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Department of Theater

Two dancers performing an intimate floor scene under dramatic stage lighting during a UCLA theater production

Delve into global theater studies and hands-on practice within a premier professional school setting.

Theater

UCLA Theater students become well-rounded artists and researchers, exploring performance, design, and storytelling across creative disciplines.

Undergraduate Programs

Theater (BA) Theater (Minor)

Graduate Programs

Acting (MFA) Design for Theater & Entertainment (MFA) Directing (MFA) Playwriting (MFA) Theater & Performance Studies (PhD)

The UCLA Department of Theater is a vibrant community where diverse voices and disciplines converge to shape the theater and live experiences of tomorrow.

Here, academic rigor fuels creativity, and performers, designers, directors, playwrights and scholars are supported by world-class faculty who champion collaboration, critical thinking, and innovation. The department’s training engages with our complex, changing world and integrates the unique opportunities available at the nation’s top public university.  We cultivate artists and thinkers who go on to excel across theater, film and television, themed entertainment, and many other fields.

Jeff Burke
Chair, Department of Theater; Associate Dean, Research and Creative Technology
Professional headshot of Jeff Burke wearing a black shirt posing in front of dark grey background

Theater Season Spotlight

6
Mar
March 6 – March 14, 2026
Freud Playhouse

EMMA: No One But Herself

March 6-7 & 10-14, 2026 Written by Meghan Brown Music by Regents Lecturer Sarah Taylor Ellis Directed by Danielle Kay About the show: This energetic and contemporary classical adaptation of…
Event Details
Promotional poster for Emma: A New Musical featuring a white paper-cut illustration of a woman with an updo surrounded by floral vines on a wood grain background
14
May
May 14 – May 16, 2026
Macgowan 1340

Girl on an Altar

May 14-16, 2026 Written by Marina Carr Directed by MFA student Anna Rajala About the show: There are no winners of war, only survivors. When Agamemnon sacrifices his young daughter…
Event Details
Promotional poster for Girl on an Altar, featuring a dark baroque still life painting with a skull and roses
29
May
May 29 – June 6, 2026
Little Theater

Mad Forest: A Play From Romania

May 29-30 & June 2-6, 2026 Written by Caryl Churchill Directed by MFA student Eric Swartz About the show: Mad Forest depicts a society before, during, and after a violent…
Event Details
Promotional poster for Mad Forest: A Play from Romania, featuring three matches - blue, burning, and red - against a black background
4
Jun
June 4 – June 6, 2026
Macgowan 1340

Trojan Women

June 4-6, 2026 Written by Ellen McLaughlin Directed by MFA student Jit Yang Tung About the show: Troy has fallen, her women reach out to each other, outward to us.…
Event Details
Promotional poster for Trojan Women, featuring a gold Greek woman's profile silhouette framed by laurel wreaths on a black background
6
Jun
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Whitney Family Studio Theater

MFA Ones 2026

June 6, 2026 About the show: This production will showcase an exciting collection of short, one-act plays, each one written, developed, and directed by current MFA students in the department.…
Event Details
MFA Ones

World-Class Theater Faculty

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Theater News

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Theater News

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Other Resources

Actors Showcase

This annual event spotlights the talents of UCLA TFT acting students, both undergraduate and graduate.

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Theater Internships

Get a head start on your career! Internships are open to enrolled juniors, seniors and graduate students from UCLA TFT and the university at large.

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UCLA General Catalog

The definitive listing of all departments, programs, majors, minors and courses offered, the Catalog includes degree requirements, as well as academic and administrative policies. It outlines essential information about registration, financial aid, and academic advising, and describes many student services, activities, and resources.

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