Today I made my website. I will continue working on it for a while. It is my intention to post resources for students on this page.
OnStage
The Best B.A. in Theatre Programs in the Country in 2015
Chris Peterson / OnStage Editor in Chief
Due popular demand and the positive reaction we’ve been getting from these, we’re going to finish up our college rankings with the degree that I received, a BA in Theatre.
One of the biggest misconceptions about the entertainment industry is that you NEED to have a BFA. While it certainly doesn’t hurt, it’s absolutely false to think this way. Many incredible actors have had amazing careers with just a BA in Theatre or Drama. Folks such as Tina Fey, Sandra Bullock and James Earl Jones have become icons, without BFA’s.
For students who are looking to have the more traditional college experience, getting a BA is certainly the better option. A good BFA program should take up 80-90 hours a week. So if you’re thinking about double majoring? Forget about it. Want to study abroad for a semester? Unless the BFA program includes it, you won’t get to. What about trying out for the baseball team? No way. To get through a good BFA program, you need to commit 100% of yourself to the program, because that’s what will be expected of you.
So if that’s not for you, it’s okay. For a lot of students I’ve talked to, getting a BA was the better choice for them. Luckily for you, there are some amazing colleges with BA programs in theatre to choose from. Here is the list of the Top Ten BA Theatre Programs in the country for 2015, with some honorable mentions as well.
As with the previous lists, a ton of research went into deciding these. The criteria used included but limited to, tuition/value, faculty, facilities, productions and resources beyond campus. Colleges with both BA and BFA degrees have incredible facilities and faculty because they have both programs, this list only contains schools that have BA’s alone.
Honorable Mentions: Wagner College, Cornell University, Georgia College, Florida Gulf Coast University, California State University – Long Beach 10. Western CT State University / Danbury, CT
It’s very rare to find a state university commit as much to the theatre arts as WCSU has in the past couple years. This past fall they opened their brand new $97 Million Visual and Performing Arts Center. This stunning new facility is home to a 350-seat theater, a 125-seat studio theatre, a 350-seat concert hall, an art gallery, a recording studio and state-of-the-art rehearsal, classroom and studio art facilities.
The program at WCSU is also very strong. Students can receive their BA in Theatre Arts with concentrations in Performance, Design/Technology, Theatre Arts Management, Drama Studies or receive their BA in Musical Theatre. While learning from professional resident faculty, students will have the chance to participate in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and an annual New York City Showcase, “WCSU Off-Broadway.” They also do a ton of community outreach by performing children’s productions throughout the year. Upcoming productions include You Can’t Take It With You and Smokey Joe’s Café. The tuition is quite reasonable for a state institution and given the quality of the program and the facilities you can work in, I’d say this is a steal.
9. James Madison University / Harrisonburg, VA
If you’re looking for benefits geared towards performers, James Madison University has some fantastic options for you. JMU theatre sponsors four major productions each year in its main-stage season including the annual musical. As many as twenty additional productions are mounted each year in the Experimental Theatre. The program also sponsors The Children’s Playshop each summer. When it comes to facilities, they have the beautiful Forbes Center which has five different performance venues and it truly one of the spectacular theatre facilities in the country. Students will also have the chance to study theatre abroad not only in London but also Florence, Martinique, Paris and Salamanca.
But where JMU wins me over are their productions. JMU regularly participates in the American College Theatre Festival. Several JMU productions have been selected for regional competition and performers have done well in the individual acting phase of the competitions. Two recent productions played at the National Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The tuition once again is reasonable considering it’s a public university. Recent alumni have gone on to appear with Disney Cruise Lines, the Ensemble Studio Theatre of NYC, FringeNYC and national tours ofJersey Boys, Mamma Mia and The Book of Mormon.
8. The University of Alabama / Tuscaloosa, AL
When you think of the University of Alabama, you’re not likely thinking about theatre, but you should. UA has a fantastically rigorous program that rivals most BFA programs. Acting Students can take advanced courses in movement such as Clowning, Mask Work, Stage Combat, Suzuki, Contact Improvisation, Physical Characterization, Tai Chi, and Karate. Even more impressive is that they have a chance to dive into phonetics (IPA), stage dialects, archetypes, and alba emoting.The program also features concentrations in Costume Design/Production, Design/Tech and a Musical Theatre Track which produces three musicals a year that offer students studying musical theatre performance opportunities. Two of the musicals are produced during the season. The third, SummerTide Theatre (UA Theatre & Dance’s professional production), produces a musical each summer in Gulf Shores, AL.
