We hold an info session at the beginning of each semester, where any student can come and learn about our upcoming shows, auditions, course offerings, and production opportunities. We also hold a Theater Company meeting every Friday from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Mainstage space, where we gather as a community to reflect, discuss, collaborate, and learn. Theater Company is open to any Skidmore student and often includes work-in-progress presentations, design demonstrations, guest artist Q&As, student announcements, and info about both professional and academic opportunities. If you're interested in being involved in Skidmore's Theater Department, we highly recommend signing up for our three-day Pre-Orientation Program. Whether you think you might want to major in theater or just be involved in our productions, Theater Pre-O is a great way to learn and connect with our department before the school year starts. It's informative, beneficial, and lots of fun! 

The Department of Theater produces a wide variety of events, showcasing eclectic material from all over the world and ranging in period and style from the ancient to the contemporary, from the realistic to the abstract, and from the classical to the postmodern. Our primary goal in planning our season is to offer appropriate opportunities for students to test their skills as artists and to experiment with different styles and genres.   

• Seminar productions: Every semester, we present two large productions — one in our 348-seat thrust stage theater and one in our flexible Black Box theater (50 to 120 seats). Production processes vary in length, but they are usually five weeks. Our seminar productions are typically helmed by members of our faculty and certain qualified student designers, but occasionally guest artists (outside directors, actors, designers, or composers) participate in these productions. Typically, the spring Black Box production is directed by an advanced senior directing student.
• Labs and senior projects: Four to six smaller lab shows are produced each semester, usually in our Studio Theater on the second floor of our building. 
• Free Hour Theater: Every Friday afternoon following our Theater Company meeting, anyone can use the time to explore a new idea or project. In the past we have had play readings, designer experiments, choreography collabs, puppetry and craft projects, etc.
• Guest productions: Professional guest productions are often brought to the campus and are performed in one of our theaters. Often, when producing the work of a living playwright, we have sought to bring the playwright to campus to participate in the Seminar process. 

All of our shows are selected through a rigorous proposal process by a Season Selection Committee, made up of Theater faculty and students. Our season runs from September through May, concurrent with the Skidmore College academic calendar.

No. Skidmore Theater operates within the greater liberal arts setting of the College, as opposed to a conservatory training program. Students do not have to declare a major until the end of their sophomore year, and everyone is encouraged to become involved in the Theater Department, whatever they may decide to major in. All classes are open to students who have met any necessary prerequisites. Some upper-level classes may be taken only with the permission of the instructor. 

Yes, combined auditions for the seminar and lab productions are held during the first week of each semester and are open not only to theater majors and minors, but to the entire student body. First-year students are encouraged to take part in auditions. Our productions typically involve a well-balanced mix of first-year students, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Find out more here.

We believe that every actor is unique and must develop their own process that can be tested and revised as they grow. Therefore, we strive to give the acting student foundational tools in order to explore further training and development as they work on their craft. Our beginning level classes are collaborative and exploratory, examining various acting methods and enhancing the actor’s creativity, imagination, awareness, and sense of self. As the actor progresses, the student will receive further training in more advanced methods, either Stanislavsky-based, such as those developed by Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler, or Uta Hagen, or through other methods such as Theatre of the Oppressed, Black Acting Methods, or physical-based training methods that may include Viewpoints, Suzuki, mask, clown, or commedia. Specialized training is also available in camera techniques, comedy improv, audition techniques, devising, ensemble-based creation, classical training such as Shakespeare, or advanced scene work. We expect students who focus on acting will take voice, speech, and movement classes (primarily based in Linklater, Rodenberg, and Laban), as this will enhance their instrument and is integrated with our curriculum. While it is not a requirement that students take our acting classes in order to be cast in productions, it is highly recommended and will aid students in the production seminar process. 

Many of our students study abroad at Accademia Dell’Arte in Arezzo Italy, the British American Drama Academy in London, and the Gaiety School in Dublin. Students have also taken semesters away at the National Theater Institute in Connecticut, Second City in Chicago, and Sarah Lawrence’s film program.

We offer courses in Professional Preparation and Theater Management that focus on professional training and building connections for a career in the performing arts. Students work closely with our faculty and guest artists, all professionals in their fields, to prepare materials for job applications and auditions. 

The faculty selects student designers from among the students who have participated in the design curriculum and who have demonstrated excellence and interest. Student designers and assistant designers are enrolled in supervised design sequence and receive academic credit for their work. Be sure that you speak to members of the design faculty for further information.

See Lab Policies and Student Black Box processes here. Students also regularly assistant-direct faculty in seminar productions. Students can also apply to dramaturg seminar productions. 

All productions are stage-managed by students. Our production faculty select student stage managers from students who have served as assistant stage managers and who have demonstrated abilities and a desire to pursue this work. 

Learn more about our faculty and guest artists by exploring the Theater Department’s Living Newsletter, where we feature interviews, creative work, and behind-the-scenes stories.

Discover faculty and guest artists

To see a full listing of current productions, please visit Theater's full website. 

View current productions