“I believe that each work of art, whether it is a work of great genius, or something very small, comes to the artist and says, ‘Here I am. Enflesh me. Give birth to me.’ And the artist either says, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord,’ and willingly becomes the bearer of the work, or refuses…”
— Madeleine L’Engle
We offer a single Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in theatre with the empowering choice of seven tracks tailored to your interests. If you are majoring in another field of study but would like to add theatre credentials to your degree, we also offer a minor in theatre. Contact us to learn more!
Curriculum, performance opportunities and variety of training techniques help hone your approach to character and acting choices in preparation for a career in acting and/or advanced training at the graduate level.
Deepen your art in a rigorous curriculum of ballet, tap, jazz, modern and dance conditioning with a focus on technique, composition and performance. Perform in musical and the annual dance show.
Develop your rendering skills and express your artistic vision in all design areas through hands-on learning and training through show crews and practicum hours.
Gain exposure to a variety of styles and genres, including contemporary, period and musical theatre, creating your own directing portfolio under the mentorship of faculty. Explore your vision and bring it to fruition.
Singing techniques to support all styles of theatre music combined with intensive acting and dance training work together to develop a proficiency that makes you competitive in the marketplace.
This hybrid track prepares you in areas of directing, design, acting and children’s theatre while qualifying you for teacher certification with classes required by ACU’s Department of Education.
Develop practical ways to explore the intersection of faith and art, preparing for ministry positions in fields such as drama ministries and worship service design through leadership roles on campus and in local ministries.
A maximum of 12 students are admitted each fall after a rigorous application and audition process. Our total department enrollment never exceeds 50 students to provide each student with more performance opportunities and rich mentorship. More than 50% of ACU’s Theatre students regularly make Dean’s Honor Roll, and many have been awarded academic and service honors.
ACU Theatre alumni are successful in graduate school and professional employment, with names on Broadway and Hollywood marquees.
2023 graduating BFA performance track seniors from the spring ‘23 Senior Showcase
ACU Theatre alumni, now industry professionals (l-r): Peter Hargrave (’12) currently on the national tour of The Lion King; Kat Hargrave (’11) Senior Agent at DGRW Agency, NY; Ashley Parizek (’12) Agent at Avalon Artist Group, NY; Ally Beans (’14) Casting Director with Eisenberg/Beans, NY, Dallas; Owen Beans (’14) Equity Actor, Producer, Dallas
Ally Beans (’14) Casting Director with Eisenberg/Beans, NY, Dallas; Ashley Parizek (’12) Agent at Avalon Artist Group, NY; Michael Cassara, CSA, Casting Director with Michael Cassara Casting, NY
Our faculty is comprised of masters in their field who are dedicated to providing exceptional instruction in both theory and craft. Our collective training reflects cutting-edge, contemporary curriculum that includes:
The home of ACU’s departments of music and theatre, it includes the following:
The 325-seat Lewis and Jerry Fulks Theatre, is a thrust-stage facility designed to the theatre department’s specifications with the help of acoustical and theatre consultants.
The Clara and James Culp Theatre is a multi-form facility that allow multiple stage/audience configurations. The only physical restrictions in this black box space are the fixed locations of the walls, ceiling and floor.
The $9.5 million renovated Boone Family Theatre is a tremendous enhancement to the performing arts at ACU, providing an acoustically redesigned hall and state-of-the-art theatrical equipment that supports a variety of full-scale productions.
Established in 1929, Sewell Theatre is the former home of the ACU Dinner Theatre and now functions as the base for scenie design and construction, costumes and properties.
Periodically the ACU Theatre uses the Abilene Convention Center for the annual Homecoming Musical. The exceptional acoustics have drawn praise from the most veteran entertainers, and the vast amount of fly and wing space allow elaborate set changes. The 70×72 ft. stage (which includes a hydraulically operated orchestra pit) faces 2,091 seats.
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