Can anyone speak about the BFA acting program at Millikin? I know it is growing and I also know they have a great music and MT program, but I’d like to hear opinions on the Acting program–current reputation, quality of training, showcase opportunities around graduation, etc.
BFA is indeed growing. That said, it’s still a pretty small program (maybe 20), but not because people aren’t interested. The standards for BFA are fairly high, which means a lot of students who intend to BFA end up BA’ing because they struggle with hurdles or other requirements. It bites for the people who get redirected to BA, but it does help our reputation in professional circles. The BFA kids get a lot of one-on-one and small group instruction. There isn’t a BFA showcase like at larger state schools, but there are other opportunities. I highly suggest getting involved with Pipe Dreams for opportunities aside from mainstages. If you want to do something and can convince the PD people to go with it, you can do whatever you want at PD. The cabaret series is a super-fun, low time commitment performance opportunity if you sing at all. It’s worth it to BFA, but do go in with a backup plan to BA so you don’t have to do an extra semester if you get redirected.