The Marian Gallaway Theatre and Bales Theatre are stunning facilities to work in as well. Tuscaloosa is also a beautiful area if you haven’t been. Thecost is also incredible given what you’re getting. Alumni include Stephen T. Williams, who just appeared on Broadway in Lucky Guy and Lauren Hauser Wiley, who recently played Cosette in the National Tour of Les Miserables.
7. The Catholic University of America / Washington, DC
There are amazing theatre programs in our nation’s capital, but if I had to pick one, it would definitely be at The Catholic University of American. Founded in 1937 by Reverend Gilbert Hartke, known as the “show-biz priest,” the drama department produced some incredible alumni in the acting community such as Susan Sarandon, Jon Voight, Paula Vogel and Philip Bosco. Students have an opportunity to do internships at theatres such as Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Roundhouse Theatre, Folger Theatre, Signature Theatre and Ford’s Theatre. CU also has an incredible musical theatre program. Students perform two productions a year and get to perform in some small theatre called the Kennedy Center. They also host a number of master classes per year. Recent master artists include Brian Stokes Mitchell, Alice Ripley, Marni Nixon, Parker Esse, Nicole Vallands from J. Binder Casting, Dave Clemmons, and Adam Ben-David.
Students have the chance to perform in DC’s annual Fringe Festival or Source Festival. They also have interesting performance opportunities such as FroCase, a freshman showcase which is directed and produced by the Junior class. This spring they’ll be performing a new work from celebrated playwright Lauren Gunderson, The Revolutionists.
6. Muhlenberg College / Allentown, PA
If having a strong faculty is high on your list of priorities, then you’ll definitely want to look at the faculty at Muhlenburg. Department chair, Beth Schachter has directed at theatres such as New York Theatre Workshop, Second Stage, The Public Theatre, McCarter Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre and The Vineyard Theatre. Holly Cate appeared on Broadway in An Ideal Husband, directed by Sir Peter Hall, and regionally in Blithe Spirit (Portland Stage), An Ideal Husband (Pioneer), All My Sons (American Stage), and Arms and the Man (Asolo), in addition to numerous New York Theatre credits. And that’s just a few of the incredible faculty who’ll be your mentors at Muhlenberg.
If facilities are important to you, they also have some of the best in the country. The Baker Theatre is a beautiful theatre and the Studio Theatre hosts a variety of different types of performances.
5. Drew University / Madison, NJ
I would go into great detail about why Drew University’s theatre program is one of the best in the country, but they lay it out here pretty nicely.
4. Wesleyan University / Middletown, CT
Aside from being one of the best institutions in the country, Wesleyan has an inedible theatre program. I could start and end by simply saying that as a BA student, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote In The Heights in its halls but there’s much more to Wesleyan’s program than that. Beyond the training in the classroom, what I really like about this program are the study abroad programs. Place such as the British American Drama Academy, London, Moscow Art Theatre Semester, CIEE, Buenos Aires, C.V. STARR, Chile and the School for International Training, Ghana.
Their website explains, “The Theater Department considers the critical and creative study of each theatrical area to be an essential component of a liberal arts education. Offerings include courses in acting; civic engagement and outreach; criticism, ethnography, history, and literature; costume, lighting, scenic, and media-based design; directing; performance studies; theory; performance art; playwriting; puppetry; and solo performance.”
Alumni include Ken Barnett who played Abraham Ebdus in The Fortress of Solitude at The Public Theater and Bradley Whitford.
3. Bennington College / Bennington, VT
Bennington College is a very small not-for-profit college offering numerous disciplines along with theatre programs and located in Bennington, Vermont. This college was opened in 1932 and is presently offering bachelor’s degrees in 5 theatre programs.
A technical lab is required for each term that a student does drama, and other activities include working in the scene shop, costume shop or with the technical crew. Students also have the option to do internship to gain hands-on experience which aid in their experience as performers. There is a weekly Drama Forum during which students and faculty member present work in progress. Guest speakers are also present to conduct workshops and give educational lectures. Quite a few productions are staged each semester and students are always encouraged to participate.
If you’re not sold on that, let me just drop some names of alumni such as Alan Arkin, Peter Dinklage and Carol Channing.
