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Department of Theatre

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827 West Franklin Street
Richmond,Virginia 23284
804.828.1514
ugrad@vcu.edu

DEGREES OFFERED

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Scenic Design

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Costume Design

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Stage Managmenet

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre

Minor in Theatre

Minor in Musical Theatre

Minor in Sound Design

Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Pedagogy

Master of Fine Arts in Costume Design


The Department of Theatre educates and trains students in the fields of performance, design / technology, and theatre pedagogy. The department provides students with the professional and cultural foundations essential for achieving the highest standards of the art of theatre. Our faculty and alumni practice their craft as artists locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. They work on the stage, in TV and films, author books in their disciplines, and hold elected offices in some of the nation’s most prestigious organizations. Collectively, the faculty and staff pride themselves on their ability to help you bridge the gap between life as a student and life as a professional beyond VCU.

Notable Alumni Include:

J. J. Johnson, Damon W. Arrington, Stefan Sittig, Ali Dizikes, Kymberly Lavigne, Melissa Chanselle–Hary, Linden Taylor, Francesca DeLutis, Aaron Holland, Brad Brubaker, Tiza Garland, Laura Marie Sullivan, Monica Dionysiou, Frank Alfano, Richard Sautter, Chanelle Vigue, Diego Vllada, Gabrielle Couchon, Gerron Atkinson




Faculty Info:

Kikau Alvaro, Aaron D. Anderson, Ph.D., Michelle Anderson, Dorie Barton, Bonnie Brady, Andrew Bryce, Elizabeth Byland, Anne Chapman, Jeff Darland, Virginia Donnell, Ashley Grantham, Danielle Hartman, Erica Hughes, Vanessa Jackson, Keith Byron Kirk, Karen Kopryanski, Xiaolin Lan, Happy Mahaney, Amber Martinez, Bonnie McCoy, Shaun McCracken, Kevin McGranahan, Elyssa Mersdorf, Sarah Moore, Dr. Jesse Njus, Sharon Ott, Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D., Kendra Rai, Chris Raintree, Lisa Rumbauskas, Neno Russell, Wes Seals, Anthony Smith, Emily Tappan, David Emerson Toney, Thomas Vecchione, Bryan Wade.



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.

TOO MUCH LIGHT MAKES THE BABY GO BLIND Returns to the University of Southern Maine This November
by A.A. Cristi - November 04, 2025


The University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre will present the third annual production of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes) by Greg Allen, directed by Sara Valentine.

Carbonell Awards Add Special Watch Party to Ceremony at FAU’s University Theatre
by Stephi Wild - October 31, 2025


The 48th annual Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theater & Arts Honors, today announced that the glittery annual ceremony and after-party at FAU’s University Theatre in Boca Raton is SOLD OUT.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SNOOPY!!! is Coming to Bridgetown Musical Theatre
by Chloe Rabinowitz - October 13, 2025


Bridgetown Musical Theatre is presenting The World According to Snoopy!!! for the holiday season in Portland and Salem. The show will be performed by two separate casts, with performers ages 11 to 18. Learn more!

TAKING OFF! Comes to the Wharton Center
by Stephi Wild - September 02, 2025


The MSU College of Arts and Letters’ Department of Theatre, in collaboration with Wharton Center, will present Taking Off!, a high-flying new musical comedy.

California's Teenage Drama Workshop Sets Summer Productions
by Josh Sharpe - June 16, 2025


Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW) will host a three-week public run of two stage productions, including Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical JR. and The Hobbit, beginning in July at California State University Northridge.

Cal State LA to Present THE JOHN LION NEW PLAYS FESTIVAL
by Chloe Rabinowitz - April 18, 2025


The Department of Theatre and Dance at Cal State LA will present the 27th annual John Lion New Plays Festival at the university's State Playhouse. Learn more and see how to attend.

USM Department of Theatre Presents Spring Dance Concert
by A.A. Cristi - April 17, 2025


USM Department of Theatre wraps up its 2024-2025 season with the USM Spring Dance Concert, featuring new dance works by five choreographers and performed by USM dance students April 25th-27th at Russell Hall on the USM Gorham Campus.

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.

USM Theatre to Present LITTLE WOMEN THE BROADWAY MUSICAL
by Josh Sharpe - March 12, 2025


The University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre will welcome Spring with the fantastical & heartwarming Little Women, the Broadway Musical, April 4-13th at Russell Hall on the USM Gorham Campus.

Six Finalists Unveiled For 2025 Young Playwright Festival at Wharton Center
by Chloe Rabinowitz - March 06, 2025


​Experience the original works of six 2025 Young Playwrights Festival finalists on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Wharton Center's Pasant Theatre. Learn more and see how to attend!

Late Night Theatre Company Presents COME PLAY WITH US! New Plays Festival
by A.A. Cristi - February 20, 2025


The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa's Department of Theatre & Dance and Kennedy Theatre will present Late Night Theatre Company's new playwriting showcase, Come Play with Us! New Plays Festival.

NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 Set for UTA Theatre Arts and Dance
by Blair Ingenthron - February 08, 2025


The University of Texas at Arlington Department of Theatre Arts and Dance will present Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, the 2012 electropop opera by writer/composer, Dave Malloy, based on Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace.

THE TRICK to Open at Theatre 68 in February
by Chloe Rabinowitz - January 21, 2025


The Trick, written by Joe Praml, and directed by Linnea V. Praml will be presented at Theatre 68 Arts Complex in February. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.



Past Student Productions

SHOW THEATER
Let The Right One In in Broadway Let The Right One In
(10/5/23 - 10/8/23)
VCUarts Theatre
An Evening of Stand-Up Comedy
(2/24/12 - 2/25/12)
Virginia Commonwealth University
The Elephant Man
(2/10/12 - 2/19/12)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Grease
(11/4/11 - 11/20/11)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Shakespeare’s R & J
(9/29/11 - 10/8/11)
Virginia Commonwealth University
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
(4/6/11 - 4/22/11)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Les Liaisons Dangereuse
(11/11/10 - 11/21/10)
Virginia Commonwealth University

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