About Fort Lewis College Theatre

Our Mission

The Department of Theatre at Fort Lewis College fosters a small, versatile undergraduate performance program that empowers students by combining scholarship with real-world, hands-on opportunities. Building upon our unique multidisciplinary and multicultural approaches toward performance, we actively pursue an exciting and innovative program for majors in all disciplines. We create opportunities that allow students to reach beyond the college campus, extending regionally, nationally, and internationally. We strive to design and maintain a program that gives students the opportunity to fully explore their potential as creative, productive, literate, articulate, and humane contributors to society.

Department History

The Theatre major at Fort Lewis College began as an option of the English major in the 1960’s. In 1994, the Theatre major was approved by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and the Colorado State Board of Governors. We currently offer programs of study leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre, Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities with a concentration in Theatre, and a minor in Theatre. There are approximately 40 student majors actively pursuing a degree in Theatre at Fort Lewis College.

Aims & Expectations

As a liberal arts program, we expect students to study and practice theatre-specific skills as they support the broader aims of a liberal arts education. Through a close study of the theory, practice, and history of theatre, our students bring a highly developed skill set to a wide range of career opportunities. These skills include oral and written communication, problem solving, and creativity. In addition, our students develop a depth of knowledge in a broad range of subjects. We facilitate a critical awareness of human heritage, the complexity of society, and diverse political issues. We encourage students to enhance their liberal arts background through practice and experimentation. Theatre practice, in turn, enhances a liberal arts education by instilling a strong sense of discipline and collective responsibility. Since we work hard to bring these opportunities to our students, we expect our students to work just as hard. Everyone in the theatre program is expected to reach for the highest quality. This includes attending classes, completing assignments, fulfilling obligations in our productions, and preparing for the future.

Production & Technical

Creating theatrical productions for an audience is fundamental to our Department. All our productions require student contributions in scholarly, technical, administrative, and performance aspects. This work is considered an academic endeavor and, like a “laboratory” course, applies the knowledge that students learn in class and garners course credit. Each semester begins with auditions for performers and the distribution of tasks for technicians, designers, and stagehands. Theatre majors remain actively involved in all productions during their tenure. This involvement may include acting, directing, publicity, lighting design, set design, sound design, costume design, property construction, and more.

The Ensemble Experience

The words “collaborative” and “ensemble” appear often in discussions about theatre. More than any other discipline, theatre requires people to work together to create something that is larger than any one individual. Playwrights, directors, actors, dancers, designers, technicians, choreographers, administrators, and spectators all function together to make the theatre art. Our students and professors model such cooperative behavior. As an ensemble of individuals who share goals and ambitions, we work together to provide the best, most professional experiences for our students, audiences, and ourselves.