2. Pepperdine University / Malibu, CA
The Theatre Program at Pepperdine University focuses entirely on undergraduate training. The program consists of approximately 75 enrolled majors across five different emphases: Acting, Directing, Technical Production & Design, Theatre & Music, and Theatre & Media Production. With the average class size of 12 students, the program curriculum allows for in-depth personal attention, focused training and class discussions, and well-informed faculty feedback, as well as a strong camaraderie among students.
Four major productions, a fully staged opera, and a season of student-directed projects are put on each year. Aside from the main stage productions and classroom experiences, student-led organizations like the Pepperdine Independent Entertainment (PIE) and the Pepperdine Improv Troupe (PIT) provide additional creative outlets for students. Pepperdine has two state-of-the-art theatres, in addition to a lab theatre, a recital hall, and practice rooms for student performances, classes, and rehearsals.
The cost is a bit high at just over $60,000 but the average student at Pepperdine receives about $40,000 in financial aid.
1. Willamette University / Salem, OR
Tucked away in the Pacific Northwest, far from the lights of Broadway or Hollywood lies the best BA theatre program in the country. The program at Willamette University in Salem, OR is absolutely incredible. Students majoring in Theatre are provided with a range of experiences within all areas of the theatre: acting, directing, stagecraft, costume construction, design, dramaturgy, lighting, voice, movement, theatre history, and dramatic literature.
It also features exceptional facilities such as The Willamette Playhouse is the home of Willamette Theatre classes, workshops and productions. The building, newly renovated and re-opened in 2010, includes a movement studio, directing and lighting studio, acting studio, costume shop, prop storage, makeup room, scene shop, light and sound production facilities, dressing rooms, classrooms, and faculty offices. There are two performance areas: the mainstage black box theatre, which offers flexible seating of up to 250, and a small laboratory theatre, which features flexible seating of up to 50.
They also wonderful performance seasons mixing the classical and contemporary. For instance last year they did Proof, The Trojan Women and The Conference of the Birds.
Willamette University has also been ranked as one of the best college values for a private institution at just over $57,000 per year. While you might think being so far away from theatre meccas would be a terrible thing, Salem is a terrific place to hone your craft and concentrate on your studies. I highly recommend giving this gem a closer look.
OnStage
The Best B.A. in Theatre Programs in the Country in 2015
Chris Peterson / OnStage Editor in Chief
Due popular demand and the positive reaction we’ve been getting from these, we’re going to finish up our college rankings with the degree that I received, a BA in Theatre.
One of the biggest misconceptions about the entertainment industry is that you NEED to have a BFA. While it certainly doesn’t hurt, it’s absolutely false to think this way. Many incredible actors have had amazing careers with just a BA in Theatre or Drama. Folks such as Tina Fey, Sandra Bullock and James Earl Jones have become icons, without BFA’s.
For students who are looking to have the more traditional college experience, getting a BA is certainly the better option. A good BFA program should take up 80-90 hours a week. So if you’re thinking about double majoring? Forget about it. Want to study abroad for a semester? Unless the BFA program includes it, you won’t get to. What about trying out for the baseball team? No way. To get through a good BFA program, you need to commit 100% of yourself to the program, because that’s what will be expected of you.
So if that’s not for you, it’s okay. For a lot of students I’ve talked to, getting a BA was the better choice for them. Luckily for you, there are some amazing colleges with BA programs in theatre to choose from. Here is the list of the Top Ten BA Theatre Programs in the country for 2015, with some honorable mentions as well.
As with the previous lists, a ton of research went into deciding these. The criteria used included but limited to, tuition/value, faculty, facilities, productions and resources beyond campus. Colleges with both BA and BFA degrees have incredible facilities and faculty because they have both programs, this list only contains schools that have BA’s alone.
Honorable Mentions: Wagner College, Cornell University, Georgia College, Florida Gulf Coast University, California State University – Long Beach 10. Western CT State University / Danbury, CT
It’s very rare to find a state university commit as much to the theatre arts as WCSU has in the past couple years. This past fall they opened their brand new $97 Million Visual and Performing Arts Center. This stunning new facility is home to a 350-seat theater, a 125-seat studio theatre, a 350-seat concert hall, an art gallery, a recording studio and state-of-the-art rehearsal, classroom and studio art facilities.
