Mission Statement: 

Wagner College provides a strong liberal arts background combined with intensive training in Theatre, particularly Musical Theatre, through classes and public performances.  By combining theory and practice, the department seeks to foster leadership, a sense of community, artistic integrity, intellectual expertise, and the best professional values to serve students in their chosen profession.

Curriculum Overview:  The Department of Theatre and Speech offers training in Acting, Musical Theatre Performance, Dance, Design, and Management as well as study in Directing. A complete list of course offerings is available on the college website. 
Degrees:  BA in Theatre and Speech; BS in Arts Arts Administration; Dual Major in Theatre and Education.
Concentrations in Theatre:  Performance; Design/Technology/Management; Theatre Studies.
  • Performance Concentration involves a sequence of acting courses, including classical styles, improvisational techniques, musical theatre performance, and the business of acting. The sequence culminates in a Senior Showcase in New York City in front of an audience of theatre professionals and agents. Students may also select from a wide variety of courses in Dance, Movement, and Voice and Diction.  An audition is required for acceptance into the program.
  • Design, Technology and Management (DT&M) Concentration involves a range of courses, including Stage Management, Drafting, and Design Courses in their areas of interest, including Lighting, Costume, and/or Sets.  There are many opportunities to practice their area of interest by working on the various departmental productions.  An interview is required.
  • Theatre Studies Concentration is designed for students considering graduate school.  Students take a range of history and literature courses in both the English and Theatre Department.  Students are required to interview prior to declaring this major.
  • Dual Major in Education and Theatre is best for students interested in a career teaching in primary or secondary schools.  Students take a range of Theatre courses as well as all the required courses for receiving teacher certification, including the Senior Learning Community in Education which involves a semester of student teaching.  Students will have an advisor in both areas.
  • Arts Administration Major involves study in the art complimented by intensive study in Business and Management.  Students can concentrate in Art, Music, Theatre, or a Combined arts track and must interview prior to declaring a major.
Minors:  Theatre; Dance.
  • The Dance Program offers study in a range of disciplines, including Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Tap as well as courses in Choreography, History, and Criticism.  Professional dancers and choreographers regulaly offer guest workshops and are hired to participate in the program.

Wagner College Theatre

The Main Stage is a proscenium theatre that seats over 400 and regularly sells out to students, family, staff and the greater Staten Island community.  Shows include three musicals and either a play or dance concert. Each of these productions runs 2 weeks. To view our current season click here.

Stage One is a black box theatre which focuses on the dramatic canon and allows for a focus on acting values.  Three of the four shows are classic or contemporary plays; the fourth show is a musical or dance concert.  To view our current season click here.

Special Projects: The Department regularly supports collaborations with student organizations and other academic departments, such as Honors Projects, club fundraisers, concerts with the Music Department, etc.  Among recent events:  365 Play/365 Days, Kathy Brier in Concert, The Vagina Monlogues, among many others.

Some statistics: An estimated 80-100 students are involved in each of the Mainstage productions. During an average school year, approximately eight productions are offered, including the mainstage subscription productions, with totals of about 200 roles available, and 225 production/ staff support positions. 

Auditions for the productions are open to the entire student body.Most theatre and dance courses are open to the entire college community, and participation in departmental productions is open to everyone on campus.  Because of the many talented students at Wagner, auditioners will find that casting is highly competitive.  However, there are many ways for students to participate in our production season, such as working backstage or in front-of-house capacities, running the light or sound board,  etc.  

The department regularly hires professional directors, choreographers, designers, music directors and musicians. 

Faculty Involvement: The Theatre Faculty participates fully in the production program, serving as directors, choreographers, designers, vocal coaches, fight choreographers and in other specialized support roles. To see the list of faculty and their bios, click here.

Theatre Advisory Board (TAB): This organization consists of two elected members from each academic class. TAB meets throughout the school year with the Department Chair and/or members of the Theatre faculty.  TAB provides a formal conduit for theatre students to convey their views and concerns to the faculty.  They also organize various social and fundraising activities.

Advisement:  Upon declaring a major, students are given an advisor from the full time faculty. All members of the Theatre faculty advise students both formally and informally.

Guest Artists/Workshops/Clinics: Special events complement and enrich the scholastic offerings, such as movement workshops, guest artists, master classes, vocal clinics, etc.

Field Trips: Given Wagner's location, classes often include travel to Manhattan to see shows, conduct research at places like the Library of Performing Arts, or take workshops at the School for Film and Television.

The Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival:  Wagner College Theatre participates in Region II often competing successfully in the Irene Ryans.  Recently a Wagner D/T/M won the national competition in Stage Management.

The American College Dance Festival:  Each year Wagner College takes students to ACDF.  We participate in various regional festivals, having traveled to Miami, Scottsdale, Buffalo, and other cities.

Internationalization:  Reflecting Wagner's mission to provide opportunities for international study, the Department of Theatre has established a faculty exchange with the Guilford School of Acting in Surrey, England.  Further, faculty have designed and implemented Expanding Your Horizons courses to locales such as Greece, Italy, and England.  Wagner's partnership with IES also allows students to spend a semester abroad--London and Dublin being the two most popular locations for Theatre students.

Senior Showcase: The Department produces an annual Senior Showcase during which qualified seniors perform before an invited audience of agents, managers, and producers. The Senior Showcase takes place at the end of Spring semester.