<p>I am going into my junior year of high school. I know that I want to pursue theatre (specifically stage management), and am wondering which colleges have good programs. </p>
<p>I started doing technical theatre my freshman year of high school and fell in love with it. I can't imagine it not being a part of my adult life. I do it through my school during the school year, and over the summer I do lights, props, and sets for a local theatre camp. </p>
<p>I am a pretty good student (about a 3.7 GPA) and will be graduating having taken mostly honors/AP courses all 4 years. </p>
<p>Schools that I am starting to look at include:
NYU
CMU
BU
Northwestern
UMich
University of Wisconsin-Madison</p>
<p>I would really like to hear from anyone in theatre programs at these schools. I'd also like to know which other schools people are applying to, and what I can to in the next couple years to make my applications stand out when I start applying</p>
<p>It sounds like you are doing all of the right things. Good luck! There are several threads on people wanting to go into state management and tech, so you should search this forum for advice on how to make your application the best it can be.</p>
<p>I’m curious why UW Madison is on your list? Are you resident here, so it would be a safety? It has a nice enough theatre department, but there are lots of others that I think would be better backups to the rest of your list. Can you get reciprocal tuition still at Minnesota? Their theatre department is considerably more exciting, in my opinion, and it’s a way better theatre city in general. UW Milwaukee, Lacrosse and Stevens Point all have excellent and highly regarded theatre programs as well.</p>
<p>The other 5 schools are some of the hardest schools to get into in the country (although perhaps a wee bit less so for tech majors). As you read through this forum, see if you notice some other schools that are a bit less famous and sought after. I recommend adding a few to your list. You can get a great experience at a lesser-known school, and often for far less cost.</p>
<p>If money isn’t a major concern, and you have decent SAT/ACT scores, look at Emerson and Fordham-Lincoln Center. Emerson is affiliated with two of Boston’s most spectacular, historic theaters, and their tech students can work on productions there. UArts actually owns the Merriam Theater (another grand “opera house”) in Philadelphia, and stages a show there each year, with additional intern/apprentice opportunities. Also, with your GPA, you should consider Pace’s Honors College, which offers a generous scholarship. You should look for schools with connections to local theaters, and ask to see the stage and equipment when you visit. DePaul (as another post mentioned) is superb. I don’t know how good a program CCPA/Roosevelt has for tech, but they also are affiliated with an amazing facility. We were unimpressed by their Acting program, when we visited, but their music and musical theater departments are so good that there should be plenty of tech opportunities.</p>
<p>Start thinking NOW about the portfolio you will be showing to the schools you apply for. Make sure that you save the “evidence” of your technical work, so that you can “prove” (sorry for this language, I work in the legal field!) that you have this experience. Save everything, and get it organized. Some people find out too late that they should have been saving things!</p>
<p>I’m attending The University of the Arts this fall- it is nothing but perfect for me. I’m enrolled in their Directing, Playwriting, and Production major, and while my concentrations are on directing and stage management, I find their program extremely beneficial in that it covers the basics of all fields of theatre. I’ll be doing costume and prop labs, taking writing classes, and staging productions all at the same time. All professors are currently working in their field, which is not only positive in that you have a teacher experiencing the business as it’s playing out, but provides a fantastic networking opportunity. Plus, it’s located in Philadelphia, an excellent theatre city with tons of opportunities.</p>
<p>I am currently a Stage Manager, Production Manager, and Events Manager based in Philly. (I profusely apologize to everyone if this turns out to be my third similar post! I have been having trouble with this website!)
I graduated from DeSales University in 2008. I could not have been happier nor more prepared for a career in theatre! The program is excellent and designed to really give you a well-rounded training. Although I concentrated in stage management, I was assigned to a crew in every department at least once over the course of my college career. This made me not only well rounded but also a team player (both incredibly important qualities in an SM). It also made me very marketable. I am happy to say that I have been constantly employed in my field since I graduated (give or take a week or two transitioning between gigs). I know you tagged this as BFA, but DeSales in a BA program. Though, I have heard it described as conservatory training with a liberal arts education. It was a very challenging program but it certainly prepares you for life in the real world as a theatre artist. If you are not afraid of hard work and are willing to dive headfirst into your field, I strongly recommend DeSales. They are also affiliated with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival so there are always plenty of internships and other opportunities that arise from this. The professors are also movers and shakers and are not solely academics, and they are still working in the field outside of DeSales.<br>
Anyway, I could keep on going about DeSales since it was my life for 4 years :-D</p>
<p>So things you look for in schools and what you should be preparing:</p>
<p>Look for schools that have:
Knowledgeable staff AND STUDENTS. Ask questions. Do the staff really know their stuff? Are the students clearly increasing their knowledge? (I once worked with a student from a different college who was a “lighting” concentrator --he clearly had no idea what he was talking about! How embarrassing for him and his school! And he was a junior!)
Mentorship/advising program
Career prep program (writing the theatre resume is very different from a CV for example)
Opportunities for students in leadership positions (some schools, especially those with grad and undergrad programs, tend to save their leadership roles for the grad students, faculty, and/or guest artists this can leave few challenging opportunities for the average undergrad)
a good vibe. You want to go somewhere where you feel comfortable AND are challenged. Do an overnight visit if you can. (I was unable to do this when I was looking for colleges, and I always thought that was such a bummer) Check out the dorm situation…you will be living there for several years. I also don’t recommend commuting as an intense theatre student–too easy to burnout. I knew two people who tried 45 min-1hr commutes and both wound up dropping out of school. Be sure to see a production at the schools theatre program!!
connections with/trips to professional theatre (regional theatre, commercial theatre etc)</p>
<p>I’m also very fond of theatre programs that have a percentage of their operating budget come from ticket sales and a subscriber base. I think this can teach students some really valuable things like budgets are real! Also, it makes people more responsible in terms of manpower budget , Money budget, and time budget. It also helps raise the awareness to a key factor in this field: the audience (no audience=no revenue!). </p>
<p>What you should prepare:
A resume including theatre positions you have held as well as other related experiences, jobs, hobbies
References from your theatre teacher, another favorite teacher, directors you’ve worked with, mentors, etc (you should probably pick out your three favorite)
A portfolio if you have one (really this is more crucial for designers)
A PRODUCTION BOOK/CALLING SCRIPT if you have been able to create one for a show at this stage in your career
Paperwork Samples (example: daily calls, schedules, calendars, line notes, French scene lists, rehearsal reports, performance reports, notes, etc. Don’t fret if you didn’t have the opportunity to make any of these yet, if you have any types of paperwork you’ve made include them)
Anything else the college asks for or that you feel really enhance you as a candidate</p>
<p>Alright. Clearly I do this for a living. (among other things I am the resident stage manager at a college’s performing arts center–nope not DeSales)</p>
<p>Feel free to contact me off thread if you have any questions. Sorry for the wordy post everyone!</p>
<p>If you have any questions about the Michigan program, shoot me a PM. Currently a senior in the BFA design & production program, concentrating in stage management!</p>
<p>I’m bumping this because I think DeSales is an interesting choice that’s rarely mentioned here. It’s not an auditioned program (maybe that’s changed?) but I think it’s a potential safety school that seemed to have real training to offer. One of the most wonderful actors I know (and quite successful) graduated from DeSales. So, fwiw, bump.</p>