Every year in the Fall, Stage Directions has covered theater training programs. We are pleased to continue this coverage now in PLSN. In the following resources section, we spotlight the the colleges and universities who have come along with our move over to Stage Directions in PLSN. They are an impressive group of some of the leading theater training programs. It is in these classrooms, these shops and on these stages where the next generation of theatermakers find their voices, hone their skills and emerge with new ideas that move our industry and art forward. We encourage you to take some time to read over the following Education Resources pages and learn more about why these outstanding schools have built such successful theater training programs. Then go to the school’s websites for further information on their many degree programs.
Baylor University is home to a dynamic theatre program with special attention to building community while training excellent artists. The department offers the BA in Theatre Arts and BFA degrees in Theatre Performance and Theatre Design and Technology. The Department of Theatre Arts is committed to creating an educational and artistic environment in which all people can thrive. To that end, they are engaged in ongoing work to increase equity and inclusion throughout the program. Maintaining a low cap enrollment of undergraduate majors, the Department of Theatre Arts provides small class sizes and ample opportunities to excel.
All students are grounded in a holistic theatre education with required course foundation classes in theatre history, script analysis, performance, and a full range of hands-on technical elements. Advanced courses in acting, directing, dance, design, and theatre crafts allow for the development of strong skills in the field. Specialized theatre course offerings include musical theatre voice, dance, playwriting, dramaturgy, stage management, stage combat, and acting for the camera.
The Mission of Baylor University is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community. The Department of Theatre Arts strives to nurture a close knit community of intellectually curious and artistically daring theatre practitioners while preparing students for future success through liberal arts education and professional training.
www.baylor.edu/theatre
The Division of Performing Arts at DeSales University was founded on the belief that the role of the artist is to give beauty back to the world. Our programs in dance, music, theatre, and TV/film are programs of choice for wonderfully dynamic young artists. We have always believed that the beauty of music, dance, theatre, and film hold the power to soothe the wounds of an increasingly abrasive society. Therefore, we believe it is our mission to shape pathways of discovery for our students, helping them see that creativity holds the power to illuminate truth and elevate the human spirit.
Whether on film, on stage, or in the classroom, our rigorous training programs, taught by seasoned, professional teaching artists, help students become tellers of enchanting and provocative stories, which, with the mere rise of a curtain, unlock the limitlessness of the imagination.
We are committed to the Bachelor of Arts degree which provides the flexibility that allows our student artists to pursue a minor or even a dual major. Our division fosters very healthy relationships between the disciplines. Actors act in filmmakers’ films. Filmmakers and dancers collaborate on dance on camera creations. Actors learn acting techniques specific to the camera, etc. The division’s network of visiting guest professionals and artists enrich the experience of students through residencies and master classes.
These are just a few of the reasons why the DeSales performing arts programs have such outstanding reputations. We cherish the performing arts and all they do to lift the human spirit, better our world, and positively impact peoples’ lives. Our mission is to shape pathways of discovery that challenge and inspire students to fulfill their artistic, scholarly and professional capacities.
www.desales.edu
University of Evansville’s Department of Theatre welcomes students with exceptional talent and outstanding academic ability resulting in an extremely motivated group of creative young artists with serious attitudes toward a challenging academic environment. UE theatre’s productions provide purposeful experiences tailored to challenge and cultivate growth in an individual student’s path as a theatre artist A theatre student has numerous options to assume leadership roles in all levels of the production process and is guaranteed the opportunity to participate in a meaningful way each semester. UE theatre’s faculty members advise students to explore the full breadth of career development opportunities available to them throughout the entertainment industry. The mentoring of each student’s particular strengths and talents is coupled with practical experiences and a true desire to foster personal and professional success for every graduate.