The program at WCSU is also very strong. Students can receive their BA in Theatre Arts with concentrations in Performance, Design/Technology, Theatre Arts Management, Drama Studies or receive their BA in Musical Theatre. While learning from professional resident faculty, students will have the chance to participate in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and an annual New York City Showcase, “WCSU Off-Broadway.” They also do a ton of community outreach by performing children’s productions throughout the year. Upcoming productions include You Can’t Take It With You and Smokey Joe’s Café. The tuition is quite reasonable for a state institution and given the quality of the program and the facilities you can work in, I’d say this is a steal.
9. James Madison University / Harrisonburg, VA
If you’re looking for benefits geared towards performers, James Madison University has some fantastic options for you. JMU theatre sponsors four major productions each year in its main-stage season including the annual musical. As many as twenty additional productions are mounted each year in the Experimental Theatre. The program also sponsors The Children’s Playshop each summer. When it comes to facilities, they have the beautiful Forbes Center which has five different performance venues and it truly one of the spectacular theatre facilities in the country. Students will also have the chance to study theatre abroad not only in London but also Florence, Martinique, Paris and Salamanca.
But where JMU wins me over are their productions. JMU regularly participates in the American College Theatre Festival. Several JMU productions have been selected for regional competition and performers have done well in the individual acting phase of the competitions. Two recent productions played at the National Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The tuition once again is reasonable considering it’s a public university. Recent alumni have gone on to appear with Disney Cruise Lines, the Ensemble Studio Theatre of NYC, FringeNYC and national tours ofJersey Boys, Mamma Mia and The Book of Mormon.
8. The University of Alabama / Tuscaloosa, AL
When you think of the University of Alabama, you’re not likely thinking about theatre, but you should. UA has a fantastically rigorous program that rivals most BFA programs. Acting Students can take advanced courses in movement such as Clowning, Mask Work, Stage Combat, Suzuki, Contact Improvisation, Physical Characterization, Tai Chi, and Karate. Even more impressive is that they have a chance to dive into phonetics (IPA), stage dialects, archetypes, and alba emoting.The program also features concentrations in Costume Design/Production, Design/Tech and a Musical Theatre Track which produces three musicals a year that offer students studying musical theatre performance opportunities. Two of the musicals are produced during the season. The third, SummerTide Theatre (UA Theatre & Dance’s professional production), produces a musical each summer in Gulf Shores, AL.
The Marian Gallaway Theatre and Bales Theatre are stunning facilities to work in as well. Tuscaloosa is also a beautiful area if you haven’t been. Thecost is also incredible given what you’re getting. Alumni include Stephen T. Williams, who just appeared on Broadway in Lucky Guy and Lauren Hauser Wiley, who recently played Cosette in the National Tour of Les Miserables.
7. The Catholic University of America / Washington, DC
There are amazing theatre programs in our nation’s capital, but if I had to pick one, it would definitely be at The Catholic University of American. Founded in 1937 by Reverend Gilbert Hartke, known as the “show-biz priest,” the drama department produced some incredible alumni in the acting community such as Susan Sarandon, Jon Voight, Paula Vogel and Philip Bosco. Students have an opportunity to do internships at theatres such as Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Roundhouse Theatre, Folger Theatre, Signature Theatre and Ford’s Theatre. CU also has an incredible musical theatre program. Students perform two productions a year and get to perform in some small theatre called the Kennedy Center. They also host a number of master classes per year. Recent master artists include Brian Stokes Mitchell, Alice Ripley, Marni Nixon, Parker Esse, Nicole Vallands from J. Binder Casting, Dave Clemmons, and Adam Ben-David.
Students have the chance to perform in DC’s annual Fringe Festival or Source Festival. They also have interesting performance opportunities such as FroCase, a freshman showcase which is directed and produced by the Junior class. This spring they’ll be performing a new work from celebrated playwright Lauren Gunderson, The Revolutionists.
6. Muhlenberg College / Allentown, PA
If having a strong faculty is high on your list of priorities, then you’ll definitely want to look at the faculty at Muhlenburg. Department chair, Beth Schachter has directed at theatres such as New York Theatre Workshop, Second Stage, The Public Theatre, McCarter Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre and The Vineyard Theatre. Holly Cate appeared on Broadway in An Ideal Husband, directed by Sir Peter Hall, and regionally in Blithe Spirit (Portland Stage), An Ideal Husband (Pioneer), All My Sons (American Stage), and Arms and the Man (Asolo), in addition to numerous New York Theatre credits. And that’s just a few of the incredible faculty who’ll be your mentors at Muhlenberg.
