<p>Purchasekid...I agree that those programs are very well known in the industry. I would venture to say that NYU/Tisch is also very well known for Theater/Drama. Along with others. I'm not getting into the "best" however, but merely well known and highly competitive.</p>
<p>Fordham University has an excellent BA program</p>
<p>Since I have nothing to start with I appreciate ALL the input. We are from a small community and she has just started in a community college. I know nothing about this field and choosing a 4 year school for THIS carrer is proving to be very difficult. Not likely I can talk her into a buisness degree! lol</p>
<p>USC has an excellent BFA acting school.</p>
<p>My D is a freshman theatre (drama major) at the University of Oklahoma. She was an MT in high school, but has chosen to go the straight acting route in college. Over the last 2 to 3 years, in recognition that the life of a working actor may very well extend beyond the stage, they have ramped up their course offerings and technology to include training in film (have just produced their first full length film), television, commercial, and voice overs. </p>
<p>It is a BFA program. Generally, it is operated in a conservatory training style, but there are requirements to take some regular core university courses. You may find that it is worth checking out. Selection is based on audition and they travel to unified auditions. Those who make the cut at unified auditions are required to also make an on-campus audition.</p>
<p>People usually think of UC-CCM as an MT program, but they do offer DRAMA, too. It is a separate program with a separate audition process. MT kids audition for musicals, and DRAMA kids audition for the "straight" plays. However, the programs share some instructors, and of course, they share the magnificant facilities. Check it out on-line. Visit!</p>
<p>Any discussion of top undergrad theatre schools that doesn't include the University of Evansville is incomplete. I think I read that they had almost 1,000 kids audition last year for a freshman class of 40. They don't have a musical theatre major but they do one big musical per year.</p>
<p>Here is my daughter's list of schools she is applying to for straight acting. I'm listing them in essentially her order of wishful thinking.</p>
<p>Juilliard
Carnegie Mellon
NYU Tisch
Emerson
University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM)
University of North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA)
UCLA
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
UCSB
UCI</p>
<p>She is applying to California schools to shut us (the parents) up. She really loves her first four choices. She is applying Emerson Early Action. UCI and UCSB are her safety schools. UCI already sent her a nice letter asking her to apply. At UCSB my understanding is they have you audition for the program at the end of freshman year.</p>
<p>Other choices which were considered and eliminated were as follows (but they are great Acting schools):</p>
<p>USC (too much like her current So Cal high school)
Ithaca (may still apply if she is not accepted to Emerson Early Action)
Boston University (she just didn't get the right vibe there... I was disappointed by her<br>
decision but you cannot make a kid go somewhere.)
Univ. of Minnesota/Guthrie
Northwestern (no audition, and she did not feel her SAT scores were high enough)
DePaul (Catholic.... she is uninterested in attending a religious school)
University of the Arts
S.F. State (actually a good program)
CSU Fullerton (ditto)</p>
<p>If she is really interested in a top straight acting program, she should add Minnesota/Guthrie back in, in my opinion!</p>
<p>Can someone please post more information about UMinn Guthrie BFA Actor in Training program?</p>
<p>I know little other than it's a top-rated BFA Drama program ... </p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>My D auditioned for and was admitted to the Minnesota/Guthrie program last audition cycle and though, in the end, she chose another program, she had nothing but very positive impressions of all her encounters with Ken Washington and his faculty there in Minneapolis. At the callback weekend in March, she spent a lot of time with the teachers and current students learning about the program, and came away convinced that the program not only offers top notch actor training, but also offers it in an environment that manages to be both nurturing and challenging. One thing she was told while there is that the teachers at Minnesota/Guthrie don't always cast according to type: they also do challenge casting, in order to help each actor experience a variety of roles and types. The kids also have the chance to work with professionals at the very famous and very fine Guthrie Theatre and, I think, several are regularly cast in productions there. (We got to see Third, by Wendy Wasserstein, which was not only top quality, but also featured a grad of the program).</p>
