Miami Dade College Theater Program

Miami Dade College’s theatre program is housed within its Performing Arts departments at several campuses, including Kendall and North. It’s built as a rigorous transfer-oriented Associate in Arts (A.A.) in Drama or Drama Education, primarily geared toward students aiming to continue onto four-year programs in theatre or arts education . The program emphasizes both performance and production skills, welcoming students with diverse professional aspirations across acting, design, and technical theatre.

Students receive foundational training in acting, movement, voice, stagecraft, lighting, costume, make‑up, and theater appreciation. Classes cover major classical and modern dramatic works, scene study, directing, playwriting, and theatre criticism . Instruction is delivered by faculty offering close, personal mentorship and small class sizes that support individualized growth and interdisciplinary learning in both creative and technical disciplines.

Hands-on experience is a core component: students regularly participate in campus productions staged in the college’s theaters. On the Kendall campus, for instance, the theatre department operates a well-equipped 150-seat black-box facility that includes classrooms, rehearsal space, and scene and costume shops . At North campus, students perform and assist backstage in productions held in the Lehman Theatre at the Pawley Creative Arts Center—one of the area’s premier venues.

The Drama A.A. degree is structured to fulfill general education requirements while delivering specialized theatre coursework. A typical curriculum spans four semesters (plus optional summer sessions), blending general education courses with theatre-specific credits such as Acting, Voice for the Stage, Stagecraft, Scene Study, Play Writing, Stage Management, and Theatre Appreciation . The program ensures that all courses align with state standards and facilitate seamless transfer to public universities in Florida through established articulation agreements.

Through performance opportunities, practical training, and a curriculum designed for transfer and theatre education, MDC’s theatre program provides a robust foundation for students pursuing careers in performance, technical theatre, or drama teaching. Whether continuing their studies or entering the entertainment industry, graduates leave with hands-on experience, credits transferrable toward a bachelor’s degree, and confidence in their craft.