Theatre Program - McPherson College Catalogs

Purpose Statement

The Department of Theatre produces theatrical artists through academic instruction and a professional-based production approach. Students cultivate artistic creativity, collaboration, ethics, scholarship and professionalism.

The department achieves this purpose when its students

Demonstrate an understanding of theatre fundamentals, theory and history;
Demonstrate an understanding of the components of performance skills and technical theatre;
Participate actively in performance and production experiences;
Demonstrate readiness to enter the professional world of the theatre through the completion of a senior project; and
Meet Kansas State Department of Education and National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education standards for licensure in the area of music or theatre (education track only).

Expectations of All Theatre Majors

All theatre majors will support the production season.
All theatre majors will complete a review evaluation at the end of the production season.

Expectations of All Theatre Scholarship Recipients

All theatre scholarship recipients will participate in a majority of the department production season.
All recipients will complete a review evaluation to maintain the scholarship for the following year.

Students in the Department of Theatre have multiple options to incorporate theatre study into their academic plan:

Theatre Major: Theatre Emphasis (42 credit hours)
Theatre Major: Music Theatre Emphasis (50 credit hours)
Theatre Major: Fine Arts Administration & Event Management (55 credit hours)
Speech & Theatre Licensure (69 credit hours)
Theatre Minor (19 credit hours)

Theatre Major: Theatre Emphasis

TH 101 Creativity and Innovation (3 hours)
G-TH 160 Performing for the Stage (3 hours)
G-TH 170 Technical Theatre I (3 hours)
TH 250B Stage Management Production Lab (1 hour)
G-TH 265 Topics in Dramatic Literature (3 hours)
G-TH 270 Technical Theatre II (3 hours)
TH 285 Theatrical Design (3 hours)
TH 365 Stage & Technical Directing (3 hours)
TH 375 Professional Prep (1 hour)
G-TH 385 Theatre History & Dramatic Literature I (3 hours)
G-TH 390 Theatre History & Dramatic Literature II (3 hours)
TH 400 Dramaturgy (3 hours)
TH 475 Senior Capstone (2 hours)

Plus 3 hours of Theatre Department Electives:

G-TH 100 Theatre as Social Art (3 hours)
G-TH 110 The Business of Professional Entertainment (3 hours)
G-TH 125 Film and Culture (3 hours)
TH 336 International Theatre Tour (4 hours)
TH 410 Special Topics in Theatre (1-3 hours)
TH 445 Readings & Research in Theatre (1-2 hours)

Plus 5 hours of production work:

TH 150 A Acting (1 hour)
TH 150 B Set Construction (1 hour)
TH 150 C Properties (1 hour)
TH 150 D Sound (1 hour)
TH 250 A Box Office/ Publicity (1 hour)
TH 250 C Dinner Theatre (1 hour)
TH 250 D Event Planning (1 hour)
TH 350 A Advanced Design (1 hour)
TH 350 B Costume Construction (1 hour)
TH 350 C Hair & Make-Up (1 hour)
TH 350 D Lighting (1 hour)
TH 450 A Musical Theatre (1 hour)
TH 450 B Stage Direction (1 hour)
TH 450 C Choreography (1 hour)
TH 450 D Technical Direction (1 hour)
TH 388 Career Connections (1-4 hours)

Total: 42 hours

Theatre Major: Musical Theatre Emphasis

TH 101 Creativity and Innovation (3 hours)
G-TH 110 The Business of Professional Entertainment (3 hours)
G-MU 132 College Choir (4 hours)
MU 136 Music Theory I (3 hours)
MU 159 Sight Singing and Ear Training I (1 hour)
G-TH 160 Performing for the Stage (3 hours)
G-TH 170 Technical Theatre I (3 hours)
MU 236 Music Theory II (3 hours)
TH 250B Stage Management Production Lab (1 hour)
MU 259 Sight Singing and Ear Training II (1 hour)
G-TH 270 Technical Theatre II (3 hours)
MU 330V Private Lessons: Voice (4 hours)
TH 365 Stage & Technical Directing (3 hours)
TH 375 Professional Prep (1 hour)
MU 378 Vocal Pedagogy & Diction (3 hours)
TH 410 Special Topics in Theatre: Music Theatre History (2 hours)
TH 475 Senior Capstone (2 hours)

Plus 3 hours of Music or Theatre History:

MU 355 Music History & Literature I (3 hours)
MU 360 Music History & Literature II (3 hours)
G-TH 385 Theatre History & Dramatic Literature I (3 hours)
G-TH 390 Theatre History & Dramatic Literature II (3 hours)

Plus 4 hours of production work:

