The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre at Youngstown State University empowers the next generation of visionary performers, technical innovators, designers, and creative leaders. Built on the conviction that the strongest artists are complete theatre makers, our program pairs rigorous training with the personalized mentorship of small class sizes. At YSU, you are never lost in the crowd. Faculty work directly with you from day one to hone your unique artistic voice and technical mastery.
Tailor your degree to your specific artistic ambitions through three specialized concentrations:
Across all concentrations, students gain hands-on versatility across both onstage artistry and backstage disciplines. With the built-in flexibility to add an outside minor, you graduate as an agile, workforce-ready professional prepared for sustainable careers across theatre, film, concert production, and themed entertainment.
Learning at YSU happens in real time. Each season, University Theatre mounts a robust lineup of fully realized productions including mainstage plays, full-scale musicals, and an annual Cabaret, giving students immediate opportunities to act, direct, design, build, and crew.
Beyond campus, our students lead community youth summer camps, mentor prospective students during high school preview days, and build professional resume credits through active partnerships across the Northeast Ohio arts corridor, including the Youngstown Playhouse, Millennial Theatre, Hopewell Theatre, and ACTS.
“I consider myself very lucky to have been given the opportunity to get a bachelor of fine arts specifically in theatre – I contribute a lot of my success and skills to not only the friends I got to work with during my time at YSU, but also the many instructors that taught the tools I still use to this day. If you’re looking for a place to hone your skills in whatever area of theatre you want to work in, as well as make lifelong friends, this is the place to do it!”
-Brooke Nobbs, BFA in Theatre, 2018
Our small class structure means that you’ll have the opportunity to experience stage time within your first year.
“I consider myself very lucky to have been given the opportunity to get a bachelor of fine arts specifically in theatre – I contribute a lot of my success and skills to not only the friends I got to work with during my time at YSU, but also the many instructors that taught the tools I still use to this day. If you’re looking for a place to hone your skills in whatever area of theatre you want to work in, as well as make lifelong friends, this is the place to do it!”
-Brooke Nobbs, BFA in Theatre, 2018
