Curtains for Uni course

BUDDING thespians serious about studying their craft will be forced interstate as the University of Tasmania cuts the state’s only theatre degree.

The decision to cut the bachelor of contemporary arts degree has raised the ire of the theatre scene and prompted a warning from musical theatre veteran John Xintavelonis that more young Tasmanians will leave the state to pursue careers in theatre.

BUDDING thespians serious about studying their craft will be forced interstate after the University of Tasmania cut the state’s only theatre degree.

The decision to cut the bachelor of contemporary arts degree has raised the ire of the theatre scene and prompted a warning from musical theatre veteran John Xintavelonis that more young Tasmanians will leave to pursue a career in theatre. UTAS will no longer offer the Launceston-based course from 2019. Future students have been advised to apply for the broader bachelor of arts and elect to study theatre and performance as their major.

UTAS College of Arts, Law and Education pro vice-chancellor Kate Darian-Smith said the new offering would provide greater flexibility to students.

“The result is a more con- temporary curriculum that combines targeted development of technical and performances skills, and greater choice in pursuing future career opportunities,” she said.

“A key change in the new program is that students will be able to undertake a second disciplinary major via their eight electives, whereas previously students were only able to complete one minor in a second area of study.”

The decision comes as the state works to position itself as a creative hub with the university itself noting “Tasmania’s performing arts scene is flourishing” in the description of its now-cut course.

Xintavelonis said the decision would force more young Tasmanians to the mainland and pit them against each other for highly competitive positions at mainland performing arts institutions.

“Our local industry will be full of ageing actors and per- forming artists who are already established here and nothing coming through the ranks because they’ll all just go to the dreaded mainland and unfortunately won’t come back,” he said.

City of Launceston alderman and northern arts veteran Danny Gibson said local schools were distraught.

Creative college students had chosen Year 11 and 12 subjects in pursuit of the degree, he said.

“I’ve made it very clear to the vice-chancellor (Rufus Black) I’d been promised that course would not be lost on a number of occasions,” Cr Gibson said.

And the North was working towards making Inveresk a hub of culture, education and sport, he said.

“It’s disappointing if one of those significant anchors is not going to be fully realised due to people in Hobart cutting the course,” he said.