I was recently admitted to both DePaul and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for Stage Management. I visited and love love love both schools and received similar financial aid packages from both, but I’m having a really hard time deciding between the two programs. I would love to hear what anyone has to say about the programs, especially differences between the two!!
I think that if you love them equally, look at the plusses and minuses of each. DePaul is in the city. U of I is not. They are different college experiences in that regard as well. Good luck with your decision! Both great choices! My daughter is at DePaul and has many friends in stage management. They work very hard but love the program! They’re gaining a lot of great experiences.
U of I has a pretty stellar stage management program, I have a friend in it right now. Though they aren’t in the city they do have a lot of connections. If you want the big college campus-y feel then I would say U of I over DePaul. They both are awesome programs, so congrats to you!!! It’s all up to you in the end, and you’ll pick the best school for you!
I’m a current undeclared freshman at DePaul, and I also applied and was accepted to both these wonderful programs. I am having the same dilemma so let me share of the information I’m considering.
In terms of accessibility/convenience, DePaul is personally favorable. I am from the Chicago suburbs, so attending DePaul makes it very easy to visit home or for my family to come visit me. And yes, there are also a lot of professional theatre opportunities since you would be living right there in the city.
However, I would not worry about opportunities and connections at either school. The two heads of stage management at U of I have both worked for a long time and have many connections of their own and are even colleagues with the head of stage management at DePaul. There is even an up and coming theatre company in Chicago formed by entirely U of I alumni.
Another very important thing to take into consideration is the curriculum. The curricula of each school are very different from one another. Since it is a conservatory, the curriculum at The Theatre School is very focused and more technically oriented. U of I’s is more broad and has more wiggle room. One is not better than the other, there is no right way to train someone to be a stage manager, it just depends on what kind of stage manager you want to be and which school you feel fits best to your desires.
One last thing, it you haven’t yet, I would visit both schools. As a stage manager you will have to make quick decisions based on instinct for the greater good. Visit both, take a look around, and go with your gut. Trust yourself to pick the school that is right for you.