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Theatre Arts

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1220 First Avenue
Cedar Rapids,Iowa 52402
319.399.8624
admission@coe.edu

DEGREES OFFERED

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with emphasis in Acting

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with emphasis in Directing

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with emphasis in Technical Theatre/Design

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with emphasis in Playwriting

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with emphasis in Dramaturgy


Our mission is to provide practical and theoretical training in theatre making (through classes, labs and productions) with a collaborative process that builds community, fosters global awareness and examines the complexities of diverse human narratives. The theatre arts program is designed to provide a balance between academic and experiential learning for all interested students. Our goal is to offer opportunities for participation in all aspects of theatre, on stage and in the classroom, and to enrich the cultural and academic life of the college. The program accommodates both majors and minors through courses focused on theatrical history, theory and literature, as well as through training in acting, directing, design and theatrical production. This foundation prepares you for graduate study and for any field that values high-level communication skills, as well as careers in theatre as teachers, artists, technicians or managers. To help you prepare for graduate study and/or a professional career, all majors are required to present an audition piece or portfolio for annual review beginning your second year. The senior seminar provides a capstone experience, giving you an opportunity to reflect on your development as a theatre artist and to examine theatre as a collaborative art form.

Notable Alumni Include:

Allison Bailey, Brian Glick, Brandon Palmer, Adelin Phelps, Caitlin Staebell, Katherine Blanchard, Katie Becker Colón, Lillian Vince, Emily Dussault, Matthew Hemesath.


Acceptance Rate:

Coe College's acceptance rate is around 71%


Faculty Info:

Susan Wolverton, Dennis Barnett, Deanna Downes, Emily Ganfield, Ben Schmidt, Katy Hahn.



Related Articles

UTA Theatre Arts And Dance To Present DANCE DECONSTRUCTED, New Works By Students And Faculty
by A.A. Cristi - November 17, 2025


The University of Texas at Arlington Department of Theatre Arts and Dance will present Dance Deconstructed, November 21 through 23, at the University of Texas at Arlington Fine Arts Building in the Studio Theatre.

UTA Theatre Arts And Dance To Present Staged Reading Of MISS YOU LIKE HELL
by A.A. Cristi - November 10, 2025


The University of Texas at Arlington Department of Theatre Arts and Dance will present a staged reading of the 2018 musical Miss You Like Hell by Quiara Alegría Hudes and Erin McKeown.

Previews: HEDDA GABLER at FineLine Theatre Arts
by Jared Reynolds - October 09, 2025


FineLine Theatre Arts, a performing arts studio in New Milford CT, produces a quarterly, one-weekend-only series called “Classics in Performance”. These all-volunteer cast and crew productions directly benefit FineLine Theatre Arts' annual student scholarship funds.

Student Blog: Getting Back into the Swing of Things
by Student Blogger: Haley White - October 02, 2025


Going home for the summer is always a relief, as finals make collegiate life stressful, especially for Theatre Majors—final performances, juries, portfolios, and auditions fill schedules.

Hope Mill Theatre Will Launch Hope Mill Theatre Arts With BA Hons Degree in Musical Theatre Performance
by Stephi Wild - October 01, 2025


Hope Mill Theatre will launch Hope Mill Theatre Arts, which will offer a BA Honours degree in Musical Theatre Performance. The expansion comes as they celebrate their milestone 10th Anniversary year.

Sacred Heart University Launches School of Performing Arts
by A.A. Cristi - September 24, 2025


Sacred Heart University (SHU) in Fairfield, Conn. has announced the creation of its new School of Performing Arts (SoPA), part of the College of Arts & Sciences.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE MUSICAL Comes to First Act Theatre Arts
by Stephi Wild - September 22, 2025


First Act Theatre Arts will become the first theatre company in the area to bring Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical to the stage. Learn more about the show here!

Jacob McGaughey Receives Inaugural Ari Keever Trajectory Fellowship
by Stephi Wild - September 02, 2025


The University of Idaho Theatre Arts Department and Boise Contemporary Theater (BCT) have announced Jacob McGaughey as the inaugural recipient of the Ari Keever Trajectory Fellowship.

Gary Edwin Robinson Named 2025 Winner of Excellence in Theatre Education Award
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 29, 2025


Gary Edwin Robinson, head of the Theatre Arts Program at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., has been selected as the 2025 winner of the Excellence in Theatre Education Award.

Eugene Ionesco's RHINOCEROS to Play at Foothill Theatre Arts
by Emmy Rice - May 18, 2025


Foothill Theatre Arts will present Eugene Ionesco's absurdist comedy Rhinoceros, in which a sleepy town is overrun - literally - by a stampede of conformity. See here for more details!

YOUTH THEATRE CONSERVATORY TO PERFORM ORIGINAL PLAYS AT FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS L.A.
by Emmy Rice - April 05, 2025


As the flagship program at Unusual Suspects, the Youth Theatre Conservatory is a sequential 4-year education and mentorship program in the theatre arts for high school students.

​Kumu Kahua Theatre Hosts Special Workshop Held at Key Project
by Stephi Wild - April 03, 2025


Kumu Kahua Theatre is offering newcomers to the craft of playwriting the opportunity to attend a free limited-space workshop, held at the Kualoa-Heʻeia Ecumenical Youth (KEY) Project creative spaces in Kaneohe.

UTA Theatre Arts And Dance To Present TREASURE ISLANDS
by A.A. Cristi - March 26, 2025


The University of Texas at Arlington Department of Theatre Arts and Dance will present Treasure Island, the 2014 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 adventure book, adapted by British playwright Bryony Lavery.

CLUE Opens In March At Shaker Theatre Arts
by A.A. Cristi - February 28, 2025


Shaker Theatre Arts will present CLUE, running March 13th-15th. Performance will be held in the SHHS Large Auditorium (15911 Aldersyde Drive, Shaker Heights, OH 44120).

Grossmont College Theatre Arts Reveals Cast of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
by A.A. Cristi - February 11, 2025


Grossmont College Theatre Arts will present The Pirates of Penzance! The comic opera by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan includes infectious melodies, zany characters, and madcap wit.




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