"My relationships with my fellow Belhaven students have meant so much to me over the years. The Theatre Department has been my community." —Jenna Corrin Kahley, Rockford, Illinois
Choosing a major does not have to feel like you are leaving some part of you behind. At Belhaven, we believe choosing a major should be a celebration of your talents, not a choice between them—and that’s why we offer the Double Major Promise. This promise allows incoming freshman to double major and should you need the extra year to finish—the 5th year tuition is on us.
Love to act and have a heart for helping others—double major in theatre and social work. Can’t decide between theatre and business—do both and use your business knowledge to help a theatre company thrive! You can even combine visual art and theatre to advance your efforts to become a costume designer.
Artistic excellence grounded in purpose: Whether you are an actor, designer, stage manager, director, writer, producer or technician, we want to help you achieve excellence in your craft and in your life. Our curriculum and production season are designed to push you to engage with big ideas while you also develop the skills and artistry you will need as a theatre professional. Our faculty and students share a common belief that theatre is an important and powerful tool to share hope with the world around us.
Hands-on training in every aspect of theatre production: As part of your coursework, you will rotate through each of the following areas, gaining marketable skills in each: scene shop, costume shop, lighting crew, hair/makeup crew, props, sound, and house management. Our students are frequently hired for summer stock jobs because of our reputation for this breadth and depth of training. Many of our graduates take their skills to the next level and pursue their Master's at graduate schools across the country.
Solid actor-training: As an actor, you will learn how to use your voice, your body, your imagination, and your heart to bring characters to life. You will perform material from multiple eras and in multiple styles. In addition to the primary action-based training you will receive in the core acting classes, you will also have the opportunity to take classes in period acting styles, Meisner, contemporary scene study, and improv, among others.
Small class sizes and individualized mentoring: We keep our class sizes small so that you will get more one-on-one attention and training in the classroom. We know that no two students are the same, and we love getting to know each of our students. We are eager to mentor you on your journey, whether in class, in production, or in more informal meetings and discussions.
Opportunities to design, act, stage manage, and direct. We believe students learn best by doing! Each year, at least two of our productions will feature student designs, and at least one production annually will be directed by a student. All the while, the caring faculty will be there to mentor you through the process.