El Camino College Center for the Arts

Located on the El Camino College campus, the Center for the Arts is the hub for the Theatre Arts Program, blending academic coursework with active performance opportunities. Students can participate in approximately five to six fully mounted productions annually—including musicals, dramatic plays, and student-led showcases—staged in the Campus Theatre, a 351‑seat venue outfitted with professional design and technical facilities.

Academically, the program emphasizes both theoretical foundations and applied theatre training. Courses cover Acting, Theatre Appreciation, Script Analysis, Stagecraft, Lighting, Voice & Movement, and Technical Theatre. Practicum seminars link learning directly to production—in auto‑credit formats where students contribute onstage, in design, lighting, sound, costumes, or stage management.

The Theatre Arts department provides two main degree paths. Students may enroll in the Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Theatre for direct industry entry or the A.A. for Transfer (A.A.-T) suited to institutions within the California State University system. Both programs deliver transferable credits and foundational theatre training, including coursework in entertainment lighting, stage production, and theatre history.

Experiential learning is enhanced by the proximity to Los Angeles, offering students opportunities in internships, workshops, and masterclasses. Guest artists, adjunct faculty with industry experience, and connections through the Center for the Arts bring local and regional performing arts exposure. Graduates leave equipped for careers or further study in acting, production, technical theatre, or performance design.

Student engagement also extends beyond the classroom via participation in student-run groups and open auditions (e.g. for “Evening of One Acts”), where involvement in performance, backstage crew, and leadership roles is encouraged.