A Theater & A Laboratory

The Davis Center enables students, professional artists, faculty and scholars to pursue research-driven art. Interdisciplinary collaborations foster new stories and fresh perspectives, just as our policy of opening auditions for all students creates ensembles that bridge across class years and experiences.

Photo of a woman dancing in the center of a circle of dancing men
Colum Goebelbecker (C’21), Benjamin Eneman (C’22), Nicole Albanese (C’20), Alex Prout (C’19), and MK Sparrow (SFS’19) with additional ensemble members in the Gonda Theatre production of Our Class in the 2018-2019 Friends, Far & Near season. Prof. Derek Goldman collaborated with Polish playwright Tadeusz Slobodzianek, translator Catherine Grosvenor, and DC-based playwright Norman Allan on this powerful, sweeping story of 10 Polish classmates—five Catholic and five Jewish—over 80 years of their lives from the 1920s to early 2000s, with dance by Emma Jaster. Photo credit: Stan Barouh
Photo of two actresses gesturing two a third actress on stage
Nona Johnson (C’17) as Viola, with Mar Cox (C’16) and Olivia Duff (C’16) both as Feste in Twelfth Night, directed by Prof. Maya E. Roth in a cross-cultural ensemble staging that embraced island culture, African diaspora and co-creation across faculty, students and guest artists, co-produced by TPST and Black Theater Ensemble. Advanced students played key artistic roles, including Samantha Becci (C’16) for Lighting Design, Caitlin DeSantis (C’16) for Costumes, and Caolan Eder (C’17) for Props, as mentored by Set Designer Deb Sivigny; hip hop artist Paige Hernandez choreographed with Roth and the Cast. Featured in the 10th Anniversary Making New Worlds Season. Photo credit: Georgetown University
Photo of actors posing in spotted newt costumes on stage
Kate Ginna (C’18) heads a cohort of newts in Prof. Natsu Onoda Power’s exhilarating world premiere adaptation of Karel Čapek’s novel War with the Newts with a multi-disciplinary staging and original music. It was part of TPST’s 10th Anniversary Making New Worlds Season —and that served as the Davis Center’s contribution to the DC-wide Mutual Inspirations Festival, amplified by interdisciplinary events sponsored by the Czech Embassy. Photo credit: Georgetown University.

All Learners Welcome

On campus, the Davis Center Community includes far more than only TPST majors and minors. Our survey of over 200 Alumni captured 84 different majors, minors and certificates. Explore the courses of study by clicking on the dots.

85% 15%

“Yes, and..”

Of surveyed alumni, nearly half (47%) were double majors or had a minor or certificate. They study everything from psychology and international relations to computer science and physics. 15% had “only” one major.

“What do you do with a theater degree?”

Our Theater & Performance Studies degree does not compel students into artistic tracks, and after graduation, alumni enter a variety of fields. Across a wide range of career paths, our alumni credit the Davis Center with preparing them for…just about anything.

  • Performing Arts
  • Business
  • Healthcare
  • Law
  • Education
  • Non Profit
  • Science
  • Sustainability
  • Acting
  • Directing
  • Writing (plays/film/television)
  • Criticism and/or Scholarship
  • Design
  • Devising or Collaborative Creation
  • Teaching
  • Global Exchange
  • Producing
  • Arts Management

No Typecasting Here.

Our cross-disciplinary curriculum creates multiple professional opportunities. True to form, 74% of surveyed alumni in the arts categorize themselves in at least two ways.

24% of alumni in the arts participate in at least 4 of these ways

Creating New Paths

Our alumni craft careers and lives that combine multiple disciplines, art forms, and industries, making new opportunities and paths along the way.

Spotlights

See individual stories from alumni that embody our Interdisciplinary & Intersectional approach.

Interdisciplinary & Intersectional

Stephen Bach

Computer Science Professor

Photo of Elise Lemle
Interdisciplinary & Intersectional

Elise Lemle

Experience Designer