Theatre Arts
Earlham College Theatre Arts (ECTA) sees theatre as essential to the human experience; stories brought to life through imagination and shared in community can transport & transform artists and audiences. Students become interdisciplinary anti-racist theatre artists with a personal sense of responsibility to the communities in which they live and work; they create theatre that elicits empathy, facilitates a free exchange of ideas, and encourages intentional decision-making to further social progress. The majority of participants are queer, trans, non-binary, first generation, international students and/or students of color. A high percentage of those students are also learning to manage physical, cognitive, and/or emotional challenges.
ECTA has developed a system of Caring Community Collaboration Practices through which all feel included, respected, and safe to speak their truth as they govern themselves. This empowers them to take the artistic risks necessary to create theatrically engaging productions that elicit compassion from the audiences they serve.
For more information on our consent-based practices, conscious casting policy and more, please read our Principles and Practices policy.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Earlham College Theatre Department will be returning to Scotland for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe festival in August to perform The Further Misadventures of Martin Hathaway: Shipwrecked off Heramathea’s Cove.
Start your adventure
Sign up for more information about Earlham College.
Recent graduates have pursued advanced degrees in cultural foundations of education, Shakespeare and performance and costume design.
“Being a theatre major, and especially being a theatre major at a school where everybody knows each other because it’s so small and tight-knit, makes it a lot easier … to be able to speak your mind and show that you have ideas and you have a voice, and I think that’s why I’ve become so much more comfortable sharing my own voice—because it’s such a welcoming environment.”
Brianna Miller ’21
Theatre arts major
“Theatre gives me leadership and organizational skills with people with disparate skill sets and personalities, and computer science people get technical skills. People say I’m far more eloquent and outgoing than other people in computer science. Even though I’m not an actor, theatre has grown my public speaking skills.”
Laurence Ruberl ’20
Theatre arts and computer science major
“The best art, my favorite art, comes out of stories that need to be told. I think of art as a site for healing in a community. Theatre has been doing that for a long time. We’re at a point when that has become necessary, politically and otherwise.”
Sage HaleWolf ’18
Theatre arts major
“Growing up in Richmond, Indiana —and specifically in proximity to Earlham — I always felt surrounded by global arts and culture. As an EC student, I learned that I wasn’t only surrounded by it but able to be a part of that conversation too. Through my theatre arts coursework, I had the confidence, training and context after graduation to put that lesson into practice. First interning full-time with McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ and then apprenticing with Olney Theatre Center outside of Washington D.C., Earlham prepared me to join our national arts conversation. Now, I work in New York City for the American Associates of Great Britain’s National Theatre, and through my training at Earlham, I’m able to work with global arts leaders in my field to continue the conversation for social change through the arts.”
Meghan Cooper, ’16
Theatre arts major
Personalized training for today’s theatre artist
If you take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the theatre arts program, you will emerge as a theatre artist who impacts society through the kinds of theatre you create, the way you work, the stories you bring to light and the audiences you choose to serve.
Scholarships and awards
Scholarships and awards available to theatre students include the Rariden Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a student entering Earlham who is interested in pursuing an area within the visual and performing arts; the Janica Zuck Richards Memorial Playwriting Award; and Earlham’s theatre arts scholarships.
Career preparation
As a theatre arts major, you’ll have the opportunity to get practical career preparation through experiences like the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, networking with regional professionals through field trips and guest artist participation in Earlham productions, student leadership opportunities, summer fringe festivals and more.
Our faculty
Theatre Arts faculty are multi-disciplinary professional theatre artists who empower students to create art that is impactful to the society in which they live. They foster an environment of exploration, creativity and leadership.
Frequently asked questions
Between our flexible 125-seat black box theatre and 350-seat proscenium theatre, we guarantee a total of six to ten annual departmental, senior project and student theatre company productions. These provide opportunities to perform, design, stage-manage, devise, direct, produce and take on other leadership roles throughout the year. As you gain practical experience in the wide range of theatre arts disciplines, you will also gain confidence in how to create new work and interpret existing scripts in service of the communities in which you live and work.
Follow our recent and upcoming events and learn more about our policies and practices on our theatre productions webpage and on Facebook and Instagram.
Yes! Applied minors can help you make direct connections between your academic interests and possible career paths. These programs are comprised of 4-6 courses as well as related extracurricular activities.
Yes! We strongly encourage our majors to consider off-campus study. Great options for theatre arts majors include London, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., among others.
Learn more about available programs via our Center for Global and Career Education.
Theatre arts majors are passionate about telling stories through theatre. Whether your interests lie in performance, design and technology, or management, the theatre arts program will provide you with the experiences and skills you need to become an effective and compassionate storyteller. We encourage prospective students who are curious about our program to request a meeting with the faculty and current theatre students for more information.