This Theatre and Drama Studies degree is offered jointly with the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). It combines the intensive professional training of an acting school with the academic preparation of an honours-level drama degree. No other drama and theatre program in Canada offers a comparable education.
Students gain professional-calibre experience at the acclaimed Theatre Erindale, working in every capacity — from front-of-house to backstage production and on-stage performance. They are encouraged to pursue additional performance opportunities on campus and in the community.
This unique theatre program provides you with an exceptionally broad range of opportunities to develop and express your creativity — and a wide variety of drama and theatre career options to explore after graduation.
Succeed in the Dramatic Arts
You’ll attend both institutions simultaneously. At UTM, you’ll take drama courses covering the history, theory, and literature of Western drama and film. Acting classes and theatre studies take place at Sheridan and feature:
- Small, intimate class sizes
- Personalized acting instruction, with emphasis on voice, text, movement, scene study and improvisation
- Focus on audition and rehearsal skills
- An introduction to theatre business practices
- Fundamentals of technical theatre, including sound, lighting, sets, costumes and props
The workload is heavy, with many hours of rehearsal and theatre production added to classroom and personal study time. But you’ll enjoy the camaraderie and teamwork of theatre life, and you’ll graduate with a four-year honours degree (with specialist certification) from UTM and a two-year (equivalent) Sheridan diploma.
Most important of all, your Theatre and Drama Studies degree will prepare you for a successful career in the dramatic arts.
For more information about the program and productions, please visit: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/academic/theatre/theatreerindale.htm
Theatre and Drama Degree courses are held at the Trafalgar Road Campus in Oakville, Ontario, and the University of Toronto Mississauga.
Graduates of the Sheridan-UTM Theatre and Drama Studies program enjoy an unusually wide range of options for careers and further study. Many of our students have gone on to prominent acting careers, including Zaib Shaikh (“Little Mosque on the Prairie”), Joanna Douglas (“Being Erica”) and Darryl Hinds (Second City). Others have succeeded as:
- Playwrights
- Artistic directors
- Producers
- Drama teachers
- Critics
- Graduate students and university faculty Graduates also pursue other creative arts and business careers.
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the University of Toronto Mississauga. Appropriate preparation includes courses in drama and other performing arts, English and history, along with experience in public performance.
Note: There is no separate application to Sheridan.
APPLICANT SELECTION
Eligible applicants will be selected based on U of T Mississauga’s assessment of their academic achievement and Sheridan’s assessment of their audition and interview. The audition for the Sheridan portion of the program counts equally with the academic entrance average. Once you have applied to the University of Toronto Mississauga and received your U of T Student Number, you must visit the U of T Mississauga website below to book the next available audition appointment and pay the audition fee (by credit card). Auditions are normally held in February, March and early April.
https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/reg/audition/
If you are unable to use the online audition scheduler please contact U of T Mississauga Associate Registrar Lorretta Neebar at 905-569-4355.
All auditions take place at Sheridan’s Trafalgar Road Campus in Oakville, Ontario.
Applicants must bring the following materials to Sheridan when they report for their auditions:
- A résumé of their theatrical background and experience
- Names and contact information for two people who have agreed to act as references regarding their work as a performer and all-round theatre person. When applicants attend their auditions, they are asked to complete additional questionnaires and a brief interview. These steps help us determine their preparation, goals, and commitment to the actor's craft and the study of the theatre.
THE AUDITION
The Audition assesses current acting skills by having applicants perform:
- Two contrasting prepared monologues: – one from a classical play (Shakespeare preferred) – one from a full-length 20th-century play by an established playwright (Canadian preferred)
- One verse of any song (unaccompanied)
- One on-the-spot improvisation
Specific instructions regarding the development and presentation of these items may be downloaded by eligible applicants when they make their audition appointment.