Skyline College

Skyline College, part of the San Mateo County Community College District, offers an Associate in Arts in Theatre Arts that prepares students for transfer, career training, or personal growth through performance and technical theatre coursework. Classes include Acting, Stagecraft, Theatrical Lighting & Sound, and Theatrical Production, all designed to build essential theatre foundations alongside general education requirements that support transfer to four-year institutions.

The program emphasizes hands-on learning: every semester includes production courses that replicate real rehearsal and performance experiences. Students earn credit for their involvement in mainstage and studio productions, gaining practical skills while developing discipline and confidence. Classroom-based instruction complements production work with training in performance theory, history, and technique.

Student performances take place in the Skyline College Theatre—a fully equipped 500-seat auditorium with professional lighting and digital sound systems. Additional venues include a 100-seat studio and a 120-seat black box theatre, allowing for flexible staging and exploration of experimental or intimate works. These spaces provide students with a wide range of performance environments that mirror professional industry standards.

Each year, the department produces a dynamic season of performances, typically including a fall and spring musical along with other plays and collaborative events with the Music and Dance departments. Productions are open to all students, and every participant is given a role or ensemble placement, ensuring a welcoming and inclusive creative community.

With affordable tuition, accessible facilities, a supportive faculty, and direct opportunities to perform and work backstage, Skyline College’s Theatre Arts program offers students an ideal foundation for further education or creative careers in the Bay Area’s vibrant theatre scene. Whether students are aspiring actors, designers, or lifelong theatre lovers, the program provides meaningful opportunities to grow artistically and professionally.