Theatre, B.F.A.

students from the Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre getting dressed for a performance

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) is the standard higher education track for those who seek a profession in the visual, fine, and performing arts. Admittance into B.F.A. programs are highly competitive. For theatre, the B.F.A.’s focus is studio work (typically 2/3rds in program), rather than general liberal arts studies (1/3rd in program).

College of the Arts

West Palm Beach

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Why Earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre at PBA?

Those who complete a B.F.A. in theatre are typically more prepared for their craft and profession. The Wall Street Journal reports that those with a B.F.A. have “‘surprisingly high’ income levels, job prospects, and levels of job satisfaction.”

PBA’s distinguishing factors include all-encompassing training in performance and production, emphasis on redemptive aspects of drama, the new Summer Repertory, and PBA Children’s Theatre; all making the B.F.A. in Theatre at PBA attractive to the serious theatre student who is also Christ-centered.

Currently, PBA Theatre is producing seven shows per year, four main stages, two children’s theatre productions, and one summer repertory production.

What Can I Do With This Degree?

  • Performance and production in theatre, film, theme parks, events
  • Actor
  • Director
  • Choreographer
  • Designer
  • Stage Manager
  • Playwright
  • Composer
  • Music Director
  • Theatre Teacher
  • Teaching Artist
  • Casting Director
  • Events Planner

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Program Details

  • Emphasis on Redemptive Storytelling
  • Summer Repertory Theatre in Wellington
  • Connection to PBA Children’s Theatre
  • South and Central Florida Theatre and Theme Park connections
  • All faculty and staff have worked professionally in field
  • All-encompassing BFA- covers all aspects of theatre performance and production
  • Hone your performance skills through a variety of opportunities, from PBA Theatre performances to Broadway master classes presented through partnership with the Kravis Center.
  • Enjoy a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of just 15
  • Take your theatrical skills to the next level through our NYC and London experiences
  • Engage in hands-on learning through learning opportunities and experiences with professional designers, professional and regional theatres, and PBA’s own children’s theatre.

Graduates gain exceptional preparation to succeed in their careers and graduate school through a well-rounded learning experience blending classroom instruction and abundant practicum training opportunities. You’ll find our graduates, including a Tony Award Winning Actress, succeeding at the following schools and organizations and many more.

  • University of Texas at Austin
  • Florida Stage University
  • Florida Atlantic University
  • Louisiana State University
  • University of Central Florida
  • Northern Illinois Dekalb
  • Broadway & London’s West End
  • Members of SAG & Actors Equity
  • Walt Disney World
  • Universal Studios
  • Disney Cruise Lines
  • Kravis Performing Arts Center
  • Maltz Jupiter Theatre
  • Orlando Repertory Theatre
  • Mill Mountain Theatre
  • Oregon Shakespeare Festival
  • Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival
  • Great River Shakespeare Festival
  • Seattle Children’s Theatre
  • Dallas Children’s Theatre
  • Alhambra Theatre
  • Slow Burn Theatre
  • Theatre Zone
  • Florida Repertory Theatre
  • Palm Beach Dramaworks
  • Independent Producers and Playwrights
  • Jupiter Christian High School
  • Oxbridge

Auditions

  • Admission to the BFA in Theatre is by audition only. Students auditioning are asked to perform either 2 one-minute monologues or a one-minute song and a one-minute monologue.
  • Applicants are also interviewed.
  • Auditions for the program are every month.

Admissions Decisions

  • Admission to the BFA in Theatre is by audition only. Applicants audition and interview in person (online option available) for theatre faculty. Faculty rate each applicant in tiers based on their performance and interview. Student’s tier classification is then considered with other factors such as professionalism, GPA, and other artistic abilities before final admission.
  • Applicants who audition for, but are not accepted into the BFA program may be offered a spot in the BA program.

Learn more about your classes and requirements in the course catalog

Course Catalog

PBA awards over three million dollars in scholarships every year and 97% of PBA undergraduate students receive financial aid.

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“All my experiences and opportunities had me engaging with folks who were students all the way up to donors and Trustee members. I learned how to present myself professionally, as well as how to work hard and collaborate with others.”

– Laura Titus

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Related Programs

students from the degree in theatre arts making a costume with fabric

Theatre Arts, B.A.

You love to tell stories, connect with audiences and collaborate with others to create something that impacts the heart and the mind. You’ll do that and more as a student in the theatre program at Palm Beach Atlantic University. The purpose of the theatre program is to train students in the development of imaginative, purposeful, and skilled expression in the theatre, as well as provide for their artistic, intellectual and spiritual growth.

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Theatre Arts, Minor

Audition to become a theatre arts minor and complete 24 credit hours of courses, and participate in performances. Admission to programs of study in the Department of Theatre are by audition only. Learn more about our audition process.

Studio Art, B.A.

The major of studio art at Palm Beach Atlantic University is designed to develop your abilities as a generalist in art, while also affording you opportunity to specialize in one or more studio areas (e.g. ceramics, drawing, painting, crafts, photography, etc.).