Theater, Dance, and Film Studies Department

Students performing

Theater, Dance and Film are essential forms of human expression that celebrate creative collaboration and dynamic engagement with our world. Our department provides an introduction to performance, production and history and literature in order to help students engage with and reflect on the world in which they live. Through the critical study of the history of theater, dance and film, and through the embodied practice of these art forms, students will: analyze a diverse array of performances and texts, develop flexible problem-solving methods, cultivate diverse communication skills, practice collaborative processes, and create art.

Learning Outcomes

Through the study of the practice and history of theater, dance and film students will:

  • Develop aesthetic appreciation for art and culture
  • Learn flexible problem-solving methods
  • Acquire diverse communication skills
  • Employ collaborative processes
  • Create art

Upcoming Events

W&L Dancers Create...

Thursday, November 13 and Friday, November 14, 2025 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, November 15 at 2 p.m.

“THESE SHINING LIVES”

Tuesday, December 2- Friday, December 5, 2025 at 7:30 pm

W&L Repertory Dance Company

Thursday and Friday, March 26 & 27, 2026 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 2 pm

“The Play That Goes Wrong”

Wednesday, April 8-Friday, April 10, 2026 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 2 pm

Theater, Dance, and Film Studies News


W&L’s Lenfest Center for the Arts Presents 2026-26 Season, ‘Your Gateway to Global Experiences’

Tickets for the entire season will be available to purchase beginning Aug. 15.

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W&L Presents an Evening with Playwright and Actor Christine Toy Johnson

Johnson will present excerpts of her recent musical and give a public talk on March 24 at 7 p.m. in Johnson Theater.

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Explore Careers in the Arts at ‘Encore’ Alumni Event

Programming on March 15 invites students, alumni and faculty to reconnect and celebrate the evolution of W&L’s arts programs.

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This Year’s Bentley Musical is ‘The Prom’

The show runs March 13-15 in Keller Theatre in the Lenfest Center for the Arts.

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W&L Presents Premiere Screening of ‘Letters to Eleanore’

The Jan. 30 screening of the award-winning documentary about disability, perseverance and the story of a girl and her wheelchair is free and open to the public.

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W&L Presents Compagnie Hervé Koubi’s ‘Ce que le jour doit á la nuit’

The Jan. 16 performance is part of the Lenfest Center’s Outreach & Engagement Series.

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W&L Presents Shakespeare Adaptation “Hamlet 50/50”

The production runs from Nov. 19-21 in Johnson Theatre on the W&L campus.

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‘A Night of Miigis Moments’ Brings Indigenous-Led Performance To W&L

The Oct. 8 event is presented by Red Sky Performance and is part of the Lenfest Center’s Outreach & Engagement Series.

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Indigenous Artist Sandra Laronde to Deliver Lenfest Center Series Keynote Address at W&L

An authentic Indigenous dinner will accompany Laronde’s talk on Oct. 7 and is part of the Lenfest Center’s Outreach & Engagement Series.

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Owen Collins Publishes Article in the Theatre Design & Technology Journal

The article “Organic Dance Designs” tells the story of the theatrical work of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin Fellowship.

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The Lenfest Center Presents an Evening of Poetry Reading with Rena Priest

Washington’s first indigenous State Poet Laureate will deliver a reading on Oct. 1 as part of the Lenfest Center’s Outreach & Engagement Series.

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W&L’s Lenfest Center for the Arts Presents 2024-25 Season, ‘Expand the Arts!’

Tickets for the entire season will be available to purchase beginning Sept. 9.

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