Theatre Arts

Discover the courses you will take in Theatre Arts.

Music and Theatre Scholarships for New Incoming and Transfer Students Based upon Auditions

Music Scholarship Auditions

Acceptance into the Music Department for any music concentration and for a scholarship recommendation are based upon an audition and interview. Awards for various ensembles as well are awarded and renewed on a semester by semester basis. Music scholarship values vary and may be renewed based on an established GPA minimum, continuing music achievement, and required participation.

Students interested in a music scholarship should complete submit an online audition:

Online Audition

Theatre Arts Scholarship Auditions

We offer theatre scholarships for performance, design and production. We prescreen auditions and offer placement into our BFA degrees through the Accept’d platform. We also audition at the North Carolina Theatre Conference and the Southeastern Theatre Conference. 

Performance scholarships are renewable for the full four years so long as the student remains active in theatre arts and maintains at least a 2.7 average.

To be considered for a scholarship, please submit materials to Accept’d:

Theatre Arts Full Scholarship

Catawba offers a full-tuition Theatre Arts scholarship that is auditioned for and awarded on a special in-person interview day. The Hobgood Theatre Arts Scholarship is awarded to the incoming student who best demonstrates the most potential in the Department’s long-established mission of "Changing the Face of the American Theatre." 

Established in 2013 and named for Catawba Theatre Arts’ first Department Chair, Dr. Burnet M. Hobgood (1950-51), the scholarship is awarded each year by the faculty of the Theatre Arts Department in late January.  Participation in The Hobgood Scholarship Competition is by invitation only, and preliminary screenings are done through the Accept’d platform or by auditioning in-person through an alternate venue (SETC, NCTC, ITF). 

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this prestigious scholarship, you must:

1. Meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement of 3.75 (weighted)

2. Be unconditionally accepted to Catawba College

Procedure

• Students interested in this scholarship should complete an application via Acceptd.
• Following the original screening, students nominated by faculty will be invited to apply for a scholarship competition weekend, typically at the end of January.
• Further guidelines and an essay prompt will be provided as part of the invitation packet.
• Under extenuating circumstances, provisions may be made for a remote audition/interview if students are unable to attend, but ONLY IF such provisions are requested within two weeks of the Hobgood competition date.
• Invited students may compete in both the Socratic Scholarship competition (the largest college scholarship granted) and the Hobgood Scholarship competition, but only one of the scholarships may be accepted.
• Scholarship material must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the competition and must be complete in order for a student to gain a competition spot.

• Our broadest and most well-rounded degree track, the BA in Theatre Arts provides study, training, and experience in all areas of theatre arts for careers in regional and community theatre, as well as for continued study in theatre and study or employment in related professions.
• Catawba College undergraduates seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts are welcomed and encouraged to take courses in all areas of Theatre in order to best tailor the degree to suit their educational goals and aspirations. We do not “gate” the Theatre Arts classes offered at Catawba based on degree programs students opt to pursue.
• Students who wish to pursue the BA degree in Theatre Arts do not need to audition; they simply need to be accepted into the College and express an interest. We highly recommend that students interested in pursuing a performing arts degree and earning the Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts apply through Acceptd in order to qualify for theatre arts scholarships, participate in on-campus Masterclass Saturdays, and interview with the Catawba College’s Theatre Arts faculty.

• Catawba College students who want to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Arts with a concentration in Design and Production or Performance are admitted into these BFA degree programs by audition/portfolio review only. Students seeking a bachelor of fine arts degree in one of these two tracks offered in theatre arts program are required to apply through Accepted and attend one of our Masterclass Saturdays on campus.
• In the Design and Production track in Catawba College Theatre Arts Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs, undergraduates will focus on lighting, costume design, and set and scenic design. These stagecrafters graduate prepared to work in important behind-the-scenes roles in performing arts or to pursue additional education in graduate school.
• In the Performance track in Catawba College Theatre Arts Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs, undergraduates will focus on all aspects of performance including acting, character development and interaction, and portrayal of characters in a historic and societal context. These performance studies graduates may also opt to pursue coursework in Dance and Music to broaden and strengthen their performance skills.

Catawba College has articulation agreements with all community colleges in North Carolina offering an AFA in Theatre Arts degree, allowing for a seamless transition to Theater Arts programs at Catawba College.

Meet the faculty of the Theatre Arts Department: 

Support Catawba Theatre Arts students today by making a gift to The Blue Masque Young Artist Development and Scholarship Fund below.