DeSales University

Situated at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, DeSales University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with specialized tracks including Acting for Stage and Screen, Musical Theatre Performance, Design & Technology, and Arts Administration. As part of the School of Performing Arts, the Theatre Department blends liberal arts education with conservatory-style theatrical training and requires both academic and artistic admission processes for all majors.

Students receive immersive training rooted in performance and technical design. The Acting track emphasizes skills like movement, voice, camera technique, and modern repertory; Musical Theatre integrates dance, voice, and acting; Design & Technology students work in areas such as lighting, scenic drafting, costume, and stage management; while Arts Administration focuses on the business of theatre alongside internships and real-world producing experience. Faculty members are working professionals and provide mentorship tailored to each student’s goals.

Performance is central to the DeSales experience through Act 1 Productions, the university’s award‑winning producing arm. Each academic year includes plays, musicals, children’s theatre, dance concerts, and film festivals presented on the 473-seat Main Stage and the 187-seat Schubert Theatre. These productions often feature Equity guest artists and are staged with professional production standards, reaching approximately 22,000 patrons annually.

Unique to DeSales is its affiliation with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF)—a professional theatre company in residence on campus. The Festival offers summer internships, masterclasses, and performance opportunities alongside their Act 1 cohorts. Students also take part in programs like the Summer Theatre Institute (STI), a pre‑college intensive that provides training, mentorship, and performance alongside PSF professionals.

DeSales graduates leave the program with a blend of academic knowledge, professional production experience, and real-world exposure. Highlights like the Act 1 senior capstone productions, audition preparation for a New York Senior Showcase, and an alumni network active in New York, Philadelphia, and beyond prepare students for careers in performance, design, management, or arts administration. The program’s mission-driven aesthetic—grounded in the belief that theatre can “give beauty back to God and His world”—imbues training with creativity, excellence, and spiritual purpose.