The St. Edward’s Department of Performing Arts provides students with a well-rounded foundation that values all facets of the performing arts. Through rigorous training, mentorship, and practical experience in a professional setting, we challenge theater students to discover their voices as the storytellers and content creators of tomorrow.  

Students may pursue a BA in Theater Arts with a specialization in emerging forms, theater design/technology, or theater management, or they may pursue a BFA in Acting. A theater minor is also available in musical theater and can be paired with our BFA in Acting or taken independently. Theater minors are available in theater education and musical theater. We prepare students for graduate-level training and careers in professional or educational theater.

Scholarship Audition Weekend

Scholarship Audition Weekend is your chance to immerse yourself in the Theater Arts program — meeting faculty and students, participating in classes and workshops, and seeing the quality of work we produce. We evaluate senior high-school students for scholarships based not only on the individual audition and interview but also on engagement in workshops throughout the weekend.

Please note: Scholarship Audition Week is not an audition for the BFA program. BFA auditions take place during the second semester of the first year at St. Edward’s.

Application and Registration Requirements

  • Admission application and supporting documents must be received by February 1
  • Students must be accepted to St. Edward’s to participate in Scholarship Audition Weekend
  • All students must be registered for Scholarship Audition Weekend by February 9
  • To request a registration link, please email scholarshipauditionweekend@stedwards.edu 

Program Structure

Friday, February 16, 2024

  • Attend a theater class
  • Q & A with current students
  • Required: Attend two (2) faculty workshops. These workshops are an important part of matching students to programs and are a required part of your audition. Students should be prepared to participate as best as possible.
  • Parent FAQ with faculty, current students and alumni
  • Participate in student-led tours of our spaces and department overview
  • Join us for dinner with current faculty, staff and students
  • Audition and portfolio presentations (time scheduled after registration)
  • Attend a performance of Peter and the Starcatcher at the Mary Moody Northen Theatre and participate in a talk back with the director, performers and production team following the show.

Saturday, February 17, 2024

  • Audition and portfolio presentations (time scheduled at registration)

Audition and Registration Details

Performance Students:
Performance students should prepare two contrasting monologues of no more than three minutes combined. If you would like to sing, please prepare only one monologue and 32 bars of one song; your monologue and song should not exceed three minutes in total. An accompanist will be available for vocal auditions.

Designers/Technicians/Stage Managers:
Design/Tech and Management students will be given the opportunity to present their portfolios. Monologues are not required (but may be presented). Portfolio presentations should be no longer than five minutes to allow for questions from the faculty.

Everyone:
All high-school senior registered students will be required to submit a recent headshot or photo, theatrical résumé, one-page statement of artistic goals, and an optional letter of support from a theater teacher.

Current high-school Juniors are not eligible to audition but will be eligible to submit for scholarship money during the fall of their senior year.

Additional Information

Students must participate in Scholarship Audition Weekend to be eligible for departmental scholarships.
 
Any student who has been accepted to the university is eligible to major in Theater Arts, regardless of attendance at Scholarship Audition Weekend. Students must major in Theater Arts to receive theater scholarships. 

All students will be notified of award status by mid-March.

Our Faculty

St. Edward’s University theater faculty members hold graduate degrees from New York University, Yale School of Drama, the University of Texas, and Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, among others. Their work has appeared in diverse venues, including the Houston Grand Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Zach Theatre, Denver Center Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Public Theatre, on tour, and in film and television.

 

 

Professional Training in the Performing Arts

Choose from the BFA in Acting or the BA in Theater Arts. In both programs, you will engage in classroom training and productions to gain the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to prepare for a career in the world of theater. You'll have the chance to observe working professionals and work directly with them.