If facilities are important to you, they also have some of the best in the country. The Baker Theatre is a beautiful theatre and the Studio Theatre hosts a variety of different types of performances.
5. Drew University / Madison, NJ
I would go into great detail about why Drew University’s theatre program is one of the best in the country, but they lay it out here pretty nicely.
4. Wesleyan University / Middletown, CT
Aside from being one of the best institutions in the country, Wesleyan has an inedible theatre program. I could start and end by simply saying that as a BA student, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote In The Heights in its halls but there’s much more to Wesleyan’s program than that. Beyond the training in the classroom, what I really like about this program are the study abroad programs. Place such as the British American Drama Academy, London, Moscow Art Theatre Semester, CIEE, Buenos Aires, C.V. STARR, Chile and the School for International Training, Ghana.
Their website explains, “The Theater Department considers the critical and creative study of each theatrical area to be an essential component of a liberal arts education. Offerings include courses in acting; civic engagement and outreach; criticism, ethnography, history, and literature; costume, lighting, scenic, and media-based design; directing; performance studies; theory; performance art; playwriting; puppetry; and solo performance.”
Alumni include Ken Barnett who played Abraham Ebdus in The Fortress of Solitude at The Public Theater and Bradley Whitford.
3. Bennington College / Bennington, VT
Bennington College is a very small not-for-profit college offering numerous disciplines along with theatre programs and located in Bennington, Vermont. This college was opened in 1932 and is presently offering bachelor’s degrees in 5 theatre programs.
A technical lab is required for each term that a student does drama, and other activities include working in the scene shop, costume shop or with the technical crew. Students also have the option to do internship to gain hands-on experience which aid in their experience as performers. There is a weekly Drama Forum during which students and faculty member present work in progress. Guest speakers are also present to conduct workshops and give educational lectures. Quite a few productions are staged each semester and students are always encouraged to participate.
If you’re not sold on that, let me just drop some names of alumni such as Alan Arkin, Peter Dinklage and Carol Channing.
2. Pepperdine University / Malibu, CA
The Theatre Program at Pepperdine University focuses entirely on undergraduate training. The program consists of approximately 75 enrolled majors across five different emphases: Acting, Directing, Technical Production & Design, Theatre & Music, and Theatre & Media Production. With the average class size of 12 students, the program curriculum allows for in-depth personal attention, focused training and class discussions, and well-informed faculty feedback, as well as a strong camaraderie among students.
Four major productions, a fully staged opera, and a season of student-directed projects are put on each year. Aside from the main stage productions and classroom experiences, student-led organizations like the Pepperdine Independent Entertainment (PIE) and the Pepperdine Improv Troupe (PIT) provide additional creative outlets for students. Pepperdine has two state-of-the-art theatres, in addition to a lab theatre, a recital hall, and practice rooms for student performances, classes, and rehearsals.
The cost is a bit high at just over $60,000 but the average student at Pepperdine receives about $40,000 in financial aid.
1. Willamette University / Salem, OR
Tucked away in the Pacific Northwest, far from the lights of Broadway or Hollywood lies the best BA theatre program in the country. The program at Willamette University in Salem, OR is absolutely incredible. Students majoring in Theatre are provided with a range of experiences within all areas of the theatre: acting, directing, stagecraft, costume construction, design, dramaturgy, lighting, voice, movement, theatre history, and dramatic literature.
It also features exceptional facilities such as The Willamette Playhouse is the home of Willamette Theatre classes, workshops and productions. The building, newly renovated and re-opened in 2010, includes a movement studio, directing and lighting studio, acting studio, costume shop, prop storage, makeup room, scene shop, light and sound production facilities, dressing rooms, classrooms, and faculty offices. There are two performance areas: the mainstage black box theatre, which offers flexible seating of up to 250, and a small laboratory theatre, which features flexible seating of up to 50.
They also wonderful performance seasons mixing the classical and contemporary. For instance last year they did Proof, The Trojan Women and The Conference of the Birds.
Willamette University has also been ranked as one of the best college values for a private institution at just over $57,000 per year. While you might think being so far away from theatre meccas would be a terrible thing, Salem is a terrific place to hone your craft and concentrate on your studies. I highly recommend giving this gem a closer look.