<p>I also believe I remember her telling me that a playwright works with the senior ensemble to write an original work created around them, which is fabulous.</p>
<p>Here is a link to info on the program. I can't say enough good things about it, including that it is housed within a fine comprehensive university and that the actors there do take a goodly number of liberal arts courses, as Minnesota/Guthrie believes that a good actor is an educated one:</p>
<p>BFA</a> Actor Training Program : Department of Theatre Arts & Dance : University of Minnesota</p>
<p>Theatre professionals with whom we spoke about the program told us that the training rivals Juilliard's and the only reason it is not as well known is that the program is so much younger. I know that's a matter of opinion, but I have to say I nonetheless was very proud when my D was offered admission.</p>
<p>I know she probably should put Guthrie back... but I think she will kill me in my sleep if I ask her to apply for one more college... I honestly think she has reached her limit.....</p>
<p>chrissy, I understand. But Guthrie just such a great program and the cost is extremely reasonable, especially compared to other schools for out of staters. Of course, she may just want to eliminate it because it is in such a cold place! It was five degrees below zero and windy when my daughter and I arrived in Minneapolis in March. That's pretty darned cold. But wow, what a fantastic program.</p>
<p>My S (a freshman) loves the Theatre program at SUNY (State University of New York) Purchase. It's a very demanding Classical acting program (similar to Julliard, CMU, NCSA) leading to a BFA. The big upside is graduating from one of the best acting programs in the country at comparatively low cost tuition (under $11,000 year out-of-state, under $5,000 NY State residents). </p>
<p>The campus is located in the affluent Westchester suburbs just 20 miles north of New York City with quick access to Broadway and off Broadway shows. My s has seen at least 10 shows (with student rush tickets) in the last 3 month.</p>
<p>There are downsides, however, that include overcrowded, worn out dorms along with the usual mixed reviews in dining. </p>
<p>We are already discussing off campus housing and it's only his first semester!</p>
<p>NotMamaRose: I tried again last night. Told her what you said. Got that "look" if you know what I mean. "Why would I want to go to Minnesota?" she says. Ugh. Oh well. thanks again. </p>
<p>SUNY Purchase is a great place, but just as hard to get into as Juilliard from what we hear. D has NYU and Juilliard from the New York set, and that was enough for Dad. Congrats for your S to get in. Must be very talented!</p>
<p>chrissyblu, thanks. In my opinion, Julliard is probably a tougher admit and I believe has a higher rate of graduation. My s was admitted to Purchase from the waitlist. He was not admitted to several of his top choices. Unfortunately, he had a 101 fever and strept throat at the Chicago unifieds did 6 auditions in 2 days.</p>
<p>By the way, one of his HS friends is in his first year at NYU/Adler and absolutely loves it.</p>
<p>I know two people currently at Purchase who got in from the waitlist, so getting in from the waitlist there seems to happen with frequency. Both think highly of the training they are getting, but routinely talk about how tough the faculty is on the kids.</p>
<p>NMR, </p>
<p>True. The "toughness", does not leave much room for praise. </p>
<p>Julliard has the more recognizable name but the core training at Purchase and faculty credentials are very comparable.</p>
<p>I was a bit nervous when the acceptance letter said something like Welcome to Acting Bootcamp....</p>
<p>My s is home for the holiday weekend and he is fit for sure! So far he is very positive about the program.</p>
<p>Chrissyblu: I know your D doesn't want to add any more schools, but just to put it out there - although Depaul is a Catholic university, there is absolutely no pressure to participate in anything religious. Only one basic credit requirement can possibly be construed as religious (and only in the broadest sense) and that is the "philosophical inquiry" credit -but that can be filled with a general philosophy credit. The theater school is very contained and there is no religious aspect to it whatsoever. There are religious organizations/activities for those who desire of course - but for those who don't, no problem at all. It's a great program - don't let the fact that it is affiliated with a religion knock it out!</p>
<p>DePaul has an amazing program for actor training! I know two very talented young women who are part of this year's freshman class. </p>
<p>Be aware, though, that DePaul has a cut system. I know a very talented young man who was a freshman there last year who found out in late May that he was cut.</p>