The Department of Theatre offers students an appreciation of theatre as a fine art, sharpens the talents of those who seek careers in theatre and provides students with methods of stimulating and using their imagination and intensifying their communication skills.

The MU Department of Theatre has a distinguished history that began shortly after 1900 when a small group of aspiring thespians resolved to enhance the cultural life of the campus by producing plays in an abandoned dining room in Lathrop Hall. In 1925, Professor Donovan Rhynsburger joined the MU faculty and established the Missouri Workshop Theatre. For over 85 years, the department has sustained a national and international reputation as a major center for theatre and performance scholarship and dramatic art production. In 2007 “Academic Analytics” ranked MU Department of Theatre #4 nationally for scholarly productivity in Theatre Literature, History, and Criticism (reported in Chronicle of Higher Education, November 11, 2007). MU Theatre offers graduate and undergraduate programs.