There has been a change.

The Freshman curriculum for Theatre students has been radically reworked. Now, they will be accepted as one large mass, all labeled as general theatre students. After their first year, as well as instruction in every different aspect of theatre, they will declare their major.

This is leagues better than the old system, which involved taking a semester for the introductory classes. And while they were not technically in a specific program, their adviser would be the head of whatever program that they had showed interest in, and they would hang out with the other Freshmen who showed interest in their program. The introductory classes, were, predictably, a fucking joke. I came into the program as a Technical Director, and therefore had the then-head of the TD program as my adviser. And although I was supposed to take costuming, lighting, and scenic design courses, they were treated as formalities, something to surmount instead of contemplate.

The old approach represented a massive misunderstanding of how theatre works in the real world, and was a great disservice to all. When it comes time for me to find work, I want to be able to say that I have propped, built, lit and designed shows. Granted, this is asking a lot from a BFA program, which is by it's nature an exclusive system. Sadly, I didn't really know, or didn't care to learn, the difference between a BA and BFA program when applying here, or else I would have very probably gone elsewhere. But the sounds of this new system are fantastic. But I digress. In the real world, one will work on multiple aspects of theatre. This summer alone, I was hired as a properties assistant, and ended up doing a little carpentry and even acting as a member of a costume run crew. And my employers liked that. That I was so readily able to adapt to the demands of the job, I guaranteed future employment, as well as gained valuable experience that can show future companies that I know what the fuck I'm doing in multiple roles. Besides me, our properties master was usually a scenic designer, one of our carpenters usually an actor (gasp!), and another carpenter that was normally a stage manager. The confidence and skill that I had came, in part, from those inane 'Intro to Everything' classes that I took Freshman year. So, equipped with a full year of introduction classes that aren't treated like a waste of time, The University of Illinois will be producing techies that can do damn near anything.

And that isn't even touching on the comradery that will be formed, and that is so sorely lacking, between the different disciplines. Sure, we have history classes together, and we do practicum work on shows, but that isn't really doing serious work. If the new students are designated as, and actually treated as a whole, they'll work better together not only during their tour of duty at Krannert, but out in the world. The real world. Where they will work. For real.

So, Theatre Department, my hat is off to you. After announcing, and sticking to, some fantastic new policies at the beginning of this year, you've consistently shown the desire and ability to change for the better. Bravo.