About the Department of Theatre, Film & Dance

The department has excellent faculty who are passionate and knowledgeable.
~HSU Student

The Program
The Community/Locale

The Program:

Theatre Arts houses three disciplines: theatre, film and dance. Our liberal arts approach provides broad and diversified education in Theatre, Film and Dance utilizing the opportunities offered by the academic combination of these three disciplines. We prepare students with critical faculties; to develop their capacity for creative expression; and to provide the necessary foundation for vocations and further training in the disciplines of theatre, film and dance.

The integrated undergraduate Theatre Arts degree may have a concentration in either theatre production, film or dance. The Interdisciplinary Dance Studies degree offers three areas of concentration: Dance as Language and Culture; Dance Performance as Arts Integration; and Dance as a Sacred Tradition. Minor programs in Theatre, Film or Dance provide a foundation of knowledge and practical experience in each discipline. All undergraduate programs encourage experiential, hands-on learning, and the application of acquired skills into production.

At the graduate level, the MA in Theatre Arts provides two areas of emphasis: theatre or film. Students emphasizing theatre are encouraged to concentrate on any two of the following areas: acting; directing; dramatic writing; technical production; or design in costume, scenic, or lighting. Graduates with an emphasis in film will explore independent filmmaking and are encouraged to push boundaries, explore different stylistic approaches, develop personal vision, work collaboratively, and gain technical competency in Super 8mm and 16mm formats. Facilities for cinema production include a sound studio, optical printer, animation stand and editing rooms. Graduate students may also acquire a teaching certification in Theatre Arts through the College Faculty Preparation Program.

The student production programs in theatre, film and dance are very active. The mainbill program consists of usually four major productions with approximately 10 -12 secondary productions. Productions may include plays, film screenings, physical theatre, dance, or any interdisciplinary combination of these and other art forms. This active program provides the students many opportunities to apply their academic study towards production and performance. Production facilities utilized by the Department of Theatre, Film & Dance include the mainstage proscenium John Van Duzer Theatre, two experimental studio theatres and a thrust stage facility.

The Department's mission for experimentation and the production of current, original works is celebrated in two unique programs: the Humboldt International Short Film Festival and the New Play Season. The oldest student-run film festival in the world, the Humboldt International Short Film Festival is a juried competition attracting film entries from all over the world and providing students opportunities for workshops and individual sessions with the visiting artists. The New Play Season presents previously un-produced works by contemporary American artists. Playwrights spend two to three weeks in residence working with students on the premiere production of the selected scripts.

The Community and Locale:

The Arcata community enthusiastically supports performing arts and cinema. There are many regional theatre and dance companies, and our local cinema provides a variety of traditional, experimental and foreign films. Humboldt State University is the home of Center Arts (www.humboldt.edu/~carts), an outstanding organization that brings nationally and internationally acclaimed performing artists to our campus and provides our students with increased exposure to the arts and opportunities to meet and study with the guest artists. Additionally, physical theatre performances and workshops are available within 20 minutes of HSU at the renowned Dell'Arte school and theatre in Blue Lake (www.dellarte.com).

Located on the Pacific coast 275 miles north of San Francisco in the heart of the world-famous redwood region, Humboldt State University overlooks the Humboldt Bay and is surrounded by forests, wild rivers, lagoons, meadows, mountains and ocean. The clean, healthy, and un-crowded environment features mild winters and cool summers. On Saturdays, the Arcata Plaza features a fantastic farmer's market where many of our students participate in both scheduled and spontaneous performances.