About Us

In the Department of Theater and Performance Studies (TAPS), theory and practice are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. We prepare our students to become scholar-artists fluent in both of these languages. The integration of the practical knowledge of theater-making with the humanistic knowledge of the history and theory of performance is central to our department’s vision.

If the idea of the scholar-artist is at the core of our department’s vision, then teaching is at the center of our mission. We teach our graduate and undergraduate students in academic classes and seminars, in acting and dance studios, and by mentoring them in their creative work and scholarly research. No other activity can surpass or replace having students enrolled in our classes and studios and majors and minors pursuing their degrees in our department. Creating the context for probing dialogues and participatory experiences in our classes is essential to guiding students into discoveries of how the performing arts can be utilized as a fresh platform for illuminating pressing social issues and paths of change.

TAPS offers degree programs leading to a B.A. and an Ph.D. in Theater and Performance Studies.

People

Chair: Diana Looser

Director of Graduate Studies: Matthew Smith

Director of Undergraduate Studies: Aileen Robinson

Please visit the TAPS web site for the full list of Professors, Lecturers, and Staff.

Connect with Us

Use these channels to learn more about our department and reach out to us.

• Visit our website: https://taps.stanford.edu/

• Email us: tapsstudentservices@stanford.edu

• Call our main office: (650) 723-2576

• Mail to:

  Department of Theater and Performance Studies (TAPS)
  375 Santa Teresa Street, Roble Gym, Rm 149
  Mail Code: 8125
  Stanford, CA 94305