UMKC Theatre has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top graduate theatre training programs in the country. For 51 years, the theatre department has trained and developed some of the finest theatre artisans working in the industry today. From its humble beginnings in 1964 as an offshoot of the Speech department, UMKC Theatre has grown and expanded to include a well-respected, world-renowned faculty who continue as working theatre professionals as well as other famed theatre artists who act as visiting professors.

Dynamic co-productions with local professional theatres provide a sense of the real world for students and even more enriching experiences for Kansas City theatre-lovers. In fact, UMKC Theatre has been called "Kansas City's Best Kept Secret."Graduates from UMKC Theatre program are invited to the most prestigious New York and LA showcases and auditions to exhibit their exemplary work and have the opportunity of securing positions with national and international companies.