Why study Theatre Studies at MC?
Theatre is an interdisciplinary art, making it a perfect field of study at a liberal arts college. As a Theatre major at Maryville College, you will hone your skills in every area of theatre production, including acting, directing, stagecraft, play analysis and arts management. The size of the program means ample opportunities for students both on stage and behind the scenes; moreover, it allows for one-on-one interaction with faculty, staff and students. Graduates of the program go into a wide variety of fields after finishing their studies. Theatre majors learn and develop skills that all employers are looking for: leading and collaborating with diverse groups of people, staying on budget, working on a tight timeline and working under pressure.
MC Theatre Department
For more information about Theatre at Maryville College, please visit the Theatre department webpage.
ON CAMPUS OPPORTUNITIES
The College’s Chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, a national theatre honor society, sponsors a variety of events each year, such as the annual Ghost Tour. Those students also travel to a conference each year, such as the Southeastern Theatre Conference. APO typically produces two student-directed plays each year. Recent productions include an original musical by Leonard Lively (’19) celebrating the College’s Bicentennial titled Sturdy as a Rock and Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche by Andrew Hobgood and Evan Linder.
The Clayton Center for the Arts provides internships for students interested in all areas of theatre production. Students get “real-world” experience loading in touring productions, running light and sound for on-campus events, and working backstage for productions large and small. In addition, students can work in arts administration positions, learning about marketing, scheduling, and sales.
CLAYTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS
The $47-million Clayton Center for the Arts opened in 2010. Home to the College’s Fine Arts Division and a gathering place for the community where the arts and culture of the region are celebrated, the Clayton Center gives theatre students opportunities to work on national and international tours that perform in the Center’s outstanding venues. The facility includes: the 1,200-seat Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre (proscenium theatre with continental seating), the 200-seat Haslam Family Flexible Theatre, the 252-seat Harold and Jean Lambert Recital Hall, state-of-the-art classrooms, costume and scene shops, and multiple dressing rooms.
Scholarships, Awards, & Auditions
The Division of Fine Arts offers several opportunities to both first-year and returning or transfer students based on academic achievement, interest areas, leadership and talent. Learn More about the awards and qualifications >
Meet a Current Scot
Connor Goins
Hometown: Cleveland, Tennessee
While deciding on the best institution at which to receive a college education, Connor knew immediately upon seeing the Clayton Center for the Arts that Maryville College was to be his destination.
As a Theatre major with a focus in costume design and a minor in Art, he’s become active on stage in more ways than one: performing with vocal ensembles Off Kilter, the Lads, the Maryville College Concert Choir and the MC Recital Choir; acting in productions by the MC Theatre Department and with local troupes like Flying Anvil Theatre and Scenic City Dance Company.
“One of my favorite things about MC Theatre is the hands-on experience we get as soon as we arrive,” Goins said. “In my few years here, I have already been given such opportunities to design and perform with local theatre companies, as well as to work in the wardrobe department of the national touring production of a Broadway show. All of this was given to me through my connections at Maryville College.”
Meet a Recent Grad
Bailey Holt ’20
Currently: With the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Memphis, Tennessee
Theatre Studies at Maryville College continue to open doors for Bailey Holt.
After graduation, she enrolled in Shenandoah University’s master’s program in Performing Arts Leadership and Management, completing her degree in May 2022 and moving to Memphis, where she’s now part of the team at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.
“I owe a lot to the Theatre Studies degree track,” Holt said. “The technical work on productions and leadership opportunities were fantastic hands-on experiences, but doing it alongside the academic structure truly prepared me for working in the field while I earned my master’s degree at the same time.
“The knowledge I gained from my classes and production work gave me the confidence to work alongside my peers in graduate school, some of whom had many years of experience in the industry, and in my current job.”