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Acclaimed as “a legendary training ground” (Chicago Tribune), The Theatre School was founded as the Goodman School of Drama in 1925, and joined DePaul University in 1978. A fully-accredited school within a major urban university, The Theatre School is the Midwest’s oldest theatre conservatory and is renowned as one of the top professional theatre training programs in the United States.



The Theatre School Mission

The Theatre School at DePaul University, educates, trains and inspires students of theatre in a conservatory setting that is rigorous, disciplined, culturally diverse and that strives for the highest level of professional skill and artistry. 
 
A commitment to diversity and equality in education is central to our mission. As an integral part of the training, The Theatre School produces public programs and performances from a wide repertoire of classic, contemporary and original plays that challenge, entertain and stimulate the imagination.

We seek to enhance the intellectual and cultural life of our university community, our city and the profession.

 

The Theatre School Values


EDUCATION

The Theatre School is primarily a place of learning and for the making of humanity. It is a place for the moral, spiritual, social, political and artistic development of all engaged in this noble enterprise.
 

RESPECT

The Theatre School engenders respect for self, for others, for learning, for alternative communities and for the profession itself.
 

FREEDOM

The Theatre School encourages creativity and freedom of expression as a part of our commitment to our professional standards and responsibilities. We strive to create an atmosphere that is conducive to exploration and risk-taking.

 

IMAGINATION

The Theatre School celebrates the primacy of the imagination in all its work.
 

SPIRITUALITY

The theatre is, in a real sense, a sacred place for reflection, awakening, visioning and the development of moral awareness. It is a place to challenge beliefs and to understand the self in relation to others.
— Adopted by faculty and staff of The Theatre School at DePaul University, 1999.


Diversity Action Statement
 

The Theatre School is committed to fostering and nurturing the reality of who people are, who they have been, and who they want to be. We embrace the diversity of what we see, what we hear and what we feel. We give voice; we represent people and ideas. Our community engages in lively exploration, between and beyond categories of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, religion, nationality, ability and artistic discipline. We examine, appreciate and share the complexities of culture through artistic collaboration, and in doing so, create a safe and supportive environment for our students, faculty, staff, audiences and visitors.


Our Student body and community
 

The school accepts only a small fraction of over 1,100 applicants who undertake the stringent admissions process of national auditions and interviews. Students choose one of 15 specialized areas of study.
 
The current enrollment numbers approximately 340 students from around the United States and several other countries. the faculty/student ratio of one-to-six allows for the continuous interaction and supervision essential for professional theatre training. A majority of the faculty and staff maintain their connections and professional work in all aspects of Chicago's renowned and thriving theatre industry. 
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