Bachelor of Fine Arts - Acting Concentration

An undergraduate degree with a concentration in acting.

Bachelor of Fine Arts - Acting Concentration

About

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting is intended for the dedicated and committed student who wishes to pursue a career as a professional actor, educator, or go on to graduate study. The Acting concentration provides the student with comprehensive core coursework in Acting, Voice, and Movement and includes supplemental coursework in Acting for the Camera, Dance, Stage Combat, Improvisation, and Shakespeare. Nationally and internationally recognized faculty members teach a holistic hands-on approach to the body, voice, and creative abilities in traditional and contemporary techniques. These, among others, include Stanislavsky, Meisner, Viewpoints, Michael Chekhov, Alexander, LeCoq, Suzuki, Linklater, Lessac, and Rodenburg.

Performance Opportunities

Over four years the students will have the opportunity to audition for multiple performance experiences including, but not limited to, classic American plays, contemporary plays, improv, workshop/works-in-progress, readings of new plays, devised performance, student-directed one-acts, student films, and other collaborative, interdisciplinary projects. Students may be cast as early as their first year of enrollment! BFA Acting majors are required to audition for every main-stage production and accept any role. Students are encouraged to audition for as many TATL Lab, Studio, Dance Concerts, and Directing Scenes, as schedules allow.

studio

Studio Theatre

The studio theatre is a black-box theatre with seating up to 150. Designed for a smaller audience, it has more flexibility than the main stage.

stage 143

Theatre Arts Teaching Lab

The Theatre Arts Teaching Lab (TATL), located in Fine Arts North room 143, is an experiential training ground for future theatre teachers. Through immersion and training in creative and collaborative educational theatre-making processes, TATL students are encouraged to experiment, collaborate, and adventure as they lead the production of laboratory performances each semester.

Stage and theatre

Theatre Performances

The Department of Theatre Arts and Dance season productions provide a showcase for the creative research of the academic program. Students enrolled in a major are encouraged to audition for all performances.

Program Audition

All BFA Acting candidates must formally audition for admittance into the program. A limited number of students will be accepted into the Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting program to ensure personalized instruction and attention. All prospective students must be accepted by the University of Texas at Arlington prior to acceptance into the program. View the UTA Theatre Arts Acceptd page to submit your audition by May 31, 2023. After your submission has been reviewed, you may be contacted to schedule a virtual or in-person callback. Details on submission requirements are below.

Students should prepare:

  • Two, 60-90 second contrasting monologues
  • Monologues should be from published plays and cannot be from musicals, television shows, or movies.
  • Each monologue should be 60-90 seconds in length (this time limit includes the slate at the beginning of the piece and is strictly adhered to)

Optional Song:

  • A 16-bar song is welcomed but not required.
  • Students may sing “a capella” or to accompaniment that is live or recorded and provided by the student.

Department Faculty & Staff

Felicia Bertch, MFA Acting, University of South Carolina

Associate Professor of Instruction

Area Head BFA Acting

Felicia Bertch

Email: bertch@uta.edu

Phone #: (817) 272-3176

Office: Fine Arts Building North 150

Megan Haratine, MFA Acting, University of Delaware PTTP; BA Theatre, Arizona State University

Assistant Professor of Instruction

Megan Haratine

Email: megan.haratine@uta.edu

Phone #: (817) 272-2650

Office: Fine Arts Building Central 268A

Joe Chapa, MFA Acting Performance, University of Mississippi; BA Radio and Television Production, UTA

Associate Professor

Joe Chapa

Email: jchapa@uta.edu

Phone #: (817) 272-2567

Office: Fine Arts Building North 152

Andrew Christopher Gaupp, AEA, MFA Drama, Trinity University, BA Theatre Arts, Texas Tech University

Professor & Associate Department Chair

Artistic Director

Andrew Gaupp

Email: gaupp@uta.edu

Phone #: (817) 272-3141

Office: Fine Arts Building North 145

Dr. Julienne A. Greer, PhD Humanities Aesthetic Studies, University of Texas at Dallas

Associate Professor

Associate Chair

Dr. Julienne Aleta Greer, AEA

Email: jgreer@uta.edu

Phone #: (817) 272-0729

Office: Fine Arts Building Center 268B

Laurel Whitsett, MA Drama Text & Performance, The University of London, King's College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; MA Linguistics, UT Arlington

Distinguished Senior Lecturer

SAG, AFTRA

Laurel Whitsett Profile Photo

Email: whitsett@uta.edu

Office: Fine Arts Building North 180

Jay Duffer, MFA Theatre Arts, BA Music Education

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Managing Director - Amphibian Stage Productions

Jay Duffer

Email: jay.duffer@uta.edu

Phone #: 817-272-2650

Office: Fine Arts Building North 197A

An Inside look at EURYDICE by Sarah Ruhl

Enjoy a video journey through the play, performed at UTA with original music composed for the production.