A WELCOME
MESSAGE
FROM OUR CHAIR
WELCOME
PROFESSOR MATTHEW W. SMITH
WEDNESDAY
04.28
5:30-6:30PM
PDT
HEY THERE!
HEY THERE!
TAPS is hosting a virtual student hangout for admits! Current students with experience in acting, dance, and theater-making will be available to chat and answer your questions on WEDNESDAY APRIL 28 at 5:30-6:30PM PDT. Drop by on Zoom and we'll direct you to a breakout room hosted by students with your interests. Copy THE LINK below and save the date!
ZOOM ADDRESS
let's be friends
MARLON WASHINGTON II '22
HE/HIM | ACTING CONCENTRATION
Major: Human Biology Minor: TAPS One of his favorite classes:TAPS 125S: Shakespeare Now: An Actor's Lab One of his favorite production experiences:A Midsummer Night's Dream (Cast: Lysander); Cerulean (Cast & Crew: Writer)
JULIANNA YONIS '21
SHE/HER | ACTING CONCENTRATION
Majors: TAPS & Science, Technology, and Society One of her favorite classes:TAPS 11N: Dramatic Tensions: Theater and the Marketplace One of her favorite production experiences:HAL (Cast: Hotspur)
MORGAN GWILYM TSO '22
HE/THEY | ACTING CONCENTRATION
Major: TAPS Minors: Asian American Studies & Computer Science One of his favorite classes:TAPS 164: Race and Performance One of his favorite production experiences:Cabaret (Cast: Bobby/Kit Kat Girl)
LIZZIE DOWDLE '22
SHE/HER | ACTING CONCENTRATION
Major: American Studies Minors: TAPS, Education, and Music One of her favorite classes:TAPS 103: Beginning Improvising One of her favorite production experiences:Cabaret (Crew: Wardrobe)
JJ SUTTON '22
THEY/THEM | THEATER-MAKING CONCENTRATION
Major: TAPS Minors: Classics, Political Science, & Computer Science One of their favorite classes:TAPS 12N: To Die For: Antigone and Political Dissent One of their favorite production experiences:The Addams Family (Cast: Lurch)
CHLOE CHOW '23
SHE/HER | THEATER-MAKING CONCENTRATION
Majors: TAPS & Communication Minor: Asian American Studies One of her favorite classes:TAPS 164: Race and Performance One of her favorite production experiences:Everybody (Crew: Assistant Director); Beyond the Wound Is a Portal (Cast)
KAITLYN KHAYAT '21
SHE/HER | THEATER-MAKING CONCENTRATION
Majors: TAPS & American Studies One of her favorite classes:TAPS 167: Introduction to Greek Tragedy One of her favorite production experiences:Next to Normal (Crew: Stage Manager)
JESS FRY '21
SHE/HER | DANCE CONCENTRATION
Major: Physics Minor: TAPS (Dance Concentration) One of her favorite classes:Dance 11: Intro to Dance Studies One of her favorite production experiences:In a Winter Garden (Ensemble Dancer); Pippin (Cast: Fastrada)
ANNIE ZHENG '20
ANY | DANCE CONCENTRATION
Major: Comparative Literature Minor: TAPS One of their favorite classes:DANCE 30 Contemporary Choreography: Chocolate Heads Performance Project One of their favorite production experiences: Chocolate Heads' Traveling In Place (Dancer); Worst Kept Secret In WashingtonKATIE BUNTIC '23
SHE/HER | ACTING CONCENTRATION
Major: English & TAPS
One of her favorite classes:TAPS 177 Dramatic Writing: The Fundamentals One of her favorite production experiences:A Midsummer Night's Dream (Cast: Moth)
CLEOPATRA HOWELL '23
SHE/HER | ACTING CONCENTRATION
Majors: TAPS & Mathematics One of her favorite classes:TAPS 150G: Performing Race, Gender, and Sexuality One of her favorite production experiences:Sweeney Todd (Cast: Johanna)
FINN SLINGERLAND '23
HE/HIM | ACTING CONCENTRATION
Major: Undeclared One of his favorite classes:TAPS 122P: Undergrad Performance Project One of his favorite production experiences:A Midsummer Night's Dream (Cast: Bottom)
JULIA LEAL '22
SHE/HER | ACTING CONCENTRATION
Major: Earth Systems Minor: TAPS (Dance concentration) One of her favorite classes: TAPS 19AX: Experimental Dance Theater One of her favorite production experiences:GroundPlan (Dancer)
COURSES OFFERED
We offer classes in everything from social dance and costume design to acting and performance theory
STUDENTS ENROLLED
Thousands of students of all experience levels enroll in our TAPS courses every year
DEPARTMENT EVENTS
We produce productions, workshops, master classes, guest lectures, and social events
STUDENTS INVOLVED IN PRODUCTIONS
Students of all majors perform, direct, build sets and costumes, stage manage, and more
TAPS BY THE NUMBERS
AT A GLANCE
BACHELOR'S PROGRAM MISSION
academic program
The mission of the undergraduate program in Theater and Performance Studies is to provide a strong, non-conservatory program that joins the study and practice of performance within the context of a liberal arts curriculum.
