Black Hawk College Launches Hybrid Introduction to Theatre Arts Course for Fall 2026

Black Hawk College is adding a new fine arts option for Fall 2026. THEA 111, Introduction to Theatre Arts, is a three-credit hybrid course designed for students who need a transferable fine arts credit or want a broader look at theatre. The class will explore theatre history, acting, directing, dramaturgy, stagecraft, and critical thinking about performance. Students will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 2:15 PM, with Tuesday sessions held at the Quad-Cities Campus and Thursday discussions online. Current students can register at connect.bhc.edu/register. New students can begin at connect.bhc.edu/apply.

“Theatre helps people to explore the world around them through artistic endeavor,” said Dr. Traci Davis, psychology professor and the course instructor.

“For the upcoming generation, theatre helps reinforce some basic human traits we are losing – making appropriate eye contact, being able to work on a project in groups, and understanding human nature through stage work,” she said.

Dr. Traci Davis is bringing theatre back to Black Hawk College, where her own stage journey began. Davis started as a theatre major at BHC before switching to psychology, earning a doctorate, and returning in 2004 as a psychology instructor. Now, she’s also a student again, pursuing an MFA in pedagogy and playwrighting through the University of Idaho. Davis hopes to complete the degree in spring 2027 and expand theatre offerings at BHC. She’s already active in local theatre and recently workshopped her new melodrama, “The Mire,” with staged readings in the Quad-Cities and Indianapolis.

“I’m super excited to be on this journey and to bring back theatre to BHC,” she said.