At URI, studying theatre goes way beyond acting. Theatre is a collaborative art, requiring discipline, hard work, high standards of performance, and passion—just ask anyone involved in bringing a play to life.
Your role is valued here, whether you are acting, writing, directing, designing the set, running sound or sewing the costumes. This respect for the work that everyone does—both on stage and off—defines the URI theatre department’s approach.
Why Theatre at URI?
A well-rounded approach
Choose a concentration in acting, directing, design and theatre technology, or stage/theatre management. You can even combine two and still finish in four years. Whatever your focus is, you’ll still have training in all of these areas. You’ll learn to think on your feet, approach things creatively, communicate effectively, and be part of a team–skills that will help you in any profession.
Work (closely) with the pros
Our core faculty is augmented by visiting professional artists from all disciplines, and from all over the region. You’ll develop relationships with working professionals, and have access to contacts in the industry. Our small class sizes also provide a personalized learning environment, and you’ll find there’s a strong sense of community that includes both faculty and students alike.
Earn while you learn
In addition to offering a variety of internship opportunities, we also have salaried positions available to students in our main office, box office, costume shop and scene shop. We even hire qualified students to teach the Introduction to Theatre course to non-majors. This kind of experience can make a big difference, not just with your cash flow, but also with employers and graduate schools.