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Creativity, imagination and improvisation will be essential skills for the fast-changing 21st century.
For more information:
Drama
Department Chair:
Joe Mattys, PhD
Phone: 804-752-4704
E-mail: jmattys@rmc.edu
Drama
If all the world's a stage, then a major in drama can help prepare you for whatever role your future demands. Focusing both on performance and production, the drama major introduces students to the long, rich history and flourishing contemporary role of theatre.
On-stage and off: From the diverse body of dramatic literature to the sweat-and-greasepaint challenges of staging a production, the drama curriculum offers a strong academic foundation while demanding the creative, problem-solving skills that go into staging a live performance.
Curtains up: R-MC's drama department stages an average of five productions a year, from the timeless works of Shakespeare and the Greek playwrights to Broadway favorites and contemporary dramas, with students often taking lead roles not only as actors but also as directors and lighting and stage designers. James Murray '09 arrived at R-MC interested in law and politics, discovered a love of theatre, and found himself four years later with a degree in English and Drama and more than 30 theatrical productions to his credit.
Road show: R-MC students take advantage of the college's strong study abroad program, which includes January-term travel classes such as professor Joe Mattys's The Arts in London. And students in the drama department also have the opportunity to participate in academic internships with professional theatre companies.
Your next act: Graduates of R-MC's drama program are pursuing careers in fields including television production design, non-profit fundraising, web design, PR and new media, education, and music performance.
| "Because of Randolph-Macon College, because of my liberal arts education, I now feel-I now know-that I can do anything."
James Murray '09, whose drama major reflected four years of heavy involvement in the theater scene, participated in some way with every production that Randolph-Macon presented during his four years at RMC. Murray also graduated with a major in English and a minor in music. An Honors student, Murray made the Dean's List seven times. He was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Fraternity and Mu Phi Epsilon Professional Music Fraternity. He was also the recipient of the European Council of International Schools' Award for International Understanding. In addition, Murray was actively involved in many of the college's academic offerings, clubs and organizations. He participated in the college's unique Schapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program twice and studied abroad in England in conjunction with the January Term (J-term) course, The Arts in London. He served as the president of R-MC's Franklin Debating Society, and he won more than 35 awards as a competitive speaker and debater. Murray was also a member of the Drama Guild and a writer for the student newspaper, The Yellow Jacket. He served as class president of the Student Government Association and was an active participant in the college's Quality Enhancement Program leadership team.
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