The university’s department of English has introduced a new drama concentration and minor.
Pat Whiting, who drafted the program elements and is undergraduate supervisor of the department, said while the university already has a student-run theatre company, Sock ‘n’ Buskin, there had been a void in the academic stream when it came to drama studies.
“Sock ‘n’ Buskin has been popular for many, many years and has turned out excellent performances, but there was no academic counterpart for people who were interested in drama,” she said.
The minor and concentration will include mandatory workshops taught by acting professional Sarah McVie, Whiting said.
The 3.5 credit concentration is open to honours and combined honours English majors, according to the department’s website. The minor can be taken by non-English majors.
“Drama by definition is a community-based activity. Any kind of dramatic endeavor . . . is something that really connects people with their community,” Whiting said.
According to the news release announcing the new program elements, the concentration and minor are not meant to train professional actors, but to give students interested in drama a chance to study and experience it from a literary standpoint.
