The Department of Theatre gives emphasis to both production and
scholarship, with training in acting, theatre history, dramatic
literature, and theory & criticism. The Ph.D. program trains
students in theatre scholarship and encourages a knowledge of
theatre history and dramatic literature that is complemented by
an awareness of old and new theoretical trends. The department's
professional actor training program offers a Master of Fine Arts
degree and is organized in a conservatory structure.
With
the addition of Swine Palace, the LSU Department of Theatre is one of the few
programs in the country with an affiliate Equity theatre. Students
may thus gain experience with a professional theatre company while
pursuing their degrees. The LSU Department of Theatre fosters
creativity and originality in its stage productions, training
methods, and scholarship, and offers a learning environment that
is unique to the region.
The Claude L. Shaver Theatre, one of the finest examples of art
deco theatrical architecture in the South, was built in 1932 and
remains the major stage space for our extensive production program.
The department's production programs enrich the academic programs,
and the Ph.D. curriculum provides a like enrichment for production
training.
