School of Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies
Theatre Education and PerformanceBFA
Program starts in the fall. Review deadlines.
Discover the intersection of theatre and education, and how the stage can be used for the benefit of the community. Emerson College’s Theatre Education and Performance BFA program will refine your theatrical performance ability, teach you how to be an educator, and show you how to engage the next generation of actors.
At a Glance
- Choose between a Performance concentration, for students who want more acting training, or Classrooms + Communities, for those who want to focus on teaching theatre and applying it in the community.
- Faculty in the Department of Performing Arts are industry leaders in acting, applied theatre, design, dramaturgy, directing, and more.
- Work on Emerson Stage productions, join student-run theatre organizations, explore student teaching opportunities, and apply for internships with Boston’s numerous theatrical production companies.
From the Stage to the Classroom
Theatre can act as a force for good, from the stage to a classroom or a community. Emerson’s Theatre Education and Performance BFA prepares you to use performance as a tool for learning, connection, and social impact. The program gives you a foundation in acting, education, and applied theatre. You’ll explore how performance works in schools, community organizations, healthcare settings, and professional theatre environments. You’ll choose between two concentrations: Performance or Classrooms + Communities. From there, your coursework will be tailored to those tracks, and you’ll learn the skills needed for a successful career.
As you move through the program, you’ll deepen your knowledge through hands-on teaching, performance, and community-based work. Performance students complete the same two-year Actor Training Core as Acting majors, while building expertise as educators. Classrooms + Communities students focus on arts-based learning and theatre production in schools and community settings. You’ll create teaching projects, develop a professional portfolio, and gain experience both onstage and in the community. By graduation, you’ll have practical experience; a body of work that demonstrates your growth as an artist and educator; and a community of collaborators, mentors, and industry connections ready to support what’s next.
Get Involved in the Theatrical World
Perform in Emerson Stage productions; work with local schools and community organizations; and gain experience in classrooms, rehearsal rooms, and community spaces across Greater Boston. On campus, you’ll find a thriving creative community of student theatre organizations, while internships and partnerships will help you build real-world experience and connections—all before you graduate.
Student organizations include:
Performance and Production Spaces
Emerson College owns more performance space than any other institution in Boston. These spaces give Theatre Education and Performance students the opportunity to perform on both historic stages and newer, state-of-the-art venues.
Kasteel Well, Netherlands: Kristin Linklater Voice Workshop
Study voice/body/speech acting in the Netherlands. Acting BFA students have the opportunity to apply for a four-week program at Emerson’s Kasteel Well, where they learn to hone their voice through the Kristin Linklater Method and the Roy Hart Approach. The program, offered to rising juniors, improves expression, applies these techniques to the works of Shakespeare, and is taught by faculty who have mastered both the Linklater and Hart approaches to acting.
Barcelona: Art, Theatre & Culture
Spend four weeks studying visual arts and theatre in the vibrant city of Barcelona. You’ll attend performances at the Grec Festival de Barcelona, a showcase of theatre, music, and dance from international companies in the city’s storied venues. Visit Barcelona’s historic museums, attend lectures by Catalan scholars, and immerse yourself in the city’s rich cultural heritage.
Learn from Theatrical Educators
Department of Performing Arts faculty are experts in the fields of theatre education and acting. Learn from those who are making changes in their communities.
Take a Performing Arts Tour
Explore Emerson’s theatres, rehearsal spaces, and production studios, then stay for an informational session about the Performing Arts programs and Artistic Review process.
If you’re passionate about using theatre for education, community building, and strengthening cultural bonds, then apply to Emerson today.
Our Undergraduate Admission team is here to find the path that fits your goals, answer your questions, and prepare you for a career in the ever-evolving arts and communication industries.
Learn more about applying to Emerson on our Application Process page.