The Nevada Conservatory Theatre (NCT), founded by the theatre faculty in 2000 and housed in the Judy Bayley Theatre on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas stands as a model for the intersection of research, pedagogy, and professional practice. The NCT at UNLV is led by the Department of Theatre Executive Director/Artistic Director Kirsten Brandt and governed by the faculty of the Department of Theatre. Serving as the applied artistic and technical producing arm of the Department of Theatre, NCT is a national model for theatre training programs seeking to bridge the gap between academic practice and the professional theatre.
NCT produces a six show season of theatrical events as well as other special events.
NCT selectively engages working professionals in all aspects of the theatre to work alongside advanced students in the art and craft of playmaking. NCT provides students with a professional working laboratory that transcends traditional internships or apprenticeships, placing students in artistic and technical leadership roles that most closely mirror their future professional careers. Simultaneously, the freedoms of the academy—its commitment to investigation, experimentation, exploration—provides professional guest artists with a creative space to take risks, dedicate themselves to new endeavors, and nurture their creative spirit unencumbered by the logistical restraints that are often present in the commercial theatre. This intersectionality between students in training, distinguished faculty members, and theatre professionals provides an ideal laboratory for training students and for advancing the discipline of the theatre arts. Together, this synthesis of art and research, the academy, and the profession empowers the NCT to produce theatre of the highest quality.
Built on a professional-oriented theatre model, NCT is committed to bringing to Las Vegas the highest quality theatre. With a spotlight on the integration of professional guest artists and advanced students, NCT is committed to creating “a vibrant theatre that inspires and entertains while providing a social, political, and ethical forum for Las Vegas artists and audiences.”
About the Department
The Department of Theatre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) housed in the College of Fine Arts is empowered to teach, advise, and mentor students, to engage in research and creative activity, and to serve the University and its community. The Department of Theatre is a diverse educational community of artists, scholars, and technicians who are committed to excellence in teaching, research, creative practice, craftsmanship, and service. The department allows students to pursue theatre as a major area of interest at the graduate and undergraduate levels in the context of a liberal arts curriculum as well as a professional artistic and technical practice. The Department of Theatre offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre with distinct courses of study: General Theatre Studies, Performance, and Design/Technology, in addition to a Master of Fine Arts degree with specializations in Design/Technology, Performance, and Stage Management. The distinguished faculty includes nationally and internationally recognized scholars, artists, and theatre practitioners with substantive links to the professional theatre and the film and television industry. The department has an established Acting for the Camera program that is integrated across the performance curriculum, as well as a successful interdisciplinary relationship with the Department of Film including film production, design, screen-acting, and digital media. Situated in the “entertainment capital of the world” the department shares a dynamic relationship with the Las Vegas strip. Through collaboration, exchange, workshops, technical and performance projects, apprenticeships, and internships, the Las Vegas entertainment industry is a valuable resource enriching both faculty and students.