Students in the Music Man with a full orchestra.
  • Program Type
    Major, Minor
  • Degrees Offered
    B.A.
  • School
    School of Arts & Sciences

Bring your truthful voice and unique self to your craft. Develop skills for the professional stage and more.

What You’ll Learn

You will explore Linklater vocal training, Meyerhold viewpoints, Grotowski movement exercises, and clowning. You will also receive on-camera training for television and film work that will prepare you for a professional performance career or any career path that emphasizes strong communication and presentation skills.

Get Stage Time

Our program presents two main-stage productions and at least one student-directed production every year.

Play a Part in Professional Film Productions

You’ll be mentored by and collaborate with professionals from the region and from New York and Los Angeles.

Unpack the Great Texts

From Shakespeare to Lin-Manuel Miranda, from Greek tragedy to the latest Broadway drama, you’ll examine the elements of effective storytelling for the stage.

Engage Your Whole Self

Studying the art and craft of theater at Mary will engage you intellectually, physically, and emotionally.

Program Information

Please visit our catalog for admission requirements and a full list of our courses.

Dramatic Arts Chair Daniel Bielinski shares insights on what and how you’ll learn in Mary’s dramatic arts program.

Careers & Outcomes

Employment Trends

Mary’s dramatic arts program prepares students for a professional career in the theater and gives students strong communication skills that position them for success in a wide range of fields. A dramatic arts background is a strong foundation for fields such as business, advertising and marketing, the nonprofit sector, education, and more.

Career Paths

  • Professional Actor
  • Arts Administrator
  • Director
  • Educator
  • Arts Advocate
  • Nonprofit Director
  • Creative Director
  • Marketing Director
  • Entrepreneur

Featured Faculty

Daniel Bielinski

Director of Dramatic Arts, Fellow in Catholic Studies

Daniel serves as chair of dramatic arts at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND, where he lives with his wife and five children. In 2018 he founded Canticle Productions to create film and theater that celebrates the history, land, and culture of North Dakota. ND feature films include A Heart like Water (Winter 2021), Sanctified (Spring 2022), End of the Rope (Fall 2022). Original theater includes Voices of Dakota Prairie (2021) and Voices of the Badlands (2022).

Take Your Next Step in Dramatic Arts