Michigan State University

Located within the College of Arts & Letters, MSU’s Department of Theatre offers a comprehensive suite of degree programs: a B.A. in Theatre, BFA degrees in Acting, Design & Technology, and Stage Management, plus MFA programs in Acting and Design. The undergraduate BA is ideal for students seeking broad theatrical literacy and flexibility, while the BFA tracks offer conservatory-level training and require auditions or portfolio reviews. The Department is accredited by NAST, and the Stage Management BFA was launched in 2017—MSU awarded its first graduates in the track in 2020.

Students engage deeply in both academic and production-based learning. The curriculum includes acting (classical and contemporary), movement, audition technique, stagecraft, sound and lighting design, and faculty-led theatrical creation. The Department fosters mentorship from working artists and offers hands-on design work in areas like costume, lighting, and media, with faculty such as costume mentor Karen Kangas-Preston actively guiding students through shows like 9 to 5, The Musical.

The production calendar is ambitious and thematic. The 2024–2025 season—under the banner “Insiders & Outsiders”—features a Broadway-style workshop of the musical In Pieces, devised protest performance P\A, Inherit the Wind, improv showcase MSU UnScripted, 9 to 5, The Musical, and the dark comedy Decision Height, all staged in MSU’s Arena Theatre, Studio 60, Fairchild Theatre, and Pasant Theatre.

The Department offers unique experiential learning through initiatives like the New Musical Laboratory, partnering with Flint Repertory Theatre to workshop new musicals under Broadway‑level creative teams. Students and recent alumni have performed in readings and build professional networks through regional theatre collaborations. The program also extends into community engagement, with productions such as Hit the Wall focusing on LGBTQ+ and equity-based stories.

Facilities support both large-scale and experimental work. Productions take place in venues such as the Fairchild Theatre, Studio 60 Theatre, Arena Theatre, and outdoor Summer Circle Theatre. Technical resources include a 9,370 ft² Scene Shop, specialized costume, lighting, sound labs, and rehearsal spaces within the MSU Auditorium building. These spaces support fully integrated theatrical training and production across disciplines.