Stage Management, B.F.A.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Stage Management is designed to prepare students for success in the professional theatre industry. By combining conservatory-style training with a strong liberal arts education, our students explore, develop, and hone their craft to become well-rounded artists with valuable skill sets that will prepare them for professional success. 

Click here to find the plan of study

Core Learning Goals

Our core learning goals have been woven into all aspects of this rigorous four-year program from classroom and studio work, to rehearsals and productions in our mainstage season.

• Technique
• Analysis
• Professionalism
• Collaboration

Mainstage Season

Millikin’s mainstage season provides Stage Management students with many opportunities to practice their craft on a variety of fully realized productions in our three performance spaces. A typical season will include:

• 2 musicals
• 2 plays
• 1 dance concert
• In alternating seasons an opera co-produced with the School of Music or a 3rd play

Performance Learning

Beginning as assistant stage managers, students receive production assignments as early as their first semester and develop the skills necessary to move up to production stage managers.  Throughout their four years, BFA candidates are carefully mentored by our faculty and will work in a broad array of styles and venues offering a comprehensive understanding of professional stage management practices.

Work in Multiple Spaces

The School of Theatre and Dance produces a wide variety of works including contemporary and classical plays, musicals, and original dance of varying styles. Our production season offers stage management students exposure to all of these genres and opportunities to call shows in our three vastly different performance spaces:

• Virginia Rodgers Theatre (our new 250 convertable courtyard-style theatre)
• Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre (a 90 seat black box)
• Albert Taylor Theatre (a 270 seat modified proscenium/thrust space)
• Kirkland Fine Arts Center (a 1900 seat proscenium road house).  

Why Choose Millikin?

There are a number of things that help set Milllikin apart from other schools:

• Small school environment
• First-rate faculty
• National reputation
• Individualized attention
• Faculty/student mentorships and collaborations
• Master classes with working professionals
• Study abroad in our London Semester
• Production experience from the first semester

The Millikin Difference

The small school environment at Millikin University offers students many advantages including:

• Individualized attention
• Studio classes capped at 16
• Faculty/student mentorships
• Shakespeare Corrected
• Interdisciplinary Collaborations