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Chapman Launches Unique BFA Degree in Screen Acting

As the worlds of theatre and movies have moved closer and closer together – with movies based on theatrical hits, plays and musicals based on movies, and actors moving freely between the stage and screen – it seems natural that Chapman, with its strong College of Performing Arts and Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, would find a way to meld the two fields in a unique and creative way. Thus, the newest interdisciplinary degree program at Chapman – the BFA in Screen Acting – will be launched this fall. John Benitz, assistant professor of theatre, and David Kost, assistant professor of film and television, are the co-architects of the degree program, which has been in the works for more than a year and was just approved last week by the Faculty Senate. “This is the only screen acting BFA at any four-year college in the country, as far as we have been able to tell,” says Prof. Benitz. Benitz says that theatre students are hungry for interaction with the film school, and the film students are eager to work with actors to boost the level of performances in their student films. “I think this will put both Chapman’s theatre department and film school in the national spotlight –particularly in higher education… no one else is doing this the way we can. It is totally vanguard.” Please contact Professor John Benitz at benitz@chapman.edu for more information.

redarrowright BFA Screen Acting Audition Guidelines

Department of Theatre

The mission of the Department of Theatre is to provide students with the knowledge to pursue appropriate career paths and value artistic collaboration, while empowering them to reach their full potential.

The Theatre Department faculty and staff are dedicated to providing an education with strong professional ethics that empowers students to pursue career paths appropriate to their abilities. The faculty and staff are also committed to excellence and learning in a professional work environment that is instilled with mutual respect. These core values are the guiding principles behind the success of Chapman’s Department of Theatre and its students.

As theatre majors at Chapman, students participate in a strong professional training program with high quality productions while enjoying the benefits of a small university. The Department of Theatre offers several programs tailored to the specific goals of each discipline. Students may choose from a pre-professional Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance or from the more broad-based Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre. The department also offers an interdisciplinary BFA in screen acting, offered cooperatively with the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. All of the degrees provide excellent preparation for those who plan to attend graduate school.

The curriculum for theatre majors includes introductory classes in voice and movement, technical theatre, and directing; performance classes including acting for the camera, acting styles and beginning through advanced levels of acting fundamentals; movement for the performer, audition workshop, and specialized training in Shakespearian acting.

The Department has 120 active majors and produces one mainstage and one black box production every semester. In addition, the Department supports several smaller productions throughout the year including:

BFA Showcase
One Acts
Brown Bags
Guerilla Shakespeare
American College Theatre Festival

Every fall, majors from the department perform in Chapman’s American Celebration, a Broadway style musical revue produced in collaboration with the Departments of Dance and Music. This acclaimed performance is held in Memorial Hall and is always filled to capacity. The proceeds are used for Chapman’s scholarship and academic programs. Many Theatre Department students are also involved with Shakespeare Orange County during the summer.

Chapman's Department of Theatre is proud to highlight the professional accomplishments of its faculty. Thomas Bradac is the founder of Shakespeare Orange County, now in its seventeenth season. Baron Kelly is a Fulbright scholar with a wide range of credits, from the Broadway production of Salome with Al Pacino to the major motion picture A Day Without a Mexican. Michael Nehring is a founding member of several theatre companies including Shakespeare Orange County and Friends and Artists Theatre Ensemble in Los Angeles and is also on-camera acting coach at the Disney Channel. John Benitz is the creator of the PBS film Children of the Struggle, recognized by the NAACP Film Commission for its poignant portrayal of the struggle for black voting rights. Tamiko Washington is a successful performer with numerous stage credits from South Coast Repertory to the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Company. Don Guy's design credits include Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, South Coast Repertory, Radio City Music Hall, and Universal Studios. To complement and complete the instructional staff, the Department also has seven adjunct faculty members and a full-time support staff. As part of the Department’s commitment to providing experiences similar to a professional work environment and high production values, professional designers and artisans are hired to work alongside our students on productions. The Department has an association with Shakespeare Orange County, which provides students backstage and onstage opportunities with a critically praised and nationally recognized summer Equity theatre. Additionally, the Department arranges numerous master classes and guest speakers.

Graduates have been accepted to such prestigious MFA training programs as: Yale University, University of Delaware (PATP), Florida State University (ASOLO), American Conservatory Theatre, and Cal Arts. Alumni of the Department of Theatre can be found performing all over the country. One alumna is currently part of the national tour of Mamma Mia, and another can be seen in the recent film Letters from Iwo Jima. Behind the scenes, graduates are working at venues such as Disney, Ahmanson Theatre, and La Jolla Playhouse. A graduate is currently Artistic Director of the LA Weekly award-winning Son of Semele Ensemble, seen on the cover of American Theatre magazine in December 2005. Other alumni can be seen performing in Shakespeare Orange County productions, directing for regional theatres such as South Coast Repertory, running successful theatre companies such as the Paradise Theatre Co. in central Washington, and working as professors, casting directors, and stage managers.

NOVEMBER 13-15, 17-21: Streamers by David Rabe, directed by Baron Kelly, in repertory with Ladyhouse Blues by Kevin O'Morrison, directed by Thomas Bradac. Click here for times. Waltmar Theatre. $15 general admission; $10 senior citizens and students.

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE HERE OR CALL 714-997-6812.

Graham Sibley earned his BFA in Theatre & Dance with an emphasis on Media Performance from Chapman University. Upon graduation, he appeared in over 50 shorts and student films, founded a theater company and performed on stage throughout the LA area. Graham went to Sundance in 2008 with a short film that he co-wrote and starred in titled Dog Lovers. Aside from his acting work, Graham is also the Co-Founder of The Donkaphant Film Festival and The YOUnited Foundation (501c3), a non-profit organization which focuses on using film to inspiring audiences and erase apathy across the globe.

Graham Sibley
Class of 2000