About Us

At The University of Texas at Austin's Department of Theatre and Dance, students share the excitement of working with internationally–known artists, scholars and professionals at one of the nation's top research universities. At UT, you can consider the ever–changing nature and function of performance arts while preserving and honoring diverse traditions of the past and present. Here, you can help shape the future while investigating your own intellectual and artistic talents.

The department was founded in 1938 as the first university theatre program in the state of Texas. From its humble beginnings of four faculty teaching nine courses, it has grown tremendously in both size and quality. Now, with over 50 faculty and staff, and more than 150 courses each semester, the Department of Theatre and Dance is one of the largest theatre and dance departments in the United States. Our alumni are regularly featured on stage, television, and film, and have been recognized with Academy Awards, Tony Awards, Emmy Awards and the Pulitzer Prize in Drama.

Our academic programs encompass various areas, including: acting; directing; dance; design; theatre for young audiences (drama and theatre for youth and communities); theatre history, performance studies, dramaturgy, literature and criticism (performance as public practice); playwriting; theatre education; and theatre technology (costume, lighting, scene, and stage management).

The department is dedicated to balancing high–quality production and performance work with rigorous academic study. We average six to eight productions annually, with an additional 20 to 30 laboratory shows and readings. The development of new work, scholarly articles, innovative design and a varied dance and theatre repertory is a high priority.

The department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD) and is a member of the University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA).