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Theatre Arts Department
Step into the world of theatre and start creating from your very first semester. Whether you’re acting, designing, building sets, or diving into theatre’s rich history, you’ll gain hands-on experience while exploring dramatic structure, performance techniques, and the creative forces shaping contemporary art and culture.
At Bradley, you can focus your studies on theatre arts, performance, or production—each designed to give you the tools, experiences, and opportunities to stand out. Your degree opens doors to careers as a performer, director, producer, designer, technician, or arts manager. Along the way, you’ll develop valuable skills like communication, collaboration, organization, financial planning, and strategic thinking—qualities that employers in any field appreciate.
Plus, the Department of Theatre Arts offers generous scholarships to qualifying students, helping you pursue your passion while investing in your future.
Majors
Theatre Arts
Build your skills with degree concentrations in Theatre Arts Performance or Production. Pair your learning with minors available in Theatre Arts or Musical Theatre.
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Complementary Major
Entertainment Engineering
Do you want to work in the fastest-growing design area in entertainment: automation? This includes studies in hydraulics, pneumatics, rigging, motor and winch design, and structural design for theatrical productions. This degree prepares you to seek work in film, TV, theatre, theme parks, concert venues, touring shows, cruise ships, and unique entertainment experiences like Cirque du Soleil. Pair this complementary major with any engineering major, and with minors available in Theatre Arts or Musical Theatre.
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Minors
Get involved in theatre, even if you’ve chosen another academic path! This minor will keep you engaged in all department productions as an actor, technician, crew member, or any number of other roles.
In addition, you will work closely with a theatre advisor. The minor is often paired with majors in communication, television arts, engineering, education, psychology, and other humanities programs.
This minor includes courses in acting, piano, music theory, and ear training/sight singing. You’ll be involved in theatre arts productions through our practicum program, and you’ll work closely with a theatre arts advisor, to keep you on track.
This minor pairs well with majors in music, theatre arts, communication, TV arts, creative writing, and other majors within the fine arts or the liberal arts and sciences.
Departmental Resources
See what’s up next for our stage performances and get your tickets today!
With a 270-seat modified thrust stage, the Meyer Jacobs Theatre is the home for most Bradley University theatre productions. Named for Peoria businessman Meyer J. Jacobs ’39, this intimate performance space is equipped with up-to-date digital lighting and sound systems and provides a dynamic showcase for both musical and non-musical theatre ranging from the classics to the boldest contemporary works.
Generously supported and dedicated by Mr. and Mrs. John O’Sullivan in memory of their daughter, Bradley alumna Blythe O’Sullivan, this flexible, fully-equipped theatre space is home to many of the department’s performance classes, student projects. mainstage rehearsals, special events, and occasional season productions.
Upcoming performances
INTO THE WOODS
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and Book by James Lapine
November 7-9 and 12-16, 2025 (in the Meyer Jacobs Theatre)
Directed by Al Oltmanns
Our first full musical production since Little Women in 2017, Into the Woods is a beloved American classic from the masterful musical pen of the legendary Stephen Sondheim. Journey along with characters you know and love from Grimms’ Fairy Tales as they venture “into the woods” where predicaments, perils, and life lessons abound. In this enchanting, fantastical, and timeless musical, visionary guest director Al Oltmanns imagines these storybook characters, and their world, in a brand-new way, as a cautionary tale from our near future. Performed on our new turntable in the Meyer Jacobs Theatre, our production features scenic design by Chad Lowell (John Proctor is the Villain, The Three Musketeers), costumes by Tom Slotten (John Proctor is the Villain, Men On Boats), music direction by Susan Somerville-Brown (Songs for Spring, Peter and the Starcatcher, Little Women), and makeup and hair design by Emmy-winning makeup artist Brad Look (The Hunger Games, Star Trek: Voyager). Venture Into the Woods with us! Trust us, you don’t want to miss this one!
EVERYBODY, by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
April 8 – 12, 2026 (in the Meyer Jacobs Theatre)
Directed by Dan Matisa
This humorous, poignant, extraordinary play is a modern retelling of the 15th-century Medieval morality play Everyman, and is written by one of the most vibrant and exciting voices in theatre today, Tony- and Pulitzer-winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. It’s about…well…everybody! What’s more, five of the performers are cast by random lottery every night, so no two performances are ever the same! We are truly looking forward to doing this superb play, which was nominated for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. With direction by Dan Matisa (The Three Musketeers, Men On Boats, The Mousetrap), Everybody is sure to be a thought-provoking and surprising night at the theatre! Contains some adult language.
A FESTIVAL OF SHORT PLAYS
April 23 – 26, 2026 (in the Meyer Jacobs Theatre)
We’ll end our season with an evening of short plays from across the world of dramatic literature. Evocative dramas, hilarious comedies, and everything in between are all on the table. Celebrated playwrights and newer voices have challenged themselves to take on the art form that is the one-act play; short theatrical works that unfold in one brief act. A talented guest director will take on this exciting project, along with, of course, our terrific students.