About Us

Welcome to the UTPA Theatre-Television-Film area within the Department of Communication and the College of Arts and Humanities.  The University Theatre is responsible for the production of live theatre productions as well as films and television programming. The theatre program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre and the Texas Educational Theatre Association. The theatre program offers two degree programs:  Bachelor of Arts in Communication - option in Theatre/TV/Film, and Master of Arts in Theatre. The undergraduate program has four tracks:  television/film, performance, design, and the teaching track. Each track features special courses and requirements pursuant to their appropriate goals.

The top menu links to academic related aspects of the Theatre program.  The left menu links to theatrical performance information on stage, television and film.

From the Director of Drama...

Welcome to UTPA’S University Theatre Productions 2008-09 season. It’s an exciting year of live comedy, drama, musicals, and children’s theatre with all the Broadway level entertainment, humor, staging, costumes, and performances you’ve come to expect.

We begin with out PASS (Pan American Summer Stock) shows.  First up, we have Con Mis Manos/With My Hands, a family drama, followed by The Butler Did It.  Both shows will leave you rolling in the aisles.

The fall Main Stage season kicks off with Of Mice and Men.  This American tragedy will touch your heart and mind as well.  November will see the premiere of the Red and the Blue, a new play set in South Texas.

The new year starts off with Noises Off, a comedy within a farce.  Next up is our Faculty Favorites Festival, March 26-28, 2010.  Back in the Jeffers Theatre, you will enjoy Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado about Nothing.  Finally our season concludes with the children’s production The Frog Prince re-told by Dr. Brian Warren.

Our theatre is a thrilling place where you, our audience, are very much a part of the teaching/learning process. As always this year you will witness our student actors and technical artists learn their craft and grow with each production. These are the same creative people you’ll see in our student films and who will become the professionals of stage and screen and educators you’ll hear from again and again in years to come.

We’re looking forward to the creative challenges of our various productions and hope you will find each offering something special in its own way. Thank you for being here.

Jack R. Stanley, Ph.D.
Director of Drama

About Albert L. Jeffers

The Albert L. Jeffers Theatre of the dramatic arts, is named in honor of Albert L. Jeffers in recognition of his support and wonderful generosity to The University of Texas-Pan American. The theatre manifests the confidence and trust of the Jeffers family in the goals of The University of Texas-Pan American and in the academic and cultural welfare of all its students now and in the future.

Mr. Jeffers, an attorney specializing in intellectual property law, is well known nationally and internationally. He is a Methodist and served on the board of trustees of Evansville University in Evansville, Indiana for over 35 years.

Driven by a passionate belief in the power of education, he created several charitable remainder unitrusts naming universities as beneficiaries.  At the time of his gift to The University of Texas-Pan American Foundation in the form of a charitable reminder unitrust, his donation was the largest single gift from an individual ever received by the foundation. The funds from the generous gift are used for full scholarships to The University of Texas-Pan American and will help many future generations of college students follow their dreams. 

Facilities

Below is a gallery of our performing and shop spaces.

Photo Gallery