For More Information, Contact
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Daniel SorensenChair, Visual and Performing Arts Department |
About the Theatre Program:
The Theatre Program at Odessa College offers students an exciting, hands-on education in the performing arts. Our program emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and professional preparation through a balance of classroom instruction and live production experience. Students gain practical skills in acting, directing, stagecraft, lighting, sound, costume, and set design while developing the confidence and discipline essential for success both on and off the stage.
Each semester, students participate in fully staged productions in the OC Globe Theatre, working alongside faculty and guest artists who bring years of professional and academic experience. Whether your goal is to transfer to a university theatre program, pursue a career in performance or technical theatre, or simply explore your passion for the arts, Odessa College provides an inclusive and supportive environment where imagination thrives.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Odessa College Theatre Program is to inspire, educate, and empower students through the transformative art of live performance. We are committed to providing a collaborative and inclusive environment where students develop creative expression, critical thinking, and professional skills in all areas of theatre production. Through classroom instruction, hands-on experience, and public performance, the program fosters artistic excellence, cultural awareness, and lifelong appreciation for the performing arts. The Odessa College Theatre Program serves as a vital cultural resource for our community, engaging audiences and enriching West Texas through the power of storytelling on stage.
Faculty:
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Aaron GanzAaron Ganz is the Artistic Director of Odessa College’s Theatre Training Program and The Globe Theatre at Odessa College. He received his BFA in Drama from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and his MFA from the Institute for Advanced Theater Training/Moscow Art Theater School at Harvard University. As a Director, Mr. Ganz has helmed numerous productions, including The Front Page, Dark of the Moon, Uncle Vanya, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Phantom Lady, all produced at the X Repertory Theater Company in Los Angeles. He has directed highly acclaimed productions of Three Sisters, and Joan of Arc produced at Theatrum Elysium, along with the Shakespearean classics Romeo & Juliet, Richard III, and Twelfth Night at the Elysium Conservatory Theatre, where he directed Cymbeline aboard the USS Battleship Iowa. Mr. Ganz recently directed Wouldn’t It Be Lovely, Much Ado About Nothing, The Lady of Shalott, and the Fall production of The Front Page at The Globe Theatre at Odessa College. A sought-after theater educator, Mr. Ganz is the author of The Elysium Aesthetic acting technique and has taught acting technique, voice, and movement work at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, The Actors Movement Studio in New York City, the Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City, along with creating X Repertory Theater Company’s Studio XRT in Los Angeles and Elysium Conservatory Theatre in San Pedro, CA. |
The Globe of the Southwest Theatre:
Home to the Odessa College Theatre Program, the historic Globe Theatre is a West Texas landmark inspired by Shakespeare’s original Elizabethan playhouse. This unique, 410-seat venue provides students with a one-of-a-kind performance space that blends tradition with modern technology. The Globe hosts an annual season of student and community productions, concerts, and special events, offering invaluable hands-on experience in acting, design, and stage management. Its intimate design allows audiences to experience the energy and immediacy of live theatre, while its professional lighting, sound, and technical facilities prepare students for careers in today’s performing arts industry. The Globe Theatre stands as both a cultural centerpiece for the Odessa community and a living classroom where students bring stories to life.
Degree Plans: