designer. He teaches at the University of Houston, and is the Associate Director/Design for Houston ’s Alley Theatre.
Life
Rigdon's career i ...
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
winning playwright
Edward Albee
Edward Franklin Albee III ( ; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as ''The Zoo Story'' (1958), '' The Sandbox'' (1959), ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1962), '' A Delicate Balance'' (1966) ...
The mission of the UH Theatre Program is to educate and prepare students for successful and meaningful careers in theatre and related professions.
Featuring the largest theatre department in the city of Houston, the school boast 120 full-time graduates and undergraduates. It is a high-energy program with dedicated and hard-working students. Their goal is to instill the skills and work ethic necessary to compete and succeed in the performing arts.
Emphasis
*
Study
Study or studies may refer to:
General
* Education
**Higher education
* Clinical trial
* Experiment
* Observational study
* Research
* Study skills, abilities and approaches applied to learning
Other
* Study (art), a drawing or series of drawi ...
– To understand the foundations of theatre practice, theory and technique. Classroom work provides students with a context to discuss theatre and improve in their chosen specialization.
*
Application
Application may refer to:
Mathematics and computing
* Application software, computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks
** Application layer, an abstraction layer that specifies protocols and interface methods used in a c ...
– To make theatre that builds upon classroom work.
* Mentorship – To connect students with working professionals and build a network.
Faculty
Faculty may refer to:
* Faculty (academic staff), the academic staff of a university (North American usage)
* Faculty (division), a division within a university (usage outside of the United States)
* Faculty (instrument)
A faculty is a legal in ...
and staff at UH get to know each student and provide guidance to prepare them for the job market.
Dance program
The School of Theatre and Dance provides the only degree program for dance in Houston.
Facilities
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts includes the Wortham Theatre, a 566-seat
proscenium
A proscenium ( grc-gre, προσκήνιον, ) is the metaphorical vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor ...
stage, and the Quintero Theatre, a 190-seat black box theatre. A $4 million renovation by Austin-based architectural firm Lake l Flato was completed in 2005. This construction project enhanced the
lobby
Lobby may refer to:
* Lobby (room), an entranceway or foyer in a building
* Lobbying, the action or the group used to influence a viewpoint to politicians
:* Lobbying in the United States, specific to the United States
* Lobby (food), a thick stew ...
space of the existing School of Theatre and Dance, added two new rehearsal spaces, and provided a second story office suite for the Mitchell Center for the Arts.
The Lyndall Finley Wortham Theatre was built in 1977. It features a trapped floor, a counterweightfly system and ample wing space that joins a shop area large enough to accommodate several production sets. The Jose Quintero black box theatre was also built in 1977.
The School of Theatre and Dance costume shop includes a dye area, spray booth, crafts area and numerous machines. The costume shop also features an extensive collection of wardrobe stock from all time periods.
The School of Theatre and Dance
scene shop
A scenery shop or scene shop is a specialized workshop found in many medium or large theaters, as well as many educational theatre settings. The primary function of a scene shop is to fabricate and assemble the flats, platforms, scenery wagons, a ...
includes ample space for metalworking, painting, a
prop
A prop, formally known as (theatrical) property, is an object used on stage or screen by actors during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...
shop, and general construction.
Partnerships
The Alley Theatre
The Tony Award winning Alley Theatre and the School of Theatre and Dance established a unique collaboration in 2014, when it hosted the Alley staff and productions during its 2014 season. The Alley was undergoing renovations to its facilities at that time, and the School of Theater opened its doors to the venerable company. The collaboration gave UH Theater graduate students the opportunity to observe Alley Theatre company members during their residency at UH, and had the ability to apply for internships.
Houston Shakespeare Festival
Each summer, the Houston Shakespeare Festival produces a season of two Shakespeare plays in repertory. Since its inception in 1975, HSF has entertained nearly a half million theatergoers with free performances in Hermann Park's Miller Outdoor Theatre. The Houston Shakespeare Festival has grown into one of the major events on Houston's summer entertainment calendar. HSF is a recognized Actors' Equity Association theatre.
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston promotes collaboration, experimentation, and innovation in the arts. The Center supports the creation and presentation of new works, sponsors visiting artist residencies, and offers courses, scholarships, lectures, and
symposia
''Symposia'' is a genus of South American araneomorph spiders in the family Cybaeidae, and was first described by Eugène Simon in 1898.
Species
it contains six species in Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic o ...
Lantrip Elementary School
Dora B. Lantrip Elementary School is a primary school at 100 Telephone Road in the Eastwood community in the East End region of Houston, Texas, United States. The school is within the Houston Independent School District (HISD).
The school serves ...
Theatre Club was established. The Club, a partnership between the School of Theatre and Dance and Houston Independent School District, brings theatre into Lantrip Elementary on a weekly basis. The school, located roughly a mile from the University of Houston campus, is an environmental science and deaf education magnet school. In 2009, it was recognized by
National Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
for academic excellence. The program is administered, maintained, and taught by theatre education majors from the University of Houston. Students grades 1-5 are admitted to the program through an application process. Along with the theatre educators from the university, they explore the world of creative drama.
Big Range Dance Festival
Co-founded by the Head of the Dance Division, Karen Stokes, the sixth annual Big Range Dance Festival (BRDF) in summer 2008 featured new works by choreographers from Houston,
Austin
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. BRDF is co-sponsored by the University of Houston's Center for Choreography.
BRDF usually takes place the first two weeks in June at Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex.
Alumni
The University of Houston, School of Theatre and Dance proudly boasts professionals working on stage, film, television as writers, actors, directors and producers.
The Last Detail
''The Last Detail'' is a 1973 American comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby, from a screenplay by Robert Towne, based on the 1970 novel of the same name by Darryl Ponicsan. The film stars Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, Randy Quaid, Clifton James, ...
Lost
Lost may refer to getting lost, or to:
Geography
*Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland
* Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US
History
*Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
)
*
Robert Wuhl
Robert Wuhl (born October 9, 1951) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known as the creator and star of the television comedy series '' Arliss'' (1996–2002) and for his portrayal of newspaper reporter Alexander Knox in Tim Bu ...
Cindy Pickett
Cindy Pickett is an American actress.
She is known for her 1970s role as Jackie Marler-Spaulding on the CBS soap ''Guiding Light'' and Dr. Carol Novino on the television drama '' St. Elsewhere'' in the 1980s. Pickett, however, is best known to au ...
Dragon Ball Z
''Dragon Ball Z'' is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Animation. Part of the ''Dragon Ball'' media franchise, it is the sequel to the 1986 '' Dragon Ball'' anime series and adapts the latter 325 chapters of the original ...
)
*
Larry Hovis
Larry Hovis (February 20, 1936 – September 9, 2003) was an American singer and actor best known for the 1960s television sitcom '' Hogan's Heroes''.
Early life and career
Hovis was born in Wapato, Washington, and moved to Houston, Texas, as a ...
, Actor (
Hogan's Heroes
''Hogan's Heroes'' is an American television sitcom set in a Nazi German prisoner-of-war (POW) camp during World War II. It ran for 168 episodes (six seasons) from September 17, 1965, to April 4, 1971, on the CBS network, the longest broadcast ...
The Big Valley
''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour e ...
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart.
Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (254–184 BC), specifica ...
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
winning playwright
Edward Albee
Edward Franklin Albee III ( ; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as ''The Zoo Story'' (1958), '' The Sandbox'' (1959), ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1962), '' A Delicate Balance'' (1966) ...
Edward Albee
Edward Franklin Albee III ( ; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as ''The Zoo Story'' (1958), '' The Sandbox'' (1959), ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1962), '' A Delicate Balance'' (1966) ...
Kevin Rigdon Kevin Rigdon (born February 17, 1956, in Pontiac, Michigan, United States) is a scenic designer, lighting designer. He teaches at the University of Houston, and is the Associate Director/Design for Houston ’s Alley Theatre.
Life
Rigdon's career i ...
*
Stuart Ostrow
Stuart Ostrow (born February 8, 1932) is an American theatrical producer and theatre director, director, professor, and author.
Early life
Stuart Ostrow was born in 1932 in New York City to Abe and Anna Ostrow. He attended The High School of Music ...