Get involved! Act in musicals and plays, perform in or choreograph for the annual Dance Production, design lighting, build sets, write and direct a one-act show.
The performing arts play a vital role in a liberal arts education, our campus community, and society as a force that can educate, challenge, inspire, uplift, and heal both the audience and artist. Realizing this potential requires skills in the art form, personal discipline, and humility—values we'll help you expand and deepen. Through our practical, rigorous, and thoughtful training, you’ll develop artistic, professional, and life skills to share with the world. You’ll also have multiple opportunities to collaborate in meaningful ways with fellow students, faculty, and professional visiting artists.
Principia abroad programs are open to all majors, and students are encouraged to apply for any abroad program that interests them. All abroads involve individual research that students can tailor to their interests. Of special interest to our students are The Scotland/England Abroad, which focuses on Shakespeare, arts, and theatre; and the Ireland Abroad, with emphases on Irish theatre and devised work.
Note: See the College Catalog for more detailed information about our program and departmental learning outcomes.
Our graduates often pursue performance careers in theatre, film, and television, and they continue their studies at some of the top universities in the U.S. and abroad.
Recent graduates are acting in several major cities—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle, Portland, and Orlando—and performing on Princess Cruises and with a national children’s theatre company. Our alumni also work as directors, agents, casting directors, musicians, and improv artists.
In addition, some graduates bring the skills developed through theatre and dance training to their work in other fields, such as business, sales, management, marketing, real estate, and education.
“My Principia dance experience has impacted me immensely this past year .... The individualized coaching from each dance professor, the encouragement from my fellow dance peers and professors, and the amazing opportunities that the dance program continued to offer students directly impacted my dancing abilities -- enough to be accepted as a Big Muddy Dance Company trainee. Since the end of that season, I have continued to live my life with the same principles that were taught in the dance program. Principles that are directly applied to my dancing, my spiritual growth, and my confidence levels in relation to my creativity. I love the relationships that were built from being a part of Principia dance, and it comforts me to know that I can always count on those amazing professors and friends for the rest of my life.”
–A graduate with a dance minor
“Many casting and artistic directors have commented on the quality of my training and the exceptional opportunities I experienced as a student at Principia. Even though it’s not a big-city, big-name program, the classes, instruction, and off-campus opportunities are just as powerful for the artist.”
–A theatre graduate
“I wouldn’t be a professional actor, singer, and audiobook narrator if it weren’t for Principia’s Theatre and Dance Department. Not many college theatre programs would have accepted a completely inexperienced and untrained freshman without a single credit on her resume. Yet not only was I embraced in the department, but I was given strong acting training, wonderful dance and choreography opportunities, and the support and wisdom of professors who remain good friends today.”
–A theatre graduate
