Acting – Theatre

The Acting program in the Department of Theatre & Performance is designed to provide foundational performance skills and methods of both interpreting roles within diverse works and creating original work, all within a framework of fully embodied performance for stage and screen. Students study Voice, Movement and Acting over the three years of training, acquiring knowledge and a range of high-level skills that are then applied in performance projects. Acting students will be given the opportunity to perform in various York projects outside of their regular Acting program classes in third year, and in full productions as part of the Theatre @ York season in fourth-year. Each year begins with a performance called The Gathering Project led by graduate-level Theatre students with participants from all levels of the undergraduate acting program involved to create community before the semester gets underway.

Performance opportunities both within and outside of course work will be offered throughout the program and may demand committed hours outside of scheduled class time at certain points in the year. Because of the demanding workload, it is highly recommended that students complete all courses they are taking outside the Department of Theatre & Performance before entering fourth-year. All students are encouraged to schedule their non-Acting classes on Monday during the day. It is not uncommon for Acting students to take longer than the traditional four years to complete their requirements.