LACs with strong academics + theatre?

College Search & Selection
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<p>So I'm not really sure what I'm going to major in, theatre is an option but so a lot of other things. But I know that wherever I go, I want there to be a strong theatre arts focus as well as strong academics because no matter what I do, I'm going to continue performing in shows</p>

<p>I have a 3.92 UW GPA, 34 ACT, full IB, and good ECs, so I'm pretty sure I have at least chance at even the most selective places. I have a list of places I'm interested in, but I'm having trouble finding information about how strong the theatre programs are. Plus my list is a little too extensive due to my inability to visit and narrow it down. The list is:</p>

<p>Whitman
Vassar
Occidental
Oberlin
Carleton
Bates
Bard
Colgate
Bennington
Hampshire
Muhlenberg
Claremont Colleges (which one would be most arts focused?)
Lewis and Clark
Drew
Sarah Lawrence
Skidmore</p>

<p>I'm also interested in Northwestern and Brown, although those aren't LACs. Of these schools, I have visited Whitman and Lewis and Clark, visiting SoCal in the fall, I have no idea when I can visit the rest of 'em.</p>

<p>Does this belong in the Theatre forum? I've been perusing that and it seems more focused on BFA programs...</p>

<p>So...comments, additions, thoughts, anything? I'm a junior girl from Washington, btw :) Thanks very much!</p>

2

<p>Bryn Mawr has recently renovated performance spaces and offers a theater major these days. Your stats definitely put you in the range for admissions.</p>

3

<p>Hmmm…I’ve been sort of wary of all-girls schools, but maybe I’ll look into it. Thanks :)</p>

4

<p>Swarthmore College has a strong theater program with a decided tilt towards contemporary cutting edge theater. There is a significant pipeline of theater majors into several theater companies founded by alumni and garnering national attention, especially Pig Iron Theater in Philadelphia.</p>

<p>Here’s a podcast from the department chair discussing the connections to Pig Iron Theater, along with a sample video of some of Pig Iron’s productions:</p>

<p>[Swarthmore</a> College Faculty Lectures Blog Archive Pig Iron Theatre Company and the Re-Imagination of American Theater: 1995-2010](<a href=“Faculty & Alumni Lectures :: News & Events :: Swarthmore College”>http://media.swarthmore.edu/faculty_lectures/?p=176)</p>

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<p>Pomona for your claremont question</p>

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<p>I hadn’t ever considered Swarthmore, I’ll look into that! :slight_smile: and thanks for clearing up the Claremont thing, country day, I’ll probably be visiting that area in the fall :D</p>

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<p>Adding Kenyon College & Connecticut College…</p>

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<p>Holy Cross</p>

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<p>I suggest adding Macalester (St. Paul) and Barnard (NYC), just because they are good LACs in strong theater cities. It sounds like you are from the West/PNW. Have you considered Reed? Colorado College recently opened a new arts center. Check out Rice, too.</p>

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<p>I visited Reed - horrible theatre facilities and no one really sounded very enthusiastic about the arts there…I didn’t like the feel of it.</p>

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<p>Hampshire and Vassar I have heard have amazing theater departments.</p>

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<p>You should look into Bucknell. They offer generous Art Merit Scholarships too. While it differs from many of the schools in your list, it has overlap with Colgate…worth a look.</p>

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<p>Wesleyan is an LAC with a strong theater program.</p>

<p>And although they are not LACs I think they are small enough to give you a similar feel- Tufts and Brandeis.</p>

<p>Also, if you look at the bottom of this thread you will see a couple similar threads from the theater forum that might be useful.</p>

14

<p>Muhlenberg is noted for Theatre. And while I can’t speak to the quality of the academic Theatre department at Davidson, their Duke Family Performance Hall facility is unbelievable.</p>

15

<p>Perhaps NYU</p>

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<p>I’ve heard good things about the theater program at Vassar.</p>

<p>You might also try posting on the Parents Forum.</p>

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<p>One hour west of Boston, College of the Holy Cross’ Theatre Department is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre.
A HC Alum recently won a Tony Award for Best Direction in a Musical. Alum Peter Jankowski ’86 produces Law & Order as president of Wolf Films. Alum Ann Dowd ’78 has guest-starred in House and Law & Order and appeared in films, such as Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers.</p>

<p>Last November the department of theatre at the College of the Holy Cross was awarded the New England Theatre Conference’s (NETC) Moss Hart Award for best college play in New England, for its 2007 production of My Life with Albertine. This is the second consecutive Moss Hart win for the Holy Cross theatre department.</p>

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<p>You guys are awesome! Thanks for all the suggestions :slight_smile: I’ll start looking into 'em</p>

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<p>I would also look into Elon in NC, a university, but with that LAC feel, and great performing arts.</p>

20

<p>Hey Kenzie,</p>

<p>I was looking for a school with a strong theatre program, but not sure if it would be my main focus as well. I just wanted to recommend not considering Hampshire. I was really interested in Hampshire and visited and everything. I loved the curriculum. But the truth of the school is, everyone is designing their own program and doing whatever they want, and so the theatre program is completely student run. This can be a good or bad thing. I didn’t like it. The professors had little influence over what is put on, and said they basically were rarely asked for input. My impression was there is no theatre department. But there aren’t really any departments there at all because it’s so free form.
Also, the facilities are terrible. They only have 2 smallish black boxes. There is theatre in the 5 college consortium, not sure how easy it is to get involved with them though.
Hope you find a great school.</p>