Department of Drama

The Department of Drama offers conservatory-style training at a major American university, combined with a level of integration with a professional theater company that is unparalleled among undergraduate programs.

10:1

Student-to-faculty ratio

– With conservatory-style training

Partnership with a professional theater company

– Syracuse Stage

#22

Drama School in the World

– The Hollywood Reporter

Chair’s Welcome

On behalf of the entire faculty, I encourage you to consider the ways in which Syracuse University and the Department of Drama can help prepare you for a life in the arts, no matter what medium you choose to work in. We are committed to a learning environment that builds on a rich past and expands into a new era—encouraging excellence, imagination, artistry, and leadership as we empower our students to create the theater of the future. If you are committed to excellence in a career in theater and entertainment and want to learn in a professional environment, we welcome your application to the Department of Drama.We invite you to visit our online gallery, to explore our programs of study, and to learn more about the unique opportunities we provide.

Ralph Zito
Professor and Chair, Department of Drama

Professional Experience

The Department of Drama has a unique affiliation with Syracuse Stage, Central New York’s premier professional theater. Both share more than just their physical home: they share a commitment to great storytelling and to the great things that happen when established and emerging artists join forces. Students in all programs of study have the opportunity to study with—and often to work side-by-side with—nationally renowned professionals. Over the course of four years, students also have the opportunity to participate in 160+ shows and gain hands-on, professional work experience crucial to getting started in the industry.

Become Immersed in Theater

Named for its founder, drama alumna and Tony Award-winning producer Arielle Tepper ’94, the Tepper Semester provides the opportunity to work closely with an accomplished faculty of professional artists in New York City. In addition to participating in a full semester of specialized programming, students attend workshops and master classes conducted by industry professionals, see as many as 30 Broadway and off-Broadway productions, visit a wide variety of cultural institutions, and gain an understanding of the business skills essential for a successful career in the industry.

Hit the Studios Running

Supported by drama alumnus and Academy, Emmy, and Golden Globe Award-winning writer and producer Aaron Sorkin ’83, H’12, the Sorkin in LA Learning Practicum provides a select group of seniors with a week-long, “hit-the-studios-running” immersion into the heart of America’s film and television industries. Students meet and learn from alumni and industry insiders through a series of seminars workshops, master classes, and more.

For a longer-term introduction to Los Angeles, you may choose to take advantage of VPA LA’s Spring Semester, an immersive professional development program that provides students with a unique opportunity to work as interns in Los Angeles while taking academic courses taught by LA professionals with expertise in their given discipline. The program is designed to broaden students’ understanding of career opportunities and gain skills to network and succeed professionally.

International Study: London, Florence, and More

Thanks to the global reach of Syracuse University, students in all programs of study the Department of Drama have a variety of long and short-term opportunities to study abroad. These range from semesters in Florence or London (where performance majors work in partnership with Shakespeare’s Globe) to performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

An Engaged Community

All Star C.A.S.T. (Community Actors and Students’ Theater) provides the opportunity for students in the Department of Drama, under faculty guidance, to facilitate weekly theater workshops for members of the Syracuse community with special needs. All Star C.A.S.T. provides a safe, non-judgmental space for community actors and drama students to come together to explore their creativity, to encourage communication, and to re-awaken a sense of “play” and joy in acting.

Undergraduate Majors

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Recent Department of Drama News

Featured News
‘A Christmas Carol’ Returns to Syracuse Stage, Department of Drama
Syracuse Stage, in association with the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Drama, continues Syracuse Stage’s 50th Anniversary season—and the tradition of heart-warming, family-friendly holiday shows—with “A Christmas Carol,” the classic novel by Charles Dickens, here adapted by Richard Hellesen, with music by David de Berry, and...
Faculty News
Q&A With Alex Jainchill: Illuminating the Story of Malcolm X at the Met Opera
How do you illuminate the powerful story of civil rights leader Malcolm X on the opera stage? It was a challenge that lighting designer and Department of Drama faculty member Alex Jainchill couldn’t pass up, working on a groundbreaking opera at the renowned Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Faculty News
‘Ghost Ship’ Continues Department of Drama 2023/2024 Season
Climb aboard the haunted vessel the Mary Whalen with 15 other passengers and embark on a fully immersive, multisensory theatrical journey to uncover the truth behind the tragic murder of a young girl. The Department of Drama continues the 2023/2024 season with the mystifying and entrancing “Ghost Ship” by Phillip...