Bachelor [Theatre (Acting)] From University of Southern Mississippi

A Focused CurriculumActing classes are diverse and offer a variety of specialized subjects for study. The faculty are Stanislavski-based but use a range of methods, including Meisner, Hagen, Cohen, and Shurtleff. Many courses also include some "alternative" selections as well. Classes in acting at Southern Miss go far beyond the usual beginning, intermediate and advanced standards. Fundamentals of acting and intermediate acting cover the essential dual foundation of freeing the actor's creativity and technique. Improvisation further frees the actor and sharpens impulses and timing, along with sensitivity to a partner. Advanced scene study (Intermediate II) challenges the actor to focus on individual needs and fine-tuning of craft. The art is further explored in Period Acting Styles I and II. These courses explore the particular research tools and special decorum, voice, and movement required in period pieces. The finishing touches are found in a course devoted to audition process, which is the link between the educational training and the "real world" of professional acting in theatre, film, television and related fields. Here, time and attention are given to head-shots, resum?s, agents, and other aspects of the business of acting.
A Look into DirectingTo best communicate with actors, designers, crews, producers and house staff, a director should have a firm understanding of each. For this reason, the Bachelor of Arts in general theatre may be the ideal undergraduate degree plan for future directors. However, since artists in all aspects of modern theatre (especially actors) collaborate with the director, undergraduates in all Southern Miss programs take the beginning directing class. The class provides a balance between theory and practice, along with a strong background in analysis. For those who wish to pursue these studies, advanced directing challenges the director in more advanced techniques. Approximately 32 showcase slots are available each year for student-directed projects.
Travel OpportunitiesTravel and exposure to the broader world of theatre are critical to the development of actors. Southern Miss is an active participant in our ten-state region in both the Southeastern Theatre Conference and the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. The university's Department of International Studies' travel abroad programs rank among the best in the country, and its five-week British Studies program features internationally renowned guest artists in musical theatre, Shakespeare and contemporary drama. Two-week programs in London Theatre and in the Performing Arts at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland have been offered as well. All of these credit programs are eligible for financial aid. Noncredit travel is also available: the New York Theatre Tour and the London Theatre Tour delight students and community members during spring break. Southern Miss theatre students who take advantage of these extraordinary learning opportunities may be better prepared to enter the professional world.