Message From the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Theatre and Musical Theatre at Sam Houston State University. We strive for acceptance and inclusivity for all students, cultivating diverse artists and educators in this vibrant and exciting field. Apart from training triple threat actors, we train students in the design, technical and educational fields, preparing students for a competitive job market. A student may earn a BFA in Musical Theatre, Theatre with Teaching Certification, or Theatre with the choice of the following areas of study: Acting/ Directing, Design / Technology or Theatre Studies. Many of our graduates have worked on Broadway, in renowned regional theatres and in classrooms across the country.

Our proximity to Houston affords internship opportunities in some of the city’s top-notch theatre companies, where students can obtain professional credits before graduation. These include Theatre Under the Stars, The Alley, Stages, AD Players and Classical Theatre Company among others. Our department involvement in the Kennedy Center / American College Theatre Festival, Texas Educational Theatre Association and The Growing Studio are other ways our students are exposed to the professional world of theatre.

Students are eligible to be cast in the main season shows every semester as well as to be given leadership responsibilities in design, stage management, directing and technical theatre. As students’ progress in their primary area of interest, there are opportunities to design, stage manage or direct a production. This allows each student to develop a healthy resume before graduation.

We have a strong alumni network across the country, and this allows theatre and musical theatre students a robust network of contacts. Our graduates always have alumni support wherever they may land throughout their careers. Students find that upon graduation they are well prepared for careers in either commercial or educational theatre.

We welcome you to the SHSU theatre program and encourage you to contact us with any questions or to come and visit our campus, sit in on our classes or see our productions. We want you to make our theatre program your new home.

Nicholas Graves M.F.A.
Chair, Department of Theatre and Musical Theatre