<p>Hi guys,
I wanted to know if anyone could help me out. I'm a huge fan of UArts and have an interview set to go at the end of January. Can anyone tell me how selective their playwriting program is? And how many people apply? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>I don’t know how selective the program is, but I do know that it is fairly new. One of my friends got into the program and he is most likely going to go there because of the unique playwriting aspect and getting to live in Philadelphia. If I remember correctly the program head of DPP said all playwright students were guaranteed 1 show that they write to be performed, but I can’t remember to what aspect. When I was at the December audition there were about 6 kids max interviewing for the program. Hope that helps!</p>
<p>Thanks so much! I’m just trying to learn as much as I can about it.</p>
<p>Hi, Junior Acting major at UArts here! Unfortunately I don’t know all the numbers that pertain to the program, and I’m not sure of it’s selectivity (just because I don’t know how everything between different schools’ playwriting programs are). I believe though that even if you are accepted as a certain “focus”, you take classes in all the other production aspects as well. Some people choose to change their focus, and from what I can tell it is fairly easy to do that. BUT when you are applying, I believe you are only competing against the other students applying to be playwrights as well. A side note which might be a plus, they have just created a creative writing major which might be of interest to a playwright. There are also screen-writing classes that can be taken, as there is a Writing for TV/Film major through the Film Department as well.</p>
<p>It is very common for the playwriting students to workshop and have readings of their plays while they are here as well. If you can find the time in your schedule, it is made VERY easy for students to produce work. We have a short play festival every spring, where student-written works are produced as well. Also for your senior project you will have one of your plays produced through the school. The “scale” of the production will depend on the number of playwrights that are graduating that year though. I believe they will all be workshop-style, so the playwright gets to experience the format of workshopping a new play (as what will be done professionally once they graduate). And then the production may be a staged reading, or a full-fledged production. I think that depends on a number of things, such as how far along the play is, number of senior playwriting majors, available funds for the semesters’ shows, etc. I’m just guessing though.</p>
<p>This year I believe we have 5 graduating playwrights, which is a very high number. I would say usually it ends up being 2 or 3. I was cast in one of the playwright’s Senior Projects, which is going to be a staged reading. But it is also being directed by a faculty member, who is a professional director as well as a brilliant woman (she’s also my Acting Studio teacher this year, and she is phenomenal).</p>
<p>Anyway, to sum this up - although the program is relatively new, I think UArts has a lot of things going for it’s playwriting program. Philadelphia is a great theatre city, UArts has a lot of talent, and you can make a lot out of what is offered here. If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them or to try and find out for you. Feel free to post here or PM me!</p>