Theatre Arts
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Artistic. Educational. Theatre arts promotes self-expression, discovery, and appreciation. Our theatre arts majors are more than actors in plays — they are members of the company in charge of props, stage concept and design, costume design, sound, direction, and more.
As a theatre arts major at Parkside, you are part of all the meticulous preparation that goes into bringing art to life in attempts to share a story full of emotion, a living breathing representation of cultural conflicts or metaphors for human struggle and passion. The dynamic world of theatre arts is what you make it, and the possibilities are endless.
Theatre Arts
An award winning program that produces high-quality productions, Theatre Arts at Parkside is a shining gem of the cultural arts in southeastern Wisconsin.
Theatre arts majors at Parkside are immersed in a rich curriculum that studies all the aspects of the theatrical arts including history and criticism, dramatic literature, performance, directing, design, and technical production. You are taught by faculty that share a deep passion in the field and are dedicated to helping students like you experience it all.
Concentrations
You have the option to graduate with a traditional liberal arts theatre degree or a professional training degree (comparable to B.F.A. programs at similar institutions) with a concentration.
Acting
Deepen your knowledge and experience by participating in upper-level performance courses, exclusive professional workshops, and exciting theatre productions. Build a strong resume with meaningful credits before graduation to prepare for a successful career in the arts.
Directing
Explore the techniques, theories, and artistry of directing for the stage through advanced coursework, collaborative hands-on production opportunities, and individualized student-directed projects.
Design and Technology
Engage with cutting-edge technology in state-of-the-art facilities with dedicated mentorship from professional theatre artists who will foster your talent and further your expertise in any or several of these areas:
- Scenic Design
- Costume Design
- Lighting Design
- Hair & Makeup Design
- Sound Design
- Projection Design
- Prop Design
- Costume Crafts
- Scene Painting
- Technical Construction
Stage Management
Develop the necessary skills and techniques to become an accomplished stage manager through in-depth training based on current professional standards, leadership positions in mainstage and studio productions, and arts management education.
Musical Theatre
Strengthen your status as a triple threat by engaging in acting, applied voice and music analysis, and musical theatre dance training while applying skills in theatre productions. Engage in showcase and master class opportunities. Cultivate a strong and diverse resume before graduation to prepare for a career in musical theatre.
Auditions or interviews are required for entry into the Theatre Arts major. You can choose to attend in-person, or you may submit your program entry audition/portfolio materials online.
This is more than an occasion to demonstrate your theatrical talent; you’ll also make connections with theatre faculty, qualify for talent scholarships, and share details about future goals and expectations.
Parkside has many great talent and academic scholarship opportunities for theatre arts majors. Your application for admission acts as your initial application for Parkside scholarships and grants. Be sure to indicate your intended major on your application. Once you have been admitted, we may request additional information via email. To be eligible, you must be admitted to the university by February 1.
Here are a few of the scholarships available for new students:
- S.T.A.G.E. Club Theatre Arts Talent Scholarships
- Julius and Alice Goldstein Scholarship
- Donald C. Cress Award
- August Wegner III Memorial Music Scholarship
- Picken Scholarships
Newly admitted students who will study an arts or humanities major are eligible to compete for special scholarships at Arts and Humanities Scholarship Day.
Learn more: Arts and Humanities Scholarship Day | Parkside Scholarships
Regents’ Award
Parkside’s Theatre Arts Department was awarded the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents’ “Teaching Excellence Award for Outstanding Academic Program.” We are the only fine arts department in the state to ever win this award.
Regional Awards of Merit
In the area of artistic quality, our theatrical productions have received over 100 “Regional Awards of Merit” from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
Associations
We are active members of the United Stated Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). Additional affiliations include Alliance for Wisconsin Theatre Education (AWTE), Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD), Wisconsin High Education Theatre Council (WHETC), Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) and United Scenic Artists (USA)
The theatre program at Parkside includes a comprehensive study in all aspects of theater, opportunities for professional concentrations, practical experience professional production, extensive internship opportunities, and a solid background in the liberal arts. Our primary goal is to help you achieve your highest personal potential – academically, artistically, personally, and socially.
A recent graduating class had a 100% placement rate in the entertainment industry within two weeks of graduation! Overall, our average placement rate is an amazing 92% in the industry or grad school. The other 8% of our graduates are well prepared for the work force, with highly-sought 21st century skills, and are employed outside the entertainment field.
