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The University of Hawaii at Mnoa's Theatre and Performance Studies programs are celebrated for their curriculum and productions highlighting both traditional and modern Hawaiian and Asian performance arts. Learners across all programs and experience levels can explore acting, directing, design, playwriting, and theater for young audiences (TYA), while courses in history, theory, research, and performance studies offer valuable context and inspire innovation. Academic studies complement live performances held in the 600-seat Kennedy Theatre and the more intimate Earle Ernst Lab Theatre.
The Theatre and Performance Studies department boasts 14 full-time faculty members who instruct more than 40 classes each semester. With about 50 undergraduate majors, 38 master's students, and 15 doctoral candidates, the program attracts theater enthusiasts from across the world to UHM.
Through both classroom instruction and a complete season of performances in the stunning Kennedy Theatre complex, the program strives to introduce students and audiences to diverse works from its core focus areas. These degree programs offer students a chance to build a comprehensive educational base while allowing for deep specialization in particular fields of interest.