Welcome to the Theater and Dance Department!
Our department offers small academic and studio courses in which students are closely mentored by expert faculty. Our curriculum includes advanced classes for those interested in pursuing a career in the performing arts. We also encourage students without previous experience to try a beginning course in acting, dance, design, or playwriting. Always make sure to contact the instructor if you do not meet prerequisites for a given course; oftentimes, first-year students have past experience that will ease them into such learning opportunities.
With the exception of dance technique courses, THDA classes count for your Fine Arts requirements. Many fulfill USID, Internationalism, various Writing and Q requirements.
In the fall 2023, the Theater and Dance Department will offer two sections of the First Year Course (FYC) THDA105, Seeing Performance in the Twin Cities.
Theater and Dance Audition Information
Auditions for theater productions and dance concerts are open to all Macalester students. First-year students are regularly cast in theater productions and dance concert pieces. Additional information about the audition process and the productions will be on our website, and available here.
This fall, THDA Faculty and celebrated director and performer Bob Rosen will direct a devised piece in collaboration with an ensemble of student performers. If you’re interested in the process of developing and creating a piece of performance from the ground up in the room, then this is the piece for you. It will be performed November 22-24 and December 6-8.
Auditions for the Fall Theater Production: A Collaborative Creation will be on Friday, September 6th 6-8pm and Saturday, September 7th 2:30-5:30pm in Mainstage T121 with callbacks on Sunday, September 8th from 11:30am-1:30pm in Mainstage T121, Janet Wallace Fine Art Center. Time slots are available here.
The Fall 2024 Dance Concert performances will take place November 7 – 10 and will be choreographed by a group of skilled student choreographers who have successfully completed Dance Composition or Contemporary Ensemble Choreography courses. Everyone is encouraged to audition, even if you are brand new to dance! Choreographers will be seeking dancers with a range of experiences and movement styles.
Auditions for the Fall Dance Concert will be held on Sunday, September 8th 12:00 – 2:00 in Fox Studio T120, Janet Wallace Fine Art Center. No advance sign ups are required, and you don’t need to prepare anything to audition – just bring yourself and clothing you can move in.
Arts @ Mac: An Open House & Lunch Social
When you arrive on campus, keep an eye out for information on Arts @ Mac Welcome Week, sponsored by the departments of Music, Art and Art History, and Theater and Dance. Meet faculty, returning students and guest artists, and get information on auditions, backstage work opportunities, the curriculum and courses, and special events.
Visiting Artists
Recent visiting artists include Sarah Bellamy, Kate Bornstein, Li Chiao-Ping, Eliot Gray Fisher, Shawn Judge, MJ Kaufman, Jennifer Liestman, Iris McCloughan, Juliana Neves, Eiko Otake, Miranda Rose Hall, Ingrid Sonnichsen, Darrius Strong, Paula Vogel, & Steve Yoakam