- Actor
- Artistic Director
- Box Office Manager
- Business Manager
- Choreographer
- Costume Designer
- Costume Shop Supervisor
- Costume Shop Technician
- Drama Coach
- Dramaturge
- Director
- Fight Director
- House Manager
- Lighting Designer
- Make-up Artist
- Master Carpenter
- Master Electrician
- Musical Director
- Playwright
- Producer
- Production Manager
- Pyrotechnician
- Recording Engineer
- Rigger
- Scenic Designer
- Scenic Painter
- Sound Designer
- Special Effects Designer
- Stage Crew
- Stage Manager
- Technical Director
- Technician
- Theatre Consultant
- Theatre Critic
- Theatre Teacher/Educator
- Vocal Coach
View career descriptions, marketable skills, and non-theatre career options.
See what our students have to say.
Program Contact Info
Brian Gill | gillb@uwp.edu
Faculty Highlights
Misti Bradford, MFA
Professor and Chair
Misti is thrilled to be a part of the UW-Parkside Theatre Arts Company as a professional artist/educator. Misti is a member of the United Scenic Artist, Local 829 and has extensive professional design and academic theatre experience, and has recently taught courses in costume design and construction, make up and wig/hair design, theatre crafts and properties, and portfolio and career development. Her professional design credits include, (Regional – Midwest) Childeren’s Theatre of Madison, Milwaukee Rep Theatre, First Stage Children’s Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Rennaissance Theatre Works, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, American Players Theatre (Cosutme Crafts), (West Coast) -The Pacific Repertory Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Summer Repretory Theatre, (East Coast) Merrimack Theatre Company (Boston). Misti has also been a costume crafts artisan for regional theaters such as American Players Theatre, PCPA Theatrefest, and Summer Rep Theatre (Santa Rosa, CA) She has also received a number of national and regional design awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and has also been nominated for the Stella Gray Teaching award twice, here at the University of Wisconsin Parkside.
Brian Gill, MFA
Associate Professor of Performance and Head of Acting
Brian J. Gill is a member of the Theatre Arts Faculty serving as an Associate Professor of Performance. A professional stage actor for 30 years, Professor Gill has performed with Next Act Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee Shakespeare, Renaissance Theaterworks, First Stage Children’s Theatre, goats & monkeys (co-founder and company member) and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.
Chicago credits: Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Victory Gardens, Shakespeare Project of Chicago, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, and Provision Theater.
Regional credits: Southwest Shakespeare Compay (AZ), Theatre at the Center (IN), the Illinois and Texas Shakespeare Festivals, Allenberry Playhouse (PA), and the historic Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC.
Internationally, Professor Gill has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre where he trained as a member of the first international artistic fellowship. He holds numerous weapon certifications with Dueling Arts International, Stage Combat Deutschland and the Society of American Fight Directors, where he holds the rank of advanced actor-combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, and is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association. Parkside Theatre directing credits include Book of Days, Hedda Gabler, A Streetcar Named Desire, Don Juan, Midnight and Moll Flanders, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Romeo and Juliet, and the Thanksgiving Play. Professor Gill has also directed Crimes of the Heart, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, She Kills Monsters, and The Importance of Being Earnest for the College of Lake County.
Jody Sekas, MFA
Associate Professor – Theater Arts
Jody Sekas is the Associate Professor of Scenic/Lighting Design & Technology at UW-Parkside. He came to Parkside from Humboldt State University, CA where he taught courses in scenic design, scene painting, technical production, properties design, theatre history, and CAD and computer rendering. Prior to Humboldt, Sekas was Assistant Professor and Scenic & Lighting Designer for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and for four seasons was the resident scenic and lighting designer for the Sioux Falls Community Playhouse in South Dakota.
In addition to his resident design and collegial experience, Sekas has worked as a freelance designer and technician for such venues like the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, First Stage Children’s Theatre, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Dell’Arte International, Omaha Theatre Company for Young People, Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild, Eau Claire Children’s Theatre, Ferndale Repertory Theatre, The Western Stage, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and on several independent films.
Sekas received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Technical Theatre from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Scenic Design and Technical Direction from Humboldt State University.
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