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The Department of Theater provides an affordable, accessible, outstanding education taught by a nationally recognized faculty of theater artists and leaders. We are a professional training ground set in the epicenter of the theater industry—New York City. The department offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater with a specialization in one of the following areas: acting, design and technical production, directing, or performing arts management. The 60-credit program prepares students for leadership and professional careers in each area of specialization through a combination of practical and theoretical courses as well as through internships with major institutions in the New York metropolitan area.
There are several career paths for you with a master’s in theater, including director, designer, performer, producer, technical director, voice actor, stage manager, artistic director, and instructor. You will follow our theater alumni to Broadway and other prestigious venues around the globe.
Program Details
Acting Design and Technical Production Directing Performing Arts Management
The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2023–24 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here.
The Department of Theater offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater with a specialization in one of the following areas: acting, design and technical production, directing, or performing arts management. The two-year, 60-credit program prepares students for leadership and professional careers in each area of concentration through a combination of practical and theoretical courses as well as through internships with major institutions in the New York metropolitan area.
Sixty credits are required for the degree.
Students must also submit a thesis based on a thesis project and/or production acceptable to the department. Information about requirements for the thesis is in the section “Academic Regulations and Procedures.”
Prior to the above, all students must undergo a pre-thesis evaluation (consisting of a work-in-progress shown to the faculty, an academic progress review by faculty, or both) by the time they complete 24 credits. If a student’s progress is not deemed satisfactory by the head of the relevant concentration, the student will be denied the approval of a thesis production or project until the deficiencies noted in written form to the student have been corrected.
Courses in the Theater Department offered toward the degree must be 7000-level courses.
The program of study must be approved in advance by the head of each specialization.
General matriculation and admission requirements of Graduate Studies are in the section “Admission.”
Submit the following documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:
Refer to the instructions at Graduate Admissions.
Please see the individual specializations.
Or contact:
222 West Quad Center 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210 E: grads@brooklyn.cuny.edu P: 718.951.4536
Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
To make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor, visit:
BC Admissions Appointment Tool
If you are a passionate actor, committed to being a hard-working artist invested in sharing stories about what it is to be human, and if you are committed to confronting your life and work habits that restrict growth to expand your sense of self, who you are, and look beyond yourself to others, develop your skills, and awareness, then we are looking for you!
The journey through our Master of Fine Arts program is a two-year rigorous experience within a cohesive cohort of eight to 10 M.F.A. actors. The acting specialization offers our students a uniquely individual and collective journey through an advanced and integrated curriculum of exciting courses that: train the actor’s instrument holistically for stage and screen acting; and teaches the actor to value a dedicated and integrated practice of techniques and skills that empower the actor to live in present reality, under the pressure and expectations of performance with ease and vulnerability, and to behave spontaneously as recognizably human. Our faculty, all respected New York professionals, inspire and support individuals to invest in a lifelong practice of techniques and skills.
Our foundational and sequential courses of Acting (stage and screen), Voice & Speech, and Movement work together to identify and redirect habitual behaviors, release imagination, and structure a coherent technique that allows actors to bring their full selves to the work. Additional classes are introduced and determined by the specific needs of each cohort and each semester culminates with an original solo performance rooted in the actualization of the power of the Voice. The final semester of training concludes with a Business Class/Industry Showcase collaboration.
The Department of Theater produces approximately eight departmental productions per academic year, and graduate students receive the unique opportunity to perform once per semester in a fully realized production, with the exception of their first semester. Our program is involved in an exciting collaborative community of playmakers on campus: graduate and undergraduate actors, directors, designers, and technicians in the Theater Department and playwrights in the English Department.
Our program is involved in an exciting collaborative community of playmakers on campus: graduate and undergraduate actors, directors, designers, technicians, and playwrights from the English Department.
Off-campus we enjoy collaborative partnerships with The Public Theater–Resident Artists, LAByrinth Intensive Education Program, Movement Theater NYC, CUNY Dance Initiative, and The Tank Theater.
The program of study must be approved in advance by the head of the specialization.
Applicants must offer at least 18 to 21 credits in acting courses. Consideration will also be given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but have equivalent experience or unusual talent in the chosen concentration. Such applicants should consult the head of concentration directly. Applicants must apply to the head of concentration for an audition/interview appointment once their application has been submitted.
Consideration is also given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but have equivalent experience or unusual talent in the chosen specialization. Such applicants should consult the program head.
A request for an audition or interview appointment may be made by letter or telephone to the head of the relevant concentration.
Theater 7311X, 7321X, 7322X, 7323X, 7324X, 7331X, 7332X, 7333X, 7334X, 7341X, 7342X, 7325X, 7343X, 7344X, 7351X, 7352X, 7353X, 7360X, 7722X, and 7742X. Acting candidates are required to audition for all departmental productions and must accept roles as cast. Before taking Theater 7742X, students must perform in a “pre-thesis” role approved by the head of concentration.