TH 150 A Acting (1 hour)
TH 150 B Set Construction (1 hour)
TH 150 C Properties (1 hour)
TH 150 D Sound (1 hour)
TH 350 A Advanced Design (1 hour)
TH 350 B Costume Construction (1 hour)
TH 350 C Hair & Make-Up (1 hour)
TH 350 D Lighting (1 hour)
TH 450 A Musical Theatre (1 hour)
TH 450 B Stage Direction (1 hour)
TH 450 C Choreography (1 hour)
TH 450 D Technical Direction (1 hour)
TH 388 Career Connections (1-4 hours)

Total: 50 hours

Theatre Major: Arts Administration & Events Management

AC 202 Survey of Accounting (3 hours)
EC 202 Survey of Economics (3 hours)
AR 103 Elementary Design (3 hours)
G-BA 130 Principles of Business Management (3 hours)
G-CM 130 Interpersonal Communication (3 hours)
AR 205 Video Editing & Production (2 hours)
BA 215 Business Law (3 hours)
BA 221 Marketing (3 hours)
AR 230 Graphic Design I (3 hours) OR G-AR220 Graphic Design for Non-Art Majors (3 hours)
TH 250B Stage Management Production Lab (1 hour)
TH 250D Event Planning (1 hour)
CM 310 Public Relations & Social Media Campaigns (3 hours)
BA 325 Financial Management (3 hours)
TH 365 Stage & Technical Directing (3 hours)
TH 375 Professional Prep (1 hour)
TH 475 Senior Capstone (2 hours)

Plus one class of field-specific appreciation courses:

G-TH 100 Theatre as Social Art (3 hours)
G-TH 110 The Business of Professional Entertainment (3 hours)
G-MU 161 Music Appreciation (3 hours)
AR 345 Art as Community & Social Practice (2 hours)

Plus two classes of field-specific history courses:

AR 312 Themes in Contemporary Art (3 hours)
G-AR 310 Art History I (4 hours)
G-AR 311 Art History II (4 hours)
MU 355 Music History & Literature I (3 hours)
MU 360 Music History & Literature II (3 hours)
G-TH 385 Theatre History & Dramatic Literature I (3 hours)
G-TH 390 Theatre History & Dramatic Literature II (3 hours)

Plus 6 hours of field-specific electives:

G-AR 101 Drawing I (2 hours)
G-AR 102 Painting I (3 hours)
AR 203 Photography I (2 hours)
G-AR 350 Sculpture I (3 hours)
AR 315 Metalsmithing & Jewelry Making (3 hours)
BA 322 Advertising & Promotion (3 hours)
BA 324 Organizational Behavior (3 hours)
BA 327 Consumer Behavior (3 hours)
BA 339 Human Resource Management (3 hours)
CM 325 Conflict Communication (3 hours)
CM 330 Persuasion & Social Influence (3 hours)
TH 101 Creativity & Innovation (3 hours)
G-TH 160 Performing for the Stage (3 hours)
MU 136 Music Theory I (3 hours)
MU 236 Music Theory II (3 hours)
TH 285 Theatrical Design (3 hours)
TH 350A Advanced Design (3 hours)
TH 400 Dramaturgy (3 hours)
TH 450B Stage Direction (1 hour)
TH 450D Technical Direction (1 hour)

Total: 54-57

Theatre Licensure: Speech & Theatre

Theatre Licensure Courses (18 hours):

G-TH 170 Technical Theatre I (3 hours) OR G-TH 270 Technical Theatre II (3 hours)
G-TH 265 Topics in Dramatic Literature (3 hours)
TH 285 Theatrical Design (3 hours)
TH 365 Stage and Technical Direction (3 hours)
G-TH 385 Theatre History and Dramatic Literature I (3 hours)
G-TH 390 Theatre History and Dramatic Literature II (3 hours)

Speech (Communication) Licensure Courses (12 hours):

G-CM 120 Introduction to Human Communication (3 hours)
G-CM 130 Interpersonal Communication (3 hours)
G-CM 140 Public Speaking (3 hours)
CM 330 Persuasion & Social Influence (3 hours)

Plus 39 hours from the department of Curriculum and Instruction

Total: 69 hours

Theatre Minor

Pick 3 credit hours (1 course) from Group One:

G-TH 160 Performing for the Stage (3 hours)
G-TH 170 Technical Theatre I (3 hours)
G-TH 270 Technical Theatre II (3 hours)

Pick 3 credit hours (1 course) from Group Two:

G-TH 265 Topics in Dramatic Literature (3 hours)
G-TH 385 Theatre History and Dramatic Literature I (3 hours)
G-TH 390 Theatre History and Dramatic Literature II (3 hours)

Pick 5 credit hours from Group Three:

Pick an additional 8 hours of Theatre electives:

This would be any courses that begin with the course code TH or G-TH

Total: 19 hours