Academic Program

Professor Dilley; Associate Professors Dugan and McDowell; Assistant Professors Evans, Huang, and Koepke; Senior Lecturers Reidy and Vecsey (chair); Visiting Lecturers Kimball and Moriarty

Theater

Theater at Bates invites students to develop existing abilities and enthusiasms and to discover new ones. Studying theater means making connections. There are many parts to assemble and explore: acting, directing, design, stage management, dramaturgy, playwriting, technical skill, dramatic literature, theater history and performance studies. Because theater is an art that spans millennia and is practiced all over the world, connections must be made with and between multiple cultures and traditions. To make things by making connections is to learn about process, self-discipline, collaboration, and critical thinking. To that end, the curriculum strikes a balance among artistic training, technical skills, and the study of theater literature, history and theory.  Majors are prepared for graduate work in the humanities, for further professional training, or for initial steps toward a career in the field.

In conjunction with academic work, the department annually produces on average about ten performance events (plays, dance concerts, devised work, showcases and more) in its three theaters. These involve large numbers of students, both majors and nonmajors. The department invites all members of the community to join in the creation of these events.

More information on the theater curriculum is available on the website (bates.edu/theater).

Dance

The Department of Theater and Dance offers a major and a minor in dance. Integrating both theory and practice within the framework of a liberal arts education, the curriculum develops an understanding of art and culture and the positionality of individuals through the lens of dance. With a variety of performing, choreographic, contextual, and individualized study opportunities, the dance program nurtures artistic independence, interdisciplinarity, and above all, a strong supportive community.

More information on the dance curriculum is available on the website (bates.edu/dance).