Theatre and Performance

All the world’s a stage. Find your place on it. 

Theatre and Performance student on stage

Learn to wow your audience as you explore theatre and performance in one of Canada’s most creative drama programs. Go beyond art history books and collaborate with professors, visiting artists, and other students to make high quality work that contributes to a just society. You'll learn by doing, covering performance to management, design to critical studies, and creation to technology. 

In the classroom, courses in performance, production, design, direction, and management will give you the technical tools to excel at your craft. Meanwhile, complementary courses in politics, race, gender, theory, technology, and aesthetics will help you decide what messages matter. You can apply your knowledge to co-op placements too.

By the time you graduate, you’ll have a rich portfolio to take into the world of theatre, plus a range of creative, analytical, and management skills that will serve you well in any number of roles, on stage or off.

Program highlights

  • Student-led productions. Each term, students play an active role in productions in our newly renovated 400-seat theatre — from set design and costume creation to lighting, sound, producing, directing, and acting.
  • A-list mentors. At Waterloo, you’ll work with award-winning professors and visiting artists to develop new plays, discover fresh approaches to the classics, and examine the performance of everyday life.


What will you learn?

First-year courses

During your first year, you'll take two introductory Theatre and Performance courses. Plus, you'll have electives to explore an additional major of your choosing. In upper years, 40% of the classes you'll take will be in your chosen major.

Learn about courses you'll take for your Theatre and Performance degree.

Customize your degree

You can additional areas of expertise by including one or more of the minors available to all Waterloo students

 

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Admissions

Apply to Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business and choose Theatre and Performance as your major at the end of first year.

Ontario students: six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including

  • Any Grade 12 U English (minimum final grade of at least 70%)

Admission average: Low 80s (co-op and regular)

Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements for Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business.

Connect with us

Questions about courses, programs, requirements, careers?

Please contact our Faculty of Arts recruitment team who can answer any questions you have.