What you will study
UCM’s BFA in Theatre Performance focuses on acting techniques and the performance
of classic and contemporary drama while giving you an understanding of the theatre
as an exciting whole. You’ll take multiple advanced acting classes, as well as mastering
many aspects of the technical side of theatre, in courses such as:
- Period Acting Styles: Examine and practice acting styles used in the works of Shakespeare, Classical drama,
Chekhov and other masters and forms.
- Stage Voice/Advanced Stage Voice: Understand your voice and how to project it in performances.
- Stage Movement/Advanced Stage Movement: Hone your understanding of your body and how to use it for more expressive performances.
- Senior Showcase: Prepare and perform material for theatre industry professionals at UCM’s own Highlander
Theater and at a professional theatre venue in Kansas City.
- Studio II: Direct a one-act play as your capstone project.
When you earn your well-rounded liberal arts degree in Theatre Performance from UCM,
not only will you specialize in acting, much like you would in a conservatory training
program, but you’ll also prepare to play many important roles — both onstage and behind
the scenes — in the world of professional theatre.
BFA Theatre Performance Auditions
All students applying for our BFA Theatre Performance degree must audition for consideration.
Upon acceptance by the UCM Office of Admissions, you should fill out the UCM Theatre & Dance Admission Form and contact our Performance advisor to schedule your interview. To ensure a strong and successful audition, please carefully read the guidelines below
and bring the appropriate materials to the audition.
On the day of your audition please bring with you:
- An acting/theatre resume
- A photograph (we prefer headshots, but will accept any close-up)
- Two contrasting one-minute monologues (1 dramatic/1 comedic) from published plays
(see the Audition/Interview FAQ section for assistance in finding appropriate materials
and parameters.) All monologues must be memorized.
- Be prepared to answer questions for your interview that reflect on your answers provided
on your Theatre & Dance Admission Form. We encourage you to bring questions to ask
us as well!
- Please dress professionally for the audition
Excellence in Theatre Performance
Unique learning opportunities in theatre performance
The University of Central Missouri excels among colleges for theatre. You’ll use what
you learn in your theatre classes to collaborate with and showcase your talents to
professionals who offer diverse career opportunities to UCM graduates with a bachelor’s
in Theatre Performance:
- Build Career Networks: UCM’s theatre classes give you many opportunities to hone your craft as you perform
for and work with renowned industry professionals. UCM’s students earning a degree
in Theatre perform (and often win awards) at the annual KCACTF competitions. Student
chapters of the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri and the yearly USITT conference
for design and tech professionals are two more ways for you to interact with professionals
one-on-one.
- Professional Practice Credit: While earning your degree in Theatre Performance, you can receive credits for acting
in Kansas City theaters, traveling productions staged by the Central Missouri Repertory
and at other regional and summer stock theater venues.
- Senior Showcase: Seniors perform scenes, monologues and musical theatre pieces at UCM’s Highlander
Theater and at a professional theatre venue in Kansas City. Industry professionals
— casting directors, talent agencies, talent directors and others — attend, providing
students earning a degree in Theatre Performance with opportunities to network and
learn about new job openings.
What can you do with a BFA in Theatre Performance from UCM?
UCM graduates with a bachelor’s in Theatre Performance are actors and directors in
diverse venues such as mainstage theater companies, theme parks, cruise lines and
summer stock theaters. Our alumni work as actors at Worlds of Fun, Disney, the Arrow
Rock Lyceum Theatre, the Crane River Theater, Kansas City’s Unicorn Theatre and in
many professional theaters and multimedia production companies throughout the country.
Job opportunities are widely available with professional regional and summer stock
theaters. Many UCM alumni also choose to continue their studies at graduate schools
across the United States.
Your theatre classes offer an exciting gateway to life on the stage
Use the interactive tool below to learn more about the potential salaries and career
pathways available to you when you earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre,
with an emphasis on Performance.
Financial assistance options for your bachelor’s in Theatre Performance degree
The University of Central Missouri offers numerous resources to keep your student
debt and college costs low and to help finance your college education.
Beyond the general awards and scholarships offered by UCM, numerous scholarships are
available specifically for students earning a bachelor’s in Theatre Performance, including:
- New Theatre Highlander-See Scholarship
- New Theatre Arlene Krings Memorial Scholarship
- New Theatre McDowell Family Scholarship
- Mancow Muller Scholarship
- Lucy Bergman Memorial Scholarship in Theatre
Use the UCM Scholarship Finder to learn more about program-specific scholarships.
Performance Spaces
Equipped for 35–40 annual student productions
UCM students present 10–20 productions at our intimate, 100-seat Richard Herman Black
Box Theater every year. Our Theatre students also present five main-stage and two
sets of studio shows in our 440-seat proscenium theater, which offers computer lab
access to CADD programs, full costume and scenic shops, a front and rear capable projector
and new lighting and sound systems.
Meet Trent R.
BFA Theatre Performance ’12 - Box Office Manager, CAAC - The Lantern Theatre
“In my opinion, UCM has the best theatre department in Missouri and one of the best
in the region. In my varied experiences in a multitude of disciplines — from acting
in the classroom to directing in the Black Box, sewing costumes and selling tickets
— I was constantly inspired by a community of artists striving to become the best
we could be.”
Meet Our Faculty
Learn in theatre classes and beyond
Your UCM professors share their expertise in small classes and one-on-one to help
you build the professional skills you need to reach your career goals. They’re active
in national and regional performance and networking forums such as the Kennedy Center
American Theatre College Festival (KCACTF) and the United States Institute for Theatre
Technology (USITT).
Faculty Bios
Meet Nellie M.
BFA Theatre Performance ’16
“The University of Central Missouri Department of Theatre and Dance genuinely cares
about their students’ success. As a student, you learn all aspects of the craft, which
makes you hugely marketable outside of the college setting.”
Built-in Community for Creative Work
Special Housing Interest Program (SHIP)
UCM’s theatre dorm is near the Richard Herman Black Box Theater for rehearsing lines
to encourage peer and advisor interaction. You can join the theatre honors fraternity,
Theta Alpha Phi, to attend social and scholastic events, and get involved with the
UCM Dance Club and American College Dance Association
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Professional Organizations and Student Groups
● Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
● American College Dance Association
● Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri
● USITT
● Southeast Theatre Conference
● U/RTA Auditions and Portfolio Reviews
●Theta Alpha Phi
● UCM Dance Club
● Film Makers And Actors' Coalition
Theatre Learning Community
The Theatre Learning Community located in Nickerson Hall is designed for students
minoring or majoring in theatre. This living space for first year students provides
close proximity to the department’s Black Box Theatre, a lounge to rehearse lines
and blocking, a fully equipped dance studio and access to dining facilities.
Performance Opportunities
● KCACTF Irene Ryan Scholarship Auditions
● KCACTF Professional Auditions
● KCACTF MTI Auditions
● Midwest Theatre Auditions
● UCM Main Stage Production Program
● Studio Theatre One-Act Series
● Richard Herman Black Box Theatre Program
● Film Makers And Actors' Coalition
● Highlander and Kansas City Senior Showcase
