Theatre & Performance Program B.A. at SUNY Purchase

<p>How many students are enrolled in the SUNY Purchase B.A. Theatre & Performance program each year (I am not referring to the B.F.A. Acting Conservatory)? Is it a small, close class? What is the acceptance rate into the B.A. program? Any information about the Theatre & Performance program would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>I’d also love input on these questions. I know Purchase is rated very highly for the theater program, but not sure if this is just the BFA or if it is inclusive of the BA program in Theatre and Performance. Do BA students get significant time on stage?</p>

<p>Hey, everyone! I currently double-major in Theater & Performance and Literature at SUNY Purchase. The class is somewhat large; there are many theater students at Purchase, and most of them are not in the conservatory. I cannot speak to the exact acceptance rate, but needless to say, it is not extremely selective.</p>

<p>Cristyam, there are some opportunities for the BA students to perform onstage, but the opportunities are finite. Every semester the faculty casts a mainstage production using student actors from the liberal arts and sciences programs. The auditions are open to everyone, but it’s usually the theater BA students who are interested and practiced enough to get the parts. Of course, there is some diversity; the most recent BA production had, of its eight student actors, one psychology student. Lastly, these mainstage productions can get pretty competitive, so theater BA students should not assume that they will receive a part in one!</p>

<p>Another big outlet for BA acting is in senior projects. Seniors in the theater BA program have the option of directing a one-hour play for their final project, and oftentimes, other students from the BA will fill those roles. There are a handful of such senior projects every semester, so a student’s chance of getting a part in one of them is better. They are usually good productions; these are young professionals, after all!</p>

<p>Hope this helped.</p>

Do you know if it’s possible for people applying to this program to get some merit scholarships?

@SpookWarfare