Theatre - Meadows School of the Arts, SMU
Theatre
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The Division of Theatre provides nationally recognized, rigorous training for the next generation of theatre artists. Graduate students pursue an M.F.A. in Acting or Design, while undergraduates earn a B.F.A. in Acting, Theatre Studies or Musical Theatre. By blending intensive studio coursework with a robust production season, we equip students with the practical skills needed to thrive in the professional industry. Beyond the classroom, our students frequently collaborate with Dallas-area theatres and premier regional companies, building professional networks well before graduation.
Theatre
Undergraduate Majors/Minors
B.F.A. in Acting
B.F.A. in Theatre Studies
B.F.A. in Musical Theatre
Graduate Majors/Minors
M.F.A. in Acting
M.F.A. in Entertainment Design
Faculty
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Blake Hackler
Chair, Division of Theatre,
Head of Acting
Professor
Dawn Askew
Production Manager, Adjunct Instructor
Reiko Aylesworth
Professor of Practice
Tiana Kaye Blair
Professor of Practice, Acting and Movement
Sarah Brown
Assistant Professor of Practice in Set Design
Amanda Capshaw
Adjunct Instructor
Robert Clare
Adjunct Professor
Benard Cummings
Associate Professor
Kristi Dana
Associate Professor
Joel Ferrell
Professor of Practice in Theatre and Inaugural Director of the Sexton Institute for…
Kimberly Grigsby
Assistant Professor of Practice, Musical Theatre
Carter Gill
Visiting Professor of Acting
Bobbie Lay
Coordinator, Finance and Enrollment
Steve Leary
Scene Shop Foreman
Justin Mosher
Technical Director, Adjunct Instructor
Melissa Panzarello Cox
Costume Shop Manager, Adjunct Instructor
Sara Romersberger
Associate Professor
Anne Schilling
Associate Professor
Gretchen E. Smith
Associate Dean for Students and Head of Theatre Studies
Jennifer Joan Thompson
Assistant Professor
Stanley Wojewodski, Jr.
Distinguished Professor of Theatre
Steve Woods
Professor, Head of Design
Linda Blase
Adjunct Instructor
Video
SMU Theatre is For You!
SMU Student Theatre Group Promotes Cross-Collaboration for Arts Majors
SMU Student Theatre (SMUST) produces student-led productions that allow for interdisciplinary work between Meadows students in a variety of majors.
Featured Courses
THEA 2322
From Page to Stage: Text Analysis in the Theatre
This foundational course provides first year students with the fundamental skills of decoding play texts for performance. Through lecture, discussion, classroom exercises, and written assignments students will  consider how our reading of plays might shape production choices and inform personalized embodiment. Throughout the semester, students will explore a variety of styles and genres of dramatic literature, including classical, realist, and experimental works, and will have the opportunity to engage with different paradigms of interpretive and embodied response.
THEA 3305
Voice for the Stage III
Vocal power, flexibility, and expressive capability are practiced in a variety of space configurations. Students refine their ability to execute detailed speech actions and identify specific phonetic changes using the phonetic alphabet. The application of voice and speech actions to accents and dialects is practiced and refined.
THEA 4342
Directing IV
Advanced techniques in the development of the forward action of embodied text including established dramatic literature and/or the creation of original work including devised work.  Studio scene work, individualized mentorship and continued emphasis on critical thinking and collaborative/collegial effort. During this final semester in the sequence of four, students are eligible to interview with a faculty committee for one of three fully produced, main stage directing assignments.
THEA 6305
Clown & Commedia
A highly physical acting course exploring
Clown
and
Commedia dell’Arte.
Clown
invites the rediscovery of the unsocialized self through vulnerability, rhythm, and the pleasure of play, while
Commedia
trains the actor in precision, form, and awareness through mask, improvisation, and ensemble work. Together they develop technical skill, spontaneity, and authentic connection with the audience.
Theatre News
Figure 1:
Brianna Woods
Meadows on the Mic: Brianna Woods – Theatre M.F.A. and “Ragtime”
Alumni
Meadows alumna Brianna (Bri) Woods discusses her time in the Theatre M.F.A. program and playing a lead in the upcoming production of “Ragtime.”
March 23, 2026
Figure 2:
The production's cast blends members of DTC’s Brierley Resident Acting Company with SMU faculty, students, and alumni. [From left to right: Blake Hackler, Bri Woods, Akron Watson, Tiffany Solano]
A Shared Stage: SMU Meadows and Dallas Theater Center Unite for “Ragtime”
Events
A landmark collaboration between the Division of Theatre and DTC brings students, alumni, and professionals together in a sweeping musical that signals a bold future for theatre in North Texas.
March 20, 2026
Figure 3:
Theatre alum John Paul Green (B.F.A. ’12) worked on shows like “How I Met Your Mother” and “Austin & Ally” before transitioning to theatre education.
Alumni Spotlight: John Paul Green
Alumni
Theatre alum John Paul Green (B.F.A. ’12) built a successful TV career before bringing the creative freedom and collaborative spirit he discovered at Meadows to classrooms across LA as a theatre educator.
March 02, 2026
Figure 4:
These nine leading Dallas arts and media organizations will offer 11 paid internships in summer 2026.
SMU Meadows Intern Fellowship Program Expands, Doubling Paid Internships in Year Two
Students will gain paid, hands-on experience, industry mentorship, and professional connections with nine leading Dallas arts and media organizations during the program’s second run.
January 28, 2026
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