Step into the spotlight

Visit Steele Hall, and you’ll discover that theater majors aren’t the only ones onstage or behind the scenes. Within the four years that it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree, Cal U students in any major can experience more than 20 theater productions on our two on-campus stages, either as a direct participant, a volunteer or an observer.

Students with a love of music spend plenty of time in the rehearsal spaces and classrooms in Gallagher Hall. But you also find them performing on the football field with the Cal U Marching Band, playing onstage with the concert band or jazz ensemble, or singing in one of the University’s six choirs and a cappella groups.

Why get involved with performing arts? If you’ve chosen a theater major, commercial music technology major or music minor, these activities may be part of your academic program. But the teamwork, time management and group learning involved in performing arts fosters an intuitive sense of “how things get done” that easily translates to any mission, job assignment or career.

Performing together also builds a sense of community and puts you in touch with other students who share your passion for theater, musical theater, dance or music.

Practical experience for theater majors

As part of our well-rounded curriculum, every Cal U theater major is required to take practicum credits, which give students performance opportunities and practical experience in various areas of production including:

• Technical theater production.
• Dance.
• Acting.
• Theater design.
• Management
• Directing.
• Technical theater direction.
• Touring theater.
• Summer theater.

Cal U’s theater department also rewards creative excellence by offering opportunities for juniors and seniors to produce shows, choreograph pieces and direct or design both major productions and one-act performances. Upon graduation, Cal U theater majors are well prepared for a broad range of theater careers.

Performance opportunities for musicians

Six University choirs provide a variety of performance options for singers, while instrumentalists may perform in the marching band, concert band or various ensembles. All students, including those who are concentrating in musical theater or who chose to add a music minor to their degree, can take advantage of Cal U’s many bands and choirs.

Some vocal and instrumental groups are open by audition only, while others welcome all interested students. Whatever your performance interests, these musical groups allow you to hone your talents, cultivate creativity, perform for audiences on and off campus, and find friends who share your passion for music. Who knows? You may meet like-minded students and start a band of your own!

Join a club … and take a bow

Many student-run clubs and organizations focus on theater, dance and music. You can get involved – and see what individual clubs are all about – at OrgSync, the online home of Cal U’s 100+ student clubs and organizations.