DePaul University Theatre School: A Century of Shaping Performing Arts
Founded in 1925, the Theatre School at DePaul University stands as a preeminent professional training program in the heart of Chicago. Originally known as the Goodman School of Drama, it boasts a century-long history of shaping the performing arts landscape. The Theatre School is the drama school of DePaul University. The Theatre School is also known as TTS and GSD, respectively.
A Legacy of Training and Performance
The Theatre School's conservatory format provides an intensive, highly disciplined training program. The central core of the program is an extensive production-oriented approach. The School produces more than 150 public performances each season for an audience of more than 50,000 people, featuring students in every aspect of the production.
The Theatre School enrolls approximately 450 students. The Theatre School produces over two dozen public theatrical productions and nearly forty total productions each season. The Theatre School Showcase Series features contemporary and classic plays, while the Chicago Playworks for Families and Young Audiences presents plays for children.
Programs of Study
Programs of study are offered in acting, scene design, costume design, lighting design, sound design, theatre technology, costume technology, wig and makeup design & technology, projection design, stage management, playwriting, dramaturgy/criticism, comedy arts, theatre management, and theatre arts. Graduate programs are offered in acting, directing and arts leadership.
Objectives of the Curricula
The objectives of the professional curricula are to prepare the student for creative participation in any form of theatre requiring a high level of technical competence, to provide the student with the aesthetic and cultural background requisite to an understanding of their art and of the world in which they work, and to develop the specific skills and disciplines necessary for competence in the student’s area of specialization. Each Theatre School course builds and expands upon its predecessor. When the program is complete, the student will have been exposed to the necessary artistic tools and shown their proper usage in order to realize their goals.
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Experiential Learning
Advanced students in the Theatre Studies and Design and Technical programs enhance their training experience by completing internships at local and national organizations. The pre-production calendar for some production assignments may require that students attend rehearsals, meetings, work calls and/or build calls before classes begin in the autumn and during the winter and spring breaks.
Faculty and Staff
In keeping with the school’s concept of the dual importance of theory and practice and of producing a superior quality of instruction, The Theatre School’s faculty and staff are highly qualified, both professionally and academically. In addition, visiting artists and professionals appear in our guest speaker series, CHICAGO LIVE: THE ARTS. Among them have been playwright David Mamet; actresses Celeste Holm, Florence Henderson, and Julie Harris; actors Rip Torn, Charles Durning, Ray Liotta, Jonathan Pryce, Brian Dennehy, and Laurence Fishburne; Chicago’s nationally known Steppenwolf Ensemble including John Malkovich, Jeff Perry, and Gary Sinise; the late comedian Avery Schrieber; director JoAnne Akalaitis, Anne Bogart, Frank Galati, and Paul Sills; and alumni Gillian Anderson, Joe Mantegna, John C. Martin C. Christine A. Phyllis E. Timothy R. Lauren M. William D. Clifton D. Theoni V. W. P. J. Jeremy O. John C.
Admission and Enrollment
The Theatre School only admits students for entry into Autumn quarter each year. Enrollment in each area of concentration is limited by strict capacities. In all of The Theatre School’s programs, students are evaluated annually by the faculty and formally invited to continue into the subsequent year. The evaluation, a professional and confidential process, is based on four key elements: discipline, collaboration, professional potential, and progress in the program. Candidates interested in admission to any of the undergraduate or graduate programs of The Theatre School should contact The Theatre School Admissions Office at (773) 325-7999 or (800) 4DEPAUL (Extension 7999).
Academic Standards
Students in undergraduate programs at The Theatre School must achieve a grade of C- or better in major requirements to receive course credit. Students in the graduate programs must achieve a grade of C or better in major requirements to receive course credit. Any grade lower than a C will require the student to repeat the course. Upon admission to a graduate program, a student is to follow the catalog requirements in effect at the time of entrance. As a graduate student you assume the responsibility to know and meet both the general and particular regulations, procedures, policies, and deadlines set forth in this catalog and handbook. This catalog does not constitute a contract between the student and the University. Every effort has been made to provide accurate and firm information. No one is permitted to attend a class for which he or she has not been properly registered. Credit is accumulated on the basis of quarter hours. Students enrolled for eight or more quarter hours of credit are considered full-time. Those enrolled in four to 7 hours of credit are considered half-time. Those registered for less than 4 quarter hours of credit are considered less than half-time. A student is subject to probation as soon as his/her graduate GPA falls below 2.500. The student remains on probation until the end of the subsequent quarter, at which time another evaluation is made. If, at that time, the student has failed to raise his/her GPA to the required level of 2.500 the student may be dismissed for poor scholarship, and prohibited from registering for additional course work. A student who was previously enrolled in a graduate program in The Theatre School but has not been in attendance since the end of a leave of absence, but not more than four calendar years, must file a Readmission Application. Normally, this application requires that the student take part in the annual interview and audition process and meet the annual application deadlines. Official copies of transcripts recording scholastic work taken while not enrolled at DePaul University must be submitted. Normally graduate programs at The Theatre School do not accept credit transferred from another institution. Courses numbered 300 through 399 are advanced undergraduate courses. Completed degree requirements can include the submitting of the dissertation, thesis or research paper, examination scores, and, if necessary, grade changes. Students who find it necessary to interrupt their attendance at The Theatre School may apply for a leave of absence.
Honors Program and Liberal Studies
Most students follow the Liberal Studies Program to meet their general education requirements. However, students accepted into the Honors Program fulfill general education requirements through an alternative set of courses. The Honors Program is committed to developing students’ knowledge and cultural awareness so they may respect and learn from difference. Students who choose to complete an Honors Senior Thesis must have their project approved at least one term prior to executing the project. To gain approval for a senior thesis, students must complete an application, including a project proposal signed by two faculty advisors. In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of the program, the thesis should attempt to move outside the boundaries normally associated with one particular discipline and should be supervised by two readers from different academic fields. While the final product must be a substantial piece of work building on the student’s accumulated knowledge and new research, specific requirements for each thesis will depend on the nature of the project. See the Director or Associate Director for an application and thesis materials.
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Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts
The Theatre School's Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Theatre Arts is our most flexible program and allows students to study and get experience in a variety of theatrical disciplines. Newly admitted Theatre Arts majors are automatically placed in the standard Theatre Arts curriculum, which includes all core and elective requirements for the BFA degree in Theatre Arts. With respect to the core and elective requirements, students must declare a concentration either in the standard concentration, which includes successful completion of all core requirements plus elective courses in theatre (26 credit hours), chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor. Standard Requirements For Theater Arts Majors who do not pursue a Directing or Theater for Young Audiences concentration, 26 credit hours of open electives is also required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours. Courses should be chosen in consultation with the student's advisor. Students are strongly encouraged to utilize these courses to pursue a minor or second major. Concentration Requirements Students pursuing a concentration must complete the requirements from one of the following concentrations: Theatre for Young Audiences or Directing.
Plan of Study Grid
First Year
- THE 210 SCRIPT ANALYSIS 4 hours
- THE 212 INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE STUDIES 4 hours
- THE 268 INTRODUCTION TO THE PRODUCTION PROCESS 4 hours
- THE 291 PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP I 4 hours
- History of Dramatic Literature Sequence (Arts and Literature Requirement)
- THE 204 HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE 4 hours
- THE 205 HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE 4 hours
- THE 206 HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE 4 hours
- Three Quarters of Theatre Crew 6 hours
- TEC 107 THEATRE CREW
Second Year
- THE 324 DRAMATIC THEORY 4 hours
- Design Workshop Sequence
- THE 141 DESIGN WORKSHOP 4 hours
- DES course or other approved by advisor 4 hours
- Performance Workshop Sequence
- Performance courses approved by advisor 8 hours
- Dramatic Literature Electives: Select three courses in consultation with advisor 12 hours
Third Year
- Directing Sequence
- PRF 374 DIRECTING 4 hours
- PRF 375 DIRECTING 4 hours
- PRF 376 DIRECTING 4 hours
- THE 325 DRAMATIC CRITICISM 4 hours
- DES course or other approved by advisor 4 hours
Fourth Year
- Capstone Sequence
- THE 412 PORTFOLIO PREPARATION 4 hours
- Capstone elective approved by advisor 4 hours
- Production Practice/Internship: Select eight credits total in consultation with advisor 8 hours
- THE 471 THEATRE STUDIES PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
- THE 472 THEATRE STUDIES PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
- THE 473 THEATRE STUDIES PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
- THE 490 THEATRE STUDIES INTERNSHIP
In addition to the requirements above 24 credit hours of Theatre Electives must be completed, to be chosen in consultation with the student's advisor.
Liberal Studies Requirements
First Year
- Chicago Quarter
- LSP 110 or LSP 111 DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO 4 hours
- Focal Point Not Required
- Writing
- WRD 103 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 4 hours
- WRD 104 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 4 hours
- Quantitative Reasoning
- MAT 120 QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 4 hours
Sophomore Year
- Race, Power, and Resistance
- LSP 200 SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE 4 hours
Junior Year
- Experiential Learning Not Required
Senior Year
- Capstone Not Required
1 Students must earn a C- or better in this course. 2 Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152 MAT 155, MAT 156, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.
Learning Domains
- Arts and Literature (AL)
- THE 204 HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE
- THE 205 HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE
- THE 206 HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE
- Historical Inquiry (HI) 1 Course Required
- Math and Computing (MC) Not Required
- Philosophical Inquiry (PI) 1 Course Required
- Religious Dimensions (RD) 1 Course Required
- Scientific Inquiry (SI) 1 Lab Course or 1 SWK Course Required
- Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI) Not Required
- Other Choose 1 course from the above learning domains as an elective
The Theatre School Building
Size: 165,000 sq. ft. / 15,329 sq. m. In the years prior to commissioning the new building, the program was housed in a former parochial school. While the facilities were not ideal, the eclectic spaces of the old elementary school helped fuel a deep sense of artistic community and do-it-yourself optimism. In the spirit of the Theatre School’s old home, students can - and do - turn any part of the building into a stage, including the lobby of the thrust theatre. The building is composed of limestone geometric shapes with vertical strips of glass that expose performance, classroom, and behind-the-scenes spaces. Double-height glass curtain walls offer a glimpse into behind-the-scenes activities. The Theatre School’s architecture is designed to foster connection among theatre artists and give the public an unusual glimpse into the inner workings of the performing arts. The black box theatre is positioned on the fourth floor with a transparent north wall that reveals a colorful, glowing stage reaching toward West Fullerton Avenue.
Mitchell A. Size: 165,000 sq. ft. / 15,329 sq. m. “Each aspect of the architecture embodies DePaul’s ethos of original thinking and collaboration, creating an iconic cultural gateway at the east end of campus and a dynamic view inside the daily creative chaos and rituals of making theatre.” - Mitchell A. “As a longtime theatre designer, I have been part of many collaborative processes myself, and thus have some basis for stating that Pelli Clarke & Partners could not have been more collaborative, responsive, or creative. They are sophisticated and deep listeners.
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