CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS
President: Lissette DeJesús
Vice President: Jada Tupper
Treasurer: Link Haggerty
Production Manager: Mary Margret Keenan Brown
Publicity and Marketing Manager: Kendra Hall
Audience Services Manager: Summer Harris
Secretary: Kennedy Lee
Theater provides opportunities for us to examine the meaning of our lives. The Theater Department at Buffalo State College endeavors to em
power our students with the tools needed to impact their world in a positive way through this process of examination. With the solid base of a liberal arts education, our students use the universal art of their theater training in all aspects of life. At Buffalo State, this is more than mantra; we make it happen. Students are in complete control of their art, from acting and set design to marketing and business. Our students get hands-on experience producing plays and gain invaluable knowledge from professionals in the field. The Theater Department offers a major in theater, a minor in theater, and a minor in dance. With small, intense workshops and classes, students receive individualized instruction from faculty, alumni, and guest artists who have experience in the field. All majors and minors are encouraged to audition and participate in the theater productions and dance concerts as part of their curriculum. ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The theater program introduces students to all aspects of theater art. The theater season includes both faculty- and student-directed productions presented on campus. These productions are attended by members of both the college and the community. Through advisement, students may focus their studies in the following concentrations: acting, directing, design/technical, and general study. High standards in this program afford a foundation for careers in professional, as well as educational, theater. A 19-credit-hour minor program in theater is also available. CAREER INFORMATION
While some graduates pursue careers directly in theater, television, and film industries, career possibilities for theater majors are much broader. Because theater graduates leave Buffalo State with communication and interpersonal skills, a sense of aesthetics, critical thinking abilities, attention to detail, and experience working as part of a team, they can develop successful careers in administration, marketing, sales, law, business management, customer relations, human resource management, event planning, cultural tourism, and more. Jobs most closely related to the study of theater include professional actor, scriptwriter, producer, designer, and arts manager. Recent graduates have worked professionally in the industry from Broadway to regional theater and national tours (The Producers, Urinetown, Stomp, Sweet Charity) and from primetime network television to nationally released films (HBO, CBS, Warner Brothers). Recent students have gone on to graduate study at such institutions as the University of Washington, Florida State, UCLA, Harvard, U Conn, and Carnegie Mellon, often competing successfully for full scholarships. Program Requirements
Intellectual Foundations Requirements: 39–66 cr
Total Required Credit Hours in Theater: 42 cr
A. Required Courses (26 cr)
THA 216 Theater Fundamentals
THA 226 Acting: Theory and Practice
THA 230 Theater Practicum I (1)
THA 231 Theater Practicum II (1)
THA 234 Technical Theater
THA 316 Script Analysis
THA 317 History of Theater: Ancient to Renaissance
THA 318 History of Theater: Renaissance to Modern
THA 330 Theater Practicum III (1)
THA 331 Theater Practicum IV (1)
THA 350 Directing
THA 416 Seminar in Theater Arts (1)
B. Electives by Advisement (16 cr)
Electives in a concentration: acting, directing, design-technical, or general study. All College Electives: 12–39 cr
Total Required Credit Hours: 120 cr
Theater Department faculty members participate in professional productions and performances, present at national conferences, and involve over a hundred students in the season performances. Students in lecture and studio classes benefit from the faculty's contemporary, ongoing involvement in the field. Students working side-by-side with accomplished faculty develop the skills they need to succeed in the industry—professionalism, perseverance, creativity, and the confidence to celebrate their unique contribution to the field. FACILITIES
Warren Enters Theatre
The Warren Enters Theatre, a 400-seat proscenium theatre, is the primary performance space for the mainstage theater season. The theater and support spaces were completely renovated in 2003 at a cost of $2.4 million. Included were a new counterweight system, control booth, audience seating, and state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment. Adjacent to the theatre are fully equipped scene and costume shops, a box office, paint-spray booth, dressing rooms, and rehearsal studio. Flexible Theatre
The Flexible Theatre in the Donald Savage building was renovated in 1992. It doubles as a studio space for acting classes and a "black box" theatre. Movable risers and seating allows the space to be reconfigured as needed. It is equipped with a full inventory of lighting equipment (including 124 dimmers) and a digital sound system. Support spaces include a control booth, dressing rooms, wardrobe maintenance room, and storage rooms. This space is used for informal department events, as well mainstage productions requiring the flexibility and intimacy of a smaller space. Additionally, here students have the opportunity to explore a variety of performance experiences from staged readings to improvisational games. Dance Studio
The Dance Studio is equipped with a sprung floor, mirrors, and permanent and portable barres. An upright piano, conga drums, and audio equipment are available for accompaniment. An annual spring dance concert is performed in the Warren Enters Theatre. Students who wish to engage in the artistic, personal, and professional growth required to become a well-rounded professional are strongly encouraged to engage in applied learning experiences, such as internships, involvement with arts-related student organizations, or on-the-job experience. Among the activities available to theater students is Casting Hall Productions, a hands-on, student-run theater production company. Alumni of the Theater Department maintain active associations with their alma mater and fellow classmates. The Theater Department Alumni Forum is an online space for Buffalo State students to share stories, describe work experiences, and stay connected. CASTING HALL PRODUCTIONS
Casting Hall is Buffalo State's student operated and funded theater production company and co-producer for the theater department’s season. Casting Hall provides students with the opportunity to get practical experience in all aspects of the production. This includes publicity, costume and set construction, technical staffing, production management and budget management. Casting Hall is one of the most active groups on campus and has been recognized by the United Students Government as the "Student Organization of the Year" for two years in a row. Casting Hall receives its budget from the United Students Government and the mandatory student activity fee. BENEFITS
Joining Casting Hall can expand your education. You can learn and practice personal management skills, advertising skills, poster design, carpentry, electrical work, or accounting. Casting Hall is more than just an item for your resume, it provides you with real life experience and an opportunity to work side-by-side with faculty and other students on a professional production. Voting members are also eligible to design or direct minor productions. Casting Hall is governed by committees which include budget, publicity, and production, and an executive board that oversees the other committees in the daily operations of Casting Hall. The committees are made up of voting members. The executive board consists of a President, Vice President, Production Manager, Treasurer, Publicity, Secretary, and Audience Services. As many as three shows are staged each semester. Theater Department faculty and students work together on all aspects of a show's production. Major productions are directed and designed by faculty while minor shows are put together by students. Proposals are voted on by the general membership. The members of Casting Hall decide which shows will be produced. VOTING RIGHTS
To be eligible to vote new members are required to work 35 hours for Casting Hall. This may seem like a lot but it's very easy to achieve. For example, working on a crew for a show's run will get you 20 hours. Ushering a show counts as five hours—plus you get to see the show for free! Committee work, acting in a show, set builds, and costume construction are all ways to accumulate hours. Once you become a voting member you may serve on a committee. CASTING HALL MEMBERSHIP
Joining Casting Hall is easy. Simply stop by a general membership meeting. These meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at 12:30 in room 209 of the The Donald Savage Theater and Communications Building. Any Buffalo State student is welcome to join. If you have question or need more information about the arts or theater degree programs or the dance or theater minor programs, please contact us.