Students graduating with a specialization in acting will be able to:
Applicants must have, or be about to receive, a bachelor’s degree prior to applying for graduate admission. While a degree in theater is not required for admission, previous acting experience is essential. The applicant must offer at least 18 to 21 credits in undergraduate theater or equivalent professional experience, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the program head.
A 3.00 or better grade point average in the last two years of undergraduate or postbaccalaureate work is required. The GRE is not required for M.F.A. applicants.
Applicants must submit their application materials to the Brooklyn College Office of Graduate Admissions before the deadline. If the deadline has passed, and you are still interested in applying, contact us via e-mail.
Note: Fall intake only!
Applicants must submit their application materials to the Office of Graduate Admissions before the deadline. If the deadline has passed, and you are still interested in applying, contact us via e-mail.
We look forward to meeting you and beginning a relationship with you!
The M.F.A. program offers two audition options for prospective students:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Once the application has been submitted, contact the head of the program at gradacting@brooklyn.cuny.edu and cc: JVivier@brooklyn.cuny.edu to arrange an audition/interview date and time. Attach a headshot/résumé.
Auditions and callbacks are held on campus:
To register for this event, visit urta.com. In person: January 19–21 Sonesta Rittenhouse Square Hotel Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Note: The URTA candidate who receives a callback for the M.F.A. program at Brooklyn College and is interested in being considered for acceptance into our program must be submit an application to the Graduate Admissions Office with a required $75 application fee prior to our in-house auditions on the dates listed above. This permits both candidate and faculty an opportunity to learn more about each other and the program, after the brief experience URTA offers.
In addition to completing the online application for graduate admissions, all applicants must submit the following materials via the same online portal:
Note: The selection and admission process are based on the candidate’s audition/interview, undergraduate and/or professional experience, written statements, and letters of recommendation.
Resident Artists from The Public Theater hold workshops and seminars in their various areas of interest with our students.
Auditions are held at the end of May for acceptance into a week-long intensive education program with the LAByrinth, culminating in a performance.
Scholarships are available for further physical theater classes in Clown, Le Coq, Buffon, and Commedia with the Movement Studio of NYC.
Emerging young choreographers collaborate with students in the laboratory of the classroom.
Led by Brooklyn College Alumna, Meghan Finn, The Tank offers rehearsal space and production opportunities to program alumni.
079E Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts E: JVivier@brooklyn.cuny.edu P: 718.951.5000, ext. 2763
E: gradacting@brooklyn.cuny.edu
The aim of the specialization in design and technical production is to give the student professional training in scenic, costume, and/or lighting design, and in related technical theater subjects. There is a heavy emphasis on the application of design skills to campus productions. Related work in the professional theater is encouraged through internships in the final year of study. Students are recommended for projects with professional designers and theater companies during the summer and during the academic year with faculty approval. Except in rare cases, each student who is admitted must have a solid undergraduate concentration in one or more of the design or technical areas and/or a strong background in art. Each applicant must be interviewed, at which time his or her portfolio will be evaluated. The program requires 60 hours of course work. This includes three credits for a thesis project, which must consist of a fully researched and rendered scenographic design for a major production. This production is typically a paper project or, with permission, a realized production. The degree typically requires three years of study.
Applicants must offer at least 18 credits in theater courses including courses in directing, design, and theater production, or in such design-related courses as architecture, art history, and painting. Applicants must be interviewed by the Theater Department or submit a portfolio directly to the Theater Department at the time of application.
Theater 7212X, 7213X, 7415X, 7431X, 7433X, 7435X, 7421X, 7721X, 7722X, 7723X, 7742X; and a minimum of three additional courses in design and technical production. Before taking Theater 7742X, students must complete designs for actual productions at the experimental or thesis production level and must complete a design for a major production in fulfillment of the practicum course requirements.
Students graduating with a specialization in design and technical production from Brooklyn College will be able to:
Submit a graduate application that includes portfolio link and résumé to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Contact Kip Marsh, program head, to schedule an interview.
079D Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts E: kmarsh@brooklyn.cuny.edu P: 718.951.5889
The M.F.A. Theater specialization in directing is designed to train directors to perform with distinction and leadership in the practice of professional theater.
Many of our recent graduates are now running their own theaters, have launched successful careers in New York, the United States, and abroad as directors and teachers, and are generating a productive network for themselves and our other M.F.A. graduates. A distinctive feature of our program is that each student and the program head create an individualized two-year curriculum combining required courses with multiple electives designed to satisfy each student’s unique talents, proclivities, and aspirations.
The program balances rigorous academic preparation in the history, theory, and literature of theater with intensive practical experience through on-campus productions, classroomship activity, and internships with a wide variety of producing organizations in New York. Additionally, the program supports student initiatives for credit-bearing independent study.
The program is committed to supporting each directing student’s unique evolution by engaging with the bounty of resources and opportunities offered by New York City, and now, as we emerge from an unprecedented time of remote learning and practice, by engaging with those now on an even wider scale.
In this two year program students will take 60 credits, 24 of which are required: four directing classes, one performing arts management class, one design class, a first year capstone one-act directing project, and a thesis production followed by a thesis paper. The remaining 36 credits include courses in theater management, theater history, dramatic structure, and dramatic theory and criticism, as well as independent study courses tailored to the individual student’s interests.
Applicants must offer at least 18 credits in theater courses including courses in acting, directing, dramatic literature, theater history, and stagecraft. A production book for an actual or proposed production must be submitted directly to the Theater Department at the time of application. If possible, applicants should arrange to be interviewed by the Theater Department.
Theater 7611X, 7511X, 7512X, 7513X, 7514X, 7721X, 7722X or 7622X, 7723X or 7623X, 7514X, 7515X, and 7742X. Additional advanced courses to bring the total number of advanced credits in Department of Theater concentration in Directing courses to 60. All the required courses used to meet these degree requirements must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
Students graduating with a specialization in directing from Brooklyn College will be able to:
Submit a graduate application that includes resume, statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation and transcript(s) to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Submit a production book (portfolio) via Google drive or Dropbox link to Professor Bullard via e-mail.
312a Whitehead Hall E: tbullard@brooklyn.cuny.edu P: 718.951.5000, ext. 2765
The Performing Arts Management specialization is a rigorous course of study offering students from all over the world a theoretical, practical, and essential foundation for a career in the field of performing arts management.
Mostly through the lens of theater, the overarching goal of the program is to serve as a professional training ground for future leaders in both the commercial and not-for-profit arms of the industry. As defined by this program, arts management includes the business activities surrounding the running of not-for-profit and commercial entities in the arts. This includes marketing, fundraising, leadership, facilities, labor law and relations, EDIA, programming, company management, finance, accounting, and human resources. (Note: While there is limited overlap in skill set, stage management and production management are not a focus of this program).
Upon completion of the requirements for the specialization in performing arts management, graduates will:
Most classes are held in the evening so that students may fulfill professional experiences during the day throughout their time in the program. In the summer, students will participate in a required two-week residency where they are paired with mentors, attend networking events, and meet with working professionals as part of a curated seminar series. Every course in the program is taught by working professionals who are appointed each semester to teach in their area of expertise. The synergy of rigorous course work, exposure to professionals currently working in the field, the summer residency, and professional experiences throughout the program provides the students a comprehensive skill set and the necessary networks to springboard them into their professional futures.
Applicants must offer at least 18 to 21 credits or the equivalent in courses in one of the following: dance, fine arts, music, or theater. Applicants must submit an essay on professional goals. Applicants must be interviewed by the Theater Department.
Theater 7442X, 7610X, 7611X, 7612X, 7613X, 7615X, 7616X, 7617X , 7619X, 7621X, 7622X, 7623X. Students must take two of the following courses: THEA 7212X, 7213X, 7214X, 7215X, 7216X, 7223X, 7224X, 7231X, 7232X, or 7233X. With a few exceptions, students must also take Theater 7631X, which requires the satisfactory completion of a 10-15–week residency with a professional arts organization or agency approved by the chair and a thesis report based on the residency experience.
Students graduating with a specialization in performance arts management from Brooklyn College will be able to:
Admission requires an undergraduate degree with significant study in the performing arts. Consideration is also given to applicants who do not meet course requirements but who have equivalent experience.
It is recommended that you inform the head of the program that your application has been completed.
After initial review of applications, finalists will be invited to interview with the program head on Zoom.
The performing arts management specialization has hundreds of alumni employed in the field of arts management. Most begin in middle management positions related to such specialties as fundraising, finance, and marketing. As the years progress, an increasing number move into top management jobs, becoming general managers, executive directors, company presidents, and Broadway producers.
Below is a list of organizations that have recently offered opportunities to our students and/or participated in our summer residency.
317 Whitehead Hall E: michael.page@brooklyn.cuny.edu P: 718.951.5000, ext. 2764
Brooklyn College is an integral part of the cultural and artistic energy of New York City. Our faculty members in Theater offer incomparable expertise and tremendous talent, and each brings a unique perspective to their teaching and mentoring in and out of the classroom.
Kip Marsh is a set and lighting designer for live performance. He has worked in the genres of the...
Patrick Sabongui, actor, director, producer and educator, is an Assistant Professor of Theater at...
Laura Tesman is a director and collaborative theater-maker. She is the founding co-artistic direc...
Professor Judylee Vivier, director of the M.F.A. in Acting program, is a Fulbright scholar, actre...
Through job fairs, the internship database, and internship panels, the Magner Career Center gives students in the theater M.F.A. program access to career opportunities at a wide variety of employers, including:
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