<p>My daughter wants to major in Directing and script writing. What are some small colleges with good reputations in their acting and directing programs?</p>
<p>NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts has a really good program. It’s pretty prestigious and hard to get into, but the drama department is great.</p>
<p>[Drama:</a> Tisch School of the Arts at NYU](<a href=“http://drama.tisch.nyu.edu/page/home.html]Drama:”>http://drama.tisch.nyu.edu/page/home.html)</p>
<p>NYU isn’t small; it’s actually very big with its campus buildings spread out all over West Village in Manhattan (I’ve visited it before. Even though it’s huge, it’s gorgeous and very “chic”.) But if your daughter gets in, she should be quite honored to go to a school with such a wonderful (artsy) reputation. I’m not sure about any other colleges who are involved in directing/screenwriting, but I’m pretty sure there are many others out there. :)</p>
<p>Emerson is relatively small, and their Theatre Studies program (as opposed to Acting BFA) allows majors to diversify into writing, directing, and other areas. Does she want an urban setting, or a traditional campus? Does she have a geographical preference? Will she need financial aid? Many schools offer strong programs, but with different “selling points”: some have more opportunities to create and develop original works; some have connections with local repertory theaters; others collaborate with film departments on campus. Most of the better general programs will base at least some of their admissions on academic credentials (conservatory B.F.A. programs care more about auditions and portfolios). We can offer you some suggestions if you can identify your interests more specifically.</p>
<p>Take a look at Fordham. The Theatre program is at their Lincoln Center campus which is much smaller than their main, Rose Hill campus in the Bronx. </p>
<p>[Prospective</a> Students | Fordham University Theatre Program](<a href=“http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/theatre_department/prospective_students/]Prospective”>http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/theatre_department/prospective_students/)</p>
<p>My S is a double major in Performance and Playwriting which is very difficult in terms of scheduling. Directing and Playwriting would probably be a little easier bc those tracks have fewer required classes and labs. Admissions to the Theatre major and to these tracks in particular is highly selective.</p>
<p>Take a look at University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Small school, separate major in Directing, Play Writing and Production, lots of opportunities to intern with a broad variety of local theatre companies and the annual Philadelphia Fringe Festival.</p>
<p>My own Alma Mater, Columbia College Chicago, has Bachelors programs both in Theatre Directing and in Playwrighting. I think it is worth looking into, even though it may not have the “reputation” you are looking for.</p>
<p>I second what KEVP said. We have a friend who is currently a senior at Columbia College and it has been an amazing experience for him; he’s gotten opportunities way beyond what you would think this school could offer. It’s a great safety school and really a hidden gem.</p>
<p>Thank you! Columbia College looks like a great school! We will definitely go for a visit. Do you have to audition to get into the Theatre program? How hard is it to get in?</p>
<p>Fordham looks amazing, but more than we can afford. How many students do they accept each year? How difficult is it to get accepted into their program?</p>
<p>Columbia College Chicago pretty much accepts everyone, according to my research. I was just accepted as an incoming theatre major and it is a non-audition program. Fordham is difficult in terms of acting, but I am not sure how difficult it is for the other tracks. On my audition day there VERY few people interviewing for directing and playwriting, but that does not mean it is not competitive. Fordham has a BA program, but it is EXTREMELY well known. </p>
<p>I do know Marymount Manhattan has a BA Theatre Studies major with concentrations in directing, playwriting, and/or theatre performance. I believe an interview is required.</p>
<p>My son’s theater teacher recommended SMU for playwriting when he was considering that–not sure about the directing part. There theater program is substantial though.</p>
<p>Muhlenberg is a small (2500) LAC that has a strong theater program including a directing concentration. There is not a playwright program per se but there is a lot of support for student written plays. My daughter is a freshman theater major concentrating on acting and directing and is directing a student-written play as part of a student-written play festival. </p>
<p>While Muhlenberg is relatively expensive, there is substantial merit and talent aid available. Auditions are not required for admission but you do need to audition if you want a talent award. Its also a school that values “fit” and wants students who want to be there so visiting and having an interview is highly recommended.</p>
<p>You can learn more about the theater program here: [Muhlenberg</a> Theatre & Dance: Theatre Program FAQ](<a href=“http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/academics/theatre-dance/prospectiveStudents/theatrefaq.html]Muhlenberg”>http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/academics/theatre-dance/prospectiveStudents/theatrefaq.html)</p>
<p>Ok… here is my daughters criteria: My daughter is looking for a school with a strong Theatre program and a good directing program with a solid reputation in the Theatre world. She is interested in a more urban environment with city/theatre connections and perhaps conservatory connections, but it doesn’t have to be “well known”. She has heard that there are some colleges in Western Indiana that are little known colleges but with great reputations for their specific field (writing, directing, acting) but doesn’t know the names. She has written one play and would like to continue developing her work in that area as well.
She would need financial aid depending on the school and does not want to get into a school that will do cuts after her first or second year.</p>
<p>Marymount Manhattan might be worth a look. It right in NYC has a strong program, a decent reputation, and is a small school with a liberal arts foundation.</p>
<p>Yeah! I would really suggest checking out SMU, they have a BFA in Theatre Arts degree that is based in actor training, and then the junior and se</p>
<p>[University</a> of Evansville Department of Theatre](<a href=“http://theatre.evansville.edu/]University”>http://theatre.evansville.edu/)</p>
<p>Northwestern is a great choice but they don’t give merit aid only need-based.</p>
<p>For the Fordham Playwriting major, it is capped at 2 per Class year and I’m pretty sure it’s around the same for Directing. What my S loves most about the program is that he produces his work and learns from the process of casting it, collaborating with directors and designers and actors and then revising his work throughout its staging. I think this is what really makes the program worthwhile!</p>
<p>Fordham IS expensive but they do offer merit $ and at least some people are happy with their FA packages.</p>
<p>Fordham does cut from the Playwriting program and two students were cut in the last two years. It is my understanding though that they didn’t do the work necessary to produce their plays.</p>
<p>^^^I also want to add that the two students who were cut were double majors with Performance…they weren’t cut from the Theatre major just from the Playwriting track and they have already or will graduate in May with a BA in Theatre Performance. I believe that my S is currently the only double major in the Playwriting track.</p>
<p>Columbia College Chicago has everything your daughter is looking for, except the “reputation”. But the faculty are all theatre professionals, and many of the faculty have reputations of their own. I certainly put the names of my instructors on my resume, so I can emphasize “I studied under Terry McCabe and Sheldon Patinkin” (the latter of which I believe is now retired) instead of “I studied at Columbia College Chicago.”</p>
<p>Some of my information may be out of date.</p>
<p>I went to CCC because I really wanted to direct. I also contacted Emerson and DePaul at the time, and they both said “absolutely not, we do not allow undergraduates to direct”. I about fell out of my chair when CCC said, “Oh, absolutely, in our undergraduate directing program you will have many opportunities to direct plays. You will direct a one-act and then three full length plays!” I knew that was the program for me!</p>
<p>I was even more surprised when they said that the whole school had an open admissions policy, and did not have any additional requirements for admission to any particular program, such as directing. (I think however they now have some BFA programs that do have certain admissions standards).</p>
<p>I did know a fellow student who was combining theatre directing with playwriting.</p>
<p>The approach is very hands-on, which worked perfectly for me, but there was one fellow student who actually complained to me “I didn’t know it would be like this, I didn’t know we would have to direct plays! I thought we would just sit in a classroom and someone would tell us how to direct plays!”</p>
<p>KEVP</p>