Theatre Student Handbook
Theatre Arts Department Production Philosophy
(as of May 31, 2000)
Throughout its extensive theatre production programming, the Viterbo University Theatre Arts Department strives to:
- Fulfill the missions, goals, educational objectives, and professional aspirations of this progressive liberal arts, Franciscan University and the Theatre Arts Department through a variety of integrated academic and production-oriented theatre offerings;
- select, research, design, cast, rehearse, stage, and market a wide variety of theatrical presentations which effectively and reasonably challenge, stimulate, and expand the knowledge, skills, talents, creative abilities, and professionalism of our theatre students, staff, and faculty;
- stage and present a wide range of dramatic works of recognized artistic or literary merit from a variety of periods and genres, including classical and contemporary dramas, comedies, tragedies, musicals, operas, and other distinctive styles;
- present consistently high-quality educational theatre productions and related programming to an ever-increasing public audience from the University and greater La Crosse communities;
- utilize guest artist/educators and partnerships with regional professional theatres to further expand and enhance our educational programming and production opportunities;
- provide the members of the artistic production team and the members of our audience with engaging, entertaining, creative, intelligent, thought-provoking theatrical experiences which encourage and challenge us to consider and reflect upon the fullest possible spectrum of human actions, thoughts, philosophies, beliefs, values, prejudices, and diversities;
- provide both artists and audience members the opportunity to "walk in the shoes of others," to invite them to see and appreciate life from a multiplicity of historical periods and cultural perspectives, and to facilitate dialogue, interaction, and mutual learning as a result of active participation in the live theatrical experience;
- inform and educate our audience through pre-show publicity whenever we produce theatrical works of significant artistic and/or cultural merit which contain mature themes, situations, language, or material which may be considered offensive by some members of our audience.