Theatre Education

OBU’s McCabe Family School of Education is nationally accredited through CAEP, the Council for Accreditation of Education Preparation. In addition, each licensure area is accredited through the State of Oklahoma. As a graduate, you will be equipped and eligible to teach locally, nationally and internationally.

OBU is pleased to present quality theatre productions each year.  As a student, you will partner with other theatre majors, taking the lead in all areas of production. Theatre education majors perform and direct in OBU’s mainstage shows. Behind the curtain, you will engage in every technical aspect of theatre including scenic design, lighting, sound, costumes, props and paints. Upon graduation, you will be prepared to lead students in the classroom, in performance and in technical theatre. For further information regarding productions, visit our OBU Theatre page.

One of the many noted strengths of the OBU education program is the amount of field experience and practicum time that is provided across the four years of the degree program. You will be asked to complete 85–120 hours of observation and practicum experiences in local schools before student teaching. Field experiences allow you to tutor children, teach small groups and entire classes, and practice differentiation and classroom management.

Through your coursework, you will be exposed to the latest research-based practices in theatre and education. Additionally, all theatre education majors direct a show for the mainstage season at OBU. You will have the opportunity to present a detailed outline to your peers which includes research, a synopsis, character analysis and other relevant information regarding your production. You may also have the opportunity to present your research to practicing teachers at educational and theatrical conferences.

The primary performance venue at OBU is the Sarkeys Black Box Theatre. With seating up to 120, the black box is a variable performance space that adjusts the performer-to-audience relationship based on the aspects of each production.

Scenery, paint and properties are produced in the Sarkeys Scene Shop. In this space, you will learn and perfect your carpentry, craft and painting skills.

Located in Raley Chapel, the Costume Shop is where you discover the creative and important work of costumes, hair and makeup. These components are closely studied, created and applied to each character and role in our productions.

Theatre students excel in their craft through practical hands-on experience and contribute to the vital work of producing shows during our mainstage season.

Theatre internships offer current, real-world experience that allows you to experience relevant and meaningful work in the industry.  OBU theatre students are encouraged and supported to pursue internships nationwide at theatres including:

• Arkansas Passion Play, Eureka Springs, AR
• Sight & Sound Theatre, Branson, MO
• AD Players, Houston, TX
• Lyric Theatre, OKC, OK
• Playhouse on the Square, Memphis, TN
• Walt Disney World Parks, Orlando, FL
• Shakespeare in the Park, OKC, OK
• Pollard Theatre Company, Guthrie, OK
• Texas Shakespeare Festival, Kilgore, TX
• Brevard Music Center, Brevard, NC

As an educator, field experiences culminate in a 14-week internship of student teaching during your senior year. Efforts are made to pair you with your school of preference within 50 miles of OBU.

Started in 1919, OBU’s College Players is the oldest social club on campus. It serves as a social and professional network for students.

As your academic journey continues, you will have an opportunity to participate annually in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, the United States Institute of Theatre Technology, and the Oklahoma Speech Theatre Communication Association.

In the field of education, you will be invited to participate in professional teacher education organizations, such as the Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) and Student Professional Oklahoma Educators (SPOE), which enable you to network with other preservice and in-service educators across the state and nation. You may also travel to state and national conferences which offer professional development related to innovative, researched-based practices within the field of education.

The teacher education program focuses on celebrating the uniqueness and diversity within schools and classrooms. You will learn to focus on each child’s strengths to offer an engaging, rigorous curriculum while striving to meet the academic, social, cultural and behavior needs of those you are instructing. In both education and theatre courses, professors and students explore the integration of faith and learning. Faculty members in both programs instill a solid foundation of faith and biblical perspective through their instruction and personal lives.

With a 95% pass rate on the PPAT (Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers) and a higher percentage pass rate than the state average on the OSAT, graduates from our theatre education program are prepared to teach all over the state of Oklahoma, and the surrounding region. Graduates receive jobs in both public and private educational settings, and many continue their education through graduate school.

If you choose to pursue a professional theatre career before going into the classroom, OBU theatre graduates have found rewarding professional work at:

• Sight and Sound Theater, Branson (dresser; deck crew; hair/makeup stylist)
• Know Theatre, Cincinnati (resident stage manager)
• The Academy of Classical Christian Studies (drama & oral presentation faculty)
• River and Rail Theatre Company (founding artistic director)
• UCO, Edmond (costume shop manager, director of facilities and productions)
• The King's College, NYC (associate professor of English and theater, playwright)
• UCO, Edmond (resident scenic designer)
• Dallas Theatre Center (stage manager; lighting intern)
• The Shakespeare Theater, Washington DC (acting)
• Playhouse on the Square, Memphis (stage manager; costume shop supervisor)
• Wayside Theatre, VA (production stage manager; acting)
• Seaside Repertory Theatre, Seaside, FL (production stage manager)
• Shakespeare in the Park, OKC (acting; box office asst.)