Division of Performing Arts
The Division of Performing Arts was founded on the belief that the role of the artist is to give beauty back to God and the world.
As a DeSales Performing Arts major, you'll become part of a tradition of independently thinking artists. Seasoned, talented faculty will guide you through rigorous training as you:
- develop discipline in your creative and inspired storytelling
- learn at masterclasses taught by guest artists who are at the top of their fields
- gain hands-on experience using the most up-to-date equipment
- pursue exciting internship opportunities to earn valuable work experience.
These are just some of the reasons DeSales excels in the performing arts. We love what we do, and we love doing our part to make the world a better place by bringing beauty back to God and His world.
Programs
Our Bachelor of Arts degrees provide flexibility in your career objectives. You can pursue a double major, study abroad, and find internships in your chosen area of study.
Performing Arts students interact with one another creatively in productions and in classes. Dancers take acting classes, TV/Film students shoot dance on film, theatre majors take TV/Film classes to learn how to use camera equipment. There is a pronounced artistic synergy between the three majors which makes for very exciting artistic collaboration.
Performing Arts Scholarships and Auditions
It was a joy working with the acting students of DeSales University ... I could see and hear the student’s passion for their craft and their eagerness to get out into the world and share it. I wish them all the best and I hope to meet up with some of them on set someday.”
— Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Actor (The Wire, Gangs of New York, The Deuce)
Act 1 Productions
Act 1 is DeSales University’s highly-acclaimed performing arts company and features professional-caliber productions in Dance, Theatre and TV/Film.
Each year we welcome another group of eager young actors, designers, dancers, and filmmakers all drawn to DeSales to hone their craft and create art that will inspire and entertain. We offer enchanting and provocative stories that will — with the mere rise of a curtain — unlock the limitlessness of your imagination.
TV/Film Students Featured in PBS 39 Special
PBS 39 is putting a spotlight on students and faculty in the TV/Film department for a special about the Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival.
Host Monica Evans came to campus to interview several students and Chuck Gloman, associate professor and chair of the TV/Film department.
"Just getting in was a little award to myself," says Jesse Crum, whose film Family Reunion is nominated for the Lehigh Valley Student Filmmaker Award. "To be able to sit there and watch it on the big screen, I feel accomplished."
The festival received 750 submissions and nominated fewer than 200 films, including nine entries from DeSales students and alumni.
"That says a lot about our students, especially the freshmen," says Gloman. "They've been here weeks and they already have a film that's in a film festival. I don't think any other school anywhere has people at that age level getting in film festivals and potentially winning them too."
The following films were accepted into the festival: Beyond Death's Door by Colleen Gallagher '18; The Conductor by Adam Barbato '19 and Tony Antonelli '19; Family Reunion by Jesse Crum '21; A Food for Food by Brian McQuade '17; Gripped by Fear by Justin Mahalsky '18; The Journey by Conner Cohan '20; Memory Drive by Adam Pivirotto '19; Review Mirror by Thomas Clark '18; Sins of the Father by Joe Crognale '21.
The second annual Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival runs from Thursday, April 12 to Sunday, April 15 at the Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe. The hour-long special will air on PBS 39 on Friday, April 13 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
DeSales University Film Festival
A celebration of the diverse range of genres and styles form the next generation of DeSales filmmakers.
March 23rd 2024 - 7:30 PM
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
A leading Shakespeare festival with an emerging national reputation for excellence, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) is a professional theatre company on the campus of DeSales University.
Each summer, PSF produces a season of Shakespeare and other classics, musical theatre, and children’s theatre.
About the Division
The Division of Performing Arts was founded on the belief that the role of the artist is to “give beauty back to God, beauty’s self and beauty’s giver” (Hopkins). We do so by giving beauty back to the world through Theatre, Dance, and TV/Film. We aspire to infuse the workforce in the entertainment industry with the most well-trained artists of the day.
We believe as the Greeks did, that the purpose of the arts is to reveal the truth of the world to ourselves in order that we can learn from each other’s good and not so good decisions. Therefore, we believe that art reveals the truth of mankind. And when the truth is revealed so is the beauty of mankind. And to that end, we encourage our students to dig down to find the truth of the story they want to tell through dance, theatre, and film to uplift humanity to make the world a better place.
