About the Program
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting is an intensive four-year sequential course of study in acting, the speaking voice, speech, movement, dramatic literature and the history of the theater, supplemented by skills in stage combat, dance, gymnastics, improvisation, mask work, make-up, and audition techniques. The schedule is rigorous; in a typical week, a student works directly with faculty for 27 to 40 hours and spends a comparable amount of time in preparation.
The first two years of training focus on the development of the actor’s imagination and an exploration of his or her inner resources as they relate to the external demands of the craft. Students in their first semester of their first year of study are not allowed to audition for departmental productions, in order to allow them time to focus on their coursework and to adjust to college life. Admission to the third and fourth years is by invitation of the faculty. During the third and fourth years, classroom work broadens to consider the elements of style and modes of behavior in various historical periods. B.F.A. candidates are continuously engaged in rehearsal and public performance.
The productions provide a wide range of opportunities for performance and production work. They are directed by visiting artists and resident faculty, all of whom are working theater professionals.
Concentration in Musical Theater
The concentration in Musical Theater is a uniquely designed program supplementing the B.F.A. in Acting with a sequence of courses in musical theater. This pre-professional degree program is designed as a launching pad to the theater arts profession and/or further study at the graduate level.
In addition to completing the requirements for the B.F.A. in Acting, students pursuing the Concentration in Musical Theater follow a sequence of courses in voice training, dance and movement, song interpretation, foundational music courses, and performance practice in various styles within the genre.
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