Physical Theatre Concentration
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Physical theater has recently enjoyed a renaissance that is evolving into a specialty. Cirque du Soleil employs thousands of performers worldwide, and many similar organizations are also enjoying unprecedented success. Dozens of theaters now specialize in physical theater performance, which has created a need for training programs. Internationally there are a number of undergraduate training programs for the physical theater artist, but Coastal Carolina University offers one of the only B.F.A. concentration in Physical Theatre in the United States.
What You’ll Study
The B.F.A. concentration in physical theater is at the forefront of theater studies within American undergraduate institutions. It draws upon the European performance and study traditions to blend acting, voice and movement technique to a variety of applied physical performance methods. In this program you’ll train in classic clowning, circus skills, acrobatics, mime, dance, character development, professionalism, and the creation of original material to explore the intersection of clowning, theater, activism and experimentation in performance.
The first two years of the program take place on the campus of Coastal Carolina University, focusing on a thorough regimen of acting technique, script analysis, theater history, criticism, voice and movement. The third year of the program will be in residence at the Accademia dell'Arte in Arezzo, Italy. Accademia dell'Arte is a vibrant community of performing artists, musicians, scholars and students working within an environment dedicated to training, researching and experimenting to realize individual goals and collaborative projects.
Sample Four Year Plan
Beyond the Classroom
B.F.A. Theater majors, with a physical theatre concentration, will have the opportunity to participate in the CCU Senior Showcase or in an internship with a physical theater company. The ultimate goal of the program is to launch students into the world as confident, creative and autonomous artists with a strongly developed aesthetic sensibility that unites the wonder of performance with a genuine search for human meaning.
In Production
Contact
Eric Hall
Department Chair
843-349-2423 or ehall1@coastal.edu