Department History and Background

Theatre Arts Department (TAD)

Dating back to the founding of the University Dramatic Club in 1923, the Theatre Arts Department is committed to the development of its students as human beings and to nurturing their apprenticeship as theatre artists. The department fosters creativity, collaboration, discipline, and artistic growth in its students.  It embraces the theatre as a means of creative expression, cultural understanding, social development, and historical perspective. We train students in the fine art of theatre, voice, movement, scene study, and design and also teach the historical and literary context of the theatre as a humanist and liberal art.  All students are exposed to the diversity of multicultural theatre. The department strives to develop, disseminate, and preserve knowledge.  This knowledge includes the ability to understand the theatre arts, to appreciate them, and to create works of art that enhance the human condition.

African American Theatre Program (AATP)

Founded in 1993, the African American Theatre Program is integral to the Theatre Arts Department.  It develops theatre artists trained in the traditions of African American theatre and contributes to the multi-cultural arts movement.  The AATP includes two Mainstage productions a season, community service, touring, and eight courses for graduate and undergraduate students.  Subjects include theatre history, literature, performance, and theatre practicum.  Undergraduates can earn a minor in African American Theatre, while graduate students can earn a Graduate Certificate in African American Theatre.  These studies in African American theatre are unique among American universities.

The College of Arts and Sciences MissionArts & Sciences Thinker Logo

The mission of the College of Arts and Sciences is to improve life in the Commonwealth and particularly in the greater Louisville urban area, creating knowledge through its research, sharing knowledge through its teaching, and guiding all its students to realize their potential.

We believe that an excellent education in the liberal arts and sciences is the best preparation for life and work in a world of increasing diversity and ever-accelerating change because it prepares our graduates to be informed and critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and confident communicators.

Our students learn by doing: they conduct research and express their creativity, include ethical considerations in their thinking, and experience their world from the perspectives of other cultures. The College brings the heritage of the intellectual tradition to bear on the challenges of the future.

The University of Louisville MissionUofL Logo

The University of Louisville shall be a premier, nationally recognized metropolitan research university with a commitment to the liberal arts and sciences and the the intellectual, cultural, and economic development of our diverse communities and citizens through the pursuit of excellence in five interrelated strategic areas:

  1. Education Experience
  2. Research, Creative, and Scholarly Activity
  3. Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, and Communication
  4. Partnerships and Collaborations
  5. Institutional Effectiveness of Programs and Services
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