Illinois Wesleyan University

The School of Theatre Arts at Illinois Wesleyan University blends conservatory-style professional training with a liberal arts foundation, fostering artists, scholars, and thoughtful citizens. Its mission emphasizes intellectual curiosity, creative risk-taking, and empathetic storytelling. With small class sizes and an undergraduate-only environment, students receive close, individual mentorship from dedicated faculty without competing with graduate students.

IWU offers both a BA in Theatre Arts and three BFA specializations: Acting, Music Theatre, and Theatre Design & Technology. The BA provides a flexible, interdisciplinary path combining performance, literature, direction, and design fundamentals. Each BFA track immerses students in a rigorous curriculum—Acting develops voice, movement, theory, and on-camera work; Music Theatre integrates intensive music, acting, and dance training; Design & Technology emphasizes set, costume, lighting, and technical production skills.

The School stages six professional-grade productions annually, including at least two musicals and a biennial Dance Concert. These are mounted in dedicated venues such as the Jerome Mirza Theatre at McPherson Hall and the E. Melba Johnson Kirkpatrick Laboratory Theatre, with student-led black-box work in Phoenix Theatre. All productions are designed, directed, performed, and run by students under faculty supervision and guest artists. This provides extensive hands-on experience in real production environments.

IWU boasts state-of-the-art theatre facilities including a 229-seat proscenium stage with thrust, an orchestra pit, a professional lighting grid, advanced sound system, and 4K projectors for video design. Supporting spaces include a full scene shop, costume and paint shops, rehearsal studios, and classrooms across McPherson and Presser Halls.

IWU’s theatre program is nationally recognized and students gain exposure through master classes, study abroad options, and end-of-program showcases in Chicago and New York, connecting them with casting directors, agents, and professional networks. Alumni include Tony Award winners and nominees, plus Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe honorees—evidence of the program’s influence and success in cultivating professional talent.