Acting Classes in Houston, Texas with School Information
Higher Education Articles February 28, 2013There are six colleges in Houston, Texas, which offers acting classes. In this article, students will learn about the program requirements, admission information, and programs for three of these colleges and universities to make an informed academic decision.
Houston Acting School Comparison
To work in theatrical productions and become an actor, students do not need any formal training; however, students will be able to discover programs in Houston that prepares them for careers in the entertainment industry along with available acting courses. Students will be taught in acting classes on how to work with directors, memorize lines, create personality and voice traits, and develop characters.
San Jacinto Community College offers different acting classes through an associate degree program, and it is a two-year college located near the suburb of Pasadena. University of Houston offers acting programs at both the undergraduate and graduate degree levels. It is located in downtown Houston and a four-year university. Texas Southern University is located in downtown house, and it is a four-year university; this school offers a performance specialization option within its Bachelor of Art in Theatre program.
| Texas Southern University | University of Houston | San Jacinto Community College | |
| Acting Programs | Bachelor of Arts in Theatre – Performance | Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre – Acting and Master of Fine Arts in Theatre – Acting | Associate of Arts in Drama – Actor |
| Related Programs | Bachelor of Arts in Theatre – Technical Theatre | Bachelor of Fine Arts in Playwriting and Dramaturgy, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre – Design and Technology, and Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Costume | Associate of Arts in Drama – Technician |
| Type of School | Public, four-year | Public, four-year | Public, two-year |
| Student Enrollments | 9,730 | 39,820 | 29,392 |
| Campus Setting | Large City | Large City | Large Suburb |
| Tuition and Fees | $16,762 (out-of-state), $7,442 (in-state) | $15,025 (out-of-state), $7,513 (in-state) | $2,982 (out-of-state), $1,782 (in-state), $1,182 (in-district) |
| Financial Aid Percentage | 96% | 80% | 54% |
| Acceptance Rate | 39% | 63% | Open Admissions |
| Retention Rate | 27% (part-time) and 61% (full-time) | 66% (part-time) and 81% (full-time) | 51% (part-time) and 66% (full-time) |
| Graduation Rate | 12% | 46% | 11% |
| Relevant Facilities | Ollington Smith Playhouse; Sawyer Auditorium (black-box) | Proscenium and black-box theatres | Powell Arena Theatre, Richard S. Slocomb Fine Arts Building |
| Noteworthy | Yearly theatre retreat | Students who graduated have the opportunity to act with a professional theatre company; Acting showcase offered in the last semester of undergraduate studies | Each season they produce five to seven productions |
| Distance from Downtown | Located in Houston | Located in Houston | Four miles |
San Jacinto Community College
San Jacinto Community College is located in Pasadena, a nearby suburb of Houston, and this is a public two-year institution. Students will get a chance to perform, direct, and write stage productions at San Jacinto Community College Department of Theatre and Film. In addition to acting, students will be able to concentrate on career opportunities in technical theatre and theatre education.
Associate of Art in Drama – Actor
Aspiring actresses and actors will gain knowledge in the theory behind the craft and acquire applied acting experience when they enroll into San Jacinto Community College’s Associate of Art in Drama – performance program. Through three acting classes, students will have the options to learn many methods and techniques for different styles of theatrical performance. In addition, the college offers a course, which concentrate on film acting during the last semester. Several other courses in the program include television production, costuming, stage makeup, and stagecraft. Students may participate in the yearly dramatic productions conducted by the drama department.
University of Houston
The University of Houston provides theatrical educational opportunities through its School of Theatre and Dance; this school has the largest theatre department in Houston, Texas. Acting specializations are available at the undergraduate and graduate degree levels. Additional specializations in the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre include theatre education, stage management, technology and design, dramaturgy, and playwriting. In addition to acting, the Master of Fine Arts in Theatre specializations are available in lighting, costume, and scenic design.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre – Acting
The university offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre program in Acting among several other concentrations. To earn this degree, one hundred twenty credit hours have to be completed, including eighty-four hours from courses related to acting and theatre. In the acting courses, a student can get an in-depth education in several areas of theatrical practice and theory. An acting course in each of the final eight semesters is mandatory for students enrolled in the program. Students have the opportunities to receive instruction on how to stay in character while moving seamlessly across the stage along with vocal projection. They can garner experience in applied acting by participating in an acting showcase in the program’s final semester.
Master of Fine Arts in Theatre – Acting
This two-year, Master of Fine Arts program offers students a comprehensive education in the applied and theoretical components of acting. The program concentrates on five different aspects of performance and acting, such as passion, precision, agility, speed, and imagination. Students who are accepted will participate in an in-depth acting workshop the week before starting the educational program. Acting classes in the program concentrate on comedy, Shakespeare and Greek ritual theatre, characterization and action/objection, and personalization.
Texas Southern University
Students at Texas Southern University Department of Fine Arts are offered the opportunity to pursue programs in music, art and theatre. While there are two specializations in technical theatre and performance offered in the Bachelor of Art in Theatre program, seven specializations are offered in the Bachelor of Art in Art program. These include sculpture, drawing, painting, art history and design. Minors are available in music, art and theatre that can be pursued by students seeking degrees in other academic areas.
Bachelor of Art in Theatre – Performance
Students enrolled in this degree program with a performance specialization has the opportunity to gain knowledge in acting from classroom study along with being able to showcase their acting skills at the Ollington Smith Playhouse. Students’ production creation takes place at the campus black-box theatre. Visiting directors and actors and faculty members also teach classes. The program requires one hundred twenty-two credits; in addition, students take courses in theatre history, technical design, makeup, and costume.
Other School Options
A bachelor degree program in drama is offered at the University of St. Thomas. Alvin Community College and Lee College both offer associate degree programs in drama and are eighteen and twenty-one miles from Houston, Texas, respectively.
