Loyola Marymount University

Loyola Marymount University’s Theatre Arts program is housed within the College of Communication & Fine Arts and provides an intellectually rigorous yet creatively immersive education in the dramatic arts. It approaches theatre as a “laboratory for the study of life”—inviting students to explore human experience through performance, design, writing, and critical inquiry. The program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), with classes led by award-winning faculty including Pulitzer Prize winners, Fulbright scholars, and industry professionals.

At the core of the curriculum is a flexible Bachelor of Arts in Theatre degree that covers acting, directing, technical theater, design, dramaturgy, playwriting, history, and criticism. Majors fulfill a lower-division foundation before moving into upper-level courses such as Directing, Script Analysis, and Senior Thesis Projects. Each course is grounded in theory but designed around real-world production tasks—from voice and movement labs to technical design practicums—supported by close faculty mentorship.

Performance opportunities are integral. LMU students participate in an annual cycle of mainstage productions, New Works Festivals, and the outdoor Shakespeare on the Bluff series. These productions provide multiple entry points for onstage and backstage involvement, collaboration with student playwrights, and leadership roles across creative and technical domains. The program is dedicated to inclusive casting, anti-racist practices, and social justice–oriented storytelling.

LMU’s location in Los Angeles brings industry synergy—students intern with top LA theaters, engage with the broader entertainment ecosystem, and study abroad in cities like Bonn or Moscow for exposure to European theatre traditions. Beyond campus, LMU Theatre hosts curated guest-artist workshops, speaker series (PRISM), and collaborative projects that offer strong career pathways in performance, design, arts management, playwriting, and education.

Graduates leave equipped with professional portfolios and a well-rounded liberal arts foundation. Alumni such as Josh Grisetti (Broadway/TV) and Gloria Calderón Kellett (writer, showrunner, LMU faculty) highlight the program’s success in creating industry-ready, socially engaged theatre artists. LMU is consistently ranked among the top non-conservatory theatre programs in the nation.