My D is interested in programs that have more than one or two courses in the classics. We know that Baldwin Wallace and UM-Guthrie have quite a bit in their curriculum, as well as Mason Gross with it’s year at the Globe. She is thinking of taking schools off her list that don’t do a lot of Shakespeare or classics on their main stage. Does anyone know of schools that focus on more contemporary theatre like Boston Conservatory and Pace? We’ve looked at curriculum and main stage seasons but are still having problems narrowing it down. Someone told us CCM doesn’t do many classics. Is that true? She’d be fine if there aren’t main stages every year, but wants to be sure there is training for them.
Several of the primary studios at NYU have extensive classics curriculum, as well as the opportunity to study shakespeare at RADA. And for upper class men, there is the option of spending a year in the classical studio.
The Actor Training BFA at Hartt spends a year on Shakespeare and in the spring semester of the third year, Actor Training students receive approximately ten weeks of intensive Shakespeare training in England. I believe they stage at least one Shakespeare production each year as well as other numerous plays and musicals.
Have you thought about the U.K. schools?
LAMDA (or, as @Jkellynh17 said -any/all of the UK schools);Juilliard; UNCSA; Webster — they all do classics. (note - I don’t know the extent of curriculum at Webster but know they do have a focus on it and an in depth Shakespeare exercise was (is) part of the audition — similar to one Guthrie used to do under the previous director).
I have been told DePaul doesn’t do a lot of Shakespeare — but definitely do not take my word for it as I really don’t have first hand knowledge.
@Jkellynh17 and @bfahopeful Yes-D had thought about it but we’re concerned about her being that far right off the bat. We’d prefer she do some time abroad after graduation if she chooses or through a semester abroad program with school. I was also worried about the cost of travel back and forth. Is tuition comparable to schools here? Do they typically offer any kind of scholarships or merit aid? Juilliard, UNCSA and Webster are on her list. Just took DePaul off recently.
@type1mom -I think UK scholarships depend on the school. We know several kids at LAMDA and US kids can use government loans (FAFSA is accepted so to speak so they will allow US loans) but I don’t think others allow for this. LAMDA didn’t seem to give any scholarship to the US kids we know. London is very expensive too - they are told to budget about $55k per year for tuition and living expenses, etc. It is a 3 year program though.
My D is a 2nd year at UNCSA should you have any questions. I know the faculty at LAMDA say it is the closest training to UK training offered in the US. Don’t know if that is exactly true - but seems to be their opinion.
Guthrie and Rutgers would be great options —sounds like they are both on the list. 
Good luck to your D.
@type1mom - University of Evansville does a semester in England too. Think they have a focus on the classics during that time. May be worth exploring.
Pace does not focus on contemporary theatre. Like many programs (I’ll put Marymount in this category, for example), they start modern and work their way backwards. My child is a sophomore BFA and this year will be starting in early-mid contemporary but in the second semester will be on Chekov and Ibsen. Next year will start Shakespeare, and they will be goign back to Greece as well. If you look at the theatre season, this year they include Lysistrata and last year included a Shakespeare play, but I forget which one.
This backwards trip is pretty typical of BFA Acting programs. If you want more than the 1-2 years working on classics (by which I mean pre-1900, so including Chekov and Ibsen because that’s the usual dividing line at colleges) then yes you would want something more like London.
^^Or NYU’s Adler studio, where they start with Shakespeare freshman year- which was an important point for my D, who wanted intense classical training
SUNY Purchase curriculum emphasizes on the classics.