Because of our program’s emphasis on ‘praxis’ – the integration of theory and practice – our students develop a diverse skill set that confidently prepares them for a variety of fields. Our students have won scholarships to pursue graduate degrees in theatre and performance studies and pursued professional studies to support careers in acting, directing, writing and criticism, administration, design, and production. Some graduates have pursued careers in cinema and television. Others go on to join the technical production teams of theatre companies both large and small. Many of our students are interested in becoming teachers and pursue internships in schools alongside their studies. Our graduates have secured teaching posts and placements in post-graduate teaching programs.

Here’s a list of careers and professions that our alumni have pursued.

DART is a small, tightly knit department and we privilege individual communication in our community of learning. Our courses are structured as lectures with seminars and studio-based labs, many involving embodied practice.

Depending on the year or level of the course, lecture courses will have between 40 and 140 students. Following the lecture with the course professor, you will attend seminars of 15 to 20 people where you discuss the lecture and exchange ideas about the material.

The majority of our courses are studio-based. These courses have an average enrollment of 18 students. In the studio-based courses you receive between 3 and 6 hours per week of instruction with your professors and instructors.

The department culture is modeled after the collaborative framework of theatre creation and production. Your professors are approachable, ready to assist you, and eager to share their knowledge and excitement about their specific fields of research and expertise.

Students registered in other programs may enroll in courses at DART as long as they meet the prerequisites. Many of our theory and literature courses are of interest to students of the Humanities such as History, Studies in Arts and Culture, or sister programs in the School of Fine and Performing Arts. Some courses, however, are exclusive for DART majors. These courses include specific prerequisites such as studio-based performance courses and some technical courses. Many courses only have one section and Dramatic Arts Majors, including Coop and Concurrent BA/Bed students have priority registration.

If you are interested in becoming a teacher or pursuing a career in business or government, you will need to be able to speak clearly and present yourself well. You should consider taking one of our DART courses in Acting for Non-Majors, Foundations of Theatre and Performance, Indigenous Theatre for Non Majors, and Performance as Cultural Practice. Consider Dramatic Arts for your second teachable subject, a Minor program, a Certificate program or for context courses that support your Major program.

Our program boasts high-calibre training from award-winning teachers with a wealth of professional experience. Although our program is not a conservatory program specializing in actor training, students leave our program with a competitive combination of a Bachelor of Arts degree and the most intensive studio training you can find among BA programs in Canada. Right from the first year, students are training in five-hour studio courses every week, which is rare to find among degree programs in theatre studies.

Our training emphasizes embodiment, ensemble work, and praxis:

Embodiment: The body is central to everything that the actor does. Breath is the source of the gesture and voice, and ultimately the source of all meaning.

Ensemble: Here, we mean working in a team; creating in a team, being responsive, and being able to make strong bold offers to your playing partner.

Praxis: every performance offers a theory, an argument, and ideas can be tested and expanded in practice, through embodied work and learning.

From the very first year of your studies, you will receive training in Acting for Theatre, Scenography and Stagecraft, and study historical and contemporary theatre practice in the course Foundations of Theatre and Performance. By third year, you will be taking more specialized theatre courses in script writing, scenography, directing, devising, performance styles and voice. In fourth year, all DART students participate in a major department production as part of the degree program informed by the applied critical theory work of DART 4F90. Our program also includes upper year courses at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake as well as at the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario and the DART Summer Institute of Performance Research.

Generally, we produce two Mainstage productions in the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre (in fall and winter), a One Act play festival in spring, and a fourth-year collective creation. We also coproduce works in progress with affiliated theatre companies. Every student is guaranteed at least one opportunity to participate in a department production.

One of the benefits of joining our tight-knit community is that it’s easy to get involved. Casting and crew calls are posted on our production board, the online DARTboard on Brightspace, and Student Facebook Group. Students also have an opportunity to propose independent productions for public presentation.

We privilege DART majors for our casting opportunities (specifically Mainstage performances), but other students may participate in the One Act festival, Summer Institute programs and student-initiated independent productions.

Students have an opportunity to produce their own work whether as an actor, designer, writer, director, or technician. This may occur in your course work, an independent production or in a student club production. Courses in Devising a Solo Performance and Self Producing support your Independent Creative Productions.

Yes! We offer a unique third-year course in directing that gives our students an on-their-feet experience directing in a studio setting (DART 3P53). Students can then apply to be a director in the One Act play festival or as an assistant director for a Mainstage.

Yes! In third year, students have an opportunity to take a Script Writing Course (DART 3P92) that attracts theatre, film and game studies students.

The office of International Services at Brock organizes international exchange opportunities for Brock students. Recently our DART students have completed their third year of studies at universities in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Click here for more information on studying abroad and exchange opportunities. In a similar manner and on occasion you will enjoy the opportunity to study with international students who choose to come to Brock. Recently this has included students from as far away as Australia and Africa.

St. Catharine’s has a burgeoning young theatre scene populated by our graduates and professional artists from Canada and the US. This includes companies such as Carousel Players, Suitcase in Point, the Foster Festival, Shaw Festival, and Garden City Productions. Carousel Players is a renowned theatre company for young audiences that tours around the province and also employs our graduates. Garden City Productions is a community theatre company that produces musicals. The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre is a hub for live arts and entertainment in downtown St. Catharines. NAC (Niagara Artists Center) is one of the oldest artist-run organizations in Canada and supports a vibrant community of productions and exhibitions.

To get involved, contact local theatre companies to inquire about opportunities for internships and speak to a DART faculty member about DART 3P97 courses that allow professional development placements for students with local theatre companies. Visit the DARTboard for updates and information on local theatre events.

Some Dart students have the opportunity to work for the Department in areas of research and/or as technical assistants. DART students pick up production calls with the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, assisting with the load-ins and strikes (or load-outs) of their professional season. Our students work for on-campus services, such as the Parking Services office and also serve as Dons in residences.

The Brock University Student Union (BUSU) offers many employment opportunities. The Career Services office is a good place to begin your search.

DART students have a dedicated faculty advisor who guides them through their academic career at Brock. All DART faculty are also available for consultation during weekly office hours or by appointment. The Student Services Centre at Brock provides academic counseling and support including free courses in study techniques, paper and exam writing.

Follow the below links for more information about university residence, meal plans, transit, and parking options when you are a student at the MIWSFPA.

University Residence: https://brocku.ca/housing/
Meal Plans: https://brocku.ca/dining-services/meal-plan-information/
Parking & Transportation: https://brocku.ca/current-students/parking-transportation/
More Information About the Marilyn I. Walker: https://brocku.ca/miwsfpa/