Mission

The Department of Drama fosters a vibrant community dedicated to making, studying, and sharing theatre, dance, and performance. Our programs nurture artistic discovery, critical inquiry, and imaginative collaboration across the university and beyond.

Who We Are

Our community recognizes the diverse experiences of all its members and supports each individual in their creative and intellectual journey. We value compassion, transparency, difference, critical dialogue, and mutual respect.

Our collaborations encompass faculty, staff, and students of theatre and dance; guest artists from around the globe; community participants and audiences; and partners across the arts, architecture, humanities, engineering, and sciences at UVA and beyond.

We are committed to listening, learning, and redefining theatre and dance in light of new knowledge and practices, and to integrating arts and artists into the research mission of the university and the cultural fabric of Charlottesville and central Virginia.

What We Do

The department creates and produces dance, digital arts, films, musicals, plays, and historical and critical scholarship. Our work takes shape in classrooms, studios, shops and traditional theatres as well as outdoors and in site-specific, immersive and virtual spaces.

We promise our students the opportunity to create new art and re-envision existing traditions. By studying and practicing areas such as design, performance, production, research, technology, and writing, students will develop skills vital to success in numerous professions. The theatre and dance programs seek to ignite a lifelong pursuit of curiosity, empowerment, and social transformation.

Department of Drama
University of Virginia
Mission Statement
Adopted April 30, 2024