Why Sponsor Us?
Montana Thespians is a nonprofit organization that celebrates the work of theatre educators and theatre students across the state of Montana. Each year at the University of Montana, we celebrate the role of theatre arts in every student’s education. Research has shown there is a strong link between achievement and arts education.
The arts:
• Improve (according to research) academic achievement and test scores.
• Develop verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
• Increase concentration and comprehension through engagement.
• Use the senses, stimulate emotions, and intellect.
• Increase cognitive involvement with subjects.
• Provide alternative methods of assessment.
• Provide avenues of achievement for students who might otherwise not be successful.
• Provide motivation for students to stay in school.
• Enlighten our understanding, making it deeper and more comprehensive.
• Enhance other curriculum areas.
A Message from The U of M's Director of Theatre and Dance
I am all too aware of the many different and difficult choices with which students are faced when choosing a school as well as an area of study. In today’s climate, the arts are often overlooked as viable career paths--but in reality, the arts are more vibrant and integral to society than ever before. The skills and training you will acquire in the arts will prepare you for life in a way you may not have even yet realized. Today’s job market requires creativity, problem solving, communication, teamwork, and confidence. Today’s world requires commitment, passion, and a depth of understanding that the digital age often overlooks. Today’s society needs individuals who know how to say what cannot be said. The arts teach these skills.
~Mike Monsos
Director, School of Theatre & Dance