The Department of Theatre and Dance is a world-class educational environment that serves as the ultimate creative incubator for the next generation of artists, thinkers and leaders in theatre and performance.
The Department of Theatre and Dance is a world-class educational environment that serves as the ultimate creative incubator for the next generation of artists, thinkers and leaders in theatre and performance.
Coming to the Stage
Coming to the Stage
This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing
Three sisters are left in the forest by their woodcutter father. From this fairytale beginning, three resolutions are made – one sister will walk one way, one sister will walk the other and the third will stay right where she is. Twenty years later, having circumnavigated the globe, and fought vikings and crossed oceans and tamed wilds and achieved greatness the three meet again, as women.
Cabaret
In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the Cabaret. With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, Cabaret explores the dark, heady and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany descends into fascism.
Rooted in Motion
Dance Repertory Theatre, the award-winning student resident dance company at The University of Texas at Austin, returns in the fall with genre-bending choreography that pushes the boundaries of dance performance. An exploration of connection and community, this dance concert will showcase original works that pull from a variety of aesthetic influences and movement traditions, including West African, European folk dance and contemporary dance forms.
EQUINOX 2026
EQUINOX presents compelling new choreography that showcases the virtuosity of student dance company Dance Repertory Theatre. Through a blend of movement and emerging technologies, EQUINOX explores the power of dance as a means of expression, storytelling and social commentary. Witness original works by faculty members Gesel Mason and Joel Valentín-Martínez, along with student and guest choreographers, which invite audiences to reflect on what it means to be alive in the world today.
Explore Programs
Undergraduate Programs
The department offers intense, skill-based training in all areas of dance, acting and theatre, as well as studio instruction for performance in film, television and new media. With up to eight main stage productions committed to undergraduate casting and over 20 student-driven projects each season, our students - performers, designers, stage managers and scholars - have abundant production opportunities on stage and behind-the-scenes.
Explore Undergraduate Programs
Graduate Program
With a faculty of national and international reputation, The University of Texas is one of the world's leading research universities, offering more than 200 dedicated research unit and centers, including the Briscoe Center for American History, the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies and the Harry Ransom Center. The university's library system is the nation's fifth largest academic library, containing over eight million volumes, including special collections ranging from architecture to public affairs to fine arts.
Explore Graduate ProgramsMaybe put nice quote here? Styling need to fix. Any good university educates its students. But a great university—a university with monumental impact and a tradition of intellectual leadership—does more. It transforms lives on a grand scale.
I love how being a part of UT Theatre and Dance really feels like you are part of big family. The professors are amazing and know how to push you in a positive way to achieve your goals, while preparing you for a successful career in whatever your focus is in--whether that be acting, directing, playwriting, dancing, etc. Also, being engaged with other students creates this feeling of a repertoire company that builds this level of trust. You get the feeling of being at home when you're rehearsing in Winship. There is no other place on campus that will make you feel this peaceful. - Andrew Rodriguez (B.F.A. 2019)
I love how being a part of UT Theatre and Dance really feels like you are part of big family. The professors are amazing and know how to push you in a positive way to achieve your goals, while preparing you for a successful career in whatever your focus is in--whether that be acting, directing, playwriting, dancing, etc. Also, being engaged with other students creates this feeling of a repertoire company that builds this level of trust. You get the feeling of being at home when you're rehearsing in Winship. There is no other place on campus that will make you feel this peaceful. - Andrew Rodriguez (B.F.A. 2019)
CAMPUS & COMMUNITY
Welcome home.
It's said that everything is bigger in Texas. And The University of Texas at Austin is no exception. With its impressive size, the university offers incredible resources both in and out of the classroom. Here, students pursue their academic passions, while refining their skills and uncovering new discoveries.
At center of the university's dynamic energy, our students - a tight-knit community of artists and scholars - have created a home in the F. Loren Winship Drama Building. We invite you to meet our students and and learn about our resources and opportunities, including student organizations, and career and counseling services.
The Cohen New Works Festival is a biennial, week-long showcase of new work created by students at The University of Texas at Austin held in various locations in and around UT campus. It is not just an event, but a celebration of a continuously ongoing pro
The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance presents UTNT (UT New Theatre). UTNT is an annual showcase of new plays from third-year playwrights in the M.F.A. Playwriting Program.
In the News
Lara Dossett Receives Department of Theatre and Dance Teaching Excellence Award
Assistant Professor of Instruction Lara Dossett has been selected as the recipient of the 2024/2025 Department of Theatre and Dance Teaching Excellence Award. This prestigious teaching accolade recognizes faculty members who go above and beyond to foster student success within the department.
The Department of Theatre and Dance Welcomes Zack Fine to Acting Faculty
The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance is pleased to announce that Zack Fine will join the department in Fall 2025 as an Assistant Professor of Acting.
Academy of Distinguished Teachers Inducts Theatre Professor Megan Alrutz in 2025 Cohort
This spring, Theatre Professor Megan Alrutz was inducted into the UT Austin Academy of Distinguished Teachers, a program established in 2012 to recognize outstanding educators across the UT System’s academic institutions.
Big Wins for UT Theatre and Dance Alumni at the 2025 Drama Desk Awards
The 2025 Drama Desk Awards recognized outstanding Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including award-wins for John Proctor Is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower (M.F.A. 2017), Maybe Happy Ending with projection animation by Heekyung Kim (M.F.A. 2024), Stranger Things: The First Shadow featuring cast member Nya Garner (B.F.A. 2022) and GYPSY and SUNSET BLVD. co-produced by Hunter Regian (B.A. 2017) with Allen Porterie (M.F.A. 2024) serving as assistant company manager (GYPSY).
ON THE BLOG: How Alumni Alice and Chip Gentry Became UT Theatre and Dance’s Biggest Fans
Off Book A Theatre and Dance Blog
We spoke with the UT Mathematics alumni Alice (M.A. 1976) and Chip Gentry (M.A. 1979, M. Ed. 1996), who have become part of the fabric of the UT Theatre and Dance community as season subscribers and consistent audience members, about their experience attending Texas Theatre and Dance productions, from experimental new plays to dazzling musicals and dance performances.
The Department of Theatre and Dance Welcomes Dr. Rachel Merrill Moss to Performance as Public Practice Faculty
The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance is thrilled to announce Dr. Rachel Merrill Moss will join the department in fall 2025 as an Assistant Professor in Theatre History in the Performance as Public Practice area.