Department of Theatre Arts
Where art meets transformation. Immerse yourself in live performance that shapes identity, builds professional skills and creates the collaborative excellence that serves any profession.
What is Theatre Arts?
Theatre Arts is your gateway to transformative growth through the art of live performance, where storytelling shapes your identity as an artist and professional while building collaborative skills that serve you across any career path. Our department empowers you to learn by doing, as live performance demands deep knowledge, professional work ethic and creative problem-solving abilities that translate into success far beyond the stage.
Through our unique African American Theatre Program — the first and only accredited graduate program of its kind in the nation — you'll explore the rich cultural heritage that makes theatre essential to our society while contributing to cutting-edge performances in our intimate learning environment with classes no larger than 25 students. From our main stage productions to the student-led Studio Theater Company, you'll build the portfolio and professional network that launches careers like our alumni who've worked on major productions from Guardians of the Galaxy to The Mandalorian and tours with artists like Beyoncé.
Here, your passion for storytelling transforms into the collaborative skills, creative confidence and professional excellence that drives success in entertainment, education, business and any field requiring effective communication and innovative thinking.
Upcoming shows & events
Where Performance Meets Profession
Expand Your Creative Expression
Why study Theatre Arts?
Projected employment growth for producers and directors
Median annual wage for producers and directors
UofL's African American Theatre Program is the first and only accredited graduate MFA program of its kind in the nation
Recent News from Theatre Arts
Ready to transform passion into professional excellence?
Apply today to join Theatre Arts' vibrant community. Explore our programs, meet faculty, and start your journey toward a successful career.
Career Prospects
Where Creative Expression Becomes Your Gateway to Transformative Impact
Theatre training develops something most employers can't teach: the ability to inhabit a perspective, communicate under pressure, collaborate in real time and tell a story that moves an audience. Those skills are in demand far beyond the stage — in film and television production, corporate communications, education, arts administration, technology (UX, voice, interaction design) and leadership development.
UofL's Theatre Arts department is home to the first and only accredited African American Theatre MFA program in the nation — a distinction that positions our graduates for careers in a production landscape that is actively seeking cultural authenticity and depth. Producers and directors are projected to grow 5% through 2034 with approximately 12,800 openings per year and a median wage of $83,480. At the same time, theatre graduates who move into adjacent fields — technology, consulting, education, healthcare communication — consistently find that their performance training gives them a professional edge no purely technical degree provides.
From Stage to Streaming Success
Ready to turn your commitment to performance, collaboration, and creative vision into professional impact? Explore Theatre Arts at the University of Louisville — home to the first and only accredited African American Theatre MFA program in the nation, where training in live performance launches careers on stage, on screen, in education, and across every industry that needs people who can communicate and connect.