Chicago Theatre Programs

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
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<p>Hello! I am obviously new to this site, which I found while googling stuff about theatre. Let me go ahead and cut to the chase.</p>

<p>I am a straight A's student. I am as bright as a light bulb, but I love theatre. I have directed 5 plays, 2 of which I wrote, the other 3 being Red Carnations, Sorry, Wrong Number and my big one was A Christmas Story. I have also acted in 11 shows, but only once in the last few years because I have been directing. I was Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I was Panch basically because I can't sing, which I will get back to in a bit. My high school does a fall play and a spring musical, this was my first show that I have done there. I am a Sophomore(well now a junior), so I missed out on 3 other shows. </p>

<p>I want to go to school in Chicago, because it makes the most sense to me. The way I see it, I can go to school in Chicago and also be apart of theatre within the city. However, I will go ahead and ask, is going to college in the city really better? It also makes sense to me that it would be easier to find work in the city after graduation if I have already been there for 4 years.</p>

<p>Now onto the colleges that I am looking at. I have looked at CCC, DePaul, CCPA, and UIC. I am wondering which is going to best for directing, which has the best reputation, which will give me the most opportunities. Also, when going to college for theatre, is it more important to learn or more try to establish the networks? </p>

<p>As for my major, I really want to major in Theatre with a concentration in directing, but I have a friend who went to Roosevelt's Music Conservatory who said that it is stupid to have a concentration that exact. So, would I be better off to try to get a degree in something like Stage Management, General Theatre, Theatre Administration, or what? I feel that I will end up more on the business side of theatre, simply because I am a marketing genius. However, I do not want to be just a business guy, I also want to direct. </p>

<p>Thanks for your help! I will reply to any questions as soon as I can!</p>

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<p>If you are considering B.F.A. programs, you have to apply for a specialization, in most cases. CCC is open-admissions for the first year, but DePaul will require a portfolio/resume and interview if you want to major in Directing. You do not need to audition, if you don’t plan to major in performance. There are separate Theater Management programs, also. Each school is different, and you should investigate their specific requirements. Northwestern’s theater program is legendarily strong, if you are an excellent student, and is part of the School of Communications. Loyola Chicago has a theater department, but is a non-audition B.A. program. I have not researched UI-Chicago. As a strong student, interested in the business aspects, you might consider general BA programs at schools with good theater programs, also. If directing is your passion, however, you should apply for a specialized programs. Most BFA curricula focus on professional development, which includes career planning.</p>