Areas of study include: Theatre Performance with classes in scene study, voice, speech, movement, mask work, script analysis, dance and stage combat prepare performance majors for intensive practical on-stage experiences. Theatre Design and Technology majors take a core curriculum of classes in production techniques, costume construction, graphic communications, scenic, lighting and costume design. Specialized courses in architecture and costume history, rendering, advanced production techniques and advanced design are also available to accommodate each student’s strengths and interests. Production opportunities provide beginning and intermediate students with hands-on experience. Theatre Studies majors are encouraged to explore a variety of theatrical disciplines and work with faculty mentors to discover their talents and enhance their strengths and career goals. The Theatre Management major is designed for highly qualified students interested in a career as a leader in the field of arts administration and management. Stage Management majors combines classes in theatre, management, and studies in communications. This curriculum allows the student to develop a broad based educational program that meets individual desires and abilities while specializing in stage management.
https://www.evansville.edu/majors/theatre/
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a top-ranked creative and performing arts conservatory in Winston-Salem, N.C. Founded in 1963 as America’s first public arts conservatory, UNCSA celebrates almost 60 years of training wildly creative, gifted and hardworking young artists to do what they love. At UNCSA students are encouraged to grow, to experiment, and to develop their abilities to the fullest. Students study with resident master teachers who have had successful careers in the arts and who remain active in their professions. Students are enrolled in the five conservatories that make up the School of the Arts: Dance, Design and Production, Drama, Filmmaking, and Music. Ranging from high school to undergraduate, graduate and post master’s, the students are selected by audition or portfolio review and interview. Along with rigorous arts training, students receive intensive academic instruction through the Division of Liberal Arts and the High School Academic Program. With its full academic program, the school awards the high school diploma, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the Professional Artist Certificate and Graduate Artist Certificate.
One of the top theatrical design and production schools in the world, the School of Design & Production at UNCSA delivers a profoundly creative, hands-on immersion in the behind-the-scenes magic of entertainment. Students attending UNCSA receive training in a stand-alone design & production conservatory dedicated to rigorous professional training in every aspect of modern stagecraft: costume design and technology, wig and makeup design, scene design, sound design, stage management and more. They also gain invaluable experience working inside 100,000 square feet of state-of-the-art production space.
In the past, the design and production industry focused on careers in stagecraft – jobs behind the scenes of a play in a theater. “Now, our School of Design and Production teaches global entertainment,” said Michael J. Kelley, dean of the School of Design and Production. “While Broadway and international tours are our backbone, we also teach you to work in themed entertainment (such as theme parks), and aboard cruise ships.” Here students learn to build the future of entertainment.
Students come to the School of Design & Production with a passion for their art – and they leave equipped to live that passion in the professional world. There’s no better marker of the success of our program, and no greater source of pride, than the achievements of our alumni. UNCSA alumni work as scenic artists, makeup artists, stage managers, prop designers, sound engineers, lighting technicians, technical directors and more in some of the most prestigious and well known institutions across the globe – on Broadway, on television, in film and beyond. Our alumni have worked with world-renowned organizations like Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Berkeley Ballet Theatre, Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre and The Walt Disney Company.
“I think that’s part of the secret at UNCSA: becoming prepared to work with people and interact with teams. Not everyone has those skills. There are people who have been in the business a long time and don’t have them. But they’re key,” states McLane Snow (D&P ‘07; Freelance Automation Installation Supervisor with TAIT). Another alum, – Paul Tazewell (D&P ‘86; Tony Award-winning Costume Designer for Hamilton) notes, “The School of the Arts has been life-changing for me. I have realized just how much of an effect it’s had on my growth overall … the school is so much a part of who I am and how I relate to people.”
Chancellor Brian Cole comments, “In these unprecedented times, I would argue that the world needs the inspiration and creative problem solving abilities of artists now more than ever. The people of the UNCSA community are better prepared than anyone to meet these challenges, and our institution is ready to do so.”
The undergraduate program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts allows you to pursue what you’re passionate about, while preparing you realistically for a professional career. The graduate program at the UNCSA gives you the opportunity to refine your craft and continue the development of your professional skills. If you’re looking for somewhere that nurtures a deep focus on your art, UNCSA is the place. You will be immersed in your chosen field with instructors and peers who share your drive and dedication. The small student-to-faculty ratio allows you to work closely with faculty mentors to tailor your education to your own needs and goals, while giving you the tools you need to be a dynamic artist in the professional world.
www.uncsa.edu/dnp
Since 2018, Manhattan School of Music’s buzz-worthy Musical Theatre Program has benefited from the expertise of choreographer and educator Liza Gennaro in the role of associate dean and director of the program. Previously, Gennaro had spent six years as the head of musical theatre at Indiana University’s Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance. A native New Yorker who was born into a musical theater family – her father, Peter Gennaro, was an award-winning Broadway dancer and legendary choreographer – she was eager for the opportunity to return to her hometown to continue making her mark on the next generation of musical theatre artists. “New York is the epicenter of musical theatre,” says Gennaro. “Everyone is here – directors, music directors, casting directors, agents. There are such great opportunities for students to not only learn about the art form but to also learn about the business.”
