Theatre
Find Your Stage Here
Raise the curtain on your acting career in Kirkwood’s Theatre interest area. With opportunities to study acting, technical theatre, theatrical design, and play analysis, you can fully explore the discipline of theatre firsthand alongside award-winning faculty and local professionals within the theatre field.
Studying theatre at Kirkwood will give you a solid foundation of course work and experience that prepares you to continue your passion for the performing arts. In addition to engaging course work taught by faculty experienced on and off the stage, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in three major productions each year.
By starting at Kirkwood, you have leadership opportunities not often available to freshman and sophomores at four-year colleges and universities. Here you can have a starring role, serve as a stage manager, or be the lighting designer during your first two years of college.
Get the individualized attention and direction you need from our Visual and Performing Arts advisor when planning out your academic path while at Kirkwood and beyond.
Your advisor is very knowledgeable and a key component in making sure your experience is a seamless transfer to a four-year college or university. Together, you’ll plan out the perfect class schedule based on Kirkwood’s graduation requirements, as well as the admission requirements and transferability of classes to your transfer school.
By working with your advisor early and often, you’ll be better prepared for the next steps in continuing your education after Kirkwood.
Don't miss:
University of Iowa 2+2 in Theatre
Your Advisor:
Karla Scriven
319-398-5896
karla.scriven@kirkwood.edu
336 Cedar Hall
There are many options for a rewarding and exciting career in theatre. A background in theatre helps prepare you for career opportunities in traditional theatre-related fields like booking agencies, advertising firms, television, film, recreation, and academia, as well as related fields like marketing, advertising, motivational speaking, and journalism.
Theatre classes give you a broad vision within the liberal arts. You’ll gain valuable experience and skills in a hands-on, learn-by-doing environment. Kirkwood can help you explore all of your career options — and provide exciting experiences in and out of the classroom to help you find the best path.
Resources:
Get to know our faculty and theatre production staff that help bring performances to life.
Scholarships
Take advantage of your share of more than $3 million in scholarship opportunities. At Kirkwood, we make it easy. You only need to apply once, even if you are eligible for more than one scholarship
Specifically, Visual and Performing Arts offers nearly $140,000 in scholarships each year. Awards range from $500 to $2,000 per semester and students enrolled in any of Kirkwood’s career and college transfer programs are encouraged to apply.
Some Visual and Performing Art scholarships may require an audition as part of the award eligibility. Fill out the form below to request an audition and the appropriate faculty will contact you to schedule an audition date and time. To audition, you must have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
Scholarships for Theatre Students
- Must be pursuing an A.A. degree with career interest in art, music, or theatre.
- Must have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
- Must demonstrate financial need.
- Must be a graduate of a high school in Linn County, Iowa, with preference for Cedar Rapids Community School District graduates.
- Must maintain at least eight semester hours, including at least one course in a subject other than music, theatre, or art.
- An initial audition and/or portfolio review is required.
- Applications are screened each term to determine continuing eligibility.
- Fine and Performing Arts scholarships are awarded to students pursuing an A.A. degree with career interest in music or theatre as well as those pursuing degrees with other academic interests.
- Must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA.
- Must actively contribute to the music, theatre and/or art programs, including enrollment in ensembles and/or productions.
- Contact the Fine and Performing Arts Specialist at 319-398-4956 for application information.
- Must be enrolled in at least eight semester hours and pursing a degree with career interest in music, theatre, or art as well as degrees with other academic interests.
- Talent, reliability, grade point average, and level will be considered.
- Preference given to a student pursuing a degree with career interest in fine arts.
- Must have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
- Must demonstrate financial need.
- Contact the fine and performing arts specialist at 319-398-4956 for application information.
- Must maintain at least eight semester hours including at least one course in a subject other than music or theatre (need not be pursuing an A.A. degree with career interest in music or theatre to apply).
- Must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA.'Must actively contribute to the music and/or performing arts program, including enrollment in ensembles and/or productions.
- An initial audition is required.
“I love how easily I can reach my professors with questions, or just chat! They have helped me immensely with coursework and choosing classes to take to transfer. One of my math professors is the person who helped me settle on my biomedical engineering major.”
Mariam Nawar,
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
The Theatre interest area at Kirkwood is part of our Liberal Arts program. You will work closely with the Visual and Performing Arts advisor, as well as theatre faculty in choosing the classes that interest you the most. Our theatre faculty are recognized experts who can help you explore future education and career options within the field of theatre.
Course requirements are not only limited to theatre classes, but also include foreign language, math, and science. With so many options to choose from, the advising process will help you find the path that matches your passion for theatre.
Theatre students will begin the journey toward an amazing career by taking the following required courses:
- Introduction to Theatre
- Introduction to Play Analysis
- Forms of Literature: Drama
- Acting I and II
- Technical Theatre
- Introduction to Design for Theatre
Additional recommended courses include:
- Cultural Anthropology
- Introduction to Sociology
- Introduction to Psychology
- College Algebra
- College Physics
Kirkwood puts on three full-scale productions a year (two plays and one musical) in our 369-seat, state-of-the-art auditorium. Whether your interests include performing, technical work with set building and lighting, or costumes, there are endless opportunities to be involved, build your resume, and prepare to transfer.
Past productions include:
2010-2011
- Songs for a New World
- The Rivals
- Rabbit Hole
2011-2012
- Children of Eden
- Endgame
- Lemon Sky
2012-2013
- The Drowsy Chaperone
- Picasso at the Lapine Aisle
- Eurydice
2013-2014
- Dedication or Stuff of Dreams
- Romeo and Juliet
2014-2015
- The Robber Bridegroom
- Vinegar Tom
- The Lost Letter
2015-2016
- Six Characters in Search of an Author
- Quilters
- The Brothers Menaechmus
2016-2017
- The 1940's Radio Hour
- The Children's Hour Revisited
- Mauritius