THEATER-MAKING
This concentration develops students' creative skills in theater-making. The theater-making concentration reflects the collaborative interdisciplinary nature of theater practice, with rich partnerships and dialogues between the crafts of directing, playwriting, producing, design and stagecraft. Students learn skills to build original theater productions.
ACTING
The Acting concentration develops students’ skills in acting for the theater and related performance contexts. In practicum classes, students enhance their creative abilities under the guidance of teaching artists. Students also complete complementary coursework in performance studies.
DANCE
The Dance concentration offers diverse approaches to dance as a performing art, cultural practice, political act, and embodiment of ideology and beliefs. The program integrates academic and creative studio work to help students develop a command of dance as an art form and as a subject of critical inquiry.
AREAS OF STUDY
CONCENTRATIONS
All TAPS majors select a concentration in Acting or Theater-Making. Minors may also choose to concentrate in Dance.
SEE COURSE OFFERINGS
PERFORM
All students are encouraged to audition regardless of experience!
AUDITIONS
BUILD + TECH WORK
Get paid to learn technical theater or how to build sets and costumes
STUDENT WORK
TAKE A CLASS
Learn to do improv, choreograph, produce a production, and more
VIEW COURSES
BEHIND THE SCENES
Design sets, costumes, lights, or sound, or work in critical backstage roles
DESIGN + CREW
GET INVOLVED
WAYS FOR YOU TO
2023/2024
2022/2023
2021/2022
ANNUAL NEWSLETTERS
STUDENT VOICES
For an in-depth look at what we do, browse our recent newsletters containing student reflections on their experiences with TAPS productions, academic scholarship, events, and more.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
EXPLORE
OUR PRODUCTION WORK
TAPS produces six main season productions directed by faculty and guest artists, and fully produced with the help of our production staff and professional designers. We also support a number of student-led performance works. Hundreds of students work on our productions each year as performers, designers, technical staff, crew, costume and set builders, and more! Paid positions and academic credit are available. Opportunities are posted on our website under "Get Involved!"
Don't want to miss a thing? Join our email list for weekly emails listing upcoming events, auditions, and opportunities.
GET ON THE LIST!
NEXT STEPS
STAY CONNECTED
Connect with us! TAPS has an active social media presence and we want YOU to be part of it! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, or check out our Vimeo account for regularly updated content including student interviews, production trailers, production team roundtables, faculty interviews, and more!
FEATURED VIDEOS
CONNECT!
WHAT WE DO | Getting Involved
BEHIND THE SCENES
DANCE | AMBER LEVINE
TAPS CONCENTRATION
YOUNG JEAN LEE
MEET THE FACULTY
REVIVAL BY AMARA TABOR-SMITH
MAIN STAGE TRAILER
SPECIAL EFFECTS | "EVERYBODY"
BEHIND THE SCENES
