NYC Area MFA Directing porgrams.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:28pm

so, i already posted this in the student section but since the people who would have the most information are likely not students anymore and thus wouldn't be reading the stduent board, i decided to post it here.

So, waht are the good ones?

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:42pm

Why do you want an MFA?

I miss John Spencer....

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:44pm

because I want one. I have falling in love with directing the last couple years, and in may I'll be receiving 2 BAs, so it's the next logical step (well, the next step in a couple of years probably)

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:46pm

The next logical step is to direct stuff! I totally doubt the value of MFAs.

Why not be an assistant on a few shows. Learn by doing?

Theatre is being killed by its love of education... Film doesn't have this problem.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:49pm

the thing is, I haven't really studied directing. I've taken one class, directed one show (a 2 person 1 act) and am preparing to direct a second show (a minimalistic production of Neil Labute's "The Shape of Things")

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:49pm

Anyone have the last 2 episodes of west wing? i missed them :)

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:50pm

I never took a class in directing! (And people may now use that against me when reviewing my work.)

I think directing classes teach you to be like other directors. Who wants that?

[Someday]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 5:13pm

ZONEACE, if you ever want to teach at the collegiate level, you'll need that MFA... unless, of course, you've become a REALLY BIG DEAL. Whether a theatre artist/professor can lead a more stable life than just a theatre artist is up for discussion, but that's another matter, I guess....


I'm looking into MFA directing programs, too. A couple in the area to begin with... Columbia and CUNY/Brooklyn College.

[rflpfl2]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 5:26pm

In NYC you can look at

Columbia
New School
and CUNY/ Brooklyn College

Not too far is Yale and then Brown.

And there is definately a benefit to going to grad school. It is a closed environment where you can practice and take risks that you won't be able to do if you were producing shows here.

I know that directors here in NYC- even at the off-off broadway level- will have critics come in and they need to worry about the audience and the directing process is that of producing a public performance. In school you can try a million things and explore and develop your own visual aesthetic and style.

Good luck with admission.

[rflpfl2]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 5:28pm

Also- when you graduate and you're applying for jobs against students who went to school- and they have gorgeous photos of large sets which entailed huge budgets and had their entire theater dept. working on the show- who's work is going to look better?
Updated On: 8/21/06 at 05:28 PM