The programme, established in 1992, is the first degree-conferring programme in Theatre and Performance Studies in Singapore. Its theoretical and practical modules seek to:

develop a comprehensive understanding of theatre practices in different forms and cultures, and of important critical approaches to the study of theatre;

provide students with practical experience of the theatre in operation both as a framework to theoretical understanding and as a means of developing relevant performance and production skills; and

train students in undertaking research in the field of theatre studies.

Theatre and Performance Studies examines the practical and theoretical aspects of theatre, in both Eastern and Western traditions. Students gain practical experience in theatre through theatre productions and from attachments to professional theatre companies.

In the foundational module, students are introduced to tools of dramatic and performance analysis such as semiotics, dramaturgy and contemporary theories of performance. This is complemented by practical work in stage space, design, technical production, acting and directing. Subsequently, students majoring in Theatre and Performance Studies select modules from amongst four main groups:

Survey;

Topics in Theatre;

Theory and Practice; and

Performance and Cultural Studies.

Survey modules train students to make connections across broad historical or cultural areas of theatre. Topics in Theatre provide modules in more specialized topics such as Singapore English-Language Theatre, and Theatre and Post-modernism. Theory and Practice modules integrate critical study and practical work, for instance in Acting Theory and Practice. Performance and Cultural Studies modules examine the mode of theatre in cross-disciplinary studies, comparing different mediums of performance, and exploring performativity in cultural practices.

Career Prospects

Graduates in Theatre and Performance Studies are well-trained for a variety of arts and media careers, such as journalism, arts design, planning and practice, but they also have the potential to enter a wide range of professions extending from teaching and research to the diplomatic service. Graduates in Theatre and Performance Studies are in heavy demand in a variety of theatre-related openings with such organizations as MediaCorp, MICA, NAC, and the Esplanade.