So you want to explore theater in higher education… Where the BFA in Acting offers the chance to explore theater at the higher level for the first time, the MFA in Acting furthers the ability to polish one’s craft. Like a pair of shoes, each MFA program fits slightly different, with its own style and structure. Keep reading to find out which type of MFA in Acting program fits you!

For the academic actor…
If you love learning and find your left and right brain hold hands, consider the following:

Yale, Brown, Columbia, Northwestern

The MFA in Acting offers the chance to learn about theater at the higher level, and an academic-oriented actor may wish to pursue thoughtful discourse on the craft. These programs, mostly Ivy League schools, are known nationally for their academics. This higher level of learning exists in their theater departments, too!

For the classical actor….
If you enjoy text-based work like Shakespeare and the ways in which older work communicates over time, consider:

Mary Baldwin University/American Shakespeare Center; Shakespeare Theater Company/George Washington University

Let’s say you discovered a deep love for classical works while an undergraduate. Perhaps even you didn’t get enough focused study on the classics and their styles of acting. If the performance of classical texts is of interest to you, consider these programs. Mary Baldwin University with the American Shakespeare Center offers an MFA in Shakespeare and Performance for all those thinking about the Bard and the ways in which his works (and similar texts) affect the craft today. George Washington University in partnership with the Shakespeare Theater Company specifically offers the MFA in Classical Acting, where “classes in Acting, Text & Rhetoric, Voice, Speech, Mask, Movement, and Stage Combat make up the core of the curriculum.” Whether interested in 3 years of training or George Washington’s one, the classical actor is covered here!

For the film aficionado…
If you love the silver screen and desire more training in the digital sphere, consider the following…

Cal State Fullerton, DePaul University

Film is a more close, intimate style of acting theater. In undergraduate, you may have taken a class or participated in some student films and realized you wanted more. While most MFA in Acting programs touch on this style in a course or two, some schools offer a more extensive look at film while providing an MFA degree. At California State University in Fullerton, CA, the specialized MFA in Television, Film, and Theater/Acting offers a graduate degree in acting with a special focus on film and television that is more extensive than just a course. DePaul University is known for its film acting faculty but still offers the typical MFA in Acting; know you can study there just like Joe Keery from Stranger Things or Gillian Anderson from The X-Files.

For the holistic actor…
If you are an interdisciplinary aficionado or enjoy well-rounded training, consider:

Indiana University, University of Tennessee – Knoxville, University of Georgia, University of New Orleans, Brandeis University

Just as varied as performance-based BFA programs, the MFA in Acting programs vary in their coursework and offerings. Because of this, many programs offer holistic training with opportunities to delve into other facets of theater and performance as well as collaborate heavily with other undergraduate and graduate artists. Take Indiana University. With robust undergraduate theater majors and graduate students in disciplines from acting to scenic design to dramaturgy, there is opportunity to collaborate across disciplines within the art form. This kind of holistic training is great for the well-rounded actor! It fosters empathy and awareness for all of the parts that come to make the art we love. Many of these programs, including University of Georgia, offer a broader degree, a MFA in Theater, that also allows for a wider scope.

For the physical actor…
If movement makes your heart sing, consider:

Virginia Commonwealth, University of Houston, Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Playhouse

While we often focus on the voice’s role in performance, the body is just as much a factor in the stories we tell. If you love the intersection of theater and movement, you may be interested in a program that also loves it. The program at Virginia Commonwealth University offers an MFA in Theater Arts with concentration in pedagogy, which leaves teachers with an affinity for instructing and communicating the knowledge they learn. Other programs like Case Western and Houston offer stage combat certifications through the SAFD (Society of American Fight Directors) for weapons ranging from unarmed to rapier and dagger. Whether it’s a focus on coursework or a full concentration, there is a program with physical training for you!

SUMMARY
Each MFA in Acting program is unique in its offerings, and the intricacies of each individual program are important to pay attention to in deciding which programs interest you and your artistry most. Some programs offer the ability to become Equity, others focus on teaching opportunities during undergraduate. Some of these unique qualities are in the course offerings, and some are in the overall structure of the program. Programs like Case Western and University of San Diego partner with a nearby regional theater, the Cleveland Playhouse and the Old Globe respectively, to offer a professional counterpart to their university teaching. In both of these programs, graduate students will graduate with an Equity card thanks to their collaboration with the MFA program. Other programs, like the University of Louisville’s African American Theater certificate and Virginia Commonwealth University’s movement pedagogy certificate, offer one-of-a-kind teaching specific to an actor whose passions line up with their offerings. All of the programs mentioned above are just a sample of the vast and varied MFA programs available for study. We encourage you to research on your own and find the program fit for you!

With Theater.Academy’s expertise in theater in higher education and roster of coaches, you can apply for the right MFA programs for you! For those beginning their MFA application journey or unsure of the next steps, our Application Kickstart program may be the right choice for you as you contemplate where to begin and apply, where one-on-one questions, feedback, and advice may help you narrow down which programs suit your fancy. Consider booking an Application Kickstart or free consultation today!