Theater Concentration, Communications Media, BS

Major
On Campus, Day
Communications Media
It's a Wonderful Life production on stage

In Short

The Theater concentration provides you the opportunity each semester to perform full-scale theatrical productions that are produced and directed by our theater faculty and students.

We've got you covered
Our students succeed
  • 8 year participation at the University Resident Theatre Auditions and the International Satellite Auditions in NYC
  • 100% callbacks - national and international from highly respected graduate schools, professional actor training programs, professional studios and/or professional theaters

Student Productions

Students acting out a scene from American Underground
American Underground
One male and three female actors performing in front of the microphone on stage
It's a Wonderful Life Radio Play
Distressed female characters and male character tied up in fireplace
Extremities
Absurdist Alert students on stage yelling and angry
Absurdist Alert!

Request Information    Apply Now

Program Overview

Our theater professors are members of professional unions and they act and direct in Boston and New York City. Productions range from the Greeks to the contemporary repertoire. By the time our students graduate, after completing a required 12-credit professional internship, they will have acquired a wide range of skills and a repertoire of material that will support their goals of either pursuing further studies at the graduate level or directly entering the profession.

Register for classes

Watch the video below to learn about Gabriel Mangrum's experience as a communications media major in the theater concentration. 


Theater Professor Kelly Morgan talks about the program at Fitchburg State.
He was the 2017 recipient of the Vincent J. Mara Excellence in Teaching Award.

Experiential Opportunities and a Look Inside the Courses

Male students in Weston theater doing sword fighting

Productions and Classes

From Acting for the Camera, Voice and Articulation to Stage Combat, students learn all aspects of theater and have numerous opportunities throughout the year to be in various productions.
Read more about: Productions and Classes
Portrait of students Gabriel Mangrum and Christian Dedier at theater festival

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival

Every year during the last week of January, Fitchburg State's theater students travel to the regional KCACTF Festival and compete in a variety of acting, directing, stage management, design/technical and theater criticism events and attend a variety of professional workshops that support their professional development. Fitchburg State has had full productions invited to the festival. In 2025 students excelled in the Irene Ryan Acting competition and our production of “American Underground” received several merit awards.
Read more about: The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival
Three photos of a woman's face behind a sheer fabric

Visions

Each year students are given the opportunity to submit original work to be juried and possibly selected for our honors art exhibition, VISIONS. This is a showcase of the year's best student work. VISIONS involves a gallery exhibition and a film/video screening.
Read more about: Visions
Group of students outside theater on a theater study abroad trip

Study Abroad

Faculty-led study abroad course opportunities increase student life-transforming experiences, as do student/faculty cooperative research projects.
Read more about: Study Abroad

Curriculum and Other Information

B.S. in Communications Media

  • Students should demonstrate proficiency in the core tools and skills of their discipline.
  • Students should be able to apply aesthetic principles to their work by developing and defending a portfolio that demonstrates craftship and meets professional standards for their discipline.
  • Students should be able to explain how their work fits in the historical and theoretical context of their discipline.
  • Students should apply core theoretical principles to the analysis and critique of media.
  • Students should recognize and apply ethical perspectives to their work.
  • Actor/Actress
  • Performance Center Manager
  • Spokesperson
  • Teacher/Educator