Abstract
This article addresses the ongoing challenges and future prospects of theatre education in higher education. It argues that despite a long history on college campuses, theatre has struggled to gain widespread respectability and to achieve consistent excellence. The discussion emphasizes two fundamental questions—“Who are we?” and “What do we do?”—which programs must answer to define their missions and philosophies. Nine persistent dilemmas are outlined, including the balance between tradition and innovation, vocational training and liberal learning, specialization and generalization, and the role of students as individuals rather than passive participants. Additional concerns involve weak exploration of new ideas, limited articulation between educational levels, political realities of governance, and the pressures of declining resources. The article concludes that unless programs confront these issues directly and creatively, the discipline risks further decline and marginalization within higher education.
Recommended Citation
Wills, J. Robert
(1987)
"The Future of Theatre Education: Defining the Discipline,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 61, Article 15.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol61/iss1/15
