Mission Statement

Yale School of Drama and Yale Repertory Theatre are committed to rigorous, adventurous, and passionate exploration of our art form. We embrace a global audience. Our highest aim is to train artistic leaders in every theatrical discipline who create bold new works that astonish the mind, challenge the heart, and delight the senses.

Core Values

Artistry

Through mastery of skills and techniques, we nurture imagination and court inspiration. We seek fluent, authentic, original storytelling that reflects the complexity of the human spirit and questions accepted wisdom.

Professionalism

High aspirations and profound dedication fuel our conservatory training. With a sure sense of the value of work in our lives, we pursue excellence and are willing to risk failure.

Collaboration

We champion the unique voice of each artist and strive for a collective vision of our goals; working in balance, we prize the contributions and accomplishments of the individual and of the team.

Discovery

We wrestle with the most compelling issues of our time, to derive new understanding for the advancement of the human condition. We foster curiosity, invention, bravery, and humor, promoting practical innovation and personal revelation as lifelong habits of the artist.

Diversity

We joyfully embrace the differences that enrich our society and enhance our artistry, as a means to approach and comprehend our humanity.

Community

We reach out to the widest possible audience for our work: in so doing, we celebrate the ethical and animating exchange of ideas and spirit with each other, with our field, and with the world.

Objectives

The goal of Yale School of Drama is to develop the artistry, craft, and attitudes of its students to prepare them for careers in the professional theatre.

Yale School of Drama and Yale Repertory Theatre together are a unique conservatory for theatre training within the University. In each discipline of the School of Drama the aesthetic sensibility is translated into the language of the stage. The process of applying theory to professional practice is central to the School of Drama, and Yale Repertory Theatre serves as the master teacher towards this aim.

Although many graduates’ paths evolve into distinctive careers in film, television, teaching, and alternative forms of theatrical production and presentation, the primary focus of training at Yale School of Drama is the artistry of the legitimate stage.