Theatre Arts Department            

Department profile

 For the Bachelor of Arts

  (BA) in Theatre Arts

 November 03,2016

            Executive Summary

Name of the degree program: Theatre Arts

Name of the degree to be awarded: The Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts              

Degree to be awarded by: Wolkite University

Standard period of study:     Four years

Enrollment:  Regular

Fees / Charges: Cost-sharing

              Background

• Introduction

In Ethiopia, the art of theatre in a modern fashion has started in 1900 E.C by  Bejirond Teklehawariat Teklemariam, who trained theatre arts abroad during the presiding of Emperor Minilik. Since then its sciences and experiments have shown several progress in the past three regimes.

The art of theatre was live and in purpose both in schools and different theatrical companies throughout Ethiopia. “Dagmawi Minilik Secondary School” is the pioneer in the history of Ethiopian theatre to form the first theatre auditorium. And the Addis Ababa University School of Theatre Arts is known throughout Ethiopia as the older and larger school of theatre arts and other audio-visual forms of communication.

Since the opening of theatre school in Ethiopia, a significant number of students has finalized the undergraduate school in various multidimensional courses of mainly theatre arts.

Many graduates of the theatre arts schools have been working in key positions, such as Managers, public relation experts, communication and external relations officers, etc. in different governmental, non-governmental and private organizations in Ethiopia and abroad. Moreover, among the influential policy-makers of culture, information, communication, art and media are the products of theatre arts schools, mainly the Addis Ababa University School of Theatre Arts.

A significant others have been engaged themselves as actors, directors, writers and critics of particularly theatre and film, and are contributing a great deal for the development of these forms of art.

Wolkite University is the fourth stake holder for the development of theatre arts and its functions at the higher institution level in Ethiopia. Next to Addis Ababa University, Mekele University and Wollo University.Wolkite University is the first one to open Theatre Arts department among the newly opened Universities. The opening of the department at the very critical developmental spot of the country will help the endeavors of the university to take part in the rapid economic and social development of the country. In addition to its community development works, the theatre arts department currently with its undergraduate program and later in post graduate, will contribute for the success of the new paradigm of development, i.e. participatory development, and its strategy, participatory learning and action, which is critical particularly for developing countries.

The department undoubtedly will realize the community development undertakings of the university. This is because, it promotes participatory and highly interactive communication with the wider community which is the foundation of participatory development in particular and sustainable development in general.

Currently the department has 116 undergraduate regular students. Within the basis of the alarmingly increasing demand of theatre arts and related fields of study, the department soon, will enroll as many students as its developing capacity.

In line with the growing demand and expansion of the academic programs in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, the department is showing well in progress. But comparing to other schools and departments of theatre arts even in African countries, the physical and technical facilities of our department are far below the standard.

• Mission of the Department

Theatre Arts Department has the following missions:

• Enhancing the capacity of students in the fields of theatre arts.
• Unify the psychological makeup of the University community through theatre.
• Strengthen the developmental relationships between the university and the community.
• Promote the cultural aspects of the community.
• Inspire the community to be engaged in various developmental endeavors of its specific area in particular and in the country in general.
• Add a significant value for the theatrical and related activities of the country.

• Visions of the Department

• Create significant artists.
• Form culturally united community in the university.
• Create participatory society in various developmental activities.
• Create central school of theatre arts which can produce significant artists for the community, the country and the world.
• Form a theatre school which can be a benchmark for other institutes.
• Promote Ethiopian traditional and modern theatrical performances throughout the world.
• Enhance the artistic and cultural awareness of community through dramatic and literary works.
• Reassure the significance of indigenous performances of the society.

      1. About the Department

The Department of Theatre Arts has been established at a department level on October 2012 with three permanent staff members. Since then the department has organized few events at university and department level with its students.

Currently the department enrolled 116 regular students. The program will provide deep insight and knowledge about Acting, Directing and Playwriting for different media. In addition the program includes among others, mass communication, indigenous performance, literature, entrepreneurship and management in art, theatre for development, research methods, dramatic literature, public relations and survey of theatre and drama. The courses will enable students to be competent and effective in the field of theatre and film and development in various aspects.

Elective courses include English, Civic and Ethical Studies, Logic, Psychology, Information Technology, Social Psychology with a special relationship between the fields of study as well as practical application.

2. Objectives
   • General Objectives

• To train theatre professionals who play important role for the development of Ethiopian theatre.
• To train theatre practitioners who can use the theatre medium as a major tool of community development.
• Train skilled and competent theatre practitioners for different media.
• Train highly qualified actors, directors, dramatic critics and researchers in the field of theatre arts, film and mass media who can be fit for the demands of the country and the world at large.
• Specific Objectives

1. Enable trainees to be highly qualified actors, directors, dramatic critics and researchers, playwrights and technical designers in the field of theatre arts
2. To train highly qualified actors, directors, dramatic critics and researchers, playwrights and technical designers in the field of film.
3. To train highly qualified actors, directors, dramatic critics and researchers, playwrights and technical designers in the field of mass media who can be fit for the demands of the country and the world at large.
4. To empower theatre, film and literary experts who can serve as promoters of drama, film and literature.
5. To qualify film script writers, directors and actors who can support the development of film industry in Ethiopia.
6. To create translators of dramatic works.
7. Enable students to use theatre and indigenous performances for community development.
8. Widen the students’ horizons of appreciating literature and theatre and using this knowledge to create, criticize, perform and discuss various theatrical productions.
9. Enable students to engage themselves in various theatre, film,and radio and television drama production.
10. Providing capacity building schemes for theatre professionals and amateur artists.
11. Initiating knowledge transfer and experience sharing programs with similar institutes in and outside Ethiopia.
12. Enhancing the artistic and cultural awareness of the University community in general and of the University students in particular.