Established in 2016 by then associate dean and director Luis Perez, MSM’s degree program in musical theatre became the first such program in New York – and only the second in the U.S. – to be offered at an independent conservatory. Students receive comprehensive training from a faculty stocked with notable Broadway veterans and educators, culminating in a fully accredited bachelor’s degree. “We train musical theatre artists excelling in acting, singing, and dancing to thrive in a field where they need to be more than performers,” says Gennaro. “Successful artists today are also creative contributors to project development, skilled at digital, media, entrepreneurial efforts, even self-producing.”
MSM embraces all that New York has to offer with students having the opportunity to attend master classes given by actors, writers, directors, choreographers, and casting directors who are currently active in the city’s professional theatre community. Students have the opportunity to perform in showcases & fully produced productions, and to participate behind the scenes.
www.msmnyc.edu
The Department of Theatre Arts at Marymount Manhattan College offers two degree programs (BA/BFA) to set you on your path to success. At MMC, we combine a professional theatre arts education and rigorous training with a comprehensive program in the liberal arts. It is our philosophy that the more well-rounded the education of our theatre students, the better prepared they are to create and produce compelling, informed, imaginative, and innovative theatre. Dedicated to providing our students with an unparalleled training, we offer the following majors: Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Acting; in Musical Theatre; in Theatre Design & Technology. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Directing; in Producing & Management; in Theatre History and Performance Texts; in Theatre & New Media; in Writing for the Stage.
Our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and from across the country and around the world, to engage in classes that will challenge, excite, and nurture them. Our faculty are committed to the teaching and mentoring of students and alumni while continually engaging in their own professional and creative work. This provides our students with an unparalleled experience in their development as educated and creative individuals. At MMC, New York City is your campus. Alongside our innovative curriculum, our classrooms extend beyond our main campus and include prestigious art galleries, world-class museums, award-winning theatres, professional studios, and the best cultural institutions NYC has to offer.
Options for further study (sampling) include: Arts for Communities; Drama Therapy; and Arts Management.
Marymount Manhattan College offers you small classes, personal attention and great courses. We combine professional theatre education and training with the liberal arts, teaching our students how to create compelling, informed, imaginative, and innovative theatre.
www.mmm.edu
St. Bonaventure University’s Theater Program is a welcoming, nurturing program based in ensemble. The B.A. program in Theater offers small classes with plenty of individual attention & mentoring from working theater professionals with decades of experience in theater as well as screen & broadcast media. SBU’s program offers a diverse production season of classic & contemporary plays including new and devised works that resonate with the community & the world. Get onstage & into technical production your first semester in two performance spaces. Our students regularly participate in USITT & the Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival. SBU theater grads have interned at theaters including The Alley and ACT; attend graduate & conservatory programs such as NYC’s The Neighborhood Playhouse; blog for theater & arts publications; and are making their marks in all sorts of of production & performance media.
At SBU, we believe that the enduring properties of theater: its power to inspire, to move, to provoke both thought and laughter are the same for student theater and we’re thrilled to welcome you to our small, intensive classes —with lots of individual attention and mentoring—on our beautiful campus in Western New York. In SBU Theater classes you’ll grow your skills and express yourself in ways you never thought possible. And you’ll be taught by working theater professionals with decades of experience in theater and performance media. Our BA Theater program offers diverse productions of classic and contemporary plays and premieres. SBU Theater offers you the chance to get acting and design/tech production experience from your very first semester. Our award-winning devised theater productions have allowed students and faculty to develop exciting new stage works. Senior theater majors produce their own capstone productions, which have included original ensemble and solo shows.
Based in ensemble, at SBU every actor, designer and technician contributes significantly to the success of every production. At St. Bonaventure, the possibilities are up to you.
www.sbu.edu/theater
SU Drama at Syracuse University offers rigorous undergraduate conservatory style training at a major American university combined with an unparalleled level of integration with a professional theater company. As a student in Acting, Musical Theater, Stage Management, Theater Design & Technology, or Theater Management, you will be carefully guided in your artistic and professional growth by a team of skilled and committed teachers and supported by Syracuse University’s educational resources. Holly Thuma, Associate Professor and Interim Chair, Department of Drama, in the Chair’s Welcome statement encourages, “you to consider the ways in which Syracuse University and the Department of Drama can help prepare you for a life in the arts, no matter what medium you choose to work in. We are committed to a learning environment that builds on a rich past and expands into a new era—encouraging excellence, imagination, artistry, and leadership as we empower our students to create the theater of the future. If you are committed to excellence in a career in theater and entertainment and want to learn in a professional environment, we welcome your application to the Department of Drama.”
The Department of Drama also has a unique affiliation with Syracuse Stage, Central New York’s premier professional theater, as they both share more than just their physical home: they share a commitment to great storytelling and to the great things that happen when established and emerging artists join forces. Students in all programs of study have the opportunity to work in close association with the production, administrative and artistic staff of Syracuse Stage, will participate in master classes offered by nationally and internationally renowned theater artists. Your studies will encompass experiential learning through artistically and educationally challenging productions.
https://vpa.syr.edu/
The University of Tampa’s Department of Theatre and Dance is committed to the cultivation of students’ talents and creativity within a sound framework of professional discipline and academic rigor. Classes and practical stage experiences nurture creative expression, enhance verbal and physical communication and teach performance and pedagogical skills.
The University of Tampa offers an intensive four-year program inter-disciplinary BFA Musical Theatre major with studies in three performance areas: voice, acting and dance. Students master performance skills while participating in staged productions and concert cabarets. Special features include in-residence workshops with established performing artists and internships with local theatre companies, Busch Gardens and Disney World.
Our BA in Theatre is focused on actor training and performance through intensive training and development of performance skills through study in voice, body and movement for the stage, a variety of actor training techniques, and coursework in audition and career preparation. They also study a variety of acting techniques, theatre history, theory and criticism, and participate in mainstage and studio productions. Classes on auditioning and career preparation are also offered. The Dance major prepares students for a variety of professional dance settings and includes coursework in choreography, dance history and dance education. Training is offered in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, ballroom, hip hop and dance partnering for the stage. Sample courses offered by the department include World Theatre; Composition and Choreography; Acting Shakespeare; Technical Theatre Production; Voice and Diction; Directing; Oral Performance of Literature; Dance for Musical Theatre; Improvisation for the Theatre; Play Analysis; Dance Pedagogy; and Movement for the Actor.
The University of Tampa is a private university serving students from all 50 states and numerous countries. UT’s historic riverfront campus is just a short walk from downtown performing arts venues, museums and a vibrant arts scene. Students also enjoy easy access to Tampa’s Straz Center for the Performing Arts, which draws famous performers and touring companies throughout the year. Tampa Bay ranks among the four largest communities of performing artists and musicians in the southeast.
www.ut.edu/theatre
The University of Washington School of Drama develops innovative and courageous artists and scholars poised to be the creative leaders of tomorrow. We strongly believe in cultivating artists and scholars of courage, character, and craft, and engaging the community in theatrical storytelling as a means of elevating and celebrating our individual and collective voices, promoting understanding, and nurturing compassion. The School of Drama is home to nationally recognized graduate professional training programs offering MFA degrees in acting, directing and design. Our PhD program is at the forefront of critical theatre studies in America, with a highly respected national profile. Our BA program fosters collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship. Students from all backgrounds come together for a singular educational experience and go on to excel in many fields.
The School of Drama has exceptionally close ties to the Seattle theatre community. Our faculty and alumni have founded or currently hold leadership positions in many of our region’s (past and present) theatres, including ACT – A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Azeotrope, The Empty Space Theatre, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Jet City Improv, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
The UW School of Drama is the only comprehensive undergraduate and graduate theatre program in the region. Our Bachelor of Arts program offers a range of educational opportunities that teach critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and artistic excellence based on a thorough and rigorous study of theatre arts. In addition to performance, design, and other theatre-related skills, Drama majors develop traits that employers avidly seek. Our Master of Fine Arts offers a three-year intensive, conservatory programs that prepare artists for successful professional careers. Our MFA programs produce creative leaders – skilled, rigorous, and entrepreneurial, who have learned how to foster their own creativity and chart their own course in today’s ever-changing performing arts landscape. Our four-year PhD program trains scholars of performance and theatre history. We provide comprehensive training in theatre and performance scholarship, encompassing a wide definition of performance while maintaining rigorous training within a discipline core.
Our dynamic, award-winning faculty is dedicated to enabling each artist and scholar to reach their full potential. With decades of professional expertise, our collaborative team of faculty and guest artists provide our students with a mastery of the fundamentals, passion for innovation, and preparation for successful careers in multiple media.
https://drama.washington.edu/
Located in St. Louis, MO, Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts has been training theatre students for over half a century offering a professional training program for design, technical theatre, stage management, acting, musical theatre, directing, theatre studies, and dramaturgy. One of the distinguishing elements of Webster’s Conservatory is its integrated association with professional theatre companies. Two of which are right on campus: The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Webster also enjoys partnerships with Variety: the Children’s Charity, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, and the Lyceum Theatre in Arrow Rock, MO. Webster also enjoys a one of a kind association with a professional musical theatre, The Muny. Each partner is committed to the education and training of young artists and they work with the Conservatory in unique ways to provide exposure to professional quality, practices and individual opportunities for experience.
The Conservatory has three performance spaces, the Browning Theatre, the Emerson Studio and Stage Three, where they produce a season of six plays and one dance concert annually. The productions are performed, designed, and constructed by students in this intensive program for training theatre artists.
The Conservatory at Webster is a professional training program for acting, musical theatre, directing, theatre studies and dramaturgy, design, technical theatre and stage management. We select our students through auditions and theatre festivals nationwide. We also host auditions here on campus. All of our candidates for admission must complete the audition/portfolio review process to be considered.
www.webster.edu/conservatory
University Resident Theatre Association (URTA) is as strong as ever in the organization’s more than 50 years in service, and what a great service it is, and will continue to provide to the industry. URTA’s founding intent was to foster excellence in professional theater training. In more than 5 decades URTA has developed a wide range of programs and services geared to assist and support students, instructors, and working professionals. Of course, MFA students also know, and have no doubt participated in, URTA Auditions & Interviews, where they’re seen and evaluated by top theater program faculty recruiters; URTA member universities have graduated scores of working artists who have racked up incredibly impressive credentials in every aspect of theater business and education. “Essentially, we have three missions: to support student artists; to support faculty; and to support theater professionals as they move through their training and careers,” says Tony Hagopian, URTA’s executive director.
URTA today provides numerous highly beneficial programs and services for its participants. A few of those include:
- Auditions: It’s well-known that URTA’s Auditions and Interviews program annually introduces recruiting faculty from dozens of top training programs to hundreds of prospective MFA candidates in all areas of theater including design and technology, stage management, acting, directing, and arts leadership. Candidates can choose to be seen in a central location—either New York, Chicago, or San Francisco—by recruiters from URTA’s member universities, as well as other prominent institutions. URTA also facilitates a Guest Auditions program, which allows auditioning acting candidates to connect with non-member training programs, including international schools and producing companies seeking to hire for professional summer employment or apprenticeships. See the sidebar at the right to learn more about the 2022 URTAs.
- The URTA Candidate Awards: guarantees free registration to participants in the areas of sound design and arts leadership. Candidates may also choose to make a small donation to the Candidate Award fund, when registering for The URTAs. The Pay-it-Forward fund is generously matched by URTA partner, Acceptd; the money will ultimately be used to establish new Awards open to attendees in more areas.
- Artist Engagement Services: URTA offers a unique non-profit contracting and paymaster service, making it easy for union guest artists to get hired at universities and other theaters. URTA’s relationships with Actors’ Equity Association, the Society of Directors and Choreographers, and United Scenic Artists allow URTA to operate as “Employer of Record” in terms of bringing professionals to campuses, cutting through preventative red tape at university policy or state legislation levels.
- Continuing Education: URTA workshops and seminars are led by distinguished faculty from member and non-member schools, industry professionals, and artistic leaders in all areas of theatre. Sessions are offered for students, emerging artists, and professional faculty and range from hands-on workshops, to seminars, and panel discussions. You’ll find URTA Continuing Education at the URTA Auditions and Interviews, as well as many other national and regional events and conferences. URTA can also develop programming specific to your needs. Whether it’s identifying agents or casting directors from major metro areas to conduct a workshop for your students, or coordinating a professional panel on particular topics for your theatre conference, URTA’s network of professional resources is unmatched.
To download a PDF of Stage Directions’ 2020 Education Resources, CLICK HERE
