Wilmington College

Wilmington College offers a dedicated Theatre major as part of its Fine Arts and Communication Arts division, along with a theatre minor available to students in any discipline. This program is built on an experiential education model that immerses students in all facets of theatre — performance, direction, design, technical production, scriptwriting, stage makeup, and promotional work. Performances and production roles are open to all students, not just majors or minors, fostering a highly inclusive and collaborative theatre environment.

Under the theatre major, students complete a core series of course work including Introduction to Theatre, Stage Makeup, Stagecraft, Acting, Directing I, and Theatre History, followed by elective options in dramatic literature, directing, design, applied theatre, and capstone projects. The major requires a structured progression from foundational studies into upper-division courses and culminates in a capstone creative project or senior production.

Campus productions take place in the Hugh Heiland Theatre, part of the Boyd Cultural Arts Center, which seats approximately 433 and serves as the mainstage venue for theatrical works. The department stages a full season each academic year, typically including musicals, classic and contemporary plays, and student-directed one-act festivals. These productions serve both for learning and for building portfolios.

Community partnerships also enhance the theatre experience. Students frequently participate in Clinton County Kids & Company, a non-profit youth theatre initiative, and the Wilmington College Community Summer Theatre, offering summer internships, mentoring, and practical stage experience in a professional environment .

Through this blend of academic coursework, production-intensive labs, community programming, and inclusive performance opportunities, Wilmington College’s theatre program cultivates versatile graduates equipped for careers in theatre, education, arts administration, or further study.