Future Students

Welcome to the Department of Theater

From the ancient past to the digital present, theater is one of the most profound ways human beings have represented themselves to one another. The department provides students with opportunities to make and study theater, in historical and contemporary contexts, and to develop creative and collaborative skills relevant to the world today.

We offer students:

Four productions and a one-act play festival each year
Outstanding theater and lab facilities
Lab classes and work available in all facets of production
Faculty with decades of professional experience
Off-campus opportunities with the Theater in London class, or internships at metro theaters
New Plays on Campus program from the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis, which provides St. Olaf with works by new playwrights who come as artist-in-residence and work directly with students

St. Olaf theater majors pursue careers as actors, directors, designers, and playwrights. Graduates also achieve success in other fields, including business, architecture, teaching, law, and advertising – all while celebrating life through their art, using it to build community, orchestrate change, and enhance our culture.

When you visit the St. Olaf Department of Theater you will have the opportunity to talk with students and faculty, tour our wonderful facilities and get a feel for life in the department.

We ask that you schedule in-person visits through the Admissions Office.

St. Olaf theater scholarships are merit-based scholarships that are awarded to incoming new students with exceptional theater talent and promise in any area of theater. Students also may qualify for additional need-based aid, in which case the theater scholarship becomes part of the student’s financial aid package.

Awards of up to $7,000 per year are open to theater majors and non-theater majors. This merit-based award is potentially a $28,000 4-year scholarship. Recipients are required to participate in the theater department program once per academic year.

A student applying for a theater scholarship must also submit an application for admission to the college. Please visit the admissions website for more information regarding admission and to apply to the college.

Scholarship Information & Application

The St. Olaf College Theater Department is a member of several organizations including the United States Institute for Technology (USITT), Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota (CTAM) , and the Playwrights’ Center New Plays on Campus program. We are also accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theater (NAST).