Enjoy life on stage, but your career is headed in another direction? You can still get substantial academic credit at Siena for acting and production, no matter what your professional plans.
Siena has received approval for a new minor in theatre, effective this semester. The program, will be production focused, and open to students of any major, according to Krysta Dennis, Ph.D., associate professor of creative arts.
“We have a lot of folks at Siena who love to be part of theatre but have other academic or professional pursuits,” said Dennis. “A minor is a more accessible way to receive credit on their transcripts and resumes for the work they have put in.”
Joseph Grueiro ’27 (above, 2nd from the right) is majoring in computer science game development but still loves being part of Siena’s theatre productions. He was the first student to declare for the new minor.
“The theatre minor allows me to continue discovering and exercising my passion for the performing arts without diverging the focus of my study from my desired career choice,” he said. “This program will have a large impact on Siena’s student body as it will not only maintain but cultivate the actor, designer, or stage technician that is inside of every aspiring scientist or businessperson.”
Dennis said a background in theatre can have a significant impact in any number of careers.
“Theatre makes you better at everything else,” she explained. “Whether you’re acting, designing, doing tech or stage management, you’re constantly practicing skills that matter in every profession. In most jobs today you will need to persuade people, give presentations and have good public speaking skills, share creative ideas, or think through complex concepts with multiple stakeholders. Theatre artists also learn to collaborate, solve problems in real time, and communicate across different specialties. Performers and production teams are finishers- they meet deadlines, juggle many moving parts, and bring complex projects to completion. Those habits of creativity, adaptability, and organization translate directly into any career path.”
Siena also offers a theatre major, which was approved in 2023.