I’m a current HS senior and I desperately want to pursue majoring in Directing in college but I’m worried that I don’t have enough experience to be considered a viable candidate. I have acted in about 5 school shows (our school only does 1 per year) and I’ve been unable to do summer programs as I’ve been performing at a theme park (Six Flags) for the past 2 years. This past year I assistant directed a children’s program and I’m currently producing and directing a themed cabaret but I’m so worried that it’s not enough for the highly competitive programs I want to go to. My grades are relatively high (We don’t get our class rankings until Monday so I’m not entirely sure) and I got a 1410 on the new SAT so hopefully that shouldn’t be as much of an issue. I also have planned out shows that I’ve had ideas for but haven’t had the opportunity to direct.
I’ve heard from some that the top schools look more for idea and potential rather than experience. But, I still don’t think I stand out enough as they have so many people to choose from.
I’m planning on applying to:
NYU Tisch BFA Drama for Directing (Dream School)
Boston University BFA Theatre Arts
Pace University BA Directing
SUNY New Paltz BA Theatre
University of Michigan BFA Performance for Directing
Marymount Manhattan BA Theatre Arts for Directing
Emerson College BFA Theatre
Do I have any chance of getting into these schools? What is the best way to promote myself through my portfolio in order to better myself?
I don’t know what those schools in particular are looking for, but I agree that potential is more important than experience in this case. Direct as many scenes and short plays as you can, even if they aren’t fully produced. That’s still experience, and putting them together shows initiative.
Also, you may not be interested in leaving the Northeast, but Nebraska Wesleyan has a great, lesser-known BFA Directing program with a lot of opportunities.
@lexijillian Consider Fordham. Based on the list you have you may fit there as well.
You might look at Otterbein as well.
I have similar question for an academic superstar with sky high GPA & SAT who is becoming increaseingly interested in theater as a career. He has been acting & directing at school since elementary school and at a community theater since two years. He would like a school where he can also take all the courses to his heart’s delight, in multiple subjects including math, business and sciences.
What activities or summer programs do you suggest during his two years in high school and then which colleges should he aim for to study theater with an aim for direction?
It sounds like he should concentrate on the academically oriented BAs with strong theater – Northwestern, Vassar, Sarah Lawrence, Brown, Wesleyan, Temple, Fordham with maybe a few of the academic BFAs (NYU comes to mind). In terms of top-flight undergraduate directing programs, I’d say CMU, DePaul, with DePaul probably a little better at integrating (permitting) classes outside the theater department.