Department of Theatre & Dance
At Otterbein, you will be immersed in experiential learning, creating theatre while working closely with our experienced artist-teachers and guest professionals. You will learn the techniques of your discipline, the art of our collaborative endeavor, and build the critical networking and professional skills needed for a career in the professional theatre.
How To Apply
Audition Information
Theatre Performances
Ticketing & Information
See Us in Action
Theatre & Dance Video Clips
Programs of Study in Theatre & Dance
BFA
BFA in Acting
Develop your own personal acting methodology through intensive training and performance capped with the NYC Senior Showcase!
BFA
BFA in Musical Theatre
Preparing the true triple-threat actor/singer/dancer through multidisciplinary training, culminating in the NYC Senior Showcase!
BFA
BFA in Musical Theatre with an Integrated Dance Minor
All the benefits of a BFA in Musical Theatre with enhanced dance training!
BFA
BFA in Design Technology
Take leadership roles in Scenery, Costumes, Lighting, Sound, and/or Stage Management, utilizing today’s technology to create robust productions!
BA
BA in Theatre
A flexible program for self-motivated explorers interested in areas such as directing, arts administration, play creation, and stage management, as well as those seeking to double major in theatre.
Minor
Dance Minor
Allows advanced training in ballet, tap, modern, jazz, and musical theatre every day while pursuing your chosen major.
Theatre & Dance Spotlights
Our students had the distinct privilege of working with Guest Lighting Designer Jonathan Spencer for our recent production of Cabaret. His work has been seen around the world and in major New York theaters, on National Tours, and in regional theatres throughout the US.
Bradford Sadler presented a workshop for our Acting and Musical Theatre majors about opportunities in Standardized Patient work which allows performers to use their acting skills to help nursing and med school students polish their interpersonal skills, thereby making them stronger medical providers in the future.
Department Features & Student Opportunities
Experienced Teaching Artists
All faculty members in the Theatre & Dance Department at Otterbein are professional artists working in their field of study, bringing their experiences and contemporary practices to the classroom.
Learning by Doing
Experiential learning is at the core of our curriculum and a signature part of an Otterbein education. We deliver large-school professional training with the individual attention and opportunities that only a smaller program can provide.
Student Driven Work
Otterbein students are engaged, creative individuals with a passion for generating their own theatre. Our Theatre majors and Dance minors have many opportunities to create the work they are driven to create in the ways they want to create it.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
The Department of Theatre & Dance has made a strong commitment to Equity and Inclusion, outlined in our Departmental Statement. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are works in progress and you can follow our progress on this important work through the updated Timeline Document.
NY Senior Showcase
Each spring, our BFA Senior Showcase is produced for a live audience in NYC and filmed for casting directors and talent agents all over the country. As the capstone experience for eligible Acting and Musical Theatre majors, it is their final audition as college students and their first of many as professionals.
Performance Venues & Facilities
Theatre & Dance performances are primarily hosted in our 1100 seat proscenium house, the Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall and the 244 seat black box Campus Center Theatre. In addition to these, our students utilize three dance studios, state of the art classrooms for design and discovery, and Riley Auditorium.
Theatre & Dance Department News
Theatre Student Shares Appreciation for Deaf History Month and ASL
News - March 25, 2024
By Maggie Nicol ‘25 March is National Deaf History Month, and students like Sammi Robinson ’26, who takes American Sign Language (ASL) classes at Otterbein, believe that observing deaf history is important for everyone, not just those who study the language, abilities, and culture of the deaf community. Sammi Robinson ’26 Robinson is a sophomore pursuing a BFA in acting. She has a desire to connect with people on all levels despite obstacles that others face, and before attending Otterbein,…Student Composer Sets the Mood for Theatre & Dance Production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
News - February 13, 2024
Deep in a magical forest, mortals and fairies collide, resulting in tempestuous love triangles, contagious fogs and moonlight revels — proving that “the course of true love never did run smooth.” Shakespeare’s best-known comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” is a fairy tale about the complexities of human relationships and the often-hilarious path to love. And the path to love in Otterbein’s production is set to music written by senior David Zimmerman, a senior music composition and economics double major from…Theatre & Dance presents “Dance 2023: Escape to Wonderland”
News - November 10, 2023
The Otterbein University Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Dance 2023: Escape to Wonderland” at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday Nov. 16; at 8 p.m. on Nov. 17 and 18; and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, 30 S. Grove St., Westerville. Tickets cost $22. Call 614-823-1109 or www.otterbein.edu/drama. Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,”the production is a fanciful journey through Alice’s dreams and imagination. With the Mad Hatter as our guide, audiences…Our Institutional Partners
The Otterbein Department of Theatre and Dance is proud to partner with great organizations across the spectrum of theatre education and practice, including:
Contact Us
Dawn Horne
Director of Recruitment
& Administrative Assistant
614-823-1657
horne2@otterbein